The Queen's Back

After Mona and Maxwell arrived at the hospital, Maxwell stayed close, supporting her as they walked in together. Nigel and Haley were tagging along, making sure everything went smoothly. Plus, a couple of bodyguards were blending into the crowd just in case they needed backup.

Just as they walked in, Barbara was coming out with a colleague. Spotting Mona, she quickly shoved the medicine into her colleague's hands and said she wasn't feeling well, asking them to hang tight outside for a bit.Content rights by NôvelDr//ama.Org.

Once Barbara ducked away, her colleague grumbled, "Seriously, if you weren't tied to the Clem family and could bring me snacks, I wouldn't be stuck here getting you medicine. It's sunny out, and you want me to wait? You really think you're the Ms. Clem? So annoying!" With that, the person headed outside to chill while waiting for Barbara.

Meanwhile, Barbara kept a low profile as she trailed behind Mona and Maxwell, only catching flashes of Mona in her purple outfit. When she saw them head into the Gynecology Department, she started putting two and two together.

That night, Barbara texted Albert to meet her at the night market, pretending she was just missing him.

Albert had just gotten back from the army for a quick two-day break. He wouldn't have made the trip if it weren't for wanting to see Mona and the baby in her stomach. But before he could even meet up with her, he saw a WhatsApp from Barbara pop up on his phone. 'Alright, he thought, 'I'll swing by to see Mona and the baby later.

Not long after he arrived at the night market, he felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw Barbara's bright eyes lighting up with a smile.

"Hey, Albert! You're here early," she said, her warmth making him grin.

"Oh, just got here. Have you eaten yet, Barbara?" Albert asked as they strolled through the lively venue.

They used to come to this night market all the time back in school. Everyone in the family always warned them about how the street food was gross, but that just made sneaking in even more fun.

Now, as Albert eyed a cheese balls vendor nearby, he couldn't help but drool a little. He dashed over to the stall, grabbed two portions, and handed one to Barbara.

"Hey, Barbara, try this. Does it taste as good as it used to?" he said with a big smile.

Barbara looked at the greasy cheese ball made from blue cheese and wrinkled her nose, but she took a bite anyway. Weird- smelling street food was never really her jam; she preferred meals crafted by a chef. Still, she wanted to create a moment for Albert, so she went along with it.

After tasting it, she nodded at Albert and pointed at nearby stall. "Wow, it's just like I remember! Too bad Mona isn't here. She always loves those sausages."

Albert nodded, but his mind drifted to Mona's pregnancy. "Yeah, she can't have stuff like this right now."

"Huh? Why not?" Barbara asked, intrigued.

"Uh, nothing much. Just that her appetite's been a bit off lately," Albert replied, trying to sound casual.

"Not feeling well? What's going on? I saw Mona at the hospital today, but I didn't get a chance to say hi because I was with a friend," Barbara said, her big eyes wide with concern.

For a moment, Albert thought about telling her Mona was pregnant, but he remembered Mona's request and Polly's advice. He kept it to himself. "N-nah, she's doing fine," he stammered.

As he tried to pull Barbara along, she held him back. "Hey, Albert, I actually called you out here to have a real talk."

Her voice cracked a little, sounding almost like she was about to cry. "So, what? You don't need me anymore now that you're all grown up? Mona, too. Since I messed up that one time, she hasn't been nice to me.

"I tried to see her at home, and she just acted like I wasn't even there. Now that you guys know something's wrong with her, you're keeping it all from me? If that's how it's gonna be, I guess I'll just stay out of your way. I don't want to be a bother." With that, Barbara turned on her heel and walked away

9:23 AM

Her nails dug into her palms. It used to be that Albert would never lie to her like this. Back when they were close, even a little scratch on her hand would have him worried for ages.

But ever since Mona's engagement ceremony, everything had changed. Barbara felt like all of it was because of Mona.

She used to be the only sister in Albert's life, and now it felt like he had forgotten about her completely. Barbara wanted to know what Mona did to win everyone over like this.

Albert panicked and grabbed Barbara's arm. "Hey, it's not what you think. You're still my half-sister, alright? We share the same blood."

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Even though he didn't like that part of their relationship, he couldn't deny the fact. Jeremy and Beatrice were to blame, but Barbara was innocent in all this, and it made him feel bad for her. When she heard him, a tiny smirk appeared on her face. "Then why are you lying to me?"

"It's not that I wanna lie, Barbara. I just can't say what's going on," Albert replied, trying to hold on.

Barbara pulled her arm away, looking hurt. "Whatever. I get it. I won't ask anymore."

Seeing the hurt in her expression made Albert feel awful. He rushed after her, wanting to say something to make it better. Finally, as she looked like about to cry, he said, "Mona is pregnant."

Albert added, "Please, you've got to keep this under wraps. No one can know in the first three months-it's just safer that way. That's why I hadn't mentioned it."

"Pregnant?" Barbara forced a strained smile, but inside, her thoughts were churning.

'Of course Mona is pregnant,' she thought, resentment bubbling up. 'A husband who dotes on her, a baby on the way... Why is her life so flawless?'

No way Barbara could let this happen. No chance. This wasn't the way it was supposed to go. Mona was meant to have a life worse than hers-her career, her relationships, all of it. Letting Mona have this baby was out of the question. Realizing that she had gone silent, Albert le