Page 43 of The Prince's Secret Daughter

Raj froze. His eyes moved from her stomach to her face, then back down, as if he might somehow see through her skin and confirm her words. His voice was barely a whisper, thick with shock. “Helen, are you...?”

“Yes,” she said, the smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “I confirmed it this morning with a pregnancy test.”

Raj’s face went blank. He stared at her for a moment—his brain clearly scrambling to process what she had just said. Then, without any warning, he just... dropped. Like a sack of potatoes. He crumpled to the floor in a heap, eyes wide in utter disbelief.

Helen stared at him, her mouth agape. “Well, that’s not how I saw this announcement going.”

She blinked, about to call for his guards—maybe even an ambulance—when Raj suddenly sat up, blinking as if he’d just woken from a nap. He looked around, confused for a split second, before his eyes landed on her stomach again. His hands shot out, grasping for a chair nearby, and he slowly, cautiously, lowered himself into it.

Apparently, the news of her impending pregnancy had sent her big, strong, masculine husband into an absolute swoon. Who woulda thunk it?

Helen stood there, utterly flabbergasted, her arms crossed over her chest. “So… this is how you handlegoodnews?”

Raj blinked up at her, his face still pale, as if the shock had yet to wear off. He opened his mouth as if to say something but only let out a small chuckle, shaking his head. “I—I’m fine. I’m just... I didn’t expect that.”

Helen couldn’t help but burst into laughter, her hands on her hips. “Well,youcertainly didn’t handle that well, did you?”

Raj looked up at her, still dazed, but this time a slow, sheepish smile spread across his face. “I’m going to be a father again?” he asked, his voice full of wonder.

Helen knelt beside him, her heart warming as she touched his cheek. “Yes,” she whispered, her voice soft. “We are going to be parents. And this time, you’ll get to experience the whole pregnancy thing right along with me.”

Raj pulled her close, lifting her chin so their faces were just inches apart. His eyes sparkled with something new—joy, excitement, and a bit of nervousness. “I love you,” he said, his voice full of sincerity. “I love you so much.”

Helen’s heart melted, and she smiled, leaning in to kiss him gently. “I love you, too,” she whispered, her lips lingering against his.

And as they stood there in the villa, surrounded by beauty and the promise of a new life, their world seemed just a little bit more magical. The chaos, the animals, the future—it didn’t matter. They had each other, and that was all they needed.