Page 149 of Sweet Deception

“I’m just five months pregnant. I can still walk.”

He nodded, holding me by the hands as we walked out of the hospital.

Soon, we were inside the car.

“I’ll have my men bring as many beautiful female clothes as possible for our unborn child,” he said, a small smile on his face as he imagined the future.

I smiled weakly, feeling the weight of the moment. “We’ll need more than clothes, Gleb.”

He raised an eyebrow. “What else?”

“A home filled with love. The rest will follow.”

He nodded, his expression softening. “Anything you need, Anna. Just say the word.”

“Thank you so much, Gleb.” I said from the backseat. He didn’t want me to sit in the front seat because of my pregnancy. According to him, it wouldn’t be safe for me.

Five months later, I was in the labor room, screaming my lungs out and sweating under the AC. The nurses kept gently urging me to push, but nothing was coming out.

At first, I wasn’t feeling much pain, but as I began to strain myself and force the baby out, I began to feel intense pain both in my lower abdomen and my spine. It was like having excruciating menstrual cramps, but so much worse.

“I can’t do this anymore,” I cried. The thought of a cesarean terrified me, but the pain was unbearable. “I don’t want my tummy cut open. I’m still young. I don’t want to have to suffer through the healing over the years. But I can’t help it. “You can go ahead with the cesarean section.” I sobbed, my voice shaking.

I was exhausted.

Gleb had been standing by my side the whole time. He hadn’t left me, not even for a second. The nurses had tried to persuade me to keep going, but when it became clear I couldn’t continue, they gently ushered him out, assuming he was the reason I couldn’t push the baby out.

He was out now, but nothing was working. Every time it felt like the baby might come, she pulled back again. I had been pushing for more than two hours.

“We’ll need your husband’s approval before we proceed,” they said.

“He’s outside,” I said tiredly.

Gleb appeared a few seconds later and rushed to my side. “Babe...” he held my right hand and kissed my sweaty cheek. “It will be okay.”

“I’m scared.”

“I know. But our baby will come out fine. And we’ll both be able to suggest sweet names to give her.” He said, “I’ve approved of the c-section, and the doctor assured me that nothing should go wrong.”

I nodded, staring at him. I had cried so much that I didn’t have any tears left. He leaned down and kissed my swollen belly before pressing his lips to mine. He didn’t seem to care that there were nurses around.

“Will I be totally unconscious? I want to be conscious to see when my baby is coming out of me,” I said with a breaking voice.

“You will definitely be conscious,” he said.

“Really?”

“Yeah. I already browsed it. You’ll be given regional anesthesia that will only numb the lower half of your body, so you won’t feel pain.”

“Thank goodness. I didn’t know that’s a thing.”

“Remember I told you months ago I would learn everything related to pregnancy so I can guide you through it? Well, I’ve done it. I know everything now.”

Over the months, Gleb had been by my side more than I ever expected. He didn’t just provide for me; he took joy in every moment, no matter how small. I would wake him from a sound sleep, craving something odd, and he never hesitated to get it forme. He even learned how to cook my favorite dishes, just to see me smile. Sometimes, I’d sit on his back and play with his hair as he quietly lay there, never complaining. His care felt endless.

Even when he didn’t say the words, his actions spoke volumes. I felt loved, truly loved, for the first time in my life.

“I love you, Gleb.” I genuinely meant it.