Chapter 1 - The Little Princess’s Forbidden Secret
“Daddy, Mommy showed me how to hide a baby in my tummy… but she said I must never tell you!”
Aurelian froze.
“Sweetheart, what did you just say?”
Two-year-old Maelis giggled, her enormous brown eyes sparkling with innocent mischief.
“Mommy has a secret baby, Daddy! Just like mine!”
She proudly patted the balloon hidden beneath her beautiful red princess dress.
Across the luxurious Beverly Hills living room, Leontine's face suddenly turned pale.
And when Aurelian slowly turned toward his pregnant wife, the look in her eyes told him something was terribly wrong.
But nothing could have prepared him for what his little daughter said next.
The afternoon had begun like any other peaceful Sunday inside the magnificent Beverly Hills mansion.
Sunlight streamed through towering windows, illuminating marble floors, crystal chandeliers, and expensive furniture.
Aurelian, a successful American businessman, had finally taken a day away from work to spend time with his family.
His little daughter, Maelis, was the center of his world.
At just two years old, she was an irresistibly adorable toddler with creamy fair skin, round rosy cheeks, a tiny button nose, and a heart-shaped face.
Her light chestnut-brown hair was arranged into two braided pigtails, each decorated with a large red satin bow. Soft bangs framed her expressive face, while tiny dimples appeared whenever she smiled.
That afternoon, she wore her favorite bright-red princess dress, complete with puff sleeves, delicate ruffles, a sparkling satin bodice, and layers of fluffy tulle.
She looked like a little princess who had wandered straight out of a fairy tale.
“Daddy! Daddy! Look at me!”
Aurelian glanced up from his newspaper.
Maelis waddled proudly into the living room, both tiny hands supporting an unusually round belly beneath her dress.
Aurelian burst into laughter.
“Oh, my goodness! What happened to my little princess?”
“Baby!” Maelis announced triumphantly.
She lifted her chin and gently rubbed her pretend belly.
“I'm Mommy!”
Aurelian laughed even harder.
Leontine, his second wife, was several months pregnant. Naturally, he assumed Maelis was simply copying her stepmother.
“You look exactly like Mommy, sweetheart!”
Maelis squealed happily.
Then she lifted her dress slightly, revealing a pink balloon tucked against her tummy.
“See, Daddy? Baby inside!”
Aurelian smiled and reached forward to straighten her little dress.
“That is very clever. Who taught you this game?”
Maelis pointed toward the staircase.
“Mommy!”
Aurelian glanced at Leontine, who stood nearby holding a glass of water.
“That was sweet of you,” he said.
But Maelis wasn't finished.
“Mommy showed me the balloon. She said babies can be pretend!”
Aurelian chuckled.
“Well, yours certainly is.”
Maelis shook her head so vigorously that her red satin bows bounced.
“No, Daddy! Mommy's too!”
The room fell strangely quiet.
Aurelian looked at his daughter.
“What do you mean, sweetheart?”
Maelis leaned closer, lowering her little voice as though sharing the most important secret in the world.
“Mommy has a balloon baby, too!”
Aurelian's smile slowly disappeared.
Behind him, a faint clinking sound broke the silence.
Leontine had placed her glass on the table with trembling fingers.
“Maelis,” she interrupted quickly, “why don't you go upstairs and play with your dolls?”
But the toddler remained beside her father.
“Mommy said shhh!” she whispered, pressing one tiny finger against her pink lips.
Aurelian felt an uncomfortable chill.
“Why did Mommy tell you to be quiet?”
Maelis glanced toward Leontine.
“Because Daddy gets sad.”
Leontine stepped forward.
“Aurelian, she's only two. She doesn't understand what she's saying.”
But Aurelian barely heard her.
He gently held his daughter's tiny hands.
“Sweetheart, did Mommy show you something?”
Maelis nodded enthusiastically.
“In Mommy's room!”
“What did she show you?”
The little girl thought for a moment, then reached beneath her red dress and pulled out the pink balloon.
“Like this, Daddy!”
She held it against her belly, smiling proudly.
“Mommy takes hers off, too!”
Aurelian slowly raised his head.
Leontine stood motionless beside the staircase.
“Leontine,” he said quietly, “what exactly has Maelis seen?”
His wife opened her mouth, but no words came out.
Then Maelis tugged on his sleeve again.
“Daddy, Mommy said the doctor knows!”
Aurelian's heart began pounding.
“What doctor?”
Maelis pointed toward the hallway.
“The man who comes when you're not home!”
Leontine suddenly rushed forward.
“Maelis, that's enough!”
But the little girl had already reached into the pocket of her princess dress.
“Daddy, Mommy gave me this!”
She unfolded a small, crumpled piece of paper.
Aurelian took it, glanced at the writing, and felt his blood turn cold.
It was a medical document bearing Leontine's name.
And beneath it was a date that made absolutely no sense.
May you like
He looked up at his wife, his voice barely above a whisper.
“Leontine… why does this document say your pregnancy ended eight months ago?”
