Broken Bond: Claimed by My Ex-Husband's Alpha Billionaire Uncle-Chapter 74: Pregnancy Test (1)

Now, she was starting to sound like one of those ridiculous, obsessive girlfriends—the kind who got mad at their boyfriend just because they dreamed he was kissing another woman.

What the hell was wrong with her today?! She never acted like this.

Was it her hormones? Maybe her period was coming soon, and that was why she felt so damn emotional.

But wait.

Her heart skipped a beat as a sudden realization hit her.

She was late.

Two weeks late. That wasn’t normal for her.

But she was infertile, so there was no point in overthinking this, right?

She was probably just exhausted, so that was why her cycle was off.

And yet ... she couldn’t shake the sudden urge to take a test, even though she knew without a doubt it would be negative.

"Charlotte." Damon’s voice was sharp, almost sounding like he was angry at her. It jolted her out of her spiraling thoughts. "Don’t ever say something like that."

Charlotte’s heart nearly stopped when she met his dark, intense gaze.

Was he mad at her?

Of course, he was.

She had just blurted out something ridiculous. It was her fault.

"I’m sorry." Her voice was small as she lowered her head, fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve. Now that she had a moment to think, she realized how irrational she’d been acting.

Damon rarely got angry, so that had to mean she’d crossed a line.

In the past, whenever she upset a man, the consequences had never been good. So, without thinking, she did what she had always done—she apologized.

"I know I sounded stupid," she mumbled. "I’m sorry."

She braced herself, expecting him to stay upset. But instead, Damon let out a slow breath and pulled her into his arms.

"No, sweetheart, I’m the one who should be apologizing." This time, His voice was gentle, warm, and laced with something soft. As if he realized he shouldn’t have spoken so coldly to her. "That’s not what I meant."

He pulled back just enough to cup her face, his thumbs brushing over her cheeks as he tilted her chin up. His gray eyes locked onto hers. "I need you to understand something," he said, his voice deep and firm. "No matter how long we’re together, I will never get tired of you."

Charlotte swallowed, her lips parting slightly.

He continued, "That’s why I don’t want you thinking or saying things that aren’t even possible."

His fingers curled gently against her skin as he whispered, "You are the only woman I want. The only one I will ever want."

It was such a cliché thing to say. If anyone else had said it, she would’ve rolled her eyes.

But when it came from him ...

Her heart pounded, warmth spreading through her chest. It didn’t sound like an empty reassurance. It felt like a vow, something absolute and unshakable.

Then again, they had literally taken a blood oath to be loyal to each other for eternity.

God. She really wasn’t acting like herself today.

Could it be that her hormones were truly clouding her judgment today? Should she just tell Damon about this?

"Damon," she bit her lip, hesitating before finally whispering, "Can you buy me a pregnancy test?"

Damon paused for a moment, blinking several times as he processed Charlotte’s sudden and extreme shift in topic. "I’m sorry, what?"

"A ... pregnancy test." Charlotte avoided his gaze, her fingers fidgeting in her lap. "It’s just ... I’m two weeks late, and that’s never happened before. I know it’s impossible for me to get pregnant, but ... I don’t know."

She let out a sharp breath, shaking her head. "No, forget it. This is stupid. I already know the result will be negative anyway."

More than anything, she didn’t want to let herself hope for something that was out of reach.

Damon’s brows furrowed, his voice firm yet gentle. "That’s not stupid at all." He leaned in slightly. "When you thought you were infertile, did you ever see a doctor?"

Charlotte hesitated, her lips pressing together before she shook her head. "No. But I was married to Julian for five years and never got pregnant. Isn’t that proof enough?"

She didn’t need a doctor to tell her what she had already accepted as fact.

Even though Julian preferred spending his time with other women outside, he always made sure to force himself on Charlotte whenever he was home.

The sex was quick, painful, and cold. The only thing Julian ever cared about was making sure she received his seed and never thought about her pleasure.

And yet, despite all of it, she had never once conceived.

Damon’s grip on her hands tightened, his gaze locking onto hers with quiet intensity. "Charlotte," he said softly, "you do realize infertility isn’t just a woman’s issue, right? Sometimes, the problem isn’t you, it’s the man."

His words hit her like a splash of cold water, sending a shiver down her spine.

"I know that, but ..." Charlotte hesitated, her voice quieter now. "Isn’t it usually the woman’s fault?"

That’s what she had been told over and over again. Julian and his mother had made sure she carried that burden alone, drilling it into her mind until it became an undeniable truth.

Damon’s expression darkened, his jaw tightening for a brief moment before he let out a slow breath, forcing himself to stay calm. "Sweetheart," he said gently, "male infertility isn’t rare. But a lot of men are too proud to get checked, so they let the woman take the blame instead."

He held her gaze, making sure she heard every word. "If Julian wasn’t the problem, then tell me, why did he sleep around with so many women, yet not a single one of them got pregnant?"

Charlotte had never questioned it before. She had just assumed he used protection, that he was careful. But now that Damon had brought it up, the doubt began creeping in.

Julian was reckless, arrogant, and selfish. He was the kind of man who would demand unprotected sex just to assert his control. And yet, not once had she heard a rumor of an illegitimate child.

The thought made her stomach twist. ’Was I really the one who couldn’t have children? Or had I been carrying someone else’s shame all this time?’