"Sweetheart, shouldn't I be going with you to your next check-up?" Charles asked, a rare softness in his voice. It had only been two weeks since he found out she was pregnant, and during that time, their relationship had remained tense. Only now did it strike him—he had missed the most crucial part. Her health, and the baby's condition, should have been his first priority.
Janet smiled, her voice delicate and coaxing. "Then… how about this? I'll go shopping first, and meet you at the office afterward. We can go to the hospital together, just the two of us."
Her tone was gentle, almost demure. She sounded exactly like the Janet he used to know—the one who had once leaned on him with quiet trust. Charles couldn't bring himself to say no. Something in his gut warned him that something was off, but this version of Janet—thoughtful, sweet, obedient—was the one he had been longing for.
