Half an hour later, Chloe Miller drove to the hospital in a flurry to meet me.
As soon as she saw me, she ran over and gave me a hug. After a long moment, she asked tentatively, "Chelsea, have you really made up your mind?"
I lowered my gaze, a million thoughts racing through my mind.
When I first married Theodore Grant, I hoped every day that I would get pregnant. I wanted to have a child as beautiful as him.
Later, when I finally did get pregnant, I was overjoyed, eager to tell everyone the good news.
But now—
The child in my belly was still here, but my overwhelming love for Theodore Grant had completely vanished.
’So it’s true. When you don’t love someone anymore, you really don’t want to have their children...’
I nodded. "Theodore Grant is already suspicious as of today. If he finds out, this divorce will probably be even harder."
’Besides, what’s the point of carrying my almost ex-husband’s child when I’ve already decided on a divorce?’
’It’s not easy being a single mom these days.’
’I’ve already been a fool once. I don’t plan on being one again.’
"That’s for the best. Without the child, it’ll be a clean break." Chloe Miller nodded. "Lingering attachments are the worst!"
Our minds made up, we walked into the hospital hand in hand.
Registration, consultation—everything went smoothly. Soon, the doctor wrote a referral for an ultrasound, saying he needed to check the fetus’s development before scheduling the termination procedure.
"Miss Joyce?"
Just as Chloe Miller and I were taking the report and heading back to see the doctor, a deep voice suddenly called out from behind us.
I instinctively turned toward the voice and saw a handsome face. "Dr. Miller, hello."
This was the first time I had seen him since my mother passed away.
Dr. Miller smiled at me, then glanced at the report in my hand. "What’s wrong, Miss Joyce? Are you not feeling well?"
I quickly lowered the report. "I’m having some stomach issues, so I came in for a check-up."
Dr. Miller’s gaze moved from the report in my hand. He looked at me and chuckled. "As it happens, I’m an internal medicine specialist. It’s all the same if I take a look."
"There’s no need to trouble you, Dr. Miller."
Fortunately, the elevator arrived just then. I quickly pulled Chloe Miller inside. "Dr. Miller, we’ll be heading up then. Goodbye."
"Goodbye." Dr. Miller waved at me.
As the elevator ascended to the Obstetrics and Gynecology floor, Chloe Miller and I clutched our chests, heaving a sigh of relief.
"That was a close call."
I looked at Chloe Miller. "Yeah, my heart was pounding out of my chest."
"It probably wouldn’t have mattered if Dr. Miller found out..." Chloe Miller said. "He doesn’t seem like the type to be nosy."
I nodded, then looked down at the report in my hand and took a deep breath. "Let’s go find the doctor."
After getting a follow-up number, my turn came quickly.
The doctor looked at the report I brought back. "The fetus is developing very well. We can already see a fetal pole and a heartbeat..."
As he spoke, he pointed to a shadow on the report. "This, this is the baby in your belly."
My eyes immediately fell on it, and my hand subconsciously rested on my lower abdomen.
"Miss Joyce, isn’t this the child you worked so hard to conceive? Why..."
The consulting doctor clearly recognized me.
For the past two years, I had come to the hospital almost every week. Nearly every doctor here knew me and knew how difficult it had been for me to get pregnant with this child.
A bitter smile touched my lips. "I’m getting a divorce."
The doctor pressed his lips together and didn’t say anything more.
"Since you’ve made your decision, I’ll..."
But before the doctor could finish, the phone in his pocket suddenly vibrated.
The doctor looked at me apologetically. "I’m sorry, Miss Joyce, I need to take this call."
I nodded quickly. "Please, go ahead."
As the doctor got up and went to the adjacent room to answer the phone, my gaze involuntarily fell on the report lying on the desk.
A heartbeat...
A fetal pole...
Even though I didn’t fully understand these technical terms, I knew what they meant.
The child in my belly had sprouted like a seed and now had a heartbeat...
’If I just give it time, it will grow day by day.’
’One day, it would be born and call me ’Mommy’ in a soft, sweet voice...’
’Just like how I used to call my own mom.’
As I dwelt on these thoughts, my nose began to sting, and my vision blurred.
"Chloe..."
Chloe Miller immediately came closer. "I’m here, I’m here!"
"This is the right decision, isn’t it?" I took a deep breath, not sure if I was talking to her or to myself. "I have to rip the band-aid off. This isn’t the time to be soft-hearted, right?"
Chloe Miller pursed her lips. After a long moment, she finally nodded. "That’s right, Chelsea. You’re doing the right thing."
’Maybe it’ll hurt for a little while now, but that’s better than being entangled with Theodore Grant for the rest of my life because of this child...’
I lowered my eyes, my vision swimming with tears.
’My baby.’
’Mommy is so sorry.’
’Next time—’
’Next time, come find me to be your mommy again, okay?’
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
Soon, the doctor returned, putting his phone away with an apologetic look.
"It’s fine." I took a deep breath, forcing down the sour feeling in my chest. "Doctor, can we do the procedure now?"
"Hold on, let me take another good look at the report."
The doctor sat down and picked up the report, examining it carefully.
"Huh, that’s not right..."
The doctor suddenly frowned. "Your levels are a bit low. If we do the termination procedure now, there could be risks..."
"What kind of risks?" Chloe Miller asked nervously.
"You might not be able to have children again."
"What?!" Chloe Miller was stunned.
I grew tense as well. "Then... then what should I do?"
"How about this for now: I’ll prescribe some medication. Come back for a follow-up in a while, and we’ll see how your body is doing then before making a decision."
"When is the follow-up?"
"Let’s say in a week."
I pursed my lips. ’That’s not too long.’
’Besides, I’d looked it up before. As long as the termination procedure is done within two months, it won’t put too much strain on the body.’
"Thank you, Doctor. I’ll come back for a follow-up in a week."
"Alright."
...
After leaving the office, I couldn’t help but let out a long breath, not knowing if I felt relieved or disappointed.
But just then, Chloe Miller suddenly grabbed my wrist and pulled me into a fire exit stairwell in the hallway.
Seeing her anxiously peering out, I couldn’t help but ask, "What’s wrong?"
"Look, isn’t that Clara Langley?"
I followed Chloe Miller’s finger and saw a furtive figure completely bundled up. Despite the disguise, I recognized her as Clara Langley at a glance.
"It’s her."
I let out a breath, my heart still fluttering with fear. I silently praised Chloe Miller’s sharp eyes for spotting Clara Langley. If she had seen me in the Obstetrics and Gynecology department, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
’Wait...’
’Something’s not right. What is Clara Langley doing in the Obstetrics and Gynecology department?’