(Jay's POV)
The celebratory music was finally fading into the background, and the loud, buzzing crowd at the grand London hotel was starting to thin out. Everyone was heading toward the big glass doors to leave, laughing and talking about what a huge success the Watson Enterprises party had been.
I stood near the exit next to Keifer, feeling absolutely stuffed but incredibly happy. My stomach was totally full of all the amazing pizza, burgers, and sweet donuts Keifer had specially ordered just for me. It had been a long, glamorous night, and honestly, my feet were completely killing me inside those shiny, pin-thin high heels Mom Serina and Kiara had forced me to wear.
"Ready to head home, wifey?" Keifer asked. His voice was smooth, and he looked down at me with those warm eyes that always made my heart skip a beat. Even after hours of talking to important business people and reporters, he still looked like a perfect model in his fancy suit. Not a single hair was out of place.
"More than ready," I breathed out, leaning a little bit of my weight against his strong arm. "My stomach feels like it weighs a hundred kilograms right now, Keifer. I think I ate enough food to feed a whole army."
Keifer let out a soft, deep chuckle that vibrated through his chest. "Well, I did promise you a custom menu with all your favorites. I just didn't expect you to actually eat every single item on the list."
"Hey, you don't joke around when it comes to free, delicious food," I teased, giving him a small poke in the side.
We took three more steps toward the heavy glass doors where our private car was waiting. But just as we reached the rug near the doorway, a sudden, sharp wave of pain shot straight through my lower stomach. It hit me so fast and so hard that my breath caught completely in my throat. I stopped dead in my tracks, my fingers instantly digging into the expensive fabric of Keifer's jacket sleeve.
"Jay? What's wrong?" Keifer asked, his voice changing instantly from playful to deeply worried. He stopped immediately and turned his whole body toward me, his brow furrowing.
"Keifer... wait," I gasped out, squeezing my eyes shut as another sharp cramp twisted inside me. A cold sweat suddenly broke out across my forehead. "Something is really, really wrong. My stomach... it hurts so bad. I can't walk. I need to sit down right now."
Keifer didn't hesitate for even a single second. He handled the scary situation so carefully. He looked around the lobby, spotted a soft, plush armchair near a large decorative plant, and gently guided me over to it. I practically collapsed onto the soft cushion, clutching my stomach with both of my hands. The pain was growing bigger and hotter by the minute.
Keifer immediately dropped down on his knees right in front of me on the hard floor. He didn't care at all that his very expensive, custom-made suit trousers were getting dirty on the hotel rug. His only focus was entirely on me. He reached out and took both of my trembling hands into his large, warm palms, gently pressing them to comfort me. His face was filled with pure worry.
"Look at me, Jay. Is it a sharp pain or a dull ache? Tell me where it hurts," he begged softly, his eyes scanning my pale face. "Are you going to be okay?"
"I don't know," I whined, a small tear slipping out of the corner of my eye. "I just really don't feel right. It hurts so much, Keifer. It feels like a tiny monster is punching me from the inside."
Keifer reached over to a nearby table where a clean, unopened bottle of water was sitting. He quickly twisted the cap off and handed it to me. "Here, take a few small sips of this. It might help calm your stomach down."
I took the bottle with shaking hands and drank a little bit of the cool water. But instead of helping, the cold liquid seemed to make the awful pain even worse. Another huge cramp hit me, and I let out a loud, painful groan, dropping my head against the back of the chair.
Now, a normal person would have called an ambulance or panicked. But Keifer wasn't just a regular guest here. He actually owned this entire luxury hotel. He stood up quickly, his face hardening into his serious, powerful CEO look.
"Stay right here. Do not move," he ordered gently but firmly.
He walked with huge, fast strides over to the main reception desk where three hotel workers were standing. I couldn't hear every single word he was saying, but I could see his sharp, commanding hand gestures.
"Change of plans," Keifer told the terrified head receptionist in a loud, clear voice. "My wife is unwell. We are not driving home tonight. Prepare the presidential suite immediately. Open it up right now. And I want you to find the hotel's emergency first-aid kit and bring every single type of stomach medicine you have straight up to the room. Move fast!"
The receptionists all turned completely pale and began typing furiously on their computers, nodding their heads up and down like crazy. Within ten seconds, one of them ran over and handed Keifer a gold electronic room key card.
Keifer walked straight back over to me. Before I could even ask him what we were doing, he bent down and swept me completely off my feet, lifting me up in a perfect, smooth bridal style.
"Whoa, Keifer! People are looking!" I whispered-yelled, turning bright red as a few remaining hotel guests stared at us with wide eyes.
"Let them look. I don't care about them, I only care about you," he muttered, holding me tightly against his broad chest. He carried me easily past the big lobby mirrors, right into the private VIP elevator, and pressed the button for the top floor.
(Keifer's POV)
The elevator ride up to the presidential suite felt like it took a whole year, even though it was only a few seconds. Jay was curled up against my chest, hiding her face in my neck, and I could feel her body shaking slightly from the pain. It made my chest ache with intense worry. I hated seeing my fierce, funny wifey look so small and helpless.The elevator doors slid open with a soft beep. I walked quickly down the quiet, carpeted hallway, swiped the gold key card against the door of the massive suite, and pushed it open with my shoulder.
The room was huge and dark, but I didn't care about the luxury view right now. I marched straight into the bedroom, where a massive king-sized bed was covered in soft, white sheets. I carefully laid Jay down on the center of the mattress, making sure her head was supported by the big, fluffy pillows.
The very first thing I did was drop to the floor to look at her feet. Those ridiculous, tall black heels she was wearing looked like torture devices.
"Let's get these awful things off you, wifey," I murmured. I gently took her left ankle, unbuckled the thin strap, and slid the shiny heel off her foot. Then I did the same to the right one. I tossed the expensive shoes across the room into a corner. Jay let out a tiny sigh of relief as her bare feet stretched out on the cool sheets.
"Thank goodness," she whispered, her eyes still tightly shut. "Those shoes were invented by an evil person."
"I agree," I said, leaning over her. But she was still clutching her stomach tightly, and the heavy, tight black evening gown she was wearing was definitely pressing too hard against her bloated belly. It was way too stiff for someone who was feeling sick.
"Wifey, listen to me," I said, brushing a stray piece of dark hair away from her damp forehead. "The hotel staff are bringing up some clean, comfortable clothes for us right now. Don't worry about anything. I'm going to take care of you."
To make her more comfortable while we waited, I decided to remove all the heavy jewelry Mom and Kiara had piled onto her. I started with her long, dangling silver earrings. My large fingers felt clumsy, but I worked as gently as possible, unhooking them carefully so I wouldn't hurt her ears. Next, I reached for the sparkly necklace around her throat. I unclasped it and set it softly on the nightstand. Finally, I slid the heavy metal bracelets off her wrists one by one.
Suddenly, a massive, intense cramp seemed to ripple through Jay's stomach. She let out a sharp cry, her entire body curling inward like a ball. She clutched her midsection so hard her knuckles turned completely white.
Seeing her cry broke something inside my heart. I immediately climbed onto the bed next to her, pulling her shaky body tightly into my arms. I wrapped myself around her like a protective shield, letting her rest her head right against my chest while I gently rubbed her back in slow, circular motions.
"Shh, I've got you. I'm right here, Jay," I whispered into her hair, holding her close.
Just then, there was a loud, polite knock at the suite's front door. I didn't want to leave Jay's side, but I knew it was the help we needed.
"I'll be right back, I promise," I said, kissing the top of her head before sliding off the bed.
I rushed to the door and opened it. Two hotel maids and the head room-service manager were standing there, holding several trays and baskets. They looked incredibly nervous because they knew how strict I could be when it came to business, but right now, I was just a worried fiancé.
"Sir, we brought everything you requested," the manager said quickly. "We have fresh, loose cotton pajamas for both of you. We also had the kitchen quickly prepare a bowl of hot, plain chicken and vegetable soup. And here is the basket with various stomach medicines, antacids, and pain relievers from the lobby desk."
"Perfect. Put everything on the table in the living room and leave quietly," I ordered, taking the basket of medicine from them.
As they quickly set down the trays and left the room, I remembered something. Mom and Kiara were probably wondering where we were, since we had disappeared right at the exit of the party. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and quickly typed out a fast text message to both of them:Jay is feeling very unwell. We are not coming home. We are staying at the hotel suite tonight so she can rest. We will come tomorrow as Jay's starts to feel well.
Once the text was sent, I grabbed the fresh, soft cotton clothes the staff had brought and walked back into the bedroom. Jay was still groaning in pain under the sheets.
"Alright, wifey, you need to get out of that tight dress," I said, setting the soft clothes next to her. "Can you change into these pajamas? They are very loose and soft."
Jay nodded weekly. I walked back into the living room to give her some privacy and I also changed but I was waiting by the door while listening closely to make sure she didn't fall down or faint. After a few minutes, she called out weakly, "Okay... I'm done."
I walked back in and saw her wearing the oversized black cotton shirt and loose pants. She looked much more comfortable, but she was still curled up in a tight ball, holding her stomach. The pain clearly hadn't stopped at all.
I sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at her. I needed to figure out what was causing this massive stomach ache so I could give her the right medicine from the basket.
"Jay, look at me," I said, putting a hand on her hip. "What exactly did you eat at the party tonight? Tell me everything."
Jay took a deep, shaky breath and started listing the food. "Well... first I had two large slices of pepperoni pizza. Then I ate a whole cheesy bacon burger. After that, I saw the slider burgers, so I ate three of those. Then I went to the dessert table and had two chocolate glazed donuts, a strawberry cupcake, a bowl of vanilla ice cream, and... oh yeah, a handful of those fried onion rings."
As the list kept going and going, my jaw slowly dropped down in absolute disbelief. My eyes went wide, and I stared at her like she was an alien, oh my god my wifey!
"Are you absolutely sure, wifey?" I asked, completely shocked. "You ate all of that in less than three hours? A pizza, a full burger, three small burgers, two donuts, cake, ice cream, AND onion rings?"
Jay looked up at me, her eyes filling with big tears of embarrassment and pain. "Yes! It all looked so good, and you promised me I could eat whatever I wanted! Don't judge me!"
But before I could even say anything else, a huge wave of pain kicked her hard from the inside. She let out a loud sob and started crying out loud, covering her face with her hands.
"Oh, Jay, no, I'm not judging you," I said quickly, feeling terrible for making her upset. "I'm just surprised your stomach didn't explode earlier. It's okay, don't cry."
I quickly reached into the medicine basket and looked through the labels. I found a powerful, safe liquid painkiller that was perfect for severe cramps and indigestion. I poured the exact right amount into a tiny plastic cup. Then, I picked up the bowl of warm soup the kitchen had made.
"Sit up just a little bit for me, Jay," I murmured, helping her lean against the pillows. "Take this medicine first."
She swallowed the liquid painkiller, making a funny, disgusted face because it tasted bad.
"I know, it tastes terrible, but it will make the pain go away soon," I said. Then, I took a spoon, dipped it into the warm soup, and blew on it gently so it wouldn't burn her mouth. "Now, eat a little bit of this warm soup. It will help soothe your poor, overloaded stomach."
I slowly fed her the soup, one spoonful at a time. She swallowed it obediently, looking like a sad, broken little bird. After about five spoonfuls, she suddenly stopped and pushed the spoon away, her face turning a little bit pale.
"Keifer... stop," she whispered hurriedly. "I need to go to the restroom right now."
"Do you feel sick to your stomach? Do you need to throw up?" I asked, instantly ready to help her move.
"No, not that. Just... let me go," she said, quickly sliding out of the bed. She hurried across the room as fast as her sore body could carry her and shut the bathroom door tightly behind her.
I stood by the bed, holding the soup bowl, waiting anxiously. I kept looking at my watch, counting the minutes. The painkiller should have been starting to work by now, but I was still worried.
After about two minutes, the bathroom door cracked open just a tiny bit. Jay's face peeked out through the small opening. Her cheeks were completely bright red, and she looked incredibly embarrassed.
"Um... Keifer?" she called out in a tiny, squeaky voice.
"Yes, Jay? What is it? Do you need me to come in?" I asked, stepping closer.
"No! Don't come in!" she yelled quickly, then paused. She cleared her throat and mumbled so quietly I could barely hear her. "Hubby... I need pads."
I stood there for a split second, blinking my eyes. And then, suddenly, everything clicked inside my brain. The sudden, intense lower stomach pain, the terrible cramps that didn't feel like a normal food ache, the sharp mood changes, and the intense crying. It wasn't just the mountain of pizza and donuts she had eaten. Her monthly period was starting.
A wave of relief washed over me. I finally understood exactly why my poor wife's stomach was hurting so bad.
"Oh," I said, a soft smile coming to my face. "I understand. Don't worry, wifey."
"I think I have some hidden inside my small red evening purse," her voice called out from the bathroom, sounding super relieved that I didn't make a big deal out of it. "The purse is on the table in the living room."
"I'll get it right now," I said.
I walked quickly into the living room, spotted her tiny, sparkly red purse on the glass table, and unzipped it. Sure enough, there were a few wrapped pads tucked neatly inside. I took them out, walked back to the bathroom, and knocked gently on the door. I slid my hand through the small crack and handed them to her.
"Here you go, Jay," I said softly.
"Thank you, you are the best," she mumbled from inside. While she was busy in the restroom, I knew I had to make the bed even more comfortable for her. A period cramp combined with a massive food baby meant she needed serious warmth. I didn't have a hot water bottle with me, but remember, this was my hotel.
I walked over to the wall phone near the bed and pressed the speed-dial button for the executive maids.
"Listen to me carefully," I told the head maid. "I need an electric heating pad brought to the presidential suite immediately. If you don't have an electric one, fill a heavy bag with hot water and wrap it in a clean towel. Bring it up in two minutes."
"Right away, Mr. Watson!" the maid replied.
True to their word, a maid knocked on the door exactly two minutes later. She handed me a perfectly prepared, warm heating pad with a soft cloth cover. I thanked her, shut the door, and placed the warm pad right on Jay's side of the bed, plugging it into the wall outlet next to the nightstand so it would stay perfectly hot.
A moment later, the bathroom door opened fully, and Jay walked out. She was walking a bit slower now, looking exhausted and completely drained of energy. The combination of a long party, an enormous dinner, and the sudden arrival of her period had completely tired her out.
"Come here, wifey," I said, reaching out my arms to her.
I helped her climb back onto the big bed. She crawled under the heavy, soft white blanket and immediately noticed the lovely warmth spreading across the mattress. She slid her body right over the hot pad, letting it press directly against her aching lower stomach. She let out a long, happy sound that sounded almost like a cat purring.
"Oh my goodness," Jay sighed, closing her eyes as the heat started to melt her sharp cramps away. "This feels like absolute heaven. Wait a minute... Keifer, where on earth did you get a heating pad in the middle of the night inside a hotel room?"
I chuckled softly, climbing into the bed right next to her and pulling the heavy blanket up over both of our shoulders. "I told you, wifey, I own this place. When you went into the restroom, I called the maids and ordered them to bring one up instantly. Your handsome hubby thinks ahead."
Jay opened one eye and looked at me with a sweet, sleepy smile. "You really are a smart leader, Keifer. No wonder Watson Enterprises is number one in London."
"I only care about being number one in your heart," I teased, regular old Keifer returning now that she was safe and feeling better.
Jay let out a small, sleepy laugh and rolled over onto her side, moving closer to me. "Okay, that was incredibly cheesy, even for you."
"But it made you smile, didn't it?" I asked.
"Yes, it did," she whispered.
I shifted my body closer to hers, wrapping one of my long arms securely around her waist. I pulled her back against my chest, holding her tight in a warm, protective hug. My large hand rested gently on her arm, making sure she felt safe and completely looked after. With my other hand, I reached up and began to gently caress her hair. I combed my fingers through her long, dark locks in slow, steady strokes, smoothing out the tangles left behind from the party's fancy hairstyle.
Jay nestled deeper into my chest, her breathing finally slowing down as the powerful painkiller and the soothing heat pad did their jobs. The sharp pain in her stomach was finally fading away into nothing.
"Thank you for taking care of me, hubby," she murmured, her voice getting heavier and thicker with sleep. "Sorry I ruined the celebratory night by eating too many donuts and getting sick."
"You didn't ruin anything, Jay," I whispered softly into her ear, continuing to stroke her soft hair. "The party was for our success, but my biggest success is you. I would leave a hundred parties just to sit here and hold you like this. Now stop talking and close your eyes."
"Okay... goodnight, Keifer. I love you!"
"Goodnight, my beautiful wifey."
I kept up the gentle caressing motions on her hair for a few more minutes, listening to the peaceful sound of her steady breathing. Soon, her body went completely soft and relaxed against mine, and I knew she had fallen fast asleep into a deep, painless rest.
Carefully, without waking her up, I reached over with one arm and tapped the master switch button on the nightstand panel. All the bright lamps and lights in the massive presidential suite turned off at once, plunging the room into a cozy, quiet darkness. The only sound left was the soft hum of the city outside the high windows.
I wrapped both of my arms tightly around Jay, holding her close to my heart, and closed my eyes, finally letting myself fall into a deep, peaceful sleep right beside her....