Chapter 12

Regina kept studying her parents as they rejoiced with a look of revolt and displeasure, it was at the tip of her tongue to remind her parents that they should be grateful to Jonathan because none of this would have been possible without him but she kept her mouth instead. It was better she kept that piece of information to herself, she wouldn't want to make her parents angry again right after Jonathan had just successfully kept them calm. 

Regina's mother glanced at her daughter and frowned on seeing the expression on her face. “And what is with the stupid look on your face?”

Regina took her gaze from her parents to the ground, she couldn't dare talk back, especially with everything at stake, her baby's safety. And she couldn't destroy all the progress not after Jonathan had done everything to make it happen. 

“I will correct that face with a slap if you don't rearrange your face,” Regina's mother continued.

Regina's jaw clenched but she dared not say anything.

“You should be lucky that all my hard work paid and I'm in a good mood or else that growing pest would be out of you by now,” her father snapped, eyeing her with annoyance and a look of disgust. “Shouldn’t you be congratulating your family's success?”

‘My child is not a pest,’ Regina was dying to say but resisted the urge and bit down on her tongue. And what was there to celebrate when they were snatching up another person's handwork to claim it and were doing it so shamelessly too? It was later that her brain finally picked up what her father said amidst all her angry thoughts, letting his words sink in and her head shot up with her eyes wide as saucers one would think it was about to roll out of its sockets and to the ground.

“Did you say I could keep the baby?” She quizzed in a shaky voice and gulped down nothing, she was scared that one wrong move or word and her parents would change their mind and drag her into the hospital to get an abortion done.

Her mother shot her a dirty look, “We have already heard enough about that bastard child inside of you and we would appreciate it if you could just keep shit about it.”

Her father scoffed, “Let her speak, it's not like the hospital is far.”

Regina quickly clipped her mouth shut as her father threatened. 

Regina's mother scrunched her face, “You are such an odd child, why couldn't you be more like your sister? Your family is here celebrating your father's success, the greatest news of the century and you are just standing there with an ugly expression. Why would you be happy at your family's downfall? What type of child are you?”

Regina resisted the urge to roll her eyes, news like this was not new to her. She was used to her parents talking down on her like this, and it was something quite normal in her house. It got to some point that she began doubting that she was truly their child but the resemblance was enough evidence. 

“Odd child,” her father spat out before turning to his wife with his frown replaced with a smile, “Let's get out of here, we need to celebrate our success.”

Regina's mother giggled and immediately grabbed her husband. They had begun walking away when her father stopped and looked back at her,

“What are you waiting for? Do you need a special invite?” 

His harsh tone snapped Regina out of her daze and she gave an apologetic bow before going after them.

…

Jonathan pushed open the front door of his modest home and stepped inside, but to his surprise, he was welcomed by the familiar scent of lavender wafting toward him. He didn't even need any spokesman telling him who had that scent, he looked around his home in search of his wife, and he relaxed fully when he found her by his dining table smiling at him. He ran towards her at the same time Regina stood up to rush towards him. They met halfway and Regina threw her arms around him.

“Oh Jonathan, thank you,” she said, choking on her sobs. 

Jonathan buried his face into her neck and inhaled noisily, “Thank God you are alright.” He pulled away to study her face and he felt more relieved to see her face glowing with happiness. “Are you alright? Did they hurt you? Our child? Please tell me he's alright.”

Regina sniffed and raised a brow at him, “How are you sure the baby is a boy? She could be a girl.”

Jonathan rolled his eyes, but said nothing and pulled her into another hug, “It's great to have you back.”