Astrid opened her mouth to say something, but another wave of nausea slammed into her before she could get a word out. She doubled over, trying to steady her churning stomach, but nothing came up. Just then, Magnus handed her a glass of water.
"Thanks," she murmured, swishing it around her mouth before taking a slow sip to settle herself. Magnus lingered by the door, watching her closely. "Are you... pregnant?" he asked. "If you are, and you don't want River to know, you can keep the baby. I'll help you raise it."
The offer hit her like a freight train. Her hand froze mid-sip, and she just stared at him, completely dumbfounded.
Magnus didn't back down. "Of course, if you decide you don't want it, I'll go with you to to get an abortion. But going back to River? That might not be an option now. My family knows about our marriage, and if he shows up, it'll cause a scene."
Astrid wanted to correct him, but the words that spilled out took a different turn. "Why would you... offer to raise a kid that isn't even yours?"
Magnus's brow furrowed, a flicker of discomfort crossing his face. "We're married. If there's a child and you want to keep it, I'll stand by you."
Astrid paused, letting that sink in. Was there really a man out there willing to raise another man's child? Seemed too good to be true.
But wait. She shifted the glass to her other hand and let out a small laugh. "Magnus, I've never even been with River. How could I be pregnant? I think it's from burning the candle at both ends to pay for Dad's treatment. I skipped meals left and right, and last night I probably overdid it. That's why my stomach's off."
Magnus's frown deepened. "You've really been neglecting yourself like that?"
"Huh?"
Before she could react, Magnus scooped her up and carried her to the car. Once inside, he grabbed a jacket from the back seat and handed it to her. "Put this on. We're getting you checked out."
Only then did it hit her—she was in her sleepwear, no bra underneath. His jacket carried a faint, comforting scent, and she was grateful for the cover.
At the hospital, they were among the first in line, and Astrid quickly got started on her check-up. The clinic was known for its thorough, state-of-the-art exams.
Not long after, the doctor turned to Magnus with a disapproving look. "How could you let your wife's health get to this point? It's not just about feeding her. If you'd waited longer, this could've become something serious."
Astrid opened her mouth to explain, but Magnus stepped in first. "You're right, doctor. I didn't pay enough attention. I'll make sure it doesn't happen again."
The doctor, seemingly satisfied with his response, wrote out a prescription. "I'll give you a remedy. When you get home, make her some oatmeal. Health is the foundation—without it, what good is all the money in the world?"
"Yes," Magnus replied seriously, taking the prescription.
He went to pick up the medicine, then said to Astrid, "Stay here. I'll be right back."
"I can—"
Astrid started, but the doctor cut her off. "Let him handle it. It's his job."
Magnus gave her a small smile and left.
The doctor turned back to Astrid. "Your husband seems like a good man. How did you end up in this condition then?"
Astrid forced a smile. "We just got married. He didn't know how much I'd been slacking on my health."
The doctor nodded and moved on to the next patient.
Magnus returned quickly with the medicine, already bending down to pick her up again.
"No need, Magnus. I can walk."
"It's fine. You're light as a feather."
Astrid felt her cheeks flush with heat. "I can really walk."
He relented, walking beside her with the meds.
In the car, Astrid pulled out her phone. "How much was it? I'll transfer the money to you."
Magnus, already settled in the driver's seat, suddenly leaned over.
Astrid held her breath, caught completely off guard.
"The agreement clearly says all expenses during our marriage are on me. When you come home to meet the family, do you want them thinking this is just a marriage of convenience?"
Astrid recalled the contract's fine print and nodded. "Alright, Magnus. Understood."
She put her phone away.
As he drove, Magnus asked, "Is your stomach like this because you're working five jobs a day?"
She nodded firmly. "But I don't regret it. I worked my ass off for Dad's treatment. Even though it didn't end well, at least I tried."
Magnus felt a pang of sympathy but kept his mouth shut.
"I should thank you," Astrid said, turning toward him. "You gave me a loan when I was desperate."
Magnus looked out the window, hiding his emotions. "It was nothing. You're a talented employee. You deserved a little help."
"That's why I've stopped complaining about you."
He raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued.
Maybe the hospital visit had made her bolder. "Even though you said overtime wasn't mandatory and you paid for it, when things got busy, I still had to stay late. I might have grumbled..."
Her voice trailed off.
Magnus chuckled. "Called me a tyrant? A slave driver?"
She laughed awkwardly.
"It's hard to control sometimes, especially in your advertising department with those tight deadlines."
"I get it," Astrid said. "I understand. Even when you didn't ask, I chose to stay late to get the clients what they needed."
The conversation left a lighter air between them, but one question still nagged at Astrid. After a pause, she asked, "Doesn't it bother you if your wife has been with another man?"
"If it's someone I truly care about, it wouldn't. I'd only regret not meeting her sooner."
She glanced at him, realizing how different he was from her first impression. If she'd met him first, maybe things with River wouldn't have been such a mess.
When they got home, Astrid realized they had two hours before work. She decided to brew the prescribed medicine.
In the kitchen, she found Magnus had already warmed up the herbal remedy and poured it into a bowl for her.
"Isn't this medicine supposed to be brewed?"
"These days, clinics make it for convenience. Young people don't have time. You can buy it pre-made and just reheat it."
Astrid hadn't known that. When her dad was sick, the doctor had only mentioned it was too late for treatment, not prescribed anything.
As she drank, she mused on how Magnus didn't match the picture she'd painted of him. Even River had never done this much for her. As the saying goes, comparisons can be brutal.
After breakfast, Astrid headed to work, and Magnus reminded her, "Try to have oatmeal for lunch. Doctor's orders."
"I will."
At her desk, she caught snippets of her coworkers' chatter.
"Did you hear? Last night I saw Mr. Marshall walking with a woman. I bet he's married—that's his wife."
"What does she look like? Are you sure? I can't believe Mr. Marshall's married!"
"Since you saw her, could she be someone from our company?"
Astrid's heart raced. Had her colleague Camilla seen them？
