Chapter 11 This House Belongs to Her

Talia smiled with ease. "Yeah." "If you two are… you know… being intimate, just be careful. It's still early in the pregnancy," Abigail said awkwardly. "But you're the OB-GYN. You know this better than I do, so just watch yourself." "Got it," Talia replied. Lucien glanced at her with a grin while driving. "Who's got you smiling like that?" "Abigail." "Did her parents name her that?" Talia chuckled. "No. She picked it herself when she turned eighteen. Changed it the day after her birthday. She didn't even waste a second." "Why?" Lucien asked. "She had a rough breakup in high school. It really messed her up, so she swore off love and gave herself a name that sounded stronger." "That's a bit extreme. We all have a messy first love when we're young. It happens. What matters is knowing it's behind you. Life doesn't stop for the past. You've got to keep moving forward," Lucien said. "You had one too?" Talia asked. Lucien froze for a second. "Maybe. But it's been so long. I can't even remember anymore." "Oh." "What about you? Ever have a crush on someone?" Lucien asked. "Of course. I was busy, but it's not like I shut myself off from feelings or anything. It just wasn't in middle school. It was way earlier." "Elementary school?" Talia lowered her head with a soft smile. "Not even elementary school. I was maybe four or five. I just thought he was really, really nice, so I convinced myself I liked him. But looking back now, kids that young don't even know what love is." "By five or six, most kids have a sense of gender. Having a little crush is pretty normal." Talia raised a brow. "Sounds like someone's speaking from experience." Lucien chuckled and reached over, gently pushing a stray rose stem out of her face. "Careful. Wouldn't want that poking your eye." … Their apartment was only ten minutes away from the hospital. It wasn't in a high-end complex—more like upper-middle class. Lucien had chosen it specifically because it was close to Central Hospital, where Talia worked. It was a bit far from his own office, but Lucien didn't mind. He drove to work either way, so a longer commute didn't bother him. When they got home, Talia scanned her fingerprint and unlocked the door. "Surprise! Welcome home!" The familiar voice caught her off guard. She set the bouquet down and finally got a good look at the person in front of her and the place she had once called home. Thalia was standing there in a casual dress, with no makeup on. And she was wearing Talia's pink slippers. The apartment Talia had spent a full year carefully designing was now completely transformed to the point she barely recognized it. The curtains she'd searched through three different malls to find had been ripped down and tossed into a corner. The plush toys she'd arranged on the sofa were gone too. The tablecloths on the dining and coffee tables had been removed, leaving just bare glass tops. And something odd had been stuck on the corners… Looking closer, Talia saw her beloved plush toys sloppily taped to the corners of the tables and chairs with clear packing tape. Lucien's voice turned cold. "Thalia, what do you think you're doing?" Thalia smiled sweetly. "Dr. Ainsworth is so busy with work, so I went ahead and gave the place a little makeover. Doesn't it feel fresh and new?" Lucien's expression darkened. "Did you talk to me about this before you did it?" "Since when do I need your permission? I used to do everything for you anyway." Talia had reached her breaking point. Her voice trembled. "Ms. Griffin, this isn't just Lucien's home. It's mine too!" "Oh, really? Did you pay for it?" Talia stayed quiet. "With your salary, you probably couldn't afford a place like this, right? Lucien paid for it, didn't he? That gives him full control. And since he does, I do too." Thalia smiled as she spoke, looking proud and smug like a peacock showing off in its territory. Lucien frowned as he pulled Talia inside. His voice turned icy. "Thalia, when I was single, you could do whatever you wanted. But this is the home Talia and I built together. It belongs to her now." "So you two bought this place after the wedding?" Thalia asked. Lucien took a sharp breath. "What difference does it make whether it was before or after?" "Oh, it absolutely matters. If the place was bought before the marriage, then it's legally yours. Dr. Ainsworth might live here, but she doesn't own any of it. "And if you two ever split, she's not getting a single cent. I'm your best friend, so that means I can come over anytime I want," Thalia said. Lucien snapped. "Thalia, stop talking nonsense!" Thalia's eyes welled up. "Lucien, most guys ditch their moms after getting married, but you ditched your best friend too? How many times have you yelled at me because of her? You never used to talk to me like this!" "Thalia, I'm not yelling at you, but you should've at least told me or Talia first. You turned the place upside down without warning. That's disrespectful to her," Lucien said. "You were yelling. If that wasn't yelling, then what was? Oh—my stomach…" Lucien rushed over in a panic to steady her. "Thalia, are you okay? Sit down and rest for a bit." Thalia eased onto the sofa with Lucien's help. She grumbled, "Go ahead, keep upsetting me. If something goes wrong with me or the baby, you're the one who's gonna deal with it." A flicker of guilt crossed Lucien's gaze. He softened his tone. "Are you still in pain? Talia's an OB-GYN. Let her take a look. If it's serious, we'll head to the hospital right away." Thalia turned away. "I don't want her checking me. We still haven't cleared up that incident with the male anesthesiologist. I don't trust her right now." Talia scoffed. "Well, I'm off the clock. I don't do consults after hours." Lucien sighed and lowered his voice as he walked over to her. "Talia, she's pregnant. Mood swings come with the territory. She didn't mean it. This is a medical issue. Please, just check on her…" "I don't do free consultations." "Fine. How much?" "Specialist rate. 15 dollars." "Okay. I'll transfer it now." Thalia let out a sarcastic laugh from the sofa. "Charging your husband 15 dollars? Dr. Ainsworth, you really don't miss a dime." Talia shot back without missing a beat. "That's right. My paycheck's modest, so I have to be smart with it. I'm buying a place of my own later this year. One that's fully mine. And in my home, no one gets to act like they own the place unless I say so."