Page 8 of Ivory Crown

“Made any breakthroughs today?”

I shook my head. “No, I’ve mostly been fighting with the keyword,” I said. “It’s annoying to get used to a new one.”

He chuckled slightly, a rich sound that seemed out of place. “Well, from what I’ve observed, you’re a fast learner. You’ll get the hang of it soon.”

“So what happens now?” I asked. “Am I just stuck here until…”

I looked down at my stomach. Was I stuck here until the baby was born? Until he decided that I was safe?

He looked away from me. “I’m not sure,” he said. “I think we’ll have to play it by ear.”

“That’s not fair, Dante,” I said, suddenly feeling like I was on the verge of crying. “I need to be able to go out and…get medical check-ups. I’m pregnant. I can’t just stay here.”

He furrowed his brow. “Don’t worry, Jade. A doctor will come to you. I’ll look after both of you. I promise.”

“The best way to take care of me is to let me leave,” I said, gesturing with my chopsticks. “You’re a reasonable man. You know that.”

“No,” he replied, shaking his head. “The best way to take care of you is to keep you safe. And I’m sorry if you don’t like it, Jade, but this is how we’re doing it.”

I opened my mouth to argue, but his stare silenced me.

“I’ll decide when to let you leave,” he said. “Got it?”

My stomach dropped as he went back to his chicken. “Yeah,” I said. “Got it.”

Chapter Four: Dante

Ipaced the length of my penthouse, a predator in a tailored suit, every tick of the clock grating like nails on a chalkboard. Jade was in the other room, and I knew what I had to do—protect her, keep our secret safe. Protect us both from my old man’s wrath.

The knock on the door was sharp, precise. I swung it open to find Dr. Byrd, an obgyn with ties to the family, standing there with his bag of medical paraphernalia. “Dante,” he greeted, a nod of acknowledgment but no smile. He knew better than to waste time on pleasantries. He had been paid an exorbitant amount of money by many of us to make sure he never spoke a word about it to my father.

I needed to be the one to tell Enzo about Jade. I just…hadn’t found the courage to do so yet. But I would.

“Doc,” I said curtly, stepping aside to let him through. “Thank you for coming on such short notice.”

“Of course,” he said. “Congratulations, Dante.”

Jade was sitting up in bed, looking like she’d rather be anywhere else but here. Her eyes darted nervously between me and the doctor as he set his equipment down. I hovered by the doorway, watching as he slipped on gloves with practiced ease.

“Let’s get your vitals first,” Dr. Byrd said, reaching for her wrist. His touch was clinical, impersonal. Jade barely flinched as he checked her pulse, his face unreadable.

“Everything seems normal there,” he commented before rummaging through his bag again. “Now, if you plan on delivering vaginally, we should check how things are progressing.”

“Delivering?” Jade echoed faintly, her voice barely above a whisper. She looked lost, like a kid who’d wandered too far from home.

“Have you given any thought to how you want to have the baby?” Dr. Byrd asked, not unkindly.

She shook her head, her dark hair swaying gently around her shoulders. “I haven’t really thought about it,” she admitted. “But isn’t it a bit early for a vaginal check? I mean, I’m not super far along…”

“Just a precaution,” he said. “We like to ensure everything is on track early on.”

“Like what?” Jade asked.

“I need to look for lesions that indicate infections, abnormalities, or anything that could pose a risk during delivery,” Dr. Byrd explained, his voice clinical as he continued his examination.

I watched as Jade gripped the sheets, her knuckles turning white. I wanted to go to her, hold her hand, tell her it was going to be okay. But I knew I was the least likely source of comfort at that moment.

“It’s important for the baby,” he said. “But we could do it another time.”

---