A week passed since Bianca's baby shower, and the house had settled back into its gentle rhythm of ordinary life. But Bella didn't feel ordinary at all.
At first, she thought it was exhaustion. The morning nausea, the sudden fatigue, the way food she normally loved turned her stomach. She brushed it off stress, maybe, or something she ate. But when the sickness lingered, day after day, a quiet suspicion began to stir.
She kept it to herself. Not even Vera, not Bianca, not her sisters-in-law. She didn't want whispers. She needed certainty.
On a quiet afternoon, when Chris was at the office and the children were at school, Bella sat in the bathroom staring at the test in her trembling hands. The two pink lines appeared boldly, almost mocking her silence.
Her breath caught, tears slipping down her cheeks before she could stop them. For the first time in her life, she knew. She knew she was carrying life. No coma. No surprise labour. No stolen moments.
This was her first normal pregnancy.
And she wasn't going to waste a second of it.
That evening, Bella set her plan in motion. She cooked Chris's favourite meal something warm and comforting and set the table with soft candles, their light flickering gently against the glassware. She placed a small box at his seat, wrapped in simple gold paper with a bow.
Chris arrived late, loosening his tie as he stepped into the dining room. His eyes softened immediately at the sight of her effort. "What's all this?"
Bella smiled, nerves fluttering in her chest. "Just... dinner. Just us."
They ate quietly, comfortably, with the children already tucked into bed. Chris reached for her hand across the table, his thumb brushing over her knuckles. "You've been looking pale lately. Are you sure you're okay?"
Bella swallowed, the moment finally upon her. "Actually... that's what I wanted to talk to you about." She nudged the little box toward him.
Chris frowned, curious, and unwrapped it slowly. Inside was a tiny white onesie, soft as a cloud, embroidered with the words: "Baby Hampson arriving soon."
For a moment, silence fell. Chris's eyes widened, his breath stilled. Then he looked up at Bella, as though trying to confirm he wasn't dreaming.
"Bella..." His voice cracked. He pushed back his chair and came around to her side, dropping to his knees. His hands cupped her face, his lips trembling against her skin. "Are you...? You're really...?"
Bella laughed through tears, nodding. "I'm pregnant. This time... I knew. I felt it."
Chris let out a shaky laugh that turned into a sob, pulling her into his arms. "Thank God... thank God..."
Bella clung to him, her tears wetting his shirt. "Chris, you don't understand. With Arabella, I missed it all. I was in a coma, I never even got to feel her kick. With Jessy, I didn't even know until I was already in labour. But this time... this is the first time I get to experience everything. Every heartbeat. Every moment. My first normal pregnancy."
Chris kissed her fiercely, his forehead pressed against hers. "Then we'll treasure every second of it. Every craving, every appointment, every flutter. I'll be there for all of it. You won't walk through a single step alone."
Her hands found his, guiding them to rest over her stomach. The reality settled between them, warm and fragile. A new beginning.
"I thought I was done with surprises," Bella whispered, smiling through her tears. "But this... this is the best surprise of my life."
Chris's lips brushed her ear as he whispered back, "You've always been my first and only love, Bella. And now, you're giving me another miracle."
Bella's laughter rang soft and clear, the kind born not from relief or survival, but joy. Real joy.
Together, they stood in the quiet dining room, wrapped in each other's arms, with hope growing silently between them.
Later that night, Bella slipped into bed beside him, her hand resting over her stomach. Chris turned, pulling her against his chest, his touch reverent and protective.
She thought of Arabella, asleep in her bed; of Jessy, their cheeky toddler who now toddled around calling "Mama" and "Dada"; of Bianca, Alexis, Liam, Vera, Joe, Andrew, Hailey, Imelda family finally healed after years of storm.
Her family. Their family.
And now, a future that was bright and waiting.
For the first time, Bella closed her eyes not haunted by nightmares or shadows, but full of peace.
She had her billionaire. She had her first love. And now, she had forever.