The Queen's Back

her face.

"Maybe. By the way, Ava and I decided to open a business! I'm going to spend the next few days working on designs, and Ava's on the hunt for a factory to make the clothes. We're really starting our own brand! I feel super excited about it," Mona said, her smile lighting up "Wow, that sounds great, but won't you be tired?" Maxwell asked, bending down to scoop her up and carry her to the nearby sofa, holding her hand gently.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

"Not at all! I'll just handle the design work and help fund it. Ava's taking care of everything else, so it's really easy for me." Mona could see that Maxwell was worried about her health-especially since she was pregnant.

Since she had found out she was expecting, she had felt a little sleepier and pickier about food, but she hadn't been sick or exhausted from sketching. Plus, it was something she loved to do.

Hearing her enthusiasm eased Maxwell's worries a bit, but he still said, "Okay, just make sure you take care of yourself. If you get tired, don't hesitate to take a break."

He remembered reading that staying positive was really important for pregnant women, and he wanted to support her however he could.

"Don't worry about me! You just focus on working hard and bringing in the money for our little one. I've got it covered," Mona said, playing with his hand gently.

If their child was a boy, she hoped he would inherit Maxwell's long fingers. They were perfect for writing.

"Trust me, no matter how many babies we end up having, we're going to be just fine financially," he said, thinking about how they should probably come up with a cute nickname for their future child. Calling it 'baby' forever didn't seem like the best plan. Maxwell caught a glimpse of Mona's bright eyes, which sparkled like fresh berries straight from the fridge, with a hint of frostiness that made them even more enchanting. Right then, a nickname popped into Maxwell's head.

"Mona, how about we call the baby Sweet Berry? It'll save us from saying 'our child' all the time," he said with a playful grin.

'Sweet Berry, huh?' Mona thought, rolling it around in her mind. 'It sounds cute for a girl, but for a boy? Not so much.

"Isn't that a bit too casual?" Mona asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Not at all! I put some thought into it. Why don't you come up with a name to compare?" Maxwell replied, clearly proud of his idea.

Mona hadn't expected him to jump into naming so quickly, but he was already calling out for Sweet Berry like it was settled. She rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile; if it made him happy, he could have his fun. Meanwhile, Ava had just resigned from her job and wasted no time letting the group chat know about it.

She also dropped the bomb that she and Mona were starting a business together, teasing them with the idea that Mona had a secret everyone needed to figure out.

Instantly, Artemis and Elara were all over it. They wanted to know what was up. Ava's little tease had them guessing.

Artemis: [Did Mona win the lottery or something?]

Elara: [Wait, is Mona pregnant?]

Ava's heart sank a little when she saw Elara's message. It was way too close to the truth. 'How did she guess that so fast?"

T@Elara How did you know?] she typed back, a little annoyed but mostly impressed.

Ava only managed to piece it together after keeping an eye on Mona's schedule for days and noticed that Maxwell hired someone to renovate the house. Plus, she had talked to a coworker who just took pregnancy leave, and that person sounded a lot like Mona-always sleepy and super picky about food.

So, it caught her off guard when Elara guessed it right away, wondering how she figured it out.

Elara: [Oh wow, Mona really is pregnant! I just took a wild guess! I thought I'd get in trouble for saying that. Can I be the

D

godmother now? @Mona]

Ava: [Elara, I'm already the child's godmother. You'll just have to wait in line. You can be the second one.]

Artemis: [Count me in too! I'll be the last one, the youngest godmother! @Mona, hurry up and say something!]

Ava: [Girls, chill out. Mona's probably with her husband right now. We've already talked about this. Oh, and don't forget to get a gift for the baby. I've already sent mine today.]

Elara: [Got it!]

Artemis: [Alright!]

After that, they chatted about Ava and Mona opening a clothing store, and Elara jumped in, saying she wanted to join them. She figured if Mona wasn't working at the company, she would be feeling lonely.

Ava: [For sure! We'll need to hire a bunch of people for the shop! When the time comes later, let's have Artemis endorse it. Our shop will definitely be the talk of Nathontown.]

[Seriously, I'm dreaming big here. We haven't even opened yet, and I'm already imagining the success! Someone wake me up now!]

Artemis: [Don't sweat it! With Mona's killer designs and my endorsement, we're bound to hit it big!]

Elara: [I can almost see the money rolling in!]

Meanwhile, Mona was totally missing out on the group chat. Since she found out she was pregnant, she had cut back on screen time after the doctor warned her about electronics being bad for the baby. So, she rarely checked her phone anymore. Right then, Maxwell was in the kitchen cooking for her. Mona stood by, watching and helping out here and there.

Once she finished her dinner, she finally had a chance to check her phone. Seeing all the messages in the group chat made her heart swell, especially when she read that Artemis and Elara wanted to get something for her baby.

She replied: [Guys, seriously, don't buy anything else for the baby. We're running out of space in both rooms.] Artemis: [It's all good! I already ordered some stuff online. It should arrive tomorrow. Mona, just keep an eye out!] Elara: [Same here! I grabbed a ton of cute baby clothes. They're super adorable!]

Mona laughed to herself, thinking there was no way she would manage to use all of that, even if another kid came along later.

The next morning, when Mona headed downstairs, she was greeted by piles of stuff-everything from boy clothes to girl outfits. She just waved the servant over and asked him to stash it all away.

When Sweet Berry finally showed up later, Mona would definitely tell the baby all these goodies were from the amazing godmothers.

Time flew by, and before she knew it, Mona was another month into her pregnancy. It was time for her ultrasound. Maxwell made sure to clear his schedule and joined Mona at the hospital, ready to be there for her. FT