The thought of Alexander's potential reaction brought a quiet, knowing smile to Evelyn's lips.

Calling him immediately would mean missing the initial, unfiltered expression on his face.

She absolutely did not want to forfeit that precious moment.

Evelyn resolved to keep her discovery to herself a little longer, at least until Alexander returned home, so she could share the news in person.

Next, she opened her messaging app to Charlotte's chat. She hesitated, carefully choosing her words. "Charlotte, I have something to tell you."

An anxious reply appeared almost instantly. "What is it? Did your hospital results come back? What were you even getting checked for? Evelyn, you're worrying me!"

Taking a steadying breath, Evelyn typed her response plainly. "I'm pregnant."

On Charlotte's end, the chat fell completely silent.

Evelyn raised an eyebrow, wondering if her friend had even seen the message.

Before she could type a follow-up, her phone screen lit up with an incoming call from Charlotte.

Startled, Evelyn answered quickly.

The moment the call connected, Charlotte's voice erupted, shrill with panic. "Evelyn! What did you just say? Explain!"

Evelyn couldn't help but laugh softly at her friend's dramatics. "Charlotte, I said I'm pregnant."

Without a second's hesitation, Charlotte blurted out, "It's Alexander's, right?"

Evelyn was momentarily stunned into silence before replying with amused exasperation. "Who else would it belong to?"

Charlotte gasped loudly. "Oh my god! How did this happen so fast? I haven't even been gone a full week! Wait, I need to sit down for this."

After a brief pause, Charlotte continued, her voice still laced with concern. "Are you still at the hospital? Is Alexander with you?"

"No, I—"

But Charlotte cut her off, her tone shifting to disbelief and anger. "Alexander let you go to the hospital alone? That's completely unacceptable! I need to have a serious word with him!"

Evelyn laughed again, trying to calm her friend. "Charlotte, wait, let me explain."

She understood Charlotte's protective instinct.

However, the situation wasn't as Charlotte imagined. Evelyn quickly clarified.

"Alexander had to travel to a neighboring city on business two days ago. I decided not to tell him about my appointment today." Evelyn said with a smile. "I'm planning to surprise him when he gets back. Can you keep it a secret until then?"

Charlotte let out a relieved sigh. "Oh, I see. You scared me. I was going to face Alexander!"

"Don't worry, he treats me very well," Evelyn reassured her.

"Good," Charlotte replied, her tone returning to normal. "Well, I'm free today anyway. I'll come to the hospital to meet you. Just wait for me there."

Evelyn shared the hospital's address. "Meet me at the main entrance. We can grab something to eat nearby."

"Sure," Evelyn agreed.

After a moment, Charlotte added, "I see there's a shopping mall near the hospital. As your best friend, I absolutely need to buy a gift for the baby. Let's do a little shopping while we have the time."

Evelyn chuckled softly. "I'm only one month along."

Wasn't it a bit early for baby gifts?

Charlotte spoke earnestly. "It's never too early. Time flies, and before you know it, you'll be in your third trimester. It's better to start preparing now to avoid a last-minute rush."