Page 94 of Twisted Pact

Alexei leans forward. “What counts as emotional triggers?”

“Anything that causes her heart rate to spike. Arguments. Frightening news. Situations where she feels helpless or out of control.”

I laugh bitterly. “So basically, everything about my life right now.”

“This isn’t a joke, Mila. Your blood pressure is high enough to cause serious complications. If it doesn’t come down soon, we might need to consider hospitalization. Until delivery, if necessary.”

The thought of spending the next seven months in a hospital bed makes panic rise in my throat. “That’s not going to happen.”

“It might not be your choice,” Dr. Orlov gently replies. “Your health and the baby’s health have to come first.”

“What about my father? He’s being tortured by Novikov’s men while we sit here talking about bed rest.”

Alexei and Dr. Orlov look at each other.

“That’s the kind of stress we need to eliminate,” the doctor says.

“Eliminate? He’s my father. I can’t just stop caring about whether he lives or dies.”

“You can stop participating in the rescue planning,” Alexei suggests. “Stop listening to intelligence reports. Stop putting yourself in situations where you feel responsible for outcomes you can’t control.”

“But Iamresponsible. If I hadn’t gotten involved with you, Papa wouldn’t be a target.”

“That’s not true,” Alexei states firmly. “Your father was already involved in this world and making enemies. You didn’t cause this.”

“But Novikov took him to get to you. To get to us.”

Dr. Orlov stands and packs his equipment. “This conversation is what I’m talking about. Guilt. Blame. Feeling responsible for things beyond your control. All of it elevates stress hormones that are dangerous for pregnancy.”

“So, what am I supposed to do? Pretend my father isn’t in danger?”

The doctor pats my knee in a placating gesture. “You’re supposed to trust that the people who care about you are handling the situation while you focus on taking care of yourself and your baby.”

“That’s easier said than done.”

“It’s necessary whether or not it’s easy.” Dr. Orlov looks at Alexei. “She needs rest. No discussions about rescue operations.No updates on threats or security issues. Nothing that could trigger anxiety.”

“I’ll handle it,” Alexei says.

“Your lifestyle involves constant danger and stress. That’s not compatible with a healthy pregnancy.”

“We’ll make it compatible.”

Dr. Orlov doesn’t look convinced. “I’ll be back in the morning to check her blood pressure. If it hasn’t improved significantly, we’ll need to discuss more aggressive interventions.”

After he leaves, Alexei and I sit in the quiet for several minutes. The only sound is the beeping of the monitor attached to my arm.

His phone goes off with a text from the nightstand. Alexei reaches for it, glances at the screen, and starts typing a response.

“What is it?” I ask.

“Boris. The tactical meeting for your father’s rescue was supposed to start twenty minutes ago.” He finishes typing and sets the phone aside. “I told them to proceed without me.”

“Alexei, you should go. This is about Papa?—”

“No.” His voice carries finality. “You’re more important than any meeting. They have the intelligence reports. They know the plan. They can coordinate without me for now.”

“What if they need you to make decisions?”