My Mute Bride

Blood spread through Rachel’s skirt as a stabbing pain came from her abdomen. She pressed a hand to it, her face pale.

My child, my child.

Justin shoved Frankie aside and scooped Rachel up. “What are you standing around for? Get driving to the hospital!”

It was then that Frankie snapped out of it, and the car sped down the streets of Riverdale while running several red lights.

After making it to the emergency room, Julian stepped out once Rachel had been checked over.

“How is she?”

Julian confirmed that the door had been shut tight before he allowed his expression to fall. At the same time, he stopped Justin from going in.

“Are you concerned about her?”

“Stop asking me things like that. What happened to her?”

“She’s pregnant!” Julian raised his voice, his low tones reverberating through the corridor, shocking the few medical staff nearby until they had looks of bewilderment on their faces.

Why was the usually even-tempered Dr. Peters so furious?

Instantly, Justin’s head was filled with a buzzing sound. “What did you say?”

“I said that she’s pregnant. She’s already more than two months along.” Julian’s expression was dark. “I wanted to tell you about it a few days ago, but you were busy taking care of Gloria. Not only that, you never asked once about Rachel. So, I thought that there was no difference whether I told you at all.”

Justin was still stunned. He stared dumbly at the door to the ward, seeming as though he hadn’t heard Julian.

Rachel was pregnant all along? Am I going to become a father?

“Justin Burton!”

At the thought of Rachel’s condition, Justin quickly snapped back to reality. “How is she now?”

“You’re only asking this now? What were you doing before you thought of that?”

is going

her condition isn’t stable. The first three months of pregnancy is the time when

heard that, Justin

inside the ward. She was already awake, and her mind was wandering as she stared out the window. Just then, the door behind her opened up. She could

you still unwell? I

of silence, Rachel finally turned

did you do to Grandpa

darkened slightly at the mention of the elder man. “That is

of it as my plea to you, so please let him go. Take all of it out on me-whether it’s your resentment toward me or the Hudsons. Don’t hurt anyone who’s innocent! Now that Hans is in your sight, is that not enough

eyes completely bloodshot as though they

just because

She ended up letting out a chuckle

can’t even make up a convincing excuse. Grandpa Irwin, a human trafficker? In that case, why didn’t you

grew impatient. “Think what you want, but I must have him

20 years ago, he couldn’t wait to chop all

and the gaggle of traffickers who sold him were the true culprits-none of them had

20 years had passed since then. Even if the police could find proof, the statute of limitations on the case had already been reached. Didn’t that mean

call. After glancing at Rachel, he left the room with his

a

tightly,

“Yes?”

hold of some news. The man recently came to Riverdale. He said that he went to a friend for

old acquaintance, you

frown. He recalled that Jefferey had razed the forest around Somerset Mountain back then; Hudson Pharmaceuticals had seemingly bought that forest

else did

that he’s been an errand boy for traffickers. The documents at the police station have long since been destroyed as well. We won’t be able to dig up anything from

Justin’s voice was eerily cold, and one could sense

the loathsome old man who had locked him up

did not obey him, he would let the boy starve to

cellar had been dark and damp, and he hadn’t been able to see anything. All he could smell was the stench

him back then, he would have died down

do with him now, Mr.