Chapter 204
Clayton rushed out of the car, rounding the hood to scoop up Valerie. “Are you okay?”
“My stomach… hurts…” Valerie clawed at his collar, face contorted in pain. “Hospital… Now.”
“Fine.” Clayton lifted her, but the next second, they crashed down together.
Valerie’s head cracked against the doorframe, and Clayton’s elbow jammed into her abdomen. Her shriek pierced the air. “My head! Ah, my baby…”
“Hold on,” Clayton panted, clutching his painful ribs. Then, he tried hard and heaved her into the passenger seat.
Tears streamed down Valerie’s face as she urged him to drive faster.
But Clayton, still clearly in pain, drove slower than even a bicycle on the road.
Upon arriving at the hospital, Valerie grabbed the doctor’s coat and wailed, “Save me!”
The moment she was wheeled away, Clayton’s concern evaporated.
Soon, Cheryl arrived like a hurricane, slapping him hard. “If my daughter dies, you die.”
Clayton stared blankly at the floor.
Half an hour later, a doctor hurried out and asked, “Who’s the family member?”
“I’m her mother!” Cheryl rushed forward.
The doctor looked puzzled. “Is the patient’s husband here?”
“I’m here,” Clayton finally responded in an indifferent tone, ambling over.
The doctor’s gaze toward him was calm. After hesitating for a few seconds, he said, “I’m sorry. We couldn’t save the fetus. During cleanup, we noticed
cauliflower–like lesions.”
Cheryl didn’t fully understand, but Clayton’s face had already paled.
“You should get yourself checked, too,” the doctor added, then turned back to the office.
“What does that mean?” Cheryl grabbed Clayton’s arm, confused and angry. “My daughter miscarried. Why are you the one needing a checkup?”
Clayton shoved her off.
Cheryl stumbled backward, nearly falling. She stared in shock at Clayton, the man who had never raised his voice at her before.
“Because your daughter has an STD,” Clayton yelled, his eyes icy.
Cheryl’s eyes bulged in disbelief. “Impossible! You’re the one sleeping around. You infected her!” She raised her hand, aiming for another slap.
Clayton caught her wrist, practically grinding his molars as he spat, “I only touched Valerie once when I was drunk at Starise House. That was it.”
Cheryl’s defiance faltered. Her raised hand slowly curled into a fist as she tried to yank free.
Clayton tightened his grip and hissed. “You knew that baby wasn’t mine. You two scammed me for money and even conned me into donating marrow. You’ll get what’s coming to you.” He released her with a shove.
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Cheryl staggered back against the wall, her bravado crumbling. “You owe us. You should make it up to us.”
Clayton turned away, then paused. Without looking back, he headed for a checkup. One drunken night with Valerie, but STDs could linger.
The results were worse than expected. The doctor explained that Clayton had suffered previous testicular trauma, which had led to poor sperm quality. In simpler terms, his fertility was severely compromised.
Clayton’s fingers crumpled the report. He finally remembered something.
During his rib scan, he had reached out to steady himself on Carson. But just then, Carson had bent down to pick up a pen, and Clayton lost balance, slamming his groin straight into the corner of the desk.
The pain had been excruciating. But out of embarrassment, he hadn’t said a word about it.
Valerie woke in the ward. Her fury erupted the moment she learned about the miscarriage. “If you couldn’t handle it, you should’ve transferred me. Now you’re blaming my body? Pathetic! I’ll sue this hospital for malpractice!”
The doctors, desperate to shield other patients from her tantrum, upgraded her to a private suite and promised to file a complaint tomorrow.
After the move, Valerie snorted disdainfully, “See, Mom? They said there were no single rooms before. But as soon as I made a scene, one magically appeared. That’s how things work these days.”
She then gestured at Cheryl. “Get me some water.”
Cheryl hesitated. “Clayton already knew everything. Will he ask for a divorce?”
A flash of venom passed through Valerie’s eyes. Rewinding the events, Clayton’s accidental shove and the slow drive, it was obvious. He had planned this. The goal was to get rid of the baby and dump her.
“Divorce? No way. Only if I say yes.” Valerie sneered.
She ordered Cheryl to stand guard and cough loudly if Clayton appeared, then dialed the Ashbourne marrow recipient. “Sorry about this, but things have changed.“‘
Cheryl clung to hope. Clayton’s family was honorable. He wouldn’t abandon a sick wife, even if the baby wasn’t his.
But to Valerie’s surprise, by the time she finished her call, Clayton still hadn’t shown up.
She tried calling him under the pretense of her ward transfer, only to find that his phone was turned off.
The next morning, Audrey rolled over in bed and tumbled straight into a warm, firm embrace.
Before she could react, an arm locked around her waist, pulling her face against Yann’s chest as his lips found hers. “Morning, baby.”
Audrey grunted, lifting a hand to cover his mouth.
Thanks to alcohol from last night, she had been unusually passionate, and Yann had unlocked some new moves right in the car. Now, her body ached in places she didn’t know existed.
Yann pinned her wrist with two fingers and pressed her palm to his chest, letting her feel the strong rhythm of his heartbeat. “Feel that?”
“Heart disease?” Audrey teased, pinching his chest.
“It beats for you,”
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Chapter 204
“Ugh.”
They playfully wrestled for a bit before finally getting up.
Yann had prepared two sets of toiletries. He lifted Audrey and sat her on the edge of the sink counter, handing her a toothbrush already loaded with toothpaste. They brushed side by side, and after she finished, he poured water into a cup for her to rinse.
Audrey said, “Know what happens when you spoil me? I’ll turn bratty and throw tantrums for no reason.”
Yann handed her the face wash foam and smiled, “Good. No one else will tolerate you.” No rivals. No risks.
On her way to work, Audrey’s right leg trembled slightly on the accelerator.
“Morning, Ms. Henderson.”
“Good morning, Ms. Henderson.”
Colleagues greeted her. But as soon as she passed, they huddled together and whispered.
Audrey ignored them and walked straight into her office. She checked her phone and saw a flood of mentions on her social media.
