Chapter 218
Ten days later, Briella woke up in the hospital. A circle of people surrounded her bed. Her grandfather and uncle wept with joy and even Jared’s eyes were red. “Thank goodness, you’re finally awake.”
Briella opened her mouth, but her throat was too dry to make a sound. She tried to sit up in a hurry, but Jared gently pushed her back down. “You just had surgery. Don’t move.“%
She looked confused. After a long moment, Briella managed to whisper, “S–Surgery?“}
Jared hesitated, “Your baby… couldn’t be saved.“2
Briella froze. A baby? So, she really had been pregnant with Sheldon’s child. Jared spoke with difficulty. “It was only two months. By the time you were brought to the hospital, it was already gone.“}
Briella let out a dazed “Oh.” She had never planned to have Sheldon’s child. Even if she had known about the pregnancy, she wouldn’t have kept it. Still, it had been a life silently growing inside her for two months. Knowing it was gone now left her with an unexpected emptiness.2
She closed her eyes, wanting to turn over and rest, but a sharp pain shot through her side. She remembered the helicopter debris had pierced her there, but Jared said, “The incision from your kidney transplant hasn’t healed yet. Don’t lie on that side.“}
So, the debris had damaged both her kidneys. If she hadn’t received a transplant, complications would have taken her life. After a miscarriage and a kidney transplant, her body had been through too much, which was why she had been unconscious for ten days. But where had the kidney come from? Jared looked like he wanted to say something but held back. Briella didn’t have the energy to press for answers. Before long, she drifted back to sleep.
The next time she woke up, she felt a little better. Jared and her family talked to her a lot. Still, they completely avoided any mention of what had happened before she was hospitalized, especially the source of the kidney. Whenever she asked, they fell silent. An absurd suspicion crept into her mind, but she didn’t dwell on it. Maybe she was overthinking things.
A week later, Briella could finally walk around. Sometimes, she would go outside to get some fresh air. At that time, Jared never left her side. It made her feel guilty. “You have so much work to do. Go handle your business. The hospital staff can take care of me.”
Jared handed her a cup of warm water. “What could be more important than you?” Just as he finished speaking, his phone rang and it was a work call. He answered and his frown deepened with each passing second. As soon as he hung up, another call came in. Briella chuckled. “Go take care of it. I’ll head back to my room and take a nap.“}
Jared nodded and stepped aside to continue his call. Briella walked slowly back to her room, but she stopped in her tracks as she reached the door.
Inside, Sheldon sat on the sofa, staring blankly at the withered roses on the windowsill. That man turned his head when he heard the footsteps. His dull face instantly lit up. Briella’s breath hitched, fear flashing through her eyes. She instinctively took three or four steps back. Sheldon’s chest tightened in pain. “I won’t do anything to you. Don’t be afraid.”
Briella remained tense, her body full of caution. She didn’t believe him. Sheldon stayed where he was, making no move to approach her, proving that he meant what he said. After a long silence, he finally spoke. “I heard … our child is gone.“}
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