Christine blacked out for about five minutes. In her hazy state, she felt someone carry her to bed. Still dizzy, she drifted back to sleep.
When she finally woke up, she found herself wrapped in warm blankets. Her skin felt clean and dry, completely bare - someone had obviously given her a bath. Through her grogginess, Christine suddenly remembered she was still in Adrian's room. She struggled to get up from under the covers.
"Mrs. Blackwood, you're awake?"
Before she could rise, an unfamiliar male voice startled her. She almost jumped, instinctively clutching the blanket to cover her bare chest.
She turned nervously to find a middle-aged man with gold-rimmed glasses sitting at the desk, pen in hand.
"Ma'am, please don't be alarmed," he smiled professionally. "I'm Mr. Adrain Blackwood's family doctor. James contacted me this morning."
James... Adrian's assistant?
"Don't worry, I'll be monitoring your pregnancy care throughout."
The doctor adjusted his glasses meaningfully. "As a family physician, patient confidentiality is my top priority."
Christine relaxed with relief. She had feared the doctor might be sent by Rebecca. If anyone else saw those marks on her body, she would be doomed.
"There's nothing seriously wrong. Your fainting was mainly due to emotional stress and exhaustion. With proper rest, you'll recover quickly. I've already instructed Sophie to ensure you get proper nutrition."
The doctor's words reminded Christine of last night and this morning's wild encounters, making her legs feel weak again. She nodded, maintaining a calm expression as she thanked him.
After he left, Christine sat in bed for a while, nervously touching her belly.
No one could ever find out about her relationship with Adrian. No one.
She glanced at the clock - 10:30 AM. Unsure if Rebecca or the housekeeper were home, she wrapped herself in a blanket and tiptoed back to her room. Only after making herself presentable did she head downstairs.
The first floor was empty except for Sophie bustling around in the kitchen. Noticing Christine's unsteady steps, Sophie rushed over to help her.
"Morning Christine, Rebecca and Martha went shopping for Mr.Ethan's favorite foods. Rebecca said not to hurry - you can go to the hospital in the afternoon." Sophie helped Christine to the dining table as she spoke.
Christine's throat hurt too much to talk. She looked at the cup on the table, gesturing that she wanted water.
Sophie hurried to the kitchen and returned with a steaming bowl of porridge, carefully setting it before Christine.
"I made you some oatmeal. It'll help soothe your throat if you drink it while it's warm."
Christine looked at Sophie in surprise. The young woman stuck out her tongue playfully and said, "My brother told me you might have a sore throat these days, so I prepared this specially for you."
"...Your brother?"
Sophie smiled, pointing to her face. "Don't I look alike to James? I'm his sister! We are both Cooper."
"...Not really." So that's how it was... Christine understood now.
The assistant, nutritionist, and doctor - everyone around her had been arranged by Adrian. She wondered how he'd managed to convince - or rather deceive - Rebecca.
If that was the case, Sophie probably knew the truth about her fake pregnancy, and maybe even about her relationship with Adrian.
But Christine couldn't complain. At least this way, she wouldn't have to worry about being exposed.
While Christine finished her porridge, Sophie brought in a large gray box from the living room.
"James asked me to deliver this to you this morning. It's quite heavy - shall I leave it by your room?"
"Thank you."
Unsure about James's mysterious delivery, Christine carried the box to her bedroom.
It was an elegant matte leather case, about two feet long, with rose gold clasps that gleamed softly.
What could be inside? Whatever James delivered must have been on Adrian's orders.
She lifted the box onto her desk while talking to her younger brother Oliver on speakerphone.
Her family already knew about the pregnancy. Oliver said their parents were quite upset, spending days sighing at home. But Christine knew they loved her deeply - more than anger, they felt worried and protective.
Three years younger than her, Oliver had always been clever but mischievous. He'd started his business ventures before even finishing college. Now he successfully managed the beverage supply for several chain hotels and nightclubs in N City.
The siblings were close - Christine often confided things to him that she couldn't tell their parents.
Today was no different as she listened to him update her about the family.
"Sis... look, whatever you choose, I've got your back!"
Oliver's voice still held youthful innocence but also showed his growing maturity. Christine smiled - he was one of the few people who could still make her happy since Ethan's incident.
"I'll try talking to Mom and Dad too. Come home when you can - we're here for you, you can always rely on us..."
Christine responded while opening the box.
The metal clasps clicked open, and she froze at what she saw, falling silent mid-conversation.
"Sis? Are you still there?"
She quickly ended the call and examined the box carefully.
On top of the box was a thong. Christine held it up - just a tiny lace triangle in front with decorative silk ribbons, and a thin string in back that would hide nothing.
Below that, the box contained five steel dildos of different sizes. The smallest was about thumb-sized, while the largest was almost as thick as an arm. They were cold and hard, gleaming with a metallic shine.
There was more: handcuffs, a blindfold, a gag, a corset, several vibrating eggs of different sizes, and a delicate pair of clamps with tiny bells attached. Christine knew exactly what those were for.
She picked up the handcuffs and measured them against her wrist.
They were a perfect fit.