Growing Suspicions

Chapter 1: Growing Suspicions

"Why have you been coming home so late recently?" asked the beautiful woman, her rounded belly doing nothing to diminish the curves that filled her silk robe.

"Sorry, sweetheart — I'm swamped at work. Back-to-back meetings with new investors." Glenn loosened his tie without looking at her, unbuttoning his shirt as he walked toward the bathroom.

Anaya Almera Galenka. For the past year she had quietly buried the most powerful surname in the country's business world and replaced it with her husband's. She was tall, long-waisted, five months pregnant — and thoroughly in love. Or so she had believed.

Glenn Pradipa was nothing special on paper. A senior from her university days, a man from ordinary means who had drifted through life on charm. After the wedding, Anaya had promoted him to CEO of the company she had built from scratch, because the pregnancy left her too nauseated to stand in a boardroom. Glenn had accepted without a moment's hesitation.

He emerged from the shower wrapped in a bathrobe, damp hair dripping, soap-fresh and infuriatingly attractive. For five months — since the day she announced the pregnancy — he hadn't touched her. His reason: he didn't want to harm the baby. Tonight, for no reason she could clearly name, Anaya wanted him more than she had in months.

"Glenn..." Her voice was softer than she intended. "It's been a long time. Don't you miss me? Don't you still...want me?"

She almost never asked. She prided herself on never begging. But something about tonight made her reach out and pull at his bathrobe.

He caught her hand. "I'm exhausted, Ana. I'm just going to sleep."

Her heart dropped.

He didn't even say 'sweetheart.' The little omission rang louder than anything else. And he's turning me away? Because I'm pregnant?

She wasn't the kind of woman who accepted no. She stripped off her nightgown, climbed over him, and positioned herself above him. She took him in her hands and worked him slowly until his body betrayed him before his willpower could.

The groan that escaped him was involuntary.

"Still saying no?" she murmured, moving.

"Why are you still so—" He couldn't finish the sentence coherently. "You're pregnant."

"I kept myself just for you." She rocked against him. "Five months without a single touch from you. So — do you feel how much I missed you?"

He was too far gone to notice when she unknotted the belt of his bathrobe and pushed it open.

She froze.

His chest. Covered in marks. Love bites — a constellation of them across his collarbone and ribs.

She hadn't put a single one there.

The heat drained out of her in an instant. She lifted off him, pulled away from where he was still hard and wanting, pressed one hand against her belly, and walked into the bathroom without a word.

"Ana — hey — you can't just — I haven't—" He sat up, flushed and frustrated. "Come on, I didn't even finish—"

The shower turned on. He listened to the water run and told himself she probably had a cramp.

He finished alone. It took a while.

"Serves you right," he muttered at nothing in particular. "You push and push until you get what you want, and then you just walk off—"

He was still talking when she came out of the bathroom, her face composed, eyes dry, expression so neutral it was almost worse than tears.

"Why did you just leave?" His voice had an edge to it now — a look in his eyes she had never seen directed at her before tonight. Sharp. Almost contemptuous. "Because of you, I had to handle that myself."

"I'm sorry. Cramps." She climbed into bed, pulling the blanket up. "Good night."

"You're pregnant, not an invalid. You wanted it — then you run. And then you act..." He gestured vaguely. "Cheap."

The word landed.

She smiled. A small, thin, bitter smile that he completely misread.

"You're right," she said. "I won't ask again. I don't want to be called cheap."

He realized immediately he'd gone too far. "No — that's not what I meant — I misspoke—"

"It's fine. Sleep. You must be tired from working all day."

She turned to face the wall, tucked the blanket under her chin, and closed her eyes.

I'll find out the truth, Glenn.

Morning arrived the same as every other morning, which is to say Anaya was already in the kitchen. The house was enormous — a proper mansion, really, with multiple wings and a garden — and she had never once asked the housekeeper to cook for her husband's family. She believed in earning love through service. She had believed that for a year now.

She was an orphan. Had been since she was fifteen. Marrying Glenn had given her something she'd been chasing for a long time: a family. A mother-in-law. A sister-in-law. A younger brother. She set a full breakfast spread every morning for all of them without being asked.

Footsteps in the hall.

"Is it ready?" Amber Sari, Glenn's mother, appeared in the dining room doorway.

"Yes, Mom. Please sit down." Anaya's smile was the same warm, practiced thing it always was.

Gina Evorya followed — Glenn's older sister, thirty years old, married for five years to Adrian Ezra and still childless. Adrian was supposedly a mechanic at some auto shop. They had never been able to afford their own place, so they lived here, courtesy of Anaya's mortgage.

Then Glenn, and behind him Gavin — Glenn's youngest brother, seventeen, in his final year of high school.

"Sit down, everyone. Anaya, eat later." Amber settled into her chair. "You're the only unemployed one at this table. Plenty of time to feed yourself after the rest of us are done."

Anaya let it pass. "Glenn — I have a prenatal appointment today. Could you come with me?"

This was the fifth month. He hadn't attended a single one.

"Go by yourself," Amber said before Glenn could answer. "He runs a company. He's busy. Don't be demanding."

"It's my company, Mom." Anaya said it quietly. "I'm only staying home because I'm pregnant."

Amber's expression flickered. She recovered: "What I mean is that because Glenn is filling in for you, he has to carry all the responsibilities that would normally be yours. That's all."

"Of course." Anaya stood. "None of you would betray my trust. Eat while it's hot — I'm going to start the laundry."

She walked out before anyone could respond.

A moment later Adrian pushed his chair back. "I'm heading to work."

"Off to work every single day," Gina muttered, "and never brings home a decent paycheck."

"Adrian, did you hear your wife?" Amber called after him.

No answer. He was already gone.

"Mom, can I have my allowance?" Gavin asked. "You said Anaya set one aside for me."

"Ask her yourself. I don't have it."

"You always hold it." He grinned. "Don't be greedy. I'll tell her."

"Here." Glenn passed him a few bills without looking up. "Now stop arguing."

"Thanks. I'm off." Gavin grabbed his bag and disappeared.

Three people remained at the table.

"Glenn." Gina set down her fork. "When are you going to marry my best friend? She's pregnant, you know."

Glenn shot her a look. "Not here."

"Why are you worried about your wife finding out? That's the whole point — you wouldn't have to hide anymore. I won't have you playing with Zara Adele's feelings. She's from a respectable family. People finding out she got pregnant outside of marriage would be a scandal."

"What do you want me to do?" Glenn dragged a hand through his hair. "Ana is pregnant too. I've been neglecting her already. All my time is going to Zara — and she's only two months along, she needs attention."

"I don't want to hear excuses. Marry Zara. The sooner the better. Her family's business connections will strengthen your position."

Amber leaned forward. "I agree. Zara is more elegant, more stylish — even while pregnant she keeps herself looking polished. Not like Anaya, who barely leaves her bed. You should be proud to have a personal secretary like Zara."

"And she doesn't mope around complaining about nausea," Gina added. "She's still doing her job at the company."

"Fine." Glenn glanced at the doorway, then lowered his voice. "One month. That's the timeline. But not yet — I still haven't managed to transfer the company ownership or the house title into my name. We need to be patient. Mom — especially you — be careful. Don't let anything slip."

None of them noticed the figure standing just beyond the doorway.

Anaya had come back to retrieve a dish towel she'd forgotten. She stood very still and listened to every word.

When it was over, she walked to the laundry room, turned on the machine, and pressed both hands flat against the washing machine lid.

All right. I'll play your game.

Let's see who wins.

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