[Chapter 317: Madonna's Pregnancy]
On October 7th, Linton's single You Are Not Alone was officially released worldwide simultaneously. Linton had to leave Los Angeles to begin a 10-day North American promotional tour.
From the moment You Are Not Alone was released, it showed overwhelming dominance. On the first day, it sold 820,000 copies in North America and 730,000 overseas.
On the weekend, North American sales reached 910,000, while overseas sales hit 940,000.
By the end of the first week, the single debuted at number one on the Billboard charts, with North American sales reaching an astonishing 4.11 million copies and overseas sales hitting 4.28 million.
By the time Linton finished his tour and returned to Los Angeles, North American sales had surpassed 5 million, and overseas sales topped 6 million.
Truly deserving to be called the king of the music world, this was another single reaching 20 million in sales.
...
As soon as he returned to the estate, Madonna rushed toward him, excitement lighting up her face. She threw herself into his arms and kissed him.
"Honey, I have great news to tell you."
Linton spun her around playfully. "Sweetheart, what's this big news?"
"Guess!" Madonna teased, her excitement mixed with a hint of mystery.
Her expression was unusual. Considering she had been living at the estate preparing to conceive, Linton's heart skipped a beat. Could it be that she was pregnant?
"Sweetheart, is it true? Are you expecting?"
"Darling, you're amazing! Yes, I am pregnant."
"Calm down, babe. Are you sure? Tell me everything."
"Yes, it's confirmed. This morning at breakfast, I suddenly felt nauseous but otherwise okay. I took a pregnancy test right away, and it was positive. To be sure, I went to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for a blood test. The doctor confirmed I'm already four weeks along."
"That's fantastic! Congrats on becoming a mom."
"And congrats to you for becoming a dad!"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm going to be a dad. Did the doctor give you any special advice?"
"To rest well and maintain good nutrition. The doctor said, considering my age, especially during the first three months, I need to be extra cautious."
"I suggest you pause work now and rest here for two months until the baby is stable. How about that?"
"Yeah. I already made arrangements at the company this afternoon."
"Good. From now on, you're the most important person in the estate. I'll tell Amy to prepare special nutritious meals for you every day."
"Also, the doctor said no regular sexual activity until after 12 weeks."
"All for the baby. We can manage to hold off."
"But abnormal sex is still okay," Madonna whispered shyly in Linton's ear.
"Abnormal sex?"
"You know, oral or anal."
"Is that really okay?"
"No problem. Otherwise, what if you forget about me while busy with others every day?"
"That would never happen. You're the biggest hero in our family."
"Then trust me. The doctor emphasized the best thing during pregnancy is maintaining a good mood."
"Okay, I'm all ears. By the way, was the doctor you saw today reliable?"
"Don't worry. Cedars-Sinai is the most prestigious private hospital in Los Angeles. The fees are high, but they protect patient privacy well, so media won't leak my information."
"I'm not worried about that -- even if the media knew, that wouldn't be a big deal."
"Then what worries you?"
"I worry they might draw extra blood samples secretly for analysis."
"Why?"
"Think about it. How old are you actually?"
"I'm 38. Wait, are you saying I'm too old now?"
"Don't read into it. Your appearance makes you look 18, and no one would challenge that."
"Of course. Otherwise, how could I be the queen of endorsements? Top global brands of cosmetics, perfumes, jewelry, and women's fashion all compete to have me represent them. Last year, on Forbes' top-earning celebrity list, I was number one by a huge margin."
"Have you thought about why?"
"Maybe it's because of your frequent, passionate performances?"
"Exactly, but outsiders don't know that. When many wealthy and powerful figures see you looking so young compared to your real age, aren't they tempted?"
"I haven't been to the countryside lately; I stay in big cities. I always have bodyguards with me. So I shouldn't worry too much, right?"
"You're too naive if you think that. So far you're safe mainly because you're a major star with huge social influence. Messing with you would have severe consequences. Plus, your bodyguards definitely help."
"Then I'll just be more careful moving forward. That should be enough."
"But they might use other secret tactics. Like today, they took an extra 200 milliliters of blood during your test and sent it to a secret lab for analysis. Could you detect that?"
"No way. Cedars-Sinai is a well-known luxury hospital. They wouldn't risk ruining their reputation."
"Hopefully. From now on, when you go for tests, bring more bodyguards and be extra cautious with blood draws. If sampling is necessary, have bodyguards monitor the entire process so nothing is stolen."
"Okay, I'll follow your advice. Can you come with me next time I have a test?"
"No problem, as long as you need it."
"Muah, thanks. I already feel your care. But it's better not to go publicly together since our relationship isn't openly known."
That night, Linton held a grand celebration dinner at the estate for Madonna's pregnancy.
...
In fact, Linton was right all along.
Madonna's youthful appearance in recent years had caught the attention of many wealthy and powerful women.
Who wouldn't want to stay young and beautiful forever? Especially those with abundant resources and influence. They funded research projects trying to uncover Madonna's secret for looking younger, hoping to apply it to themselves.
Some even formed secret research organizations. But as Linton mentioned, since Madonna is the most commercially valuable star with massive public influence, no one dared to force their hand. Had she been just an unknown person, they would have long captured and dissected her in a lab.
However, actions targeting Madonna had already begun, including infiltrating Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
Today, she had 200cc extra blood drawn secretly during her test, which was transferred quickly to a secret lab for analysis.
The results excited everyone: Madonna's blood showed extremely high vitality, far beyond what a 38-year-old would have, closer instead to that of a 20-year-old.
Though the reason was unclear, the findings sent to the investors drove these powerful women mad, wondering if a secret to youth or reversal of aging really existed.
They injected more funds into the secret research institutions, urging them to spare no effort in uncovering Madonna's age-defying secret.
*****
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