The Rejected Wife: Chapter 50

‘What?’ Her mouth gapes open. She looks shell-shocked. As taken aback as I was when the doctor told me this news. It’s not possible. That’s how I felt then. That’s how I still feel now.

‘For a moment, I thought you said—’ She shakes her head, then chuckles. ‘Nah, I must have heard you wrong.’

‘You didn’t. I said you’re her biological mother.”

‘I didn’t give birth to her. The first time I saw her was when she was dropped off on your doorstep.’

‘The genetic markers don’t lie. Lauren may have carried her to term, but you’re her mother.’

She stares at me, then pulls her hand from mine. I release her.

‘This is a bad joke.’ She jumps to her feet. ‘It can’t be possible.’ She locks her fingers together. ‘I have often wished I was Serene’s biological mother, but surely, this can’t be possible?” She shakes her head, a dazed look in her eyes.

“I agree this seems very far-fetched. And when I first heard about it, it seemed like the doctor had mixed up the results. But I had the reports forwarded to a friend of mine who’s a well-known doctor in London. He confirmed that you are Serene’s biological mother.”

She tosses her head. “I really don’t see how that’s possible—” She stills. “Unless⁠—’

I nod. “Unless you donated your eggs, and somehow, it’s your eggs that were used during the IVF process.”

She opens her mouth, then shuts it again. A look of comprehension flashes in her eyes.

I know then what she’s going to say. And I’m not surprised when she stutters, ‘I… I did donate my eggs. Right after I left university and was drowning in debt. I couldn’t find a job. I had no money so—’ She exhales loudly.

‘Do you remember which fertility clinic you donated to?’

She reels off a name which I recognize as the one Lauren used for her fertility procedures. When I tell my wife that, she looks stunned. ‘So, she used my eggs and⁠—’

‘—my sperm.’ I rub at the back of my neck. ‘I donated sperm during a shore leave from the Marines.’ I narrow my gaze on my wife. ‘What are the odds that you and I would meet, and that she’d drop off the child conceived of our genetic material when you were with me?’

‘Umm, I’d say impossible. There are too many coincidences here. It’s’—she wraps her arms about herself—’incomprehensible that something like this would happen.’

I agree. There is definitely no earthly way this list of incidents would line up so precisely. ‘If it weren’t for the fact that I saw the results of the genetic markers myself and heard it from the doctor—’ I shake my head. ‘I’m still getting my head around it too.’

‘That’s—’ She laughs nervously. ‘It still seems impossible.’

‘It’s a one in a million—or perhaps a billion—chance of that happening.’ I lower my chin. ‘Just as unlikely as my riding on the tube the day I met you.’

She tilts her head.

‘I had never taken the tube before that day. And never after. It was on that particular day, at that time, I decided to use it because my car was being repaired. There were no alternate chauffeurs or cars available from any of the services the office uses, no cars on the various ride-hailing apps. And I was late for my date. So, I decided to take the underground.’ I lean forward. ‘The fates conspired to bring us together that day. And they played an even bigger role in bringing Serene into my—into our lives.’

She half-smiles, but her eyes still carry the bewildered expression I suspect I had when I first found out. ‘I want to believe it; I do. I never thought I would be Serene’s mother, not by blood.’ She rubs at her temple again.

‘Do you have a headache?’

‘It’s a tension headache. With everything that happened, I guess I’m struggling to keep up.’

‘When did you last eat?’ I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, noting how exhausted she looks. ‘You should go to the resort and rest.’

‘Not until Serene is discharged. When she wakes up, she’ll want to see her mother.’ A determined look comes into her eyes when she says that. Her throat moves as she swallows. Her eyes glisten.

‘Oh, baby, come here.’ I gather her close. And when she sinks into me, the world feels right again. I lift her onto my lap. She makes a protesting noise, but when I lay back with her and encourage her to stretch out next to me, she sighs. I turn her on her side away from me. Then I begin to massage her shoulders.

‘That feels so good,’ she moans.

My cock instantly stands to attention. Given her sweet curves are pressed against mine, I’m not surprised. I squeeze the tense muscles of her back, dragging my knuckles down her spine.

She groans, and the sound is so fucking erotic. I’m aware the tent in my crotch is making itself known to her, but I ignore it. I continue to dig my fingers into the knotted muscles, and when they unwind, she sighs. Her body relaxes against mine. ‘Thank you,’ she mumbles, then yawns widely.

‘Take a nap,’ I coax her.

‘But, Serene⁠—’

‘Will be fine. There are nurses monitoring her. If anything changes, they’ll find us.’

That seems to satisfy her. She closes her eyes. Her body twitches, and I know she’s already asleep. I tuck her head under my chin and breathe deeply of her scent. As always, it soothes me. Some of the tension drains out of me. I’m tempted to sleep but shove that aside. All of that training in the Royal Marines means I can school myself to go days without shut-eye.

I allow my mind to mull over the revelations which have come to light. What does it mean for us? Once my wife has had a chance to digest the news, how will she feel about it? It’s a good thing, right? I married her without being aware she’s the mother of my child, but I could sense their bond right away. This simply means, she’s also Serene’s biological mother. What does it mean for Serene? When do we tell her?

Likely, it won’t make a difference to her now, as she’s too small to understand the nuances. But we can add more details to her life storybook as she grows older, and share her past with her in an age-appropriate fashion.

As for Lauren? Well, that’s something I need to discuss with my wife when she’s awake.

As if she senses my thoughts, Cilla’s eyelids flutter open. ‘How long was I asleep?’ she asks in between yawns.

I check my watch. ‘Almost an hour.’ I’m surprised so much time has passed.

She turns in my arms, then lifts those gorgeous eyes to mine. Her eyes are still tired, but clearer than before.

‘I should get you something to eat.’ I begin to rise but she puts her arm on my chest.

‘Stay a little longer.’

I sink back, then urge her upward until we’re almost nose to nose. I gaze into her eyes, marveling at the golden sparks within them. ‘You’re beautiful,’ I whisper.

Her lips curve.

I lean in and kiss them. ‘And so sweet.’ I deepen the kiss.

She whimpers, sliding in closer. I hook my arm about her waist, drawing her in until we’re plastered from chest to thigh. I slide my thigh between her legs until the warmth of her core sinks through my clothes and into my skin. I continue to kiss her and, with my hands on her hips, urge her to ride me. I grind up and into her center, swallowing her sharp exhale. I slide my palm down her back to squeeze her ample butt. She shudders. I continue to raise and lower her against the hard muscle of my thigh, while massaging her butt and thrusting my tongue inside her mouth. I dance it over hers, and she jolts. I continue to kiss her, looking deeply into her eyes. Pulling her dress up, I slip my hand inside her panties to squeeze her backside.

Her gaze widens, and when I increase the pace of my movements, her entire body hums. She begins to vibrate and, with a soft sigh which I swallow, she falls apart. I hold her as she shivers and climaxes, the scent of her orgasm seeping into the air and turning my cock to a column of concrete; it feels just as heavy, too. I hold her and continue to dry fuck her through her orgasm. When she finally slumps, I tear my mouth from hers, pull her close and hold her. Her eyelids flutter down, and while she naps, I put her clothes to right. I hold her for a few minutes, until she rouses herself. She looks up at me from under her eyelashes, ‘That was—incredible.’

‘Feel better now?’

She nods slowly.

‘Your headache⁠—’

‘—is gone.’ The smile starts in her eyes and reaches her mouth. ‘Thank you. I feel almost human now.’

I kiss her hard. Then roll off the bed and rise to my feet. I hold out my hand. ‘Let’s get you something to eat.’

‘This is not what I expected a hospital canteen to be.’ She looks around and shakes her head. ‘But then, the hospital itself is quite luxurious.’

We checked with the nurses, who assured us that they’d watch over Serene. Then, I brought my wife to the cafeteria to get a bite to eat.

‘It’s the best one in the country.’ I look around the space with the wooden tables and chairs, and a counter at the far end well-stocked with juices, water and refreshments. Considering the waitstaff who took our orders and brought us our food in minutes, the place resembles a luxurious airport lounge, rather than a typical hospital canteen. I’m grateful for that. While patients need the best care in hospitals, their near and dear also need to be looked after, so they can find the strength to keep going.

‘Sinclair has contacts here. Enough for the hospital to prioritize us. And the surgeon who operated on her is known to Arthur. It’s why she took up the case personally.’

She toys with her food. ‘I’m glad she got the best attention.’

‘You should eat.’ I nod toward her plate. ‘You need the sustenance.’

She obediently takes a couple of bites from her plate. A fierce satisfaction fills me. The fact that she obeyed me and that she’s eating the food I ordered and paid for… It’s the closest I’ll come to hunting and procuring food for her. I’ve always been dominant, but she brings my caveman tendencies to the fore. I try my best not to be too overbearing around her, but don’t always succeed. She’s smart and knows her mind. She’s gorgeous and sexy, and has proven she can take care of herself. But a part of me is unable to hold back from protecting her. From taking care of her. From wanting to shield her from the world. It’s a primitive instinct I can’t contain. Which is why, when she puts down her fork, I use it to scoop up more food from her plate and offer it to her. She half-smiles, but doesn’t decline. After a few mouthfuls, she shakes her head. ‘I’m full.’

‘Have some more.’

She chuckles. ‘Any more, and I’ll burst. I’ve eaten as much as I can, I assure you.’ She smiles. ‘Thank you for taking care of me.’

I put down my fork, then reach over and place my hand on hers. ‘You’re my wife. Of course, I’ll always take care of you. I’ll do anything to keep you and Serene safe.” I swallow, then look away. ‘I failed her.’ I begin to pull my hand back, but she catches it.

‘You couldn’t have known Lauren would track us down here.’

‘I should have been more careful. When I found out she left the country, I figured she didn’t want anything to do with Serene. I assumed she was Serene’s biological mother and that I didn’t remember her.” I blow out a breath. “And when the DNA testing came back positive, I accepted Serene as my daughter. It didn’t occur to me to investigate that further; which, in retrospect, was naïve of me.’ I drag my fingers through my hair.

‘If I had… I’d have tracked you down earlier. As it was, I was embarrassed. You had reacted poorly to finding out I’d slept around, and I felt like Serene being dropped off at my door was confirmation of my indiscretions. I couldn’t face you, knowing what you’d think of me. If I’d known… Of course, it would have surprised me to find out you were her biological mother, but it would’ve meant you’d be a part of our lives earlier. We’d have become a family much sooner.’ I cradle her smaller, slimmer palm between mine.

‘You’re being too hard on yourself. I can understand your embarrassment; I reacted with jealousy, when I barely knew you. I had no right to judge you for what happened before we met. Then, you found out you had a daughter. And naturally, she became your priority,” she says softly.

I shake my head. ‘If I had been thinking clearly, if I had been more alert, I’d have found out that Lauren had conceived through artificial means. I might have tracked her down and found a way to stop her from getting close to our daughter. I would have protected her better. I’d have stopped Serene from getting hurt. If I’d done more research, I might have discovered you were her biological mother, and we could’ve been together…’

‘You can’t blame yourself for that. Who’d have thought she’d have access to my eggs from the one time I donated them.’ She places her free hand on top of mine. ‘What matters is that Serene’s safe now.’

“Because of you,” I say, voice rough. I look at her—grasping for the right words. “If you hadn’t been here—God, I don’t know what would’ve happened.”

‘Don’t think about that, I⁠—’

‘There you are—’ A new voice has us both turning in the direction of the doorway to the café.