DECISION
The sound of footsteps echoed rhythmically, thumping against the floor covered in a luxurious Mediterranean-patterned carpet. Casually, Kaivan entered the VIP elevator, the bouncing of each step matching the expensive decor. Upon exiting, Mike, his assistant, was already there to greet him. Mike assisted in carrying the work bag that Kaivan had been holding in his left hand.
“What’s on my schedule for today?” the man inquired as he walked leisurely towards his office.
“As usual, weekends are typically clear, Mister. But there’s Mr. Hans Ulrich waiting in your office. He’s been there for the past 30 minutes,” Mike replied.
Quickly, Kaivan increased his pace. Upon entering the room, he approached Hans, who was sitting comfortably on the guest sofa. Kaivan asked his assistant to leave so that he and Hans could converse freely.
“Any recent updates?”
Hans closed the business magazine he had been reading. “There are a few pieces of information I’d like to share.”
“And this time, about what?”
“Well…” Hans whispered as he retrieved a file from his bag. “I want to make sure that Anne is indeed the target of a mafia group. And you need to know who’s leading the mafia that’s after her.”
Kaivan leaned forward to hear Hans clearly. “Who is it?”
“Luca Guzman. An old man from Sicily whose business you’ve thwarted several times.”
Kaivan muttered softly. “Oh my… That old man should be preparing himself for the inevitable. He’s quite elderly. Why does he keep getting involved in trouble?”
Hans chuckled, remembering the past clash between Kaivan and Luca. How the eldest son of the Maximilian family fearlessly confronted the Sicilian mafia’s casino.
Kaivan argued that Luca had violated rules by acting ruthlessly. The old man had seized land from residents without paying any rent. Since the issue was within Kaivan’s jurisdiction, he had to get involved to settle it.
Luckily, the Witch Hunter group was backing Kaivan at that time. They helped push back the Sicilian mafia, preventing further disturbances.
“Does that mean it’s highly likely that one of the M16 agents became disabled when returned to their family due to Luca’s henchmen?”
Hans nodded. “Based on preliminary investigation results, Giorgino and Raul Altemose were indeed specially assigned by M16 to secretly investigate Luca’s group. It’s possible that during their mission, they stumbled upon significant facts. However, their actions were detected by the old man’s associates, which led to them being pursued.”
“Because after capturing Raul, they didn’t find anything, and up until now, Giorgino’s whereabouts are unknown, Luca ultimately targeted Anne?” Kaivan guessed.
“Exactly!” Hans exclaimed, raising his hand. “So, it’s reasonable to conclude that Luca wants to kidnap Anne as bait to lure out Giorgino. Or maybe Anne holds this significant secret. That’s why she came here seeking your protection. As everyone knows, your hotel is located in the Neutral Zone, where no mafia from any corner of the world is allowed to commit crimes.”
“Then what about Anne’s pregnancy?”
Hans remained silent for a moment before answering. “For this task, we’ll split responsibilities. Whether you take Anne to a reliable obstetrician or bring the doctor to your hotel. Instruct them to confirm the pregnancy. Meanwhile, I’ll focus on investigating what kind of secret Giorgino carries that has made him Luca’s target.”
Kaivan nodded in understanding, but not long after, he spoke again. “If Anne is indeed pregnant, what should I do, Hans?”
This time, Hans chuckled softly. He could see the change in Kaivan’s expression. It seemed that Kaivan wasn’t pleased to be told that he might have impregnated a foreign woman.
“If Anne is indeed pregnant, I’d suggest marrying her right away, Kai. This way, there won’t be any scandal accusations that could tarnish your reputation. Whether the child in her womb is yours or not, we can prove it when the child is born. The key is to be patient.”
Kaivan dramatically closed his eyes. What Hans said was exactly the same as the advice Edward had given him a while ago. It seemed he needed to take swift action before it was too late.
****
“Anne, open the door.”
During lunchtime, Kaivan decided to visit Anna Maria who was relaxing in her room.
“What’s going on?” the woman asked as she opened the door.
“Quickly change your clothes, I want to take you out.”
“Where to?”
“Ugh…” Kaivan sighed. “Just follow my instructions and don’t ask too many questions.”
Anne pursed her lips. She didn’t protest but followed Kaivan’s order to change clothes. She got ready and then followed his steps to his neatly parked sports car in the VVIP area.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!
“Where are we actually going?” she asked during the ride.
“You’ll find out where I’m taking you,” Kaivan replied without glancing at her. He focused on driving until they reached a maternity clinic quite far from the city center.
“Why are we here?” the woman asked, confused.
“Of course, to get your pregnancy checked,” Kaivan replied casually, choosing to get out of the car first. He then walked around the car and deliberately opened the door for Anne before inviting her to get out. “You said you’re pregnant with my child, right? Don’t pregnant women need to have regular check-ups? I just want to make sure nothing happens to our future baby,” he added.
Anne fell silent. In the quietness, Kaivan gently pulled her wrist, urging her to enter the clinic. Once inside one of the examination rooms, a doctor who seemed to have been waiting for them greeted them warmly.
“Oh, Kaivan, I thought you were joking about coming to visit me here.” The male doctor greeted with familiarity. He acted as if he knew Kaivan quite well.
“Steve, please examine my future wife’s pregnancy. I’m just concerned about her well-being,” Kaivan said.
Doctor Steve nodded. His gaze shifted to the woman standing silently next to Kaivan.
“Come on, Miss. You can lie down on the patient bed so I can perform the examination.”
Anne complied. She walked towards the bed and lay down there.
“Before I proceed, may I have your name and age for the patient records?” Steve asked as he took a pen from the pocket of his doctor’s coat.
Anne nodded. “Of course. But can I fill out my own information?” the beautiful woman asked with a smile.
Steve nodded. “Go ahead.”
Anne sat up again, reaching for the sticky note and pen that Doctor Steve handed to her. She looked quite focused as she filled in her complete details. Once done, she quickly handed it back.
“Thank you,” Steve said. Shortly after, he read through each piece of information that Anne had written on the special patient form. “So, your name is Anna Maria Lopez, and you’re currently 28 years old?”
Anne nodded. “Yes, doctor.”
“Your name is as lovely as your appearance,” praised Doctor Steve.
“Thank you,” Anne replied. She then lay back down, allowing the male doctor to begin the basic examination as one would for a pregnant woman. After completing all the procedures, the doctor approached Kaivan, who had been sitting silently observing.
“Your future wife’s pregnancy is in good condition.”
For a moment, Kaivan listened carefully, absorbing each piece of information Steve provided.
“So, Anne is really pregnant?” he asked to confirm.
Steve nodded, answering Kaivan’s question without hesitation. “In fact, according to the ultrasound, the fetus in her womb is already at 11 weeks.”
Kaivan straightened his back. He glanced briefly at Anne, who had been listening silently, then turned his gaze back to Steve, speaking up. “Alright then. Thank you for your assistance, Steve. I can’t stay here any longer.” Kaivan then stood up, reaching for Anne’s wrist, asking her to follow him to the car.
“How did it go?” Anne asked. “Still doubting my pregnancy?”
Kaivan turned to her. “Clearly. Remember, there’s no concrete evidence yet that the child in your womb is truly my flesh and blood.”
Anne responded while playing with her phone. “Feel free to check when the baby is born.”
Kaivan remained silent, once again unsure how to respond to Anne’s words. He chose to accelerate the sports car he was driving to their next destination.
“Where are we going this time?” Anne continued to be curious. From her observation, the car was heading towards the city center, not the way back to the hotel. Before long, Anne’s speculation was proven right. The sports car stopped at the courtyard of a well-known boutique.
“Get out quickly, and choose the finest dress there. After this, we’ll both attend a celebration event hosted by my parents. And also, remember this! Behave well when we’re there. Don’t embarrass yourself by acting foolishly.”
Anne nodded in understanding. The woman resigned herself to following the given instructions.
****
Kaivan didn’t blink at all. He truly acted like someone who was hypnotized. His eyes scanned Anne from head to toe, as she now wore the dress she had chosen. She even had makeup on, as though she was ready to attend a party.
Wrapped in an off-shoulder A-line dress with glitter accents in some areas, Anne’s appearance was truly captivating. Her back and long legs were perfectly exposed. Even her brown hair was left flowing, adding a sensual touch for anyone who looked at her.
“Are we going now?”
Surprisingly, that question made Kaivan even more stunned. After a short while, he snapped out of it and cursed inwardly.
Oh God!
Don’t tell me you’re starting to be tempted by her!
“Sure.”
Kaivan walked ahead towards the car, opened the door, and gestured for Anne to enter.
Throughout the journey, both of them chose to remain silent. Anne mostly gazed at the rows of buildings they passed by. On the other hand, Kaivan occasionally stole glances, still in awe of Anne’s extraordinary appearance.
“We’ve arrived.”
Finally, the car Kaivan was driving reached the courtyard of a luxurious house in the Kensington area. A security officer promptly opened the door, allowing Kaivan and Anne to exit.
From the outside, numerous parked cars could be seen neatly lined up. It was evident that Laura had invited many people to the celebration event.
Not wanting to waste time, Kaivan immediately took hold of Anne’s wrist. He held it firmly and guided her to enter the event venue. As he suspected, there were already plenty of guests gathered there.
“Kaivan,”
The call of someone he recognized well diverted his attention. Reflexively, Kaivan turned towards the source of the voice. A woman had already approached and engulfed him in a hug.
“I thought you wouldn’t come tonight,” the woman said after releasing the hug.
“How could I miss an important event like this?”
Laura then looked at Anne, observing her appearance before speaking softly.
“Who’s this beautiful woman, Kai? Aren’t you going to introduce her to Mama?”
Kaivan’s lips curved into a smile. The next moment, he confidently answered his mother’s question.
“Allow me to introduce, Mom, this is Anna Maria. She’s my future wife.”