Her Honour For An Heir

The silence in the doctor's office was deafening.

Alesia sat on the edge of the cushioned chair, her fingers clutching the hem of her blouse so tightly her knuckles turned white. Her heartbeat thundered in her ears, drowning out everything else-until the doctor's voice, calm and clinical, shattered her world.

"I'm afraid your hormone levels are significantly low, Alesia. Based on the tests, it may be difficult for you to conceive naturally. There are options, of course, but... the chances are limited."

Difficult. Limited. Options. Every word struck her like a slap.

She nodded slowly, unable to speak, her throat thick with emotion. The moment she stepped out of the clinic, her phone buzzed. Kaelan.

"Done?" His voice was casual, like he was asking if she had picked up groceries.

Alesia swallowed. "Yes. I'll be home in an hour."

She didn't tell him-not yet. Not over the phone. Not while standing on the steps of the clinic, with the weight of quiet disappointment suffocating her.

---

Kaelan wasn't home when she arrived. The penthouse was spotless, its silence cold. The soft hum of the air conditioner filled the emptiness. She walked past the wedding photo hanging above the fireplace-her in white satin, Kaelan in his custom-tailored tuxedo, smiling like the world belonged to them.

What a lie.

She waited until he came home, three hours later, smelling faintly of whiskey and expensive cologne.

"You're late," she said, trying not to sound accusatory.

He tossed his keys onto the marble countertop. "Meeting ran long. What's the verdict?"

She hesitated. "The doctor said I may have difficulty conceiving naturally. My hormone levels are low."

Kaelan stood still. His expression didn't change, but something in his eyes flickered-an imperceptible shift.

"I see," he said simply, walking past her.

Alesia turned to follow. "That's all you're going to say?"

"What do you want me to say?" he snapped, spinning to face her. "That I'm happy? That this is okay?"

"I want you to stand by me," she said softly. "I want you to tell me that we'll figure this out together."

He exhaled sharply, like her words exhausted him. "Do you think love alone is enough when you can't give me a child?"

The silence that followed was heavier than the one in the doctor's office.

---

Days passed. Kaelan became more distant, more silent, always busy, always tired. Alesia pretended not to notice the extra hours he spent away from home, the way he avoided her eyes, the nights he turned his back to her in bed.

Until one night, he came home early.

He sat across from her at the dining table, his eyes unreadable. "There's something we need to talk about."

She already knew. Her stomach turned.

"I've been thinking about our situation. About what the doctor said."

Alesia stared at her untouched plate.