Chapter 3

3.

I splashed cold water on my face, forcing myself to breathe.

Before Liam got back, I uploaded every chat log, voice file, and photo to my private cloud account.

Then I marked the messages as "unread" and put the phone back exactly where it was.

I grabbed my own phone and emailed my boss, Sarah.

To: sarah.mitchell@techcorp.com Subject: Re: London Transfer Opportunity

Sarah,

I’ve reconsidered. I accept the position in London. When can we discuss the details?

Best, Emily

I sat at my vanity and applied light makeup. I couldn't let Liam see anything was wrong.

"Hey, babe. Got breakfast."

At 8:30, Liam walked in, holding a Dunkin' bag and two coffees.

"Iced Caramel Macchiato with an extra shot, just how you like it."

He smiled, walking over to kiss my forehead.

I swallowed my nausea and took the cup. "Thanks. You're the best."

"You okay? You look pale." Liam looked at me with fake concern.

"Just tired. Didn't sleep well." I took a sip. The bitter taste coated my throat. "Actually, I've been thinking... we should both get a comprehensive checkup. You know, for the baby."

Liam's face stiffened for a split second. "I'm fine. I go to LA Fitness three times a week."

"Please, Liam. I saw your mom faint last month. It scared me."

I held his hand, making my eyes look sincere. "What if there's something wrong and we don't know? I need you healthy. I need us to be ready when the baby comes."

That clearly touched his ego. Liam sighed. "Fine. I'll book something this week."

"No, today." I pulled out my phone. "I already booked us appointments at Northwestern Memorial. You're at 10 AM. Full workup―blood, heart, reproductive health, everything."

"Today? I have a faculty meeting―"

"Cancel it. Family comes first, right?" I stared into his eyes.

Liam hesitated, then nodded. "You're right. Let me call the school."

At 2 PM, I sat in the fertility center at Northwestern Memorial, holding my results.

Patient: Emily Carter-Bennett Diagnosis: Normal ovarian reserve, regular ovulation, no abnormalities found. Fertility Prognosis: Excellent.

The doctor, a gentle middle-aged woman named Dr. Patel, looked at me. "Mrs. Bennett, your results are perfect. You are fully capable of conceiving. If you've been trying for three years without success, the issue likely lies with your partner."

"I understand. Thank you, Dr. Patel."

"I noticed you both had appointments today. Your husband's results should be ready soon. Do you want to wait?"

I nodded.

An hour later, Dr. Patel's expression was serious. She called Liam into the consultation room.

"Mr. Bennett, Mrs. Bennett, we need to discuss a sensitive matter."

She placed a report on the desk.

"Mr. Bennett, your semen analysis shows severe oligospermia. Your sperm count is extremely low―less than one million per milliliter. Normal is fifteen million or higher."

Liam's face went ghost white. "That... that's impossible. We got checked two years ago. Everything was fine."

Dr. Patel frowned at her computer screen. "I see the previous record. But Mr. Bennett, there's a note here―the lab tried to contact you for a re-test due to a sample mix-up. Your number was out of service."

"What?" Liam gasped.

"The 'normal' result you received wasn't yours. It was a labeling error. We tried to reach you, but..." Dr. Patel paused. "With your current count, natural conception is statistically impossible. IVF with ICSI would be your only option."

I sat there, my face calm.

But deep down, a terrifying thought was forming.

If Liam was practically sterile, then what the hell was Sophie talking about when she said she'd "give him a baby"?