Chapter 1612

Lucas said, "You've already got a godson. No rush, we'll take it slow." Stella shot back, "I'm in a hurry for a daughter, so she can marry our godson someday. If we wait too long, she might miss her chance!" Lucas reached out, playfully tapping her nose. "You're something else, you know that? Got a guy as great as me, and still scheming to keep all the best guys under your roof." Stella was not having any of his jokes. "Cut the comedy, Lucas. I'm serious here." "All right then, how about we make a plan to visit the hospital for a checkup when you're free?" "Deal," Stella agreed. Lucas felt a wave of relief, confident there was nothing wrong with either of them physically. The real hurdle, he knew, was something else entirely—his interference. But now, it seemed, he did not need to worry anymore. He could sense Stella's heart warming up to him, slowly letting go of her reservations. That night, Stella felt drained, her carefulness at dinner stemming from her fear of gaining weight that might make her look bulky on screen. She avoided overeating and was always conscious of her appearance for the camera. "Lucas, I've got a scene tomorrow where I'm wearing short sleeves. Don't leave any noticeable marks on me, okay?" she warned. But Lucas, ever the rebel, could not resist leaving a ring of red on her neck. Stella pushed him away. "What are you, a dog?" Lucas shot back with a smirk, "Dogs bite anyone. I only bite you." Stella sighed. "Now Rachel is going to have her work cut out for her again tomorrow." She always relied on Rachel Burt, her go-to makeup artist, to cover up the traces of Lucas's mischief. Lucas quipped, "The one who's really got it tough tonight is me." "Lucas..." Stella's voice trailed off. "What's up?" he asked. Suddenly, Stella's spirits plummeted. "What if it's me? What if I'm the reason we can't have a kid of our own..." Before Stella could finish her sentence, tears welled up in her eyes, and Lucas felt a pang in his heart. "You're fine, I'm fine. Trust me, we might just hit the jackpot this time." "What if we don't? What if the problem is really with me?" Lucas had always known how much Stella adored kids, how much she wanted a child as adorable as Pax. Seeing her start to doubt herself, he knew her thoughts would only spiral into sadness. "Stella, believe me, we'll have kids," Lucas reassured her. "But it's been so long..." Stella's voice trailed off, filled with despair. Unable to bear seeing Stella in tears, Lucas pulled her close. "It's not your fault, and there's nothing wrong with me either. The reason you haven't gotten pregnant is because I... I interfered." As the words left his mouth, Lucas realized Stella's expression had changed. He looked at her anxiously. Stella met his gaze. "Lucas, I had a hunch it was you all along. I never thought I would actually be right. I'm telling you, if I don't get pregnant today, I'm going to find another man to have kids with."