"Am I getting fat?" Charlotte muttered softly as she stood in front of the mirror, her fingers lightly pressing against her belly.
It was slightly rounded, more than before, and it caught her attention in a way she did not like.
She leaned in a little closer, narrowing her eyes as if the answer would suddenly appear if she stared hard enough.
"Hmm… is this body fat… or the child?"
she added under her breath, her tone filled with doubt as she tilted her head.
She shifted her body from one side to the other, slowly turning to check her reflection from every angle.
As she moved, her figure became more visible, and her expression gradually changed.
Her brows pulled together, and her lips pressed into a thin line as she kept looking.
"What the…?" she whispered, leaning a bit closer to the mirror as if she had just noticed something strange.
"Where are the curves?" she thought, her eyes scanning her own body again and again.
Of course, her body had changed because she was pregnant, and it was only natural for her shape to shift.
But Charlotte was not thinking about that in a calm or logical way.
To her, it felt like something was being taken away.
Something important.
And the more she looked, the more her thoughts started to run in the wrong direction.
"No… no, no…" panic slowly appeared on her face, her eyes widening as her hands hovered near her waist.
"I can't lose my figure…" she muttered, her voice slightly shaky.
Since she had gotten pregnant, her days had become slow and quiet.
She mostly stayed inside, eating and resting, doing nothing like before.
Back then, she would spend time practicing her spells, moving around, keeping herself active.
But now… she had stopped all of that.
Her mind quickly jumped to a conclusion.
"This must be because I've been lazy…" she whispered, her shoulders dropping a little.
"Just eating and sleeping…" Her fingers pressed lightly against her arm as if trying to check if it had changed too.
The more she thought about it, the more convinced she became, even if it was not true.
"How can this be…?" she said quietly as she slowly sank down to the floor, her back resting against the side of the bed.
Her gaze drifted slightly, and memories began to surface in her mind.
Just a few months ago, he had smiled at her so gently.
He had looked at her like she was the only person in the world.
"You look as slim as ever, honey… I love you so much…"
She repeated softly, trying to imitate Vivian's voice, though it came out slightly awkward.
She even copied the way Vivian spoke sometimes, adding a little extra tone at the end.
"…and whenever I see you, my organs start vibrating…"
She added, frowning a bit as she said it.
"What kind of line is that…" she muttered, shaking her head lightly.
But the thought did not stop there.
"What if…" she hesitated, her fingers tightening slightly against her dress.
"What if he cheats on me because I'm getting fat?"
The moment that idea appeared, it refused to leave.
One thought led to another, and before she knew it, her mind was filled with all kinds of worries that made her chest feel tight.
And then, at that exact moment, an even worse thought appeared.
A face.
A certain woman.
Charlotte's expression stiffened as she remembered.
Just a few months ago, at a grand ball, she had seen her.
Marinate. Even though she had dressed modestly that day, and there had been a faint sadness in her eyes, she still looked beautiful.
Too beautiful.
The kind of beauty that quietly drew attention without even trying. And the worst part…
She was not married.
Charlotte gulped, the sound clear in the quiet room.
"What if…" she whispered again, her imagination slowly starting to run wild without her permission.
In her mind, a scene began to form.
A rainy day. The sky dark, the streets wet.
Vivian walking calmly under an umbrella, his usual composed self.
And then, just a little ahead, Marinate standing under a small shade, her clothes soaked from the rain, her figure faintly visible through the damp fabric.
She looked helpless, quiet… waiting.
Then Vivian would notice her.
Of course he would.
He would walk up to her, offer his umbrella like the kind man he was.
He would speak gently, maybe even smile.
And then somehow… they would end up together, walking side by side.
And somehow, things would get worse.
A sudden accident, maybe a collapse, trapping them somewhere with no way out.
Forced to stay together for the night…
Charlotte's face turned red in panic.
"No!! Absolutely not!" she shouted, shaking her head strongly as if trying to throw the entire thought away.
"What am I even thinking?!"
She grabbed her head with both hands, her fingers pressing into her hair as her thoughts spiraled out of control.
"I won't let anyone touch my man! Damn it!"
She added, her voice filled with sudden determination, though her heart was still racing.
Deep down, she knew Vivian. She knew him better than anyone.
He would never look at another woman like that.
He would never do something like that. She trusted him completely.
But her thoughts were not listening.
Her feelings were not listening.
That quiet, instinctive part of her refused to stay calm.
It kept pushing these strange ideas into her mind, making everything feel worse than it actually was.
And the more she imagined it, the more uncomfortable she felt.
"Damn it…" she muttered again, her grip slowly loosening as she let her hands fall to her lap.
A small pout formed on her lips.
And for the first time…
She felt a little jealous.
Of someone she had never been jealous of before.
"No!" Charlotte immediately shook her head, her red hair swaying with the sudden movement.
She pushed herself up from the floor in one quick motion, her expression turning firm as she clenched her fists tightly at her sides.
"My man isn't like others… he only has eyes for me!"
She said out loud, as if reminding not just herself, but the entire world.
She stood there for a moment, taking a small breath as her thoughts slowly settled.
The panic that had filled her earlier began to fade little by little, replaced by something more steady.
"That's right…" she muttered, nodding to herself as she turned and started walking toward the door.
"Even if I become like a balloon, he would still love me…"
She added, her tone softer now, though she still sounded quite sure of it.
Her hand reached for the door handle, and she paused for a brief second before opening it.
"So what I need to do right now… is take care of the baby," she said quietly, her fingers brushing lightly over her belly again.
There was a small warmth in her expression this time, a gentle feeling that slowly replaced the earlier frustration.
She crossed her arms and nodded again, as if she had come to a final decision.
"Yes, that's what matters," she whispered, taking a step forward.
But just as she was about to move on completely, her thoughts tried to slip again.
"But… what if…" she started, her brows pulling together slightly.
The moment the words left her lips, she froze.
Then, quickly, she shook her head again, a bit stronger this time.
"No… I must calm myself," she said firmly, pushing the door open as if physically leaving those thoughts behind.
"Let's think about the baby," she added, almost like giving herself an order.
As she stepped out into the hallway, her pace became more relaxed.
Her mind slowly shifted to something else, something safer.
"I've been preparing for the baby for quite a while now…" she muttered, her voice thoughtful as she walked.
"So what I need to do… is be a good and kind mother… someone who loves her child properly."
Her steps echoed softly in the quiet corridor, the sunlight from the windows following her as she moved.
The estate felt peaceful, just like earlier, and it helped her mind settle a little more.
"First… after the baby is born, I won't get pregnant again…"
She said, though her tone carried a bit of hesitation toward the end.
She paused for a second, then added quietly, "…though I'll decide that after delivery."
A small frown appeared on her face as another thought came up.
"I heard it's pretty painful…" she muttered, her shoulders lifting slightly in discomfort just from imagining it.
"So… I'll decide then," she finished, letting out a soft breath as she continued walking.
Soon, she made her way outside toward the garden, where breakfast was usually prepared.
The fresh air greeted her gently, carrying the faint scent of flowers along with it.
The soft sound of leaves moving in the breeze added to the calm surroundings.
As she passed by, the servants lowered their heads respectfully, greeting her with quiet bows.
Charlotte noticed them, but her mind was still busy with her own thoughts, so she only gave a small nod in return without stopping.
"So what I need to do first is… shower…" she murmured, lightly tapping her chin as she walked along the stone path.
Her thoughts were slowly turning into a list now, something simple and manageable, which made her feel a bit more at ease.
She was just about to continue thinking when….
"Charlotte!"
A cheerful voice suddenly called out from behind her.
Charlotte blinked, her steps coming to a halt as she turned her head slightly, her thoughts breaking apart in an instant.
