Her husband took the team to play an away game and her daughter had gone with the nanny to play outside. Shania finally had some time to herself. She curled up on the couch in the living room and was looking through the work arrangements that her agent, Mr. Fasal, had prepared for her.

It was now April and the work for the spring season had just ended while the work for the summer was still undecided. However, she had decided to reject all future jobs. Her current thinking was very simple: she was 29 years old and was already considered a ‘veteran’ at this age as a model. Her physical condition did not permit her to continue in this line of work. Moreover, the modeling industry would not give preferential treatment to an older model. The younger generation of models was very fierce, just like when she was when she first made her debut. She planned to quit the modeling world and stay at home to support her husband and be with her child. Uncle Tony always said that he was going to make it up to her. So, had she thought about making it up to Uncle Tony?

They had never spent a Christmas together in all the years since they had and gotten married. She wanted to make up for it.

Shania picked up the phone and dialed her agent’s cell phone number.

“Mr. Fasal?” Despite their years of working together, Shania had always insisted on addressing her agent in this respectful manner as a sign of deference. How could she have such a status, had it not been for Fasal’s hard work over the past decade or so? How else could she not have anything to do with the dark secrets and unwritten rules of the entertainment and modeling world?

“Yes, what’s the matter?”

Shania heard some noise on the phone and asked, “Are you outside, Mr. Fasal?”

“Ah, yes. I was in the supermarket. I just came out, ha-ha!”

“Is it raining outside?” Shania listened carefully and heard the endless pitter-patter sounds of water.

“Your ears are very sharp. Yes, it’s raining here. I’m glad I drove. Anything the matter with you? Oh, hang on a second, it’s not convenient to talk here. Wait till I get into the car.”

This was followed by the sound of footsteps. The sound of the rain was getting louder and louder. Finally, there was a bang, and the sounds of the rain and footsteps were gone. Then came the rustling sound of a seat belt being pulled.

Having done all this, Fasal spoke again. “All good now. What’s the matter, Shania?”

“Well… it’s like this, Mr. Fasal. I hope you can help me get rid of all the runway show arrangements from now on…”

Fasal thought he had misheard and gave a cry of surprise. Then he wondered if this could be a joke of Shania’s. Shania was somewhat unpredictable. She would always do some unexpected things. She had rejected some work before. However, to reject all the job opportunities in one shot… what was going on?

“Did I hear right? I’m in the midst of planning your jobs for the summer…”

“You heard right, Mr. Fasal. I have looked at the memo in my hand and there are already five jobs scheduled… I hope you can decline them for me.”

“Did something happen?” Fasal was more baffled.

“No, I’m fine.”

Shania answered calmly, and Fasal could not discern anything. “Then how about Tony…”

“He’s very well, too.”

“Then why are you…”

“I’ve thought it over for a long time, Mr. Fasal.” Shania continued to curl up on the couch, holding the phone as if she was chatting with a friend on a lazy afternoon. In fact, every word she said next was more shocking to Fasal than a thunderbolt from the distant sky.

“I’m going to quit the modeling business altogether. No, it’s not just modeling. I’m not going to make any more movies either. I’m tired of being a star, Mr. Fasal. I want to be able to live a normal life like an ordinary person – taking care of my child at home and spending time with my husband. I hope to have more time with my family.”

“We can reduce your workload appropriately. You don’t have to quit completely. Besides, isn’t Tony retiring completely after the end of the season? He can accompany you…” As an agent, it was normal for him to react like that. He definitely would not immediately nod in agreement with his star’s request for retirement.

“No, that’s not enough, Mr. Fasal. To be honest, Mr. Fasal, I don’t think I have a talent for acting. If I didn’t have a lot of friends, I wouldn’t have made it in Hollywood…”

“Don’t say that. You’re great…”

“Thank you, Mr. Fasal. In fact, you have arranged for all those good reviews of me after every movie, right? Truthfully, all those movies I’ve been involved in, I haven’t watched them again, and I don’t let Uncle Tony watch them either. I think I do a bad job on camera, but I have a bunch of very good friends who can tolerate me doing that. Now I’m tired of it, and I don’t want to go on like this. I want to start a whole new life. I haven’t figured it out yet at the moment, but I can be sure that it has nothing to do with the runway shows or acting. I don’t like to do the runway shows, but I have to make money from it. I like movies, but I don’t have the talent for acting. I think it’s a good idea to quit completely.”

Shania poured her heart out openly as if she was chatting with her agent with no intention of talking business.

After she had finished talking, Fasal was silent for a moment before asking, “I wonder why you have made such a decision now. It is not just some idea about spending more time with Tony that you have thought of recently, is it?”

“Well… I have thought about it long ago, but the reason that prompted me to make my decision was that I went to the hospital yesterday.” Shania turned her body around and leaned against the back of the couch, looking outside the window at the happy Teresa playing in the yard.

“The hospital?” Fasal was shocked and asked, “Are you not feeling well?” He thought of a possibility: Something went wrong with Shania’s health, so she had to give up her job. To tell the truth, filming and runway shows were not easy work. The workload was heavy and relentless.

Shania had nothing to hide from the agent, who had been with her for more than a decade. She came out with the truth. “I missed my period last month.”

“Huh? Oh!” Fasal yelped twice in surprise, and then he did not know what to say. However, his mind was clear because he knew what was going on…

“I gave Dr. Sandy a call and he suggested I go to the hospital for a full checkup.”

Sandy was Shania’s personal doctor, who had worked with her for years. Fasal knew this too.

“So, I went. As you know, Professor Constantine of the Royal Hospital of Nottingham University is a good friend of my husband’s. He promised to keep it a secret for me and never let the media know. The result…”

Fasal seemed more excited than Shania. He quickly asked, “What’s the result?”

Teresa and the nanny were playing in the yard. The bright sun was shining on them, and the afternoon in April was already warm. A fine sheen of perspiration appeared on the foreheads of her child and the nanny, glistening in the sun.

How beautiful the afternoon was…

In fact, after knowing the result, in addition to the excitement, Shania was somewhat worried deep down as well – will Tony and I still live comfortably and also wholeheartedly love Teresa in the future? Will Teresa feel left out?

However, after observing the scene outside, she felt her previous fears were unfounded. She loved Teresa, even if she was not her biological daughter. Tony loved Teresa, too. In that case, why would Teresa worry about being left out?

“I’m pregnant.”

Looking at Teresa playing in the yard, Shania smiled.

Fasal, who was sitting in the car, slowly opened his mouth and then simply laughed.

“That’s wonderful news for Tony. It’s even better news than winning the World Cup…”

However, Shania stopped his train of thought.

“Mr. Fasal, I want you to promise me that you will not tell Uncle Tony the news.”

“Huh? Why? You should know how much Tony wants to be…”

“Of course, I know, Mr. Fasal. It’s precisely because I know this that I can’t just tell him the news now. The league tournament is coming to an end and his team is at the most critical juncture. I don’t want to distract him. I’ll tell him at the right time, and you must keep it a secret for me until then.”

What else could Fasal say? Shania was being sensible and right. He nodded in agreement and said, “But I’d still like to congratulate you and Tony. His greatest wish has finally been fulfilled… I thought you guys wouldn’t try to have another child now that you have Teresa.”

“We really didn’t try. But who would have imagined, I’m pregnant… I don’t know what to say. But I’m very happy, maybe it’s God’s will…”

If Shania had understood Chinese culture, she would definitely say “a scrutinized flower never blooms, but an untended willow tree grows.”

As it turned out, after they had Teresa, Tony’s desire to have children was no longer urgent, and it could be said that he did not have the need at all anymore. Shania stopped thinking about the matter. However, the couple’s regular sex life was always going to happen… Shania was only 29 years old. Taking good care of herself made her look like she was in her early twenties.

As a result, just relaxing and enjoying each other without consciously trying to get pregnant unexpectedly gave the husband and wife such a big surprise…

Fasal promised not to announce the news. He also understood why Shania wanted to retire. There was really no way to work as a model while pregnant or with a baby. However, he still planned to persuade Shania to return to the entertainment industry some time after having the baby. She did not have to be a model, but she could do some related jobs.

Shania did not say yes. She just told Fasal that she would think about it after at least a year of maternity leave.

Fasal had no other way. He could only drop the subject at this point. He knew that Shania was also a very stubborn person.

“As for the matter of declining the jobs… it’s not a problem. We just need to pay some compensation…”

Shania asked for the specific amount of compensation. Fortunately, it was all within acceptable limits. However, Fasal felt that Shania had better not give up the May 10 event. It was a new product launch for Dior, and Shania was invited to present Dior’s new women’s fashion collection to the media as the spokesperson.

Dior was the first endorsement brand signed by Shania when she first entered the modeling world. It was important for her modeling career. And Shania was well aware of this point, so the relationship between the two parties was very good from the beginning to the present.

Fasal’s reason was that no matter what Shania did in the future, it was always good to have one more friend. The relationship with Dior was so remarkable that it would be a pity to give it up. Furthermore, if it was her last runway show as a model, choosing the new product launch of a brand like Dior as her farewell show, it could also be considered as an expression of Shania’s gratitude to Dior. He believed that Dior would also make good use of this to publicize the event.

After listening to Fasal’s analysis, Shania also thought it seemed reckless to reject the job.

“Well… Mr. Fasal, you’re right. I’ll listen to you.”

Fasal was an excellent agent and Shania put a lot of faith in him.

When the matter was settled, it was time to let him get busy while all Shania needed to do was rest at home. It was just as she had looked forward to, to support her husband and be with her child.

After hanging up, Shania thought about looking at the calendar. When she spoke to Fasal on the phone, she always thought the date May 10 sounded familiar.

As soon as she opened the calendar, she saw a circle drawn around this date. She understood at once how that familiar feeling came about.

It was the last round of the Premier League tournament…

Seeing this date, Shania suddenly had an impulse to call Fasal back and ask him to decline the job with Dior. However, in the end, she held back.

She really could not decline the event, but she had to make it up to her husband.

She had to keep the matter a secret until that day came.

She wanted to give her husband a surprise with the best gift in the world and welcome him home.