When I got to the hospital, I was taken for a gynecological check–up while Neil waited outside.
I gave the doctor a brief rundown of my situation, followed by a series of tests. The results didn’t seem optimistic The doc suggested I stay in the hospital for a bit, which seriously bummed me out. I felt like a deflated balloon.
“The man outside, is he your husband? Should we fill him in on your situation? You’ll need someone to take care of you, the doctor asked.
“No, he’s just a friend. If I need his help, I’ll let him know Thanks.” I replied wearily
After I was transferred to the ward, Neil came to my bedside and asked. “What’s up? The doc wouldn’t tell me anything.”
I requested the doctor to keep it confidential, so she wouldn’t inform Neil Patient privacy was respected in such cases.
Looking at Neil’s worried face, I knew he genuinely cared for me. He had left Bonnie behind to rush me to the hospital. This wasn’t some figment of my imagination. I was debating whether I should tell him the truth, give him a chance to decide.
If I could successfully deliver the baby, I wouldn’t shoo him away from visiting.
“Neil, I was about to say when Neil’s phone rang
He glanced at the caller ID and picked up. After a few words, I got the gist of the conversation. It must be Kate on the other end.
“How did it get so serious?”
“I’m on my way.”
“Alright, got it.”
determined. Neil had only sent me to the hospital out of conscience, so how could I be swayed so
if not, I would’ve been accused of taking advantage of him.
hesitantly I smiled and said, “Go, you’ve done enough
ankle pretty badly. I’ll go check on her,” Neil seemed to be explaining
I maintained a calm smile,
though I was distraught and anxious, I didn’t want to show it. The child in my belly wasn’t just mine, but if I wanted to bring him into the world, I had to bear this
brows and
door of the ward close, my heart
doctor to find me
wanted to visit me in the hospital. I gave him the address and told him
by Bonnie. It was from five hours ago, probably around the time when Neil was taking me to the hospital. A picture of an injured ankle and a
man she deeply loved chose to bring his unwell ex–wife to the
I had endured countless painful moments of being abandoned, with Neil always
was sweating bullets and hoped Neil would
of their lives. Bonnie was accepted by the Whitmore family, pregnant with their grandchild, and Neil also gained their approval. They even opened a grand hotel.
get a chance to upset Bonnie. On impulse, I liked Bonnie’s post. I was
in the gynecology ward?”
doc said if I don’t get treated, it might affect
here”
anyone in my family
deeply. “It’s all Neil’s fault you’re like this. I remember you being very
only blame myself for being too sentimental back then.” I managed a bitter smile.
a clean and straightforward divorce without too much entanglement. Otherwise, it would have been messier and the child would have been affected” Orlando
carefully sat up and started sipping the soup straight from the thermos.
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