bChapter /bb83 /b

“Mr Mr. Atkinson” Janice nearly jumped out of her skin

Without warning, Brian frowned, his expression edged with impatience, as he repeated. “Are you pregnant?”

He had never been known for patience. He particrly despised sluggish responses, having to reiterate simple questions grated on him,

Janice almost shed tears. Her hand slipped against the wall, barely catching herself “Yes, Mr. Atkinson, L… I’m pregnant, but I swear it won’t affect my work, I promise I’ll meet every standard thepany requires and deliver everything on time.”

She had worked hard to secure her ce at Mkinson Group, if Brian fired her…

Brian studied her pale face and weak posture. The sharpness in his gare softened slightly.

He thought back to Jessica’s first pregnancy. That was right after he took over as CEO. At that time, the board gave him no peace, and project deadlines piled up endlessly. He had barely had time to be there for her.

All he knew was that she had a bad appetite during early pregnancy. Back then, his sole fort” had been threatening the baby in her belly to “behave.”

Now, regret washed over Brian. He had failed to provide even basicpanionship throughout Jessica’s first pregnancy. It had been unexpected. Neither of them had prepared.

Yet once the morning sickness passed, Jessica had adapted swiftly, even returning to assist him inpany attir

As these thoughts passed through his mind, the usual coldness in bBrian’s /beyes dimmed. He stared at Janice’s abdomen as if seeing Jessica reflected there. “Morning sickness is brutal, isn’t it?”

“Huh?” Janice froze. She thought, ‘Mr. Atkinson is asking me? Why bis /bbhe /blooking at me like this? Like the baby binside /bme is somehow his. bIt’s /bso weird.

Noticing bJanice’s /bbewildered expression, Brian snapped back to reality. “Come with me,” he bmanded/bb, /bturning without waiting for her response.

Janice followed, utterly confused. She wasn’t foolish enough to think Brian had taken a sudden interest in her. She thought, Why is he suddenly curious about pregnancy symptoms? Jessica was gone. So… Could it be that Madeline got pregnant?‘

Janice was shocked, thinking she had identally stumbled upon some explosive secret.

Brian led her to the floor’s reception lounge.

Janice hesitated, “Mr. Atkinson, youb…/b”

“Tell me about your physical diforts and emotional changes during pregnancy Brian got straight to the point, taking a seat.

Though internally reeling. Janiceunched into descriptions of nausea–how even the faintest whiff of meat made her queasy, yet she inexplicably craved it.

Brianistered intently, gesturing. “Take a seat

–

“Yes, Mr. Atkinson.” Janice sat down. As she spoke her initial nervousness faded. She grew animated, describing her pregnancy quirks.

“bEmotionally/b, the hormones made me ridiculously sensitive and paranoid–downright unreasonable bat /btimes. I’ve made my husband cry twice,” Janice chuckled sheepishly. It wasn’t like she meant to make trouble. It was just something she couldn’t control.

bBrian /bremained mostly silent, his pensive expression deepening. Sost, in fact, that he forgot he was supposed to be in a meeting

In the conference room, though everyone knew Brian had never beente before, no one dared call him,

An bhour /bter, Jackson, the executive assistant, Enally stepped out to call Briain.

The call reminded Bn of the meeting. Before leaving, he asked Janice for her contact information, just in case he had any questions.

Flustered, Janice saved bBrian’s /bnumberb. /bShe couldn’t believe that she had the president’s personal WhatsApp.

Brian entered the conference room. Hismanding presence silenced any questions about the dy

After the meeting, he summoned Jackson “Set a few informants Inside Grant Group, I need…”

Jackson’s eyes widened in shock. He thought Brian was crazy, Corporate espionage was a crime.

His horrified expression cut Brian off. Brian gave him a cold blook/b, sensing the misunderstanding “I want some people to monitor Jessica’s schedules and report on her health status.”

Relieved, Jackson regained hisposure. That task was manageable.

“Has the security I asked you to contact earlier been ready?” bBrian /basked.

Jackson replied, “I’ve already hired two retired bodyguards to discreetly protect Mrs. Atkinson.”

Brian nodded. With that settledb, /bJackson left to handle the tasks.

Brian picked up his phone and sent a message to Janice. How to keep a pregnant woman happy?|

Back at the publicity department, Janice had just returned to her desk and was working when her phone buzzed. It was a message from Brian

Janice nced around furtively before checking the message

Seeing his question, she thought, ‘If it were me, the answer would be simple–quitting work, lounging on the sofa watching videos, sleeping in aste as wanted, preferably with my husband apanying me. But since this was presumably about Madeline…

Janice mentally switched perspectives and replied cautiously: Perhaps thepany of her loved one? Or attending events together?)

Brian stared at the breply/bb, /ba strange feeling settling over him, but he couldn’t pinpoint what

He thought, ‘Apany her? Jessica doesn’t want to see me and Jacob. Could our presence truly bbring /bher happiness?”

Pushing the thought aside, Brian continued to send Janice questions about other pregnancy–rted concerns.

At Grant Group, Jessica had just returned from a meeting with a client and stepped out of the elevator. A faint bensation of being watched made her turn, only to spot a cleaner.

The cleaner, Carrie Finn, jumped slightly before offering a polite nod. “Ms. Grant.”

As Jessica walked away, Carrie bkept /bher eyes fixed on Jessica’s feet. She murmured, “The floor ispletely dry, no slipping hazards, Ms. Grants wearing ts, low risk of tripping”

Satisfied, Carrio pushed her cleaning cart along the corridor outside Jessica’s office, meticulously re–cleaning the already spotless floor.

She got

extra pay for keeping the floors dry, and the pay was triple her normal sry.

When an employee emerged from the break room with coffee, Carrie immediately trailed behind, ensuring no stray drops endangered her bcharge/b.

In the office, Jessica nibbled on a pastry while reviewing documents. As she pushed aside the blueberries on her cake, an odd sensation prickled her neck as if someone stood just out of sight She muttered, “It’s weirdb./bb” /b

11107: Mon 9 Jun

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