Mr. Kane Got Blacklisted

Keegan paused his writing and asked in a calm voice, “Do you want her to come?”

Aurora hesitated before softly replying, “I don’t want her to, but if she insists, we can’t really stop her.”

Keegan looked up, “If you don’t want her there, she won’t be. Just focus on your engagement with Aldor. I’ll handle her calls and anything else.”

Aurora wanted to ask how he planned to handle it but decided to stay quiet and just nodded in agreement.

After Aldor left, Stella washed up, lay on the bed, and browsed her phone. Bored, she moved over to Keegan’s side to look at the books he had been reading lately.

Since Stella got pregnant, Keegan’s bedside reading had shifted from his usual professional materials to popular science books about motherhood and babies.

Keegan was the type who, when he committed to something, did it thoroughly. He read books, researched online, and even took notes. He often shared what he learned with Stella, who appreciated his dedication. She knew the bond between a mother and child is natural, but a father’s connection takes time to develop. Keegan, however, was already proving to be more involved than she had expected, which made her happy.

She reached into the drawer to grab a pen to correct a note Keegan had made.

Inside, she found a notepad with a pen clipped to it. As she took the pen, she glanced at the notebook and paused when she read the entries.

[131 days: Same as yesterday. No vomiting. Morning sickness has eased, but she cried after dreaming the baby was ugly. Luckily, it wasn’t a nightmare about me being unfaithful or violent, or I’d be kicked out of the bedroom again. Frequent bathroom trips; blood sugar normal. The doctor said it’s likely due to the uterus pressing on the bladder, and it’ll get worse later.]

The comma was dark, as if Keegan had paused there before writing the next sentence: [It’s tough—need to get her more exercise.]

Stella bit her lip and turned back a few pages.

days: Waist has increased by two centimeters. She spent a long time in front of the mirror with her favorite clothes. I told her she still looks good even if she’s gained weight. She ignored me all night and spent hours watching videos

days: First fetal movement—note

the baby. The doctor advised cooling down physically first. She sweated through the night and muttered in her sleep. The fever broke at dawn. She was weak and pale but proudly said she’s tough. If it

Good appetite but

Still vomiting

prenatal checkup, she secretly asked if I wanted a boy or a girl. How could I

Big changes in appetite; still dizzy

[81 days: Vomiting heavily.]

Baby’s the size of a soybean

[77 days: Hahahahahaha, twins!]

to express his emotions so openly, and his

read on, noticing that some lines were written in different ink, likely added later: [What

intended to document the baby’s progress during each prenatal checkup but ended up recording more about

unnecessary—Keegan was far more attentive and involved than

and Stella quickly closed the notebook and

against the headboard, he walked over and sat beside her. “Aren’t you going to

waiting for you,”

her hand, “I’ll be right back

“Okay.”

leaned into his arms, “Are you really not going

to control Aurora. Even though Aurora seems spoiled, she’s actually quite timid and indecisive. If my mother shows up, she might say something that could push Aurora to do something she’d