Eight months later
Bella stood in front of her mirror, adjusting her blouse for work. Her life had become smaller, quieter. No flashing cameras, no laughter-filled nights. Just long hours at the travel agency and silent tears on her pillow.
She often thought of Chris of how he never explained, never called. Was the engagement true? Was the child real? Did he ever love her at all? The questions ate her alive.
That morning, as she reached for her bag, a sharp pain cut through her lower abdomen. It stole her breath, knocked her to her knees. She staggered into the bathroom, clutching her stomach. The pain rolled into her back, her thighs, leaving her trembling. A scream tore from her lips before she could hold it back.
Minutes later the wave passed. Sweating and shaken, Bella convinced herself it was indigestion again. She had brushed off the strange feelings in her belly for months. But this pain... this pain felt different.
Still, she dressed for work.
Downstairs, Joanna had just returned from her night shift. "Morning, darling," she said, then froze. "You look pale. Are you alright?"
Bella forced a smile. "Just a stomach upset. I'll be fine."
She sat with her oatmeal, but another bolt of agony ripped through her. She doubled over, clutching her stomach, screaming.
"Ella!" Joanna rushed to her side.
"My... tummy... ahhh!" Bella gasped, legs giving out.
"No, you're not going to the toilet. We're going to the hospital," Joanna said firmly.
Just then, her husband Jeffrey walked in, travel bag in hand. "What's wrong?"
"She just collapsed with stomach pain," Joanna said frantically.
Jeffrey didn't hesitate. He scooped Bella into his arms and raced for the car.
At the hospital, nurses were waiting with a stretcher Joanna had already called ahead. Bella's cries echoed down the corridor as they rushed her into emergency care.
Pain relief was given, scans were ordered. Bella writhed, gripping the bed rails.
The radiologist's eyes widened at the screen. "Oh my God...is that...?" He turned to his assistant. "That's a full-term baby."
"What?" Joanna exclaimed, heart pounding.
"She's in labour!" the radiologist ordered.
Minutes later, Dr Gwen met Joanna and Jeffrey outside the ward.
"She's not pregnant," Joanna blurted, almost pleading.
The doctor's voice was calm but firm. "Have you heard of cryptic pregnancy? It's rare, but it happens. A woman carries a child without realising it until labour begins."
Joanna staggered, her knees weak. Jeffrey caught her, equally stunned.
"Will she be okay? And the baby?" Joanna whispered.
"She's fully dilated. If all goes well, both mother and child will be fine," Dr Gwen assured.
Inside the ward, Bella lay drenched in sweat, confusion painted across her face.
The doctor approached gently. "How do you feel?"
"Like I'm dying," Bella groaned.
"You're not dying, Bella. You're in labour."
Her eyes widened, tears springing instantly. "No. That's not possible. I'm not pregnant."
"You are," the doctor said softly. "You've carried to term. The scan shows a healthy baby. Sometimes stress or trauma can mask the signs, it's called cryptic pregnancy."
Bella shook her head violently. "No, no, no... I can't...how...?" Her voice broke into sobs.
"Right now, all you need to do is push when I say push. You can do this," the doctor said.
Bella's heart raced. Pregnant? A baby? She couldn't even begin to process it. Was it Chris's? Could it be anyone else's? The thought hit like a tidal wave.
"Would you like your aunt to come in?" Dr Gwen asked gently.
Bella's lips trembled, but she nodded. She needed someone, anyone to hold her together as her world shattered and reshaped in the same breath.
The labour room was filled with the sound of machines and Bella's desperate cries. Joanna clasped her niece's hands, whispering encouragement even as sweat trickled down her own temples.
"I can't do this, Aunt Anna it's too painful!" Bella sobbed, her body trembling.
"Yes, you can, Ella. You're stronger than this. Breathe. Push!" Joanna urged, her voice breaking but steady.
"Three, two, one...push!" the doctor commanded.
Bella screamed, forcing her body to obey. And then like a miracle, the shrill cry of a newborn filled the room.
"It's a boy!" the doctor announced, lifting a tiny, wriggling infant into the light.
For a moment, the world stilled. A nurse laid the baby on Bella's chest. She stared, wide-eyed, tears flooding down her cheeks as his small warmth pressed against her. A part of her wanted to smile, but fear and disbelief twisted inside her.
My son? How...?
The moment shattered when the EKG beside her blared.
"V-fib!" a nurse shouted.
The baby was whisked from Bella's chest. "No pulse," another cried.
"Defibrillator!" the doctor barked.
Bella's world blurred. She felt blood draining from her body, her vision swimming. Voices shouted around her.
"She's losing too much blood get her transfusion ready!"
"Two hundred joules, clear!"
The jolt ripped through her, and then beep. The monitor steadied.
"She's back," the doctor said, relief softening his voice.
Joanna wept silently at her niece's bedside, whispering, "Thank You, Lord."
Hours later, Bella awoke in the postnatal ward, weak but alive. A doctor entered with a smile.
"Your son is healthy. Six pounds, fourteen ounces," she said warmly.
Bella exhaled, a faint smile crossing her face for the first time in months. Yet fear lingered. She hadn't dared hold him again since the labour room.
The door opened. "Mum?" Bella whispered as Vera rushed in, breathless from her flight.
Vera gathered her daughter into her arms, holding her until Bella's sobs quieted. Then she turned to the crib. Two violet eyes blinked up at her, curious and unblinking. Vera's throat tightened.
"He's perfect," she whispered, lifting the baby gently, rocking him with awe.
Bella's tears spilled over. "Can I... can I hold him?"
Vera nodded and carefully placed the baby in her arms. Bella stared down at him, astonished.
"Did I really give birth to something this flawless?" she whispered.
She pressed a kiss to his tiny forehead, guilt heavy on her chest. "I'm sorry, Mum."
Vera cupped her daughter's hand. "There's nothing to be sorry for. The deed is done. You gave me a grandson, Ella. That's a blessing."
But Bella's voice cracked with fear. "What will I tell him when he grows up? What if he's bullied because of the scandal? What if Chris doesn't believe me? How do I even begin to explain?"
"When the time comes, you'll know," Vera soothed. "Right now, just love him."
Jeffrey stepped in. "If you choose not to go back to London, you don't have to. Stay here in Toronto. You and the baby will be safe."
Bella bit her lip. "But... should I tell Chris? Even if he's engaged to Thelma?"
Jeffrey met her eyes. "He deserves to know. The truth always finds a way. Better he hears it from you than from the world."
Vera nodded. "We'll tell him but when the time is right."
Bella stared down at her son, torn between fear and hope. His tiny fingers curled around hers as if to anchor her to the future.
She named him Jessy because he's a gift from God
Meanwhile, at Hampson International, Chris sat behind his desk, eyes fixed on nothing. Thelma swept into his office with Arabella in her arms, smiling as though nothing in the world was wrong.
Chris barely acknowledged her. For eight months he had buried himself in work, his heart bleeding quietly. On the day the scandal broke, he had tried to go to Bella but his father's men had stopped him. They threatened her life if he disobeyed.
By the next morning, Bella was gone.
What Thelma didn't know was that Chris had never stopped watching. He had Elliot trace the video and force its removal, uncovering Thelma's hand in the setup. He had sent Kelvin, Justin, Peter, and Lin to Toronto to shadow Bella and report back. Every update cut him deeper.
She was safe, but she was hurting. And he wasn't there.
So Chris made a vow: if his father wanted a wedding, he would give him one but on that day, he would expose Thelma to the world.
He glanced at Arabella, who clung to him but shrank away whenever Thelma reached for her. The child's eyes were full of silent pleas. She already knew the truth about the woman who called herself "mother."
Chris's jaw tightened. He had lost Bella once. He would not lose her again.