Normally, a feature associated with exhaustion was that of a haggard face, disheveled hair protruding in any direction and a careworn expression raddled with the signs of fatigue, but this was not the case with Serenity. Although her eyes looked dull as if it were lacking the color it usually possessed, they were still captivating to look at.

The woman carried her stature with reputable eminence like the dignified woman she truly is, executing her way through the threshold of her office.

Yes, she was still a bit tired from last night's multiple rounds of sexual pursuit, but her face hardly showed any signs of it. It simply emanated beauty and elegance.

Sitting on her posh chrome and leather office chair, she'd summoned her secretary to brief her of the day and week's schedule.

"You'll be having a meeting with the finance department an hour from now to review and check the monthly sale's report, next is another meeting with the board of directors and shareholders to discuss the new opening of another overseas pharmaceutical lab-"

Her lids grew heavier as the words were uttered after the other. Her mind seemed to falter to register the sentences that were coming from the other woman's mouth. Her mind momentarily drifted to Andrei. As usual, she'd woken up with a vacated side. He was always the first to wake up then go before her turn to do so.

Why do I have to be completely worn out every time we do it?

Andrei had the stamina of a raging bull- as Serenity would describe it. He could go on and on for multiple rounds- not that she's complaining. It's just that she couldn't keep up with his pace all the time and was plainly too shy to ask him to slow down.

Would he even slow down if I ask him to? She wondered for a moment but sooner scolded herself for thinking such things while on working hours.

She tried to divert her mind from those insignificant thoughts and tried to focus on the stake at hand.

"That's all ma'am" her secretary concluded.

What?! Serenity was disappointed for a moment. It was unlike her to be unattentive. Why did she foolishly let her sexual thoughts get the best of her attention?

She pursed her lips, looking rather apologetically at her secretary. "Sorry, could you please repeat that again for me"

The other woman smiled and was glad to comply. Then she went on from the very beginning.

***

Andrei had always been meticulous about planning. He would give precise orders and rigorous tasks to his employees to ensure that everything would be perfect. Today however he was not pleased with the upcoming event that he had yet to arrange in just a short period of time.

"Send the event planners to the venue this afternoon and tell them to start immediately with the preparations. Their airfare, along with the hotel accommodation and daily necessities would be provided by the company. Just see to it that they adhere to the arrangements and time limit. I'll be expecting their utmost best on this. Reid, the assistant of the finance department will accompany them to supervise the outlay of expenses on materials"

Andrei was reclining on his chair elaborating detailed orders as his secretary scribbled it down his planner in front of him.

"Do you have a specific color you want to suggest sir?" The furrow on Andrei's face was enough for Terry Edwards to realize how stupid his question was.

"Terry, that's their job to do. I didn't pay them to ask me about the color of the curtains, the table settings, spoon and fork, and all those bullshit. Just make sure the place is pleasing to the eyes and suitable for a fundraising activity"

"Noted sir"

With that, the latter was dismissed. Andrei wheeled his office chair a hundred and eighty degrees finally coming in direct confrontation with the huge glass pane that occupied a quarter of wall-space in his office. He slouched back down on the seat leaning his weight backward and placing both his arms on either side of the cushioned armrest.

Only seven days ahead before the annual Confederation of Magnates Association. Every year influential business tycoons from different parts of the globe convened together in the headquarters in Africa for the yearly anniversary of Liberty International; a global movement of entrepreneurs in over 80 countries and territories who campaign to end abuses of human rights.

He actually is the founder of the organization. It happened when he was on a business trip in Africa and the Asia Pacific countries and from there he had witnessed different cultures practiced by few existing primitive societies- some of which he found absurd and obsolete. He'd also noticed a huge number of unprivileged children who had very limited access to education, so from then on he started the foundation, partnering with different corporations and companies to raise global funds. A few years later it gained multiple sponsors and donors and with the organization, they'd helped a lot of people.

He didn't know what augmented his temper even more; the fact that the event had totally slipped from his mind or the fact that he only had a couple of days left to organize it. Mayhap, it's both. But one thing's for sure.

He knew he's hellbent into getting this over with.

***

"It's next week?" A look of incredulity was written across Serenity's face as she flipped through the calendar-slash-planner on her desk.

Then she saw the date, encircled with red ink amongst the 1 by 1 inch of space bars.

"Yes ma'am" her secretary confirmed, wiping every speck of uncertainty left.

Serenity placed the calendar neatly back on its original place. Then she gazed back at the woman who looked ready as ever to answer her queries.

"Who's this year's host?"

"Willforth Industries ma'am" Right, how could she forget. Andrei's the one who founded the organization.

It was a good cause though. She didn't know that her husband had a heart bigger than he let on, that he even went to greater lengths as to creating an organization that would uplift a lot of people's lives. And it was considerate of him to include the other magnates in the industry to participate for a greater cause.

"Odd, have you received an invitation yet?" Usually, they receive it a month before the anniversary, this year however was an exception.

"No ma'am, not even an email"

Her mind pondered for a bit, Was Andrei having trouble with the planning? Had he forgotten about the event?

As quickly as her inkling arrived, it too quickly vanished into nowhere.

Impossible. He's a very time-oriented man and wouldn't let a huge event like this one pass.

Shrugging it off, she proceeded to question her secretary about her meetings instead. It wasn't her business to mind after all plus if Andrei needed help- as if he would, she would be the last person to learn about it.

"Was that all you needed ma'am" Georgina, her secretary had always been of great help to her. She couldn't ask for a better secretary than Georgina herself.

"Please reach out to our contract lawyer and tell him to see me after lunch break"

"Sure ma'am"

With that being said, the latter was dismissed. Great, she needed the lawyer for two things: a legal contract of agreement and a divorce petition.

***

Noon came quickly and it wasn't long till it disappeared completely. Now, here she was again inside Andrei's home office ready to pester him into signing the legal contract that she'd asked for her lawyer to produce.

She had given him a copy already and he was currently reading the terms and conditions of the document. He was seated behind his mahogany desk while she, on the other hand, was reclining on one of the two chairs in front of it.

The contract stated that they'll sign the divorce papers once she manifested the symptoms of pregnancy and was verified by a physician.

"You agree to do it the natural way?" coming from him, it was more of an assertion rather than a question. The way his eyes flickered with a subtle hint of amusement, felt like mockery to her, as if he was certain that she could not carry out the terms and conditions that she'd asked to be included in her own document.

"It's written on the contract. Disobeying it would only prolong the days that I have to spend with you as your wife, which is something that I'm not looking forward to" The duration for trying the natural way was a year. If by that time, she isn't pregnant yet, they would have to resort to IVR or artificial insemination. If she were to violate that term and deprive him of the basic marital rite, instead of divorcing him right after the early signs of pregnancy, another year would be added to her stay as his wife.

Andrei nodded, not once averting his eyes on her. " unless you present me with evidence that you really are pregnant including the ultrasound and a word with your to be ObGyn will only I sign the divorce papers" he propounded his side of the deal.

"Wait, 'to be Obgyn'?"

"Yes, Obgyn of my choosing" he affirmed.

"No, you can't. My Obgyn is my cousin and you can't change that" she defiantly stated hoping that he'll concur.

"Then how can I make sure that you won't scheme your way out of this agreement"

"This is an inviolable agreement, Andrei. If it meant that I get to have my freedom back in the end then what's the point of scheming my way out" she defended. Jeez, she was really hellbent on divorcing him.

The look on his face clearly stated that he was unconvinced with her rationale.

"What's the punishment for the offense?"

Serenity contemplated for a bit. Then she sighed. "You can do whatever you want with me"

He merely raised his brow as if asking if she were sure about what she's getting herself into.

"You can do anything" she repeated with contention this time.

His lips twitched into a smirk and she had to swallow the lump of uneasiness mixed with a speck of excitement as to what he had in store could be.

"Fine, your OBGyn but still I need the evidence"

He picked up a pen from the pockets of his suit, scribbling a series of squiggles at the bottom of the paper. Then, handed it to her. It was clear as day; Andrei Jeth Willforth had just signed the agreement.

"Thank you" she made to stand up. This was it. The year of trying to conceive had just officially commenced. Just sex, no feelings attached. As she turned her back on Andrei, retreating her way from his office to their bedroom, she began to contemplate on their child- this too was something that she wanted to discuss with him.

She halted her steps. Andrei noticed but made no notion to ask. Serenity slowly turned just to find him staring back at her.

He saw a glimmer of familiar emotion in her eyes. The same emotion that he had seen when she sought him out to initiate something last night. Andrei knew she had something to say but was probably hesitating.

"What is it?" He urged.

"What will happen to our child when he or she is born?"

Andrei thought about it for a moment. He too was not sure. The idea of being a father was not every bit of appealing to him. Mayhap, he wasn't ready to be one yet or maybe he wasn't ready to let another being steal his attention.

"I don't know, we'll figure it out when the time comes"

Serenity did not know whether she should be happy with his answer or not. Actually, she didn't know what she had expected from him, but it sure as hell was not that answer.

"Okay" her voice came out low and kind of sad?

"But I do know one thing. I want joint custody" She gave him a small smile.

At least she knew that he won't abandon their child completely and oh boy, that gave a sense of relief.

***

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