Chapter 26: Chapter 26

"ARE you ready?"

I turned around to face Adam. My lips slightly parted when I saw he was already dressed.

He was wearing formal clothes: a navy blue suit and dark pants. His slightly long hair was cleanly brushed up. His face was clean and free from any stubble.

Damn. He looked so hot.

We are going to a party organized by my mother. Since my mother was a politician, she was used to throwing big parties to socialize.

"Wow, you looked great," I couldn't help but say in front of him.

Adam smiled at me. "And so are you."

I was wearing a cream-colored sweetheart dress with a deep neckline. Well, my belly's still not showing, so I could still wear this kind of dress.

We rode the Aston Martin to the hotel where the party was being held.

"Are you sure it's okay for you to attend these kinds of parties?" I asked Adam before we got out of the car.

I knew that he wasn't really the suit and tie type of person. Adam's just a low-key person and very private with his life. And tonight, we'd surely be dealing with lots of media and press people.

Adam smiled at me. "Don't worry about me, Claire. When I married you, I also readied myself for this." He gently pressed my hand.

I smiled back at him. "Thank you, Adam."

We immediately saw my mother when we entered the venue. She was looking good in her champagne-colored dress and pearl necklace. She was talking to a familiar old man—the governor of the state. I'd already met him a couple of times before.

"Oh, Claire. There you are." My mother greeted me and Adam.

"Hi, Mom." I kissed her cheek while Adam greeted her politely.

"Oh, Jared." My mom turned to the governor. "This is my daughter, Claire, and her husband, Adam." Mom smiled at Adam.

Adam and I both greeted the governor.

"Oh. I didn't know you're already married, Claire," the governor said to me.

I smiled at him. "Yeah. We just decided on a simple wedding. No media. No buzz. Just immediate family."

"Well, congratulations to the both of you."

We were able to get away from my mother and the governor when someone else talked to them.

"Do you want to eat?" Adam asked me when he saw me looking on the buffet table.

My eyes went back to him. "Maybe later." I smiled. I still wasn't feeling hungry. Well, Adam and I ate at home before coming here.

I looked around the area. I saw some familiar faces there, most of them famous people here in the state. I also saw some of my cousins, but Marcus wasn't there.

He was out of the country right now. He said he had business to do in Japan, so he'd be gone for one week. I wondered if that business involved my best friend. Well, I will find out about that when he comes back.

"Claire."

Later that night, a familiar woman came to me. It's Grace, one of the media people who was invited by my mother to the party.

"Grace." I greeted her.

The blonde woman smiled at me, then her eyes went to Adam, who was beside me. "I heard from the governor that you're already married, Claire."

"Yes, you heard it right. I'm married." I slightly raised my hand to show her my wedding ring.

"Congratulations, Claire." The woman smiled at me. Then she raised her eyebrows in obvious curiosity. "I also heard that you're pregnant."

I couldn't help the slight crease on my forehead. Did my mother also say that?

I cleared my throat. "Yeah. I'm pregnant." There's no use denying it, anyway. Everyone would know about it, sooner or later.

Grace glanced at Adam then back to me. "Is that why you got married so fast, Claire? Well, we all know your mother is running for another term in the senate."

What the hell? She really had the guts to ask that kind of question straight to my face? Well, she wouldn't be a media person for nothing.

What? I was about to answer her when I felt Adam's hand on my waist.

"We know that kind of speculation would spread like wildfires," Adam answered beside me. "Claire's already pregnant before we even got married, yes. But I want to make it clear that I didn't marry her because she's pregnant. I married Claire only because I love her and I wanted her to be my wife."

I felt something warm touch my heart. Everything that Adam had just said went straight to my chest. I bit my lower lip when I felt the corner of my eyes heat up with tears. I didn't know if I was just being emotional because I was pregnant, but I wanted to cry right now.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Grace answered. She even managed to smile at Adam. "Well, I can see that you two are really in love with each other."

"Of course," Adam answered, before planting a soft kiss on top of my head.