Pregnant Princess at the Altar by Karin Baine

Author:Karin Baine
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2023-05-15T12:34:05+00:00

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Gaia’s mouth was dry, her eyes stinging, and her throat raw from crying. It felt as though she was simply lying here waiting to be told the horrible truth, that her baby and the life she’d envisaged was gone. She was in mourning not only for the baby she’d fought so hard to keep, but also for the fledgling relationship she’d embarked on with Niccolo. If something happened she wouldn’t blame him if he decided it was the perfect way out of this mess. Her irrational dislike of Cassandra proved she’d already become too attached to him, and if she lost him and the baby she didn’t think she’d survive. They were all she had.

She knew she shouldn’t be so reliant on him when he’d promised her nothing but a sham marriage, but Niccolo was the only one who understood everything she’d gone through. He was her sole support and confidante. Even now, whilst the doctor was examining her, Niccolo was by her bedside, holding her hand and promising her everything would be all right. When she was looking at him she was more inclined to believe him.

‘Have you had any blood spotting?’ the doctor asked, removing the cuff from her arm once he’d finished checking her blood pressure.

‘No. Just some nausea and cramping.’

He nodded, his glasses resting so low on his nose she feared they’d fall off. ‘Your blood pressure is fine but I’ll check in on the baby just to put your mind at rest.’

Gaia clutched Niccolo’s hand as the doctor squeezed cold gel over her tummy before moving a Doppler foetal heart monitor over the site. She held her breath waiting for confirmation that her baby was still there and Niccolo placed his forehead against hers.

‘Whatever happens, I’ll be here for you, okay?’

She nodded, biting back the tears, grateful as ever to have him with her. The whole notion that she could ever have done this on her own had been bravado at a time when she didn’t think she had a choice. Now they’d spent time together, bonded over the situation, she didn’t want to go through any of this without him.

From the moment she’d seen the positive test she hadn’t had a choice about being a mother. It was something she would simply have to become. At the back of her mind she had worried she wouldn’t be good enough, especially when her role models hadn’t been the greatest examples of parenting. Would she love the baby enough when its father had been such a disappointment? If she hadn’t got pregnant accidentally, would she even have wanted a family? Now she knew for certain the answer to those questions buzzing around her brain was yes. If she didn’t love this baby she wouldn’t be so terrified she was going to lose it.

When the pounding sound of her baby’s heartbeat filled the room, she heard Niccolo’s deep intake of breath before she remembered to take one of her own.

‘There we go, baby’s heartbeat is strong and loud.

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