The Love Affair(Good Wife Better Mistress)

Best Part

The more he looks forward to having a baby, the more frightened she feels. If she somehow really was pregnant, she has no idea how she would explain that there's a toxin in her body that could kill her. Conrad told her that even if she survived the birth, her body would be too weak to continue fighting off the toxin and she'd die. Nicole wonders if Alex would even care.

"Maybe he'd be happier if I died," she thinks, "Gabriela would replace me as soon as I give birth, and he wouldn't have to worry about dealing with me anymore."

The thought causes Nicole to frown and wrinkled her forehead. Before Alex can see her expression she hides her face in her palm.

"Can you just turn around?" she asks, "I can't pee while someone is watching me."

Instead, of turning around he stares at her hand. Nicole remembers that she's still wearing the pink diamond ring Brownie brought her. She subconsciously covers her left hand with her right.

"Brownie brought me—" she tries to explain.

"It really suits you," Alex interrupts.

"Really?" she asks.

"Yes, I bought it just for you," Alex replies. 

"What about Gabriela's ring?" Nicole asks, confused.

"Someone else must have given it to her," Alex says, "I'll get you a new one. You deserve something as unique as you are."

With a deep sigh, he gently takes the ring off her finger. Nicole looks at him curiously.

"How am I unique?" she asks.

"Do you want to hear it here?" he asks, gesturing at the bathroom.

He desperately wants to tell her everything he feels, but he doesn't want to do it in the bathroom—the setting will spoil the romance.

"I can't hold it anymore," Nicole says abruptly, "I'm going to pee."

Alex sighs.

"When she wants to ruin the mood, she's quite good at it," he thinks.

Nicole exhales with relief after she finishes. Alex picks her up and carefully carries her back to the bed. He immediately calls a servant to take a sample from the small basin inserted into the toilet for the test. Alex stares deeply into Nicole's eyes, sensing her desperation and fear.

"You're scared," he says, "Are you scared that you really are pregnant? Or are you scared of not being pregnant at all?"

Nicole closes her eyes and presses her lips together. She doesn't know what to say. If she was being honest, she'd say it's her own hope that terrifies her: she knows she shouldn't, but a part of her desperately wants to be carrying Alex's child.

"If you are really pregnant, you have to bring the baby into the world," Alex whispers in a low, hoarse voice.

Stunned by the emotion in his words, Nicole looks up and meets his eyes. His expression is complicated and pleading, and Nicole feels her heart lurch painfully in her chest. Her expression frightens him, and his face hardens slightly. He worries she wants to escape from him, and give up the baby.

"Do you hear me?" Alex whispers, "This is our child. You can't do anything to hurt him, you can't give up on him."

He holds her hands tightly in his. Nicole takes her hands back and shakes her head, frightened by his intensity. 

"I'm not really pregnant," she whispers sadly.

She wonders why he's so willing to believe in the pregnancy. In the last few weeks, she's used all sorts of tricks to get her way and escape from danger; she doesn't understand why Alex refuses to recognize this trick for what it really is. Before she can say anything else, the servant emerges from the bathroom and wordlessly passes Alex the test.

Alex looks at the stIck with hope, but his face instantly registers disappointment. Nicole frowns and stares at him.

"What does the test report say?" she asks.

"You're  pregnant," Evan says happily.

Nicole lets out the breath she was holding.

"I should feel happy," she thinks, "But instead I feel a strange ache in my heart."

"Well, these tests can be inaccurate," Alex said, "We'll have a blood test done at the hospital too. That will be more accurate."

"I won't go there," Nicole refuses without hesitation, but suddenly she pauses as an idea occurs to her, "Not unless—"

"Unless what?" Alex asks.

"Unless you promise me to protect this baby at any cost."

She is afraid that she needs a bargaining chip to convince Alex to help her save the baby. Once he finds out she's not pregnant, she worries she won't have any way to convince him to do what she wants. She also knows that she's running out of time to save her life.

"I promise," Alex says, without stopping to consider the consequences.

"Mr. Romano, it's all ready," John says through the door.

Alex pulls Nicole to a sitting position and then scoops her into his arms. He carries her downstairs to the dining room. Chefs dressed in crisp white uniforms are lined up on one side of the dining room table. Strangely, the table is empty.

"Are they waiting for me to order dinner?" she wonders, "Even though it's my birthday, I'm surprised to be awarded such a privilege."

"Mr. Romano, these are the top bakers and pastry makers in the world," John announces, "The booklets in their hands display their best, most distinctive works."

As if they've rehearsed, the chefs all open their booklets displaying a variety of cakes and desserts. Alex puts Nicole down and gestures at the photos.

"Which one do you prefer?" he asks.

She looks at these cake patterns one by one, shaking her head.

"Could you choose one for me?" she asks, suddenly overwhelmed.

He pulled her toward him, snaking his hands around her waist. He wants the warmth of her body to soothe his heart. He thinks for a while before pointing to a photo of a cake decorated with blue roses.

The cake consists of three layers, each made of several smaller cakes. It's decorated with realistic looking roses made of frosting. At the top, two bears snuggle together, holding a bar of heart-shaped chocolate with the words "I LOVE YOU."

"It's beautiful," Nicole murmurs.

"Mr. Romano here is your apron," John says.

Nicole stares at the apron in confusion. When she understands what's happening, she can't help but smile to herself.

"Are you going to make the cake?" she asks.

"Is there a problem with that?" Alex asks, raising his eyebrows.

"I just didn't know you could bake," she replies honestly.

"Actually, this is my first time."

Nicole looks at the cake pattern and then looks at him again.

"Isn't that too complicated for your first time?" she asks skeptically.

"Come on, don't underestimate me," Alex says arrogantly, "Besides how hard can it be?"

He glances at John, and the butler passes the apron to Nicole. She ties it snugly around Alex's waist. When he's ready, the baker who made the cake shows Alex how to make the roses out of frosting. Alex picks up the icing bag and squeezes it as the baker did, but instead of roses, he creates a pile of ugly, misshapen blue lumps. Nicole can't help but laugh.

"Clearly it really is your first time," she says, "Still think it's so easy?"

"I just need a little practice," Alex replies.

Alex continues to squeeze frosting from the bag. Each time he creates a different shape, but none of them resemble the roses.

"Well, why don't we change the cake pattern?" Nicole suggests, "I see a simpler one."

"You don't think I can do it?" Alex asks defensively.