Whose Baby?

EPISODE ONE Sudden Change Raymond opened his eyes and smiled as he saw Ariana lying right on his chest. He kissed her forehead before setting her down and getting out of bed. He picked up his shorts from the floor and slid into them. Ariana was still fast asleep, and he wanted to get something to eat for both of them before she woke up. He walked to the bathroom and took a bath, making sure not to disturb her sleep. Afterward, he returned to the room and put on his clothes. Since he was going somewhere nearby, he opted for black shorts and a white round neck shirt. Raymond walked back to the bed and pulled the duvet up to cover Ariana. He gently brushed back the stray strands of hair from her face and smiled. He was finally married to the woman he loved, after all the little fights and arguments they had in the past. It was the day after their wedding, and they were on their honeymoon. Raymond felt excited about the future and the new chapter in their lives. He had always wished to start a family with Ariana, and he was happy to begin this journey together. Raymond smiled again and leaned over to kiss her forehead once more. As he reached for his phone, a message came in almost immediately. Raymond glanced through it and said with a smile, "Oh, the results." It was the test results they had done to ensure they were compatible, an important requirement for being legally married into the Smith family. Raymond's parents had emphasized the significance of such tests before marriage, but their results arrived late. While Raymond was reading the message, his smile began to fade, and worry replaced it on his face. He looked at Ariana, who was still in bed, and murmured to himself. He stared at his phone for several minutes until it beeped again, indicating another message. Opening it, his mouth fell open in shock. "What!" he exclaimed, staggering back and then steadying himself with a chair. "No, this is not possible," he added, "No!" he shouted again and collapsed to the floor. Raymond held his head as if it were about to detach from his body and shook it countless times. He couldn't believe what he had just seen. Standing up abruptly, he yelled, "No, no!" and rushed out of the room. **** Ariana slowly opened her eyes one after the other, rubbing them before rolling to the other side of the bed, hoping to find her husband. However, when she opened her eyes, he was nowhere to be found. She stood up from the bed and picked up her night robe from the floor. Putting it on, she walked to the window while tying the sash of the robe. "Maybe he's in the bathroom," she said to herself as she looked outside the window. Ariana sat down to enjoy the beautiful view beside the hotel, watching the birds chirping on the trees and people resuming their daily activities. She picked up a cup and brewed some coffee, glancing outside the window again to watch the kids playing in the nearby park as she took a sip of her coffee. Smiling, she reminisced about everything that had happened the day before. Her marriage to Raymond was a dream come true for her. She had always imagined marrying the man she loved, and she was happy to see it happen. Suddenly, Ariana dropped the cup of coffee, letting out a loud sigh as she folded her hands on the table while still looking outside the window. "What a beautiful morning," she said with a smile. Ariana was happy and excited to see what the future held for Raymond and her. Raymond had been the best person she had ever met, and their relationship had been the envy of other couples. She was delighted she could finally call him her husband after years of courtship. She stood up and stretched, murmuring to herself, "Where could he be?" as she walked to the bathroom. Ariana knocked and waited for a reply, but none came. She stood still, pondering for a while. "He's my husband now," she giggled and opened the door to the bathroom. Entering the bathroom, Ariana looked around, hoping to find Raymond, but he wasn't there. She turned and searched the bathroom, but there was still no trace of him. "Where could he be?" she asked herself, stepping out of the bathroom. She walked to the bed and picked up her phone from the bedside table. Ariana returned to the window and sat on the chair, dialing Raymond's number, but she wasn't getting any answer. "Where the hell are you, Ray?" she asked herself, growing increasingly uneasy. She dialed his number again, but still received no answer. Ariana sighed and dropped the phone on the table, covering her face with her hands as she murmured, "Where are you, Raymond?" she asked. Fear gripped her as she had heard stories of husbands leaving their wives after marriage. She dreaded the possibility of the same happening to her as she couldn't find Raymond. "I just hope this isn't the case," she murmured to herself, deciding to go out and look for him. Ariana hurried into the spacious closet of the hotel, grabbing the bathrobe hanging on the wall. She dashed into the bathroom, quickly taking a shower. Minutes later, she stepped out of the bathroom and rushed back into the closet. Opening her box, she put on a pair of black jeans and a white shirt, slipping into white sneakers. She grumbled as she grabbed her phone and hurried to the door. Ariana dialed Raymond's number once more, gripping the doorknob, only to be surprised by his presence right at the door. She let out a sigh of relief before running into his arms. "Where were you, Ray? I thought you left me," she murmured, wrapping her hands around his waist. "Don't ever go anywhere without telling me," she added. Raymond stood motionless, not hugging her back. His mind was consumed with thoughts, unsure of how to reveal his problem to his wife. He had already made up his mind about what was best for him and Ariana. Ariana pulled back and looked into Raymond's eyes, sensing something was wrong. Raymond's lack of response to her embrace spoke volumes. "Ray, are you okay?" she asked, cupping his face. "Is something wrong, Ray?" she asked again, her eyes scanning his body for any signs of harm. Raymond remained silent, only gazing into her eyes. Ariana cupped his face once more, pleading, "Raymond, tell me what's wrong." She held his hands and looked up at him. "Talk to me, Raymond," she added. "Let's go home, Ariana," Raymond finally spoke. "Pack your bags. We have to leave now," he added, pulling his hand away from Ariana's grasp. "Just five minutes, Aria. We're leaving now," he said, entering the closet to pack his bags. Ariana stood still, watching him intently. She couldn't understand why he wanted to return home on the first day of their seven-day honeymoon. Walking up to him, she held his hand. "What are you doing, Ray? Why are we going home?" she asked. Raymond gave her a piercing look. "Just do as I say, Aria. Pack your bags," he responded sharply, resuming his task of packing his clothes. Ariana stood there for a moment, then pulled Raymond's hand again. "We're not leaving until you tell me why. Explain yourself," she insisted, beginning to unpack his clothes. Raymond pulled her closer, swallowing his frustration as he glared at her. "Ariana, pack your bags now!" he yelled. "And don't ask me another question," he added, pushing her away before returning to pack his bags. Ariana stood frozen, unable to comply with Raymond's demands. She looked at him with confusion, unable to decipher his state of mind. Raymond turned to her, his voice raised again. "Aria, pack your bag now!" he shouted. Ariana found herself rushing to her bag, pulling it off the shelf, and hastily packing her clothes. She kept her gaze fixed on Raymond, hoping for an answer to her questions, but he didn't spare her a glance. After finishing packing, Raymond hurriedly left the room. He panted while waiting for her, fully aware that his actions towards Ariana were unfair. But he believed he had no choice—he was acting for her own good. Ariana packed her bag and brought it into the room. "What is going on, Ray? Can you please talk to me?" she pleaded, dropping her bag and approaching Raymond. She took hold of his hands. "You're scaring me," she added. Raymond pulled away and cleared his throat. "Let's go," he said, stepping out of the room. Ariana turned back to look at the room, still unable to comprehend why Raymond wanted them to leave. With a sigh, she followed him out. Raymond checked out of the hotel, and they made their way to the waiting car in the garage. He placed his bag in the trunk, and Ariana did the same. They got into the car, which quickly drove off towards the airport. Throughout the drive, Ariana kept her gaze fixed on Raymond, but she didn't know what to say to him. He was behaving differently, and it seemed that something was wrong, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Upon reaching the airport, Raymond exited the car without uttering a word to her. He retrieved his bag from the trunk and walked into the airport. Ariana collected her bag and hurried after him. After passing through security, they boarded the plane and waited for takeoff. Ariana reached out her hand to touch Raymond's, causing him to glance up at her. "Can you please tell me what is wrong with you?" she asked, but Raymond looked away, avoiding eye contact. "Ray, what have I done wrong?" she inquired once more. Raymond gently removed his hand from hers, resting his head against the seat and closing his eyes. Ariana stared at him, tears streaming down her face. She never expected Raymond to be so distant and cold towards her. He was acting strangely without offering any explanation.