The Billionaire’s Hidden Heiress

Dawn POV

Pregnant. The news had stunned me at first but now I was slowly adjusting to what had been an unexpected blessing. My hand caressed my stomach, the slight bulge beneath my dress, a constant reminder of what was fast approaching and that no amount of procrastination was going to delay the inevitable. Ian had a soft smile on his face as we began to walk towards the hospital, hand in hand, his own squeezing mine as a source of comfort as I felt myself beginning to tense. They had said there was nothing wrong with the baby, that there had been a heartbeat the last time I had been here, but that didn't mean nothing had happened. With all the trauma, all the craziness, was it too much to believe the worst? To fear that the worst had happened? lan had been slowly progressing with his walking and now he was able to walk further and further without assistance, his physical therapist worked hard with him to get him mobile and increase his strength and stamina. I could feel his muscles as he gripped my hand and saw the newfound confidence, or rather he had refound his confidence, a lazy smile on his face as we entered the building. I felt sick, my heart was beginning to race, and my palms were all sweaty. I could feel my breathing becoming shallow and it felt as though the hallways were closing in on me. I was panicking. Ian sensed it too. "Hey, hey" he murmured, pausing in the hallway and regarding me intently "Calm down sweetheart," he said gently "Everything is going to be fine. Our baby is fine" he added as I tried to nod, the urge to vomit almost overwhelming.

How could he be so calm, so cool about this? Why wasn't he panicking like I was? The doctor grabbed our attention, walking quickly over to us with a serene smile on her face.

"Mr and Mrs Grant," she said and I flattened my lips, feeling slightly exasperated.

We weren't married yet. The wedding had yet to go ahead, another constant source of contention between the two of us as we argued about dates and bickered over the minute details that had me flinging my hands up in exasperation over and over again. I decided not to correct the doctor as she led us into an empty room and nodded toward the bed. "If you could just lie down on the bed and get yourself comfortable. Pull your dress up so we have access to your stomach" she instructed nonchalantly.

I did as I was ordered, biting the inside of my lip. Now was the moment. The one I'd been waiting for. I was about to find out if mine and lan's baby were okay after all these weeks of waiting and wondering, fretting, and feeling anxious. It all came down to this. I could feel my body tensing as she began to put the gel on the probe, a look of fierce concentration on her face.

"I understand you are worried Mrs Grant, but please, try to relax," she said quietly "This ultrasound will tell us just how your little one is progressing and whether" she paused "whether there is still a heartbeat to hear."

I lay there, watching the probe gently press down on my stomach, wincing at the chill of the gel. I began to pray that everything was okay, unable to bear the thought that it might not be. Ian was standing next to me, his jaw clenched. Although he had done his best to reassure me, I knew that he was just as anxious as I was, to find out that our baby was okay. The doctor began to slowly move the probe over my stomach while the two of us stared intently at the monitor, willing the picture or image of my child to come up. I saw the doctor frown and instantly felt a surge of panic flood through me. Something was wrong. She wasn't speaking. She was glancing up at the monitor and back down the probe, a questioning look on her face. I could feel tears pricking the corners of my eyes. I I was too cowardly to speak up and ask for an answer, the lump in my throat growing bigger and making it difficult to swallow.

"Hmmm" murmured the doctor, raising a brow and then pausing "This is only your second ultrasound is that right?" she asked, as I nodded quickly.

"Yes. What is wrong?" lan demanded, his charcoal grey eyes narrowing as he glared at the doctor, "what is it?"

She shook her head "Please, remain calm" she said stiffly "There is nothing wrong, at least I don't imagine that it is. There is however a discrepancy between this ultrasound and the previous one. Mrs. Grant" she turned to me "can you please roll over slightly to your side. I need to confirm something for myself and then I can talk to you about what I have discovered" she said quietly.

I rolled over, my body trembling. She ran the probe over me, quickly and efficiently, nodding to herself. She motioned for me to go back onto my back and then gave a smile, causing me and lan to look at each other confused. Whatever news this was, it couldn't be bad if the doctor was smiling, could it?

"I can see how concerned you are" the doctor began as we nodded at her, lan's expression almost dark as he stared at her "And I want to put you at ease. Your baby is fine," she said clearing her throat "in fact both of your babies are fine." Silence. For a moment I struggled to comprehend what she had just said. It went right over my head. lan's facial expression was inscrutable as he glanced at me and then his eyes widened with realization and he coughed, sounding shocked. "I'm sorry did you say babies, as in more than one?" he asked while I gasped in shock and awe.

No, there couldn't be. There had only been one in the previous ultrasound. The doctor had to have made a mistake, I thought, even as she nodded towards lan, her face wreathed in smiles.

"That would be right Mr Grant. There are in fact, two babies, twins in your womb" she said calmly "both developing at a normal healthy rate. They must have missed the second heartbeat and image on the first ultrasound, perhaps not thinking to check for it." I was stunned. I didn't know what to think, or where to turn. I didn't look at lan, fearful he would be upset by the notion that we would be having two babies at the same time. It was all too much to take in. But my hand crept to my stomach and I felt awed. Two. Two little babies to love and hold in my arms. Faith would have two more siblings to grow up and play with. A smile hovered on my lips. I hadn't anticipated something like this happening, but maybe, with lan being a fraternal twin himself, I should have entertained the possibility, I thought a little shell-shocked.

"Two" lan said dumbly "I don't suppose you can tell us their genders?" he asked quietly, still grim-faced.

I knew it. He was unhappy about the news. I fought back tears as the doctor nodded and gave me a smile of reassurance. "I can. It looks like you're having fraternal twins" she said quite cheerfully "as the gender is one boy and one girl. Isn't that beautiful" she beamed. One boy and one girl. One of each gender. Faith would have a sister and a brother to play with. My heart skipped a beat. I wondered if they would look like Faith or if they would resemble lan more. I wondered how Faith was going to take the news. No matter how many times I had tried to reassure her that the baby was not going to replace her, Faith had always seemed so worried about the possibility, and now I had to tell her there were two. I glanced at lan and saw that he was frowning deeply, which did very little to assure me.

"A boy and a girl" lan repeated quietly, "are you certain?"

"Almost completely," the doctor said, bringing up the screen and beginning to point to the images "In this one you can clearly see that her um genitals are female, and in this one" she brought up another picture as I leaned closer to look "is most definitely male genitalia." lan nodded tightly. He sank down onto a chair. He had let go of my hand ages ago. The doctor looked concerned as she glanced between the two of us, taking in how silent we were and how nonresponsive we both were.

"I'm sure you need some time to digest the news," she said kindly as I looked up at her "I'll give you two some privacy to discuss it. I'll come back in ten minutes or so to go over the schedule for your next few visits." "Thanks" I whispered, and she quickly slipped outside, while lan scowled at the ground.

"Just say it," I said, unable to hold back any longer as he looked at me surprised "because you acting this way is driving me crazy. You weren't expecting to sign up as a father to twins and it's too much for you" my tone was slightly cold "and if that's the case, tell me right now lan because I deserve honesty from you."

He blinked and then his expression smoothed out "My god, do you think I'm upset by this?" he asked incredulously as I stared at him, stonily "That's not the case at all Dawn" he denied "I'm sorry if it's come across that way. I'm just, a little shocked to find I'm going to be a father to three children" he smiled slowly, his eyes beginning to sparkle as I relaxed slightly "and I was picturing how they might look. I thought the little girl might resemble you and maybe the boy might look like me or vice versa. I got lost in my thoughts" he confessed "but nowhere have I been resentful or angry that we're having twins. They tend to run in my family" he reminded me smugly as I laughed at him "and Knox is going to be so jealous" he crowed, looking even smugger "just wait till I break the news to him."

Men, I thought dazedly as lan kissed me lovingly on the lips, everything was a competition for them. But I couldn't help but laugh as I returned his loving embrace, my head on his shoulder.

"You know what this means" he murmured as I rested against him, his breath in my ear "The wedding will need to be brought forward. Twins tend to come early you know," he said with great concern "what if you go into labor while going down the aisle?" I laughed. "We'll sort something out."Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

That was the least of my concerns for the moment. Although I had to admit, the man had a good point.

Right now it was time to celebrate our good news. The wedding could wait, for now, but not forever. Eventually, we would wed, but the timing had to be right.