MARRY ME, ADELAIDE

Chapter 29: GRACE'S REPORT

Adelaide's heart starts pounding so loud, it's almost deafening.

"I don't understand what you're talking about-"

"Adelaide," Maria says, stopping in her tracks, the young woman turning to her, her palms sweaty.

"I am no fool. I have children and have had maids who got pregnant in the castle. Your weight gain, fatigue, and unusual sickness all at once is not a coincidence."

Tears form in Adelaide's eyes as Maria narrates the symptoms she has been experiencing. Truth be told, she knew for a while now that she is pregnant, but she has been so scared to say anything. Who could she possibly trust to tell this secret? Certainly not her friends in the kitchen. She would have told them if the father was not the prince of Amaris! Keeping her relationship a secret from them is enough a burden as it is.

"Addy, don't cry," Maria says, dropping her items, taking the girl in her arms as they sit by a tree. Maria is all too familiar with maids getting pregnant in the castle, but what she did not plan in her career as a head maid, was to help a maid pregnant for the PRINCE! She herself is confused about what to do.

When Adelaide seems to have calmed down, she asks, "How far along do you think you are?"

Addy sniffs, wiping her eyes, "About nine"

"Weeks?!"

She nods, wiping her runny nose.

"Christ Adelaide! How long do you think you could go without telling anyone? Till you start to show?!"

"It only looks like I added a little weight to my stomach."

"That's how it's supposed to look like Addy," Maria says in shock. She never knew she was this far along! What would have happened if she did not choose to confront her now? More importantly, what should she do? The older woman takes a deep breath but tells her what she has told every maid that has been pregnant.

"You need to tell him."

Adelaide jerks off Maria, looking at her like she's lost her mind

"What?"

"There's nothing else to do."

"I can just leave the castle"

"Like he will not follow you. Adelaide that man loves you to death, there's no way he will sit back and let you walk out of his life like that."

"But I don't want to ruin his life," she explains, tears leaving her eyes again.

"He's a prince-"

"That loves you."

"He's not ready for a child."

"And how would you know that?"

She reserves her comments, looking down at her palms. It will be stupid to say that she did not know the consequences of him making love to her, but for some reason, she thought the prince knew what he was doing.

"I thought he was infertile," she mutters to herself, Maria laughing out loud.

"Are you serious?" she says, raising her eyebrow. Adelaide nods in all honesty. "Well, this should tell you something."

"What?"

"He knew he wasn't infertile but still made love to you so many times. He didn't even give you any medicine to prevent conception, even though those barely work. Maybe he wanted you to get pregnant."

Adelaide has thought about this situation so many times, but her mind calls her crazy all the time for conceiving of such thoughts.

"Even if it's true, I do not have the courage to tell him yet when I am still unsure of how he will react. I don't want him to think I have ruined his life."