What's on your mind?"
"Fany," Calvin looked up, his long, peach-blossom eyes glinting with unreadable emotion as he patted his thigh.
"Come sit with me." Uncertain what had gotten into him, Tiffany obediently walked over.
"What's wrong, Calvin?"
she asked, her eyes filled with concern and confusion.
"Did something happen?"
This was the first time she had seen him look so serious.
Could there be trouble with his business?
Having spent so much time by his side lately, she had come to understand the immense pressure hidden beneath his polished exterior.
Calvin pulled her into his lap.
Tiffany reached up, gently smoothing the furrow between his brows.
"Just tell me what's on your mind, okay?
Don't keep me worrying."
Tiffany's voice was unusually tender, softening hearts effortlessly.
Calvin wrapped one arm around Tiffany's waist while lifting her hand to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss against her fingers.
"That's my line," he murmured.
His narrow, deep-set peach-blossom eyes swirled with complex emotions, weaving an inescapable web that enveloped Tiffany entirely.
"Fanny," he said, his voice low and slightly hoarse, as if weighing every word, "is there something you need to tell me?"
Tiffany's clear, bright eyes flickered at his question, a ripple of panic stirring within her.
"Calvin, why would you ask that all of a sudden?"
Calvin caught every subtle shift in her expression.
His fingers brushed lightly against her cheek as he spoke, his voice deliberate and rough.
"Answer me first."
His gaze locked onto hers, unwavering, as if bracing for something.
Tiffany pressed her lips together, lowering her head in thought.
After a long pause, she still couldn't find the right words.
"...No."
She had no idea how Calvin would react if he knew—she was pregnant.
She had no idea what she would do if he said he didn't want this child. So at this critical moment, she chose to run away.
The atmosphere instantly grew heavy with silence.
Calvin took in Tiffany's cautious expression, his heart aching with an unbearable tenderness.
"Fanny," he murmured, lowering his head until his forehead gently touched hers, his voice deep and soft.
"I overheard your phone call with Camilla earlier," he whispered, barely louder than a breath.
"You're pregnant... with my child, aren't you?" Tiffany stiffened, her head jerking up as she stared at Calvin in shock.
"You—"
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop," Calvin pressed a kiss to her forehead, his tone warm and apologetic.
"I just happened to bring you some fruit and overheard it by accident."
Tiffany glanced at the neatly arranged fruit platter on the coffee table, realizing he wasn't lying.
She bit her lip with her pearly teeth and nodded slowly.
"I didn't mean to hide it from you. I just didn't know how to bring it up."
"I know," Calvin's gaze never left Tiffany.
"Fanny, I understand everything."
"I—" Tiffany's fingers curled nervously.
"Calvin, believe it or not, I never intended to use a child to tie you down.
This was all an accident.
But now that it's happened, I don't know what to do."
At this point, she mustered her courage and looked straight at Calvin.
"What… what do you want me to do?"
The moment the words left her lips, Tiffany held her breath, waiting for Calvin's response.
She felt like a prisoner awaiting sentencing, unsure of what fate had in store for her.
"Fanny," Calvin spoke at a measured pace, his tone calm and deliberate.
"If I tell you what I want, will you really do it?"
Tiffany's heart trembled slightly as she lowered her gaze in silent contemplation.
Both her own experiences and Calvin's had taught them one undeniable truth—children born without the genuine anticipation of either parent were seldom destined for happiness.
Yet the thought of terminating this pregnancy was unbearable to her.
After all, this was a life intertwined with her own flesh and blood.
If Calvin truly didn't want the child she carried, she resolved to leave for a while—to reconsider their future apart.
"Fanny."
Sensing the shift in her emotions, Calvin suddenly cupped her face in his hands.
His touch was gentle yet firm, compelling her to meet his gaze.
"Look at me."
Tiffany's dark, expressive eyes flickered uncertainly, searching for answers but finding none.
Her lips pressed into a tight line as she waited in silence for him to continue.
"Let me tell you exactly what I want you to do," Calvin said, his deep, obsidian eyes alight with an intensity that seemed to pierce straight through her.
"Fanny, I want you—and I want our child."
His voice, usually laced with languid indifference, now carried a gravity she had never heard before.
"Let's get married."
I want you, and I want our baby too. Let's get married.
Calvin's words hit Tiffany like a sledgehammer to the chest.
She wanted to say something, but her throat felt clogged with a thousand unspoken words. Nothing came out.
Tears suddenly welled up uncontrollably, spilling down her cheeks.
"Why are you crying?"
Calvin reached out, gently wiping away her tears, his own expression flickering with concern.
Calvin tried to lighten the mood, teasing her softly.
"Did I really propose in such an unromantic way?"
Tiffany still couldn't speak.
She just kept shaking her head, burying her face into the crook of his shoulder.
All her worries, all her fears—just like that, they were resolved. She hadn't seen this coming.
"Fanny, I never really considered getting married this early before. Honestly, I even thought about never marrying at all."
Calvin stroked her back soothingly, his deep voice steady and measured as he continued.
"But that was all before I met you."
His eyes narrowed slightly as he spoke in a softened, heartfelt tone.
"After meeting you, I suddenly realized that all the things I used to worry about or fear... none of them compare to what I truly long for now."
What he longed for was her—by his side, forever, in a way that was recognized by everyone, blessed by the world, and bound by love.
As for the child... It was unexpected.
Calvin wasn't prepared. But because it was hers and his, he didn't resent it.
In fact, he found himself looking forward to it.
A faint smile curved Calvin's lips.
These were his genuine thoughts the moment he learned Fany was pregnant.
Tiffany nestled in Calvin's arms, listening to his words, her heart melting into tenderness.
At this very moment, she felt like the luckiest woman in the world.
"Calvin—"
Calvin lowered his head and pressed a gentle kiss to the crown of her hair, his voice warm.
"What is it?"
After a brief pause, Tiffany tilted her face up and brushed her lips against his chin.
"I love you."
Her voice was soft and gentle, yet crystal clear.
Calvin's body stiffened slightly as he looked down at Tiffany.
"What?
I didn't quite catch that."
Tiffany had clearly sensed his momentary tension—she knew he'd heard her. "You heard me just fine."
"Alright, you got me," Calvin murmured hoarsely, tilting her chin up.
"But, Fanny... I want to hear it again."
As she met his intense, narrowed gaze, her heart fluttered, and she was just about to repeat herself when—
*Cough... cough...*