Ex-Husband's Regret (Ava and Rowan) novel Chapter 575

“This is your first appointment with us, right?” he asks.

I nod, suddenly aware of how my heart has picked up. “Yes.”

“Alright, then I’ll walk you through everything we’re going to do today,” he says, gesturing toward the examination table.

I lie back as he explains the procedure in detail—the gel, the probe, and what we might see and hear.

“Alright, lift your shirt just above your stomach,” he says gently. “And fair warning, the gel is a bit cold

When he squeezes it onto my belly, I flinch with a laugh. “You weren’t kidding.”

He smiles briefly, then moves the wand over my stomach, watching the monitor with practiced focus. The room is quiet for a beat and then there it is—a soft, rapid thump filling the room. My baby’s heartbeat.

My chest tightens and my eyes sting with tears. I can’t stop smiling.

“That’s your baby’s heartbeat,” Adrian says softly.

Something in me cracks open. My throat tightens, and my eyes blur. I didn’t realize how much I needed to hear this until now. My baby is real and not a figment of my imagination or anything like that.

For a moment it feels like the heavens have opened up for me. I can’t really describe it, can't put it into words, but the feeling is out of this world.

Dr. Adrian turns the screen toward me. The image sharpens, and I see the tiniest bean-shaped figure. My heart swells, overflowing with a warmth I’ve never felt before.

I’m in love. Completely, hopelessly in love

Lord, I’ve never felt like this. I thought I knew love. Thought that I’ve loved. My family, my aunt and uncles, Lilly, and Noah, but this is different. This is stronger and much more overwhelming. This is a different kind of love. It's like my heart has been cracked wide open and healed at the same time.

“You’re about eight weeks along,” Adrian explains, pointing to measurements on the screen. “That means conception likely happened around…” He gives me a date range, and my stomach dips, knowing the date very well. “Your due date is in late March.”

He continues, going over prenatal vitamins, diet recommendations, and my next appointment. When the ultrasound is done, he wipes away the gel, then asks, “Would you like a few printed pictures?”

“Yes,” I say without hesitation.

“Alright, wait in the lounge and I’ll get them ready for you.”

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