Aristocracy 101

Chapter 23

One Month Later...

Bella rushed to the clinic, her heart pounding in her chest.

Well, it actually felt like her life depended on it.

Following the nurse's instructions, she carefully placed the sample in a small insulated container to keep it warm, transporting it directly to the lab without a moment's delay.

She still cringed when she remembered how embarrassing it had been, asking those questions. But she couldn’t afford to let the awkwardness stop her. The success of her entire plan depended on this one piece falling into place.

Two Weeks Earlier...

"Is everything okay?"

The nurse's soft voice snapped Bella out of her thoughts. She blinked and looked up, shaking her head slightly to clear her mind.

Bella had come to the hospital to ask a few simple questions about IVF (In Vitro Fertilization).

She knew how to retrieve her own eggs, but the issue lay in the sperm. She couldn’t just ask Oliver for his sperm, could she?

No way.

It would be too suspicious, and she couldn’t risk that. She needed him to think everything was normal—that she was just doing this for them, for their future.

"Umm... Yes! I was just thinking..." Bella said, struggling to form the words. "Is it possible to use sperm from a condom?"

The nurse raised an eyebrow, clearly taken aback by the question.

"Generally, we recommend collecting sperm with a sterile sample container provided by the clinic," she explained, her voice neutral. "Condoms often contain lubricants or other substances that can affect sperm quality and motility."

Bella’s heart sank, but she didn’t give up.

"But... if it's collected and stored properly?" Bella asked, her voice low but hopeful.

The nurse hesitated, her eyes narrowing slightly as if trying to figure out what exactly Bella was asking.

"If the sperm is stored properly, it might still be viable," the nurse replied cautiously, though there was a slight edge of disbelief in her voice. "But I can't guarantee it for IVF. You’d need to speak to a doctor about it. They’ll be the one to assess all your options."

Bella’s heart raced with a flicker of hope.

"Really?"

"Of course," the nurse said, still unsure. "But you need to make sure it's kept at body temperature and delivered here as soon as possible. Bring it up to Dr. Flores when you see her. She'll have the final say."

Later, in Dr. Alana's office, Bella was even more nervous. She’d rehearsed the words over and over, but now that the moment was here, she almost couldn’t speak.

"Is it possible to use... a sample collected in a condom, from... last night?" Bella asked, her voice steadier than she felt.

Dr. Alana gave her a long look over the top of her round glasses. She had a poker face, but Bella could read her well—something about her unkempt hair and tired eyes told Bella a lot about the kind of stress she was under.

Bella had a talent for reading people—it was a survival skill she picked up in the orphanage.

Dr. Alana’s eyes narrowed slightly as she processed the question. Her voice remained calm, but there was a subtle edge of skepticism.

"I’ve never had anyone ask that before," she remarked, clearly surprised. "While it’s unconventional, if the sperm is viable and hasn’t been exposed to harmful substances, there’s a chance it could be used."

She paused, staring at Bella a little longer than necessary, her expression unreadable. "But you’ll need to make sure the sperm is collected properly and delivered to the lab within an hour. Any delay could affect the quality."

Bella’s pulse quickened. She had to do this. This was the last step.

"I can do that!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with determination. "I’ll make sure it's stored properly, just like you said."

Dr. Alana’s expression remained neutral, but there was a slight tightening in her eyes—a quiet trace of suspicion that didn’t escape Bella.

"Absolutely," Dr. Alana said, brushing off her suspicion with a forced calm. "Just make sure you bring it in as soon as possible. The quality will be assessed when it arrives."

Bella nodded vigorously. "An hour, right? I’ll make sure it’s there within the time frame." She forced a smile, but deep down, her mind raced with the thought of how she would actually pull this off.

Dr. Alana’s gaze lingered a little longer than necessary.

"Is there a problem?" Dr. Alana's voice was polite, but her sharp eyes said otherwise.

Bella’s throat went dry. She felt the heat of her own anxiety, but she quickly waved it away. "No, no problem at all! Just making sure I understand everything."

As Bella left the hospital, she let out a deep breath, her nerves still taut.

Everything was falling into place.

All that was left was Oliver’s sperm... and that was proving more difficult than she’d anticipated.

He stopped answering her calls, and the excuses kept piling up. Work. Busy. Too much going on.

What?!

Was he dumping her?