A few hours later, the penthouse doors opened and Caroline rushed inside ahead of them, clutching her purse tightly against her chest like it contained state secrets. She barely kicked off her heels before disappearing down the hallway.
Alex looked up from the card table, one eyebrow lifting as he watched her rush into the bathroom. Scarlett sat across from him, holding her cards, while Halle leaned back in her chair, both following the sudden movement with a curious look. Asher slept peacefully in the nearby bassinet, completely unaware of the sudden spike in tension.
Alex leaned back slightly in his chair as he looked toward Max and Evangeline. "Uumm... what's up with her?"
Max dropped onto the couch with Evangeline, stretching her legs across the cushions with a slow grin spreading across her face. "Oh, nothing serious. Just Caroline trying to figure out whether biology works differently for rich blonde people."
Evangeline was trying not to laugh.
Alex said, "She looked pretty panicked."
Max leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees as she smirked toward Alex. "Let's just say somebody made a groundbreaking discovery today. Apparently, she thought doggy style had zero consequences."
From the bathroom, Caroline's voice shot back instantly. "I can hear you, Max!"
Max didn't even flinch. She leaned back again, tossing a pillow behind her head. "Good. Saves me the trouble of repeating myself louder."
Scarlett blinked, then looked at Halle, clearly trying to process what she just heard. "Wait... are we talking about what I think we're talking about?"
Halle covered her mouth briefly as she tried to suppress a laugh, glancing toward the hallway again. "Oh no... she didn't."
Evangeline rubbed her forehead gently, still smiling as she spoke. "She absolutely did."
Alex set his cards down slowly, then leaned forward with a confused expression that shifted into mild concern. "Hold on... are you telling me Caroline thinks she might be pregnant?"
Max lifted one shoulder casually while watching the bathroom door like she was waiting for a live comedy show. "Either that or she's about to rewrite basic human reproduction. Honestly, I'm rooting for the second option because that would make science way more interesting."
Inside the bathroom, Caroline muttered something to herself, clearly flustered as she fumbled through her purse and pulled out the pregnancy testing kit.
"I can still hear you, Max," she called again, sounding slightly more stressed this time.
Max cupped her hands around her cheeks. "Good. Then hurry up and pee on the stick, Caroline. We're all emotionally invested now."
Scarlett chuckled while shaking her head. "You are unbelievable."
Max smirked without looking away from the hallway. "Hey, I support her emotionally. My version just comes with sarcasm and mild psychological damage."
Alex exhaled slowly, rubbing his temple while trying not to smile. "This house somehow keeps getting crazier every day."
Halle looked toward Asher sleeping peacefully. "And somehow he picked the calmest time in the world to nap."
From the bathroom, Caroline's voice came again, nervous and slightly breathless. "Okay... I'm doing it... nobody talk."
Max leaned toward Evangeline and whispered loudly enough for everyone to hear. "This is the most dramatic pee break I've ever witnessed."
Evangeline laughed softly as they all waited, the penthouse suddenly filled with quiet anticipation and Max's barely contained amusement.
[A few minutes later]
The bathroom door opened and Caroline stepped out, exhaling as if she had just finished a marathon. Her shoulders finally relaxed, and she clutched the test kit in one hand while walking back toward them. She dropped into the nearest chair and pressed a hand against her chest.
"Okay... crisis officially avoided," she said, letting out a relieved breath. "Luckily, it was my safe day, and the tests came back negative."
Max leaned forward instantly, eyes narrowing with amused suspicion. "You do know those test kits..."
"Yeah, I know, Max," Caroline cut in quickly, lifting the stick slightly as proof. "I checked it three times, and I even double-checked the instructions because apparently I no longer trust my own brain today."
Max smirked, clearly disappointed that the drama ended without chaos. "Three times, huh. That is either responsible behavior or paranoia working overtime."
Halle tilted her head slightly, watching Caroline settle deeper into the chair with a satisfied sigh. "So, you're not ready for a baby right now or... you know?"
Caroline relaxed further, stretching her legs slightly as the tension drained from her face. "Oh no, I definitely want a little cutie someday. I just don't want a surprise baby showing up like a flash sale. I want everything planned properly, like nursery themes, tiny outfits, and a schedule that makes me feel like I have control over something."
Max snorted softly, crossing her arms while watching her. "Yeah, because babies totally respect schedules and business planning."
Caroline smiled sweetly, clearly unfazed by the sarcasm. "Accidental pregnancy feels more like your specialty, Max. It's a miracle Alex hasn't knocked you up yet. Honestly, when you were throwing up last week, I thought it was finally time... maybe you should take a test too, just in case you forgot how math works and to avoid surprises."
Everyone looked toward Max.
Max let out a short laugh, waving her hand like she was brushing away a ridiculous rumor. "Relax, Blondie. I told you, I drank too much that night. Even legends fall sometimes."
Every single person in the room slowly raised their eyebrows.
Scarlett leaned back in her chair, folding her arms with a faint smile. "Max Black… throwing up from alcohol? Nope, I can't even imagine that. I've heard your legendary stories from Caroline... You ain't fooling anyone."
Evangeline chimed in. "I think I've seen you drink people under the table before they even finish their first glass."
Halle nodded slowly while watching Max carefully. "I agree with them."
Max shifted slightly on the couch, scratching the side of her neck as her grin turned a little stiff. "Yeah, well… maybe I was off my game that night. It happens. Human body. Science. Blah blah. And I stopped drinking too much like before... parties and clubs don't count."
Alex was really curious to know if she's pregnant or if throwing up was, as she said, too many drinks. "Why don't you take one anyway?"
Max pointed at him instantly. "Because I don't need to pee on a stick to know if I'm pregnant or not. I might have gained a bit of weight, but I'm not pregnant."
Caroline was already smiling like she had been waiting for this exact moment. "Yeah, Max. Take one. I bought a whole bunch of testing kits and stocked up the closet. I may have panic-bought… aggressively."
Evangeline nodded. "It wouldn't hurt to check."
"Yeah, Max. Take a test. There's nothing to worry about," Scarlett said with a little serious expression.
Max pointed at Caroline. "You all realize I'm not the one who just thought doggy style was biologically safe, right?"
Caroline pointed toward her immediately. "Deflection noted and rejected."
Halle smiled gently, glancing between them. "There's nothing to be afraid of. Just do it. It would give everyone peace of mind."
"Fine," Max stood up and rushed to the bathroom.
She shut the door.
Evangeline glanced toward Alex, studying his expression while he absentmindedly tapped his fingers against the table. "So... what're you going to do if Max is pregnant?"
"I'll kiss her, hug her, and let her know how happy I am. Then I'll tell her there is nothing to worry about because we'll figure everything out together," Alex replied almost instantly without a sign of doubt or hesitation.
Halle's expression softened as she watched him, while Scarlett's lips curved into a faint smile. Caroline tilted her head slightly, clearly pleased with the answer.
Caroline's earlier anxiety was completely gone as she looked toward the bathroom. "Max is going to panic if it's positive."
Alex replied, already imagining it. "Yeah... she probably will."
Max's views on becoming a mother were slightly complicated, and she usually avoids the topic. The main reason was that her own mother was "dangerously incompetent," absent, and struggled with addiction. Max views traditional parenting as something she was never taught and largely missed out on. So, she usually uses dark jokes to avoid the pregnancy topic, often offending others.
...
Inside the bathroom, Max stood in front of the sink holding the test kit, her usual confidence replaced with quiet tension. She exhaled slowly, glancing at her reflection like she expected the mirror to give her an answer.
"Relax, gorgeous," she muttered to herself while setting the timer on her phone. "You're not pregnant. You're just being bullied by your overly concerned family."
She leaned against the counter, crossing her arms while staring at the small device like it was a ticking bomb. The seconds dragged painfully slow, her mind drifting despite her attempts to stay calm.
Her thoughts flashed briefly to the past week. The nausea, followed by sudden exhaustion. Then the strange craving she brushed off as random. Her jaw tightened slightly. Her heart was beating faster.
"Coincidence," she murmured, though her voice sounded less convincing than she intended.
She did the procedure...
The timer beeped softly, making her shoulders tense instantly. Max closed her eyes and then slowly opened one eye as she held the kit far from her face.
She froze for a moment.
Her breath caught as she stared at the lines, her mind struggling to process what she was seeing. She opened her other eye and blinked once, then leaned closer as if the result might change.
It didn't.
Max let out a slow breath, her fingers tightening slightly around the edge of the sink. Her usual sarcastic expression softened into something quieter, something almost vulnerable.
"Well..." she whispered, still staring at the test. "Damn."
Max pressed her lips together; her heart was hammering at this point as she looked at the result again.
Positive.
She leaned back slowly, one hand resting against her stomach without thinking, her expression shifting between shock, disbelief, and something softer she hadn't expected.
"Okay..." she murmured quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Okay. Don't panic, Max. The kits aren't always right. For all we know, blonde could be pregnant..." She tried to laugh a bit, but she failed. "Best out of five."
...[30 minutes later]...
Everyone looked worried when Max didn't come out of the bathroom after 30 minutes.
Alex quickly walked over and knocked on the door. "Hey, Max. You alright in there?"
"I... I don't know," Max replied after a few seconds.
--
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[5 advance chs] [All chs available for all tiers]
+ [Reborn in Castle: 21 chs] + [Modern Family: 3 chs]