CHAPTER 14. Prayer Together
One week later
A woman with blonde hair seemed to stare at the scenery outside the window. The young lady was standing in front of the window in the room, rubbing her bulging stomach, then the action stopped. The sun had shone and its light lit up the entire city, including the luxurious residence.
A gentle breeze hit the face of the mother-to-be. The beautiful woman felt a movement from inside her stomach so that it made the wife of Tristian Varden Writh turn her attention, then again rubbed the area. "Honey, are you awake?" said Lavena, to the fetus that was still in the womb.
A movement occurred again, as if replying to the greeting of the mother. The green-eyed woman smiled while continuing to stroke the stomach area. Happiness welled up inside Lavena. However, suddenly, she was reminded of the secret meeting that took place one week ago, so the joy disappeared.
“I do not want to lose my baby, even though I and my husband would not kill her. What should I do to keep her here? If my father-in-law changes her to a baby boy, then how about our daughter's condition? What if he's sick? Who will take care of her? What if she gets bullied in the orphanage? Who will protect her from any harm? Once my baby was born, there were only five months left, and it was such a brief moment.”
Tears welled up because restlessness overtook Lavena. Meanwhile, the abdominal area is turbulent again, because the fetus is actively moving. The twenty-year-old woman wiped the tears that had fallen on her cheeks. Suddenly there was a knock on the door, so the only daughter of the couple, Sir Alex Martinus Keira and Madame Gabrielle Atventz Meira, immediately turned her attention towards it. "Who is it?" she asked sadly.
"Honey, it is me," someone answered behind the door.
When she heard those words, Lavena's hands hurriedly wiped away the remaining tears that were still on her cheeks. “Come in, Hubby!”
The woman who has a height of one hundred and sixty-five centimeters tall walked toward the bed. When she arrived at the area, Lavena sat on the edge of the bed, looking at the open door, and saw a well-built man enter the room. The person was getting closer, so he arrived in front of Lavena, who forced herself to smile. "Wifey, are you okay?"
"Yes, I am okay, Hubby. How was your day so far?”
The red-haired man seemed to shake his head a few times, then stretched both hands towards the cheeks of the woman he loved. Slowly, he stroked the area, so that Lavena felt comfortable because she was treated gently like that. "Wifey, I just went to visit the home of the parents of the baby boy who will be our daughter's surrogate."
The feeling of the woman with long curly hair was turbulent again when she heard the information conveyed by her beloved husband. This situation was known to the emerald-eyed man, but he tried to understand his wife's condition, so he had conveyed little to the other person. "Then?" asked Lavena, trying to brace herself.
The head of the family sighed heavily. He seemed hesitant to say something, so he remained silent and avoided his lovely lady's gaze. The actions of the opposite sex made the sharp-nosed woman suspicious because her beloved husband had not yet answered at all. “What was wrong, Hubby? Tell me."
The man with a beard and thick beard looked doubtful, then turned his attention to the woman he idolized. "He ... I mean the parents of the baby. They came not from the aristocratic class like us, so I objected. But dad told me that they were kind, even though they came from a poor society, so we can try to adopt their baby boy, Wifey,” said Tristian, shaking his head.
Lavena was suddenly wide-eyed when she heard the words of her husband. "What? Do they come from a poor family? No! How could dad give such an option? Our daughter is a descendant of royalty and it would be inappropriate to exchange it for their baby boy! If that's the case, then our family's lineage will be damaged!”
The tone of voice used by the smart lady also rose, which was caused by the speech of the other person. Tristian looked down and said nothing else. The owner of a luxurious residence does not even seem to calm her spouse as usual. Lavena rubbed her stomach, which was still churning again as if the fetus there knew what was in her beloved mother's restless heart, and at the same time wanted to be angry, knowing a shocking fact.
The atmosphere in the room became quiet because the conversation between the husband and wife had stopped for a while. Now the light of the sun is not too bright, a sign that the day is already afternoon. After two minutes of silence, a handsome twenty-five-year-old man raised his face. Tristian is now observing when his wife closes her eyes while rubbing the bulging stomach area. Even the fetus in the womb moves so that he sees it clearlt.
“Wifey, I also do not want our daughter to be replaced by their baby boy. But, considering that Alexa is not an ordinary child, then we inevitably have to do this. I wish he did not have any distinct physical characteristics, so it is easier for us to hide her here.”
Lavena did not answer right away. She looks increasingly sad and her hand is still rubbing her belly. Meanwhile, Tristian did not dare to give additional comments, as if he felt the same sadness as his lovely lady. “Hubby… you know… We have been waiting for three years to have a child. Why do bad things even happen in this house, especially to our baby? What did we do wrong?”
"No, dear. We did nothing wrong. Perhaps this is our destiny, but we must deal with it. I also discussed with dad about other possibilities, such as hiding our daughter in a remote area, despite that, there is a risk of being discovered by the envoy from the emperor. So far, we do not have any better option, Wifey.”
The twenty-year-old woman was silent. She couldn't say anything, for there was still a deep reluctance in his heart. Tristian chose to sit next to his beloved lady, then embraced Lavena's tiny body, as if to strengthen the heart of his beloved wife. “Honey, how about we pray for our daughter, Alexa? But we do not ask it with Goddess Asiles, so that later Goddess Magia will not be angry. We must pray in the name of The Queen of Witches.”
Tristian felt reluctant when he said the last sentence. However, such action must be taken for the common good. The atmosphere returned to silence for a while. Meanwhile, the green-eyed woman was still trying to calm herself, after feeling great inner turmoil.
“I agree with your idea, Hubby. What shall we pray for our daughter?” Lavena became a little comforted after hearing such words. She did not know what to say, so that was the only question he could come up with.
“We can pray for the best for our daughter. You can say anything to her, and so do I. How about that idea, Wifey? We can do it now if you agree with me.” Tristian again gave a choice to Lavena, so his wife changed her sitting position, and she released his hug.
“I agree with your thoughts, hubby. Let's begin now!" After saying so, the intelligent woman closed her eyes, followed by her hands on her stomach area. The burly man followed suit. Meanwhile, the fetus in the womb moves again, as if knowing that her parents want to pray for her.
“Goddess Magia. I pray for my lovely baby, Alexa Jocelyn Heart. May you protect my daughter wherever she is. Do not let her get cold, hungry, thirsty, and tormented. If in the future our daughter grows up and someone bullies her, then please help her. I wish one day I and my hubby will reunite with our daughter's family. I wish someday she will understand the reason... the reason why we were forced to take such a tough decision, which is to throw her into an orphanage..."
Lavena's voice trembled at the last sentence, causing tears to flow uncontrollably. The woman who was still of noble descent seemed unable to finish what she said and a sob came from those naturally pink, thin lips. Meanwhile, the head of the family felt sad. However, he still had to keep the promise he had made to his beloved wife.
"I am sorry because someday we cannot accompany you to grow up. We have always loved Alexa and we will not forget you ever. May Goddess Magia give mercy, so I and my wife can live longer on this earth. I wish the same as your mother and I—"
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