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?”

going

okay. However, her condition isn’t stable. The

Justin

mind was wandering as she stared out the window. Just then, the door behind her opened up. She could tell from

unwell? I

long moment of silence, Rachel finally turned

do to Grandpa

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

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,

of a breakdown, her eyes completely bloodshot as though they would burst the next moment. Her

punishment just because he’s

ended up letting out a chuckle

make up a convincing excuse. Grandpa Irwin, a human trafficker? In that case, why

you want,

20 years ago, he couldn’t wait to chop

gaggle of traffickers who sold him were the true

Even if the police could find proof, the statute of limitations on

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

a bang, the room descended

tightly, her face as gray as

“Yes?”

out over the phone’s speakers. “I’ve gotten hold of some news. The man recently came to Riverdale. He said that he went

acquaintance, you

the forest around Somerset Mountain back then; Hudson Pharmaceuticals had seemingly bought that forest

else did

admit 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 them.” Frankie’s tone was troubled. “Mr. Burton, it’s been 20 years. Could you

cold, and one could sense

forget that day from 20 years back. It had been swelteringly hot, and the loathsome old man who had locked him up cracked open a corner of

let the

dark and damp, and he hadn’t been able to see

saved him back then, he would have

with him