Chapter 78: The Challenge

Chapter 78: The Challenge

Ethan stared at Emily for a few seconds, seemingly still waking up and not fully grasping the situation.

After a moment, he reached out to touch her soft, delicate face.

"What's wrong?" Ethan asked. "I've already said it—it's our decision whether or not to have a child. No one can force you. Don't feel pressured."

"I'm not," Emily replied, holding his hand and placing the other on his shoulder, gently caressing the raised scars.

"Don't you want children?" she asked softly, her eyelashes fluttering. "If you really want them, I'm willing to consider it…"

She didn't quite know how to express her feelings.

If having a child was merely about fulfilling the expectations of the Harrison Family elders or giving others something to talk about—

Then she would definitely not agree.

The notion of having a child, without a genuine maternal instinct, felt like a significant sacrifice.

But if it was for him… she would be willing.

Willing to endure the frightening pain, the potential for a changed body, and all the terrifying possibilities of hair loss and stretch marks.

Willing to face more known and unknown risks…

Emily realized then, perhaps she had truly fallen for Brother Ethan.

It wasn't just ordinary liking. It was more than that— it was love, wasn't it?

This realization filled her heart with warmth.

"Well, if we're going to have one eventually," she pouted playfully, "we might as well have it sooner. It'll be harder to recover if we wait."

She could never bring herself to say something cheesy like, "I love you so much, I want to have a baby with you." Her pride and temper were far too strong for that.

"So, you don't want to have one?" Emily teased, "Do you really want to wait until old age? What if we can't have one later?"

Ethan: "…"

Ethan was used to his little wife's playful retorts, but the thought of having a child in old age— or worse, not being able to have one at all— was not something he could tolerate.

He gently pinched her delicate chin, his thumb playfully tracing her lips, leaning in with an intense, almost overpowering presence.

"Even twenty years from now, we could try," Ethan said calmly, a slight smile on his lips. "What do you think?"

Emily: "..."

Twenty years from now…

You really are a shameless rogue.

"No way," she pouted, pushing his hand away, giving him a playful glare. "You're dreaming. We've only agreed to have one."

Ethan smiled and opened his arms. "Alright."

"Whatever you say," he said, pulling Emily into his embrace, pressing her head to his chest. "One it is."

Emily settled comfortably in his arms, suddenly recalling something.

"But isn't it true that your family usually only has one child?"

Emily noticed that, from Ethan's father's generation onwards, almost every family seemed to have only one child.

Ethan was an only child, and so was his cousin Daniel, who had only one son. Even the Harrison Family's extended branches had mostly only one child.

It was a bit odd.

Logically, families like theirs should be aiming for more children and grandchildren for greater fortune, and there were no financial constraints. If they wanted to have two or three, even more, going abroad wasn't impossible.

Emily brought up this question to Ethan, who smirked slightly.

"The Harrison Family mostly engages in strategic marriages. Children are seen as 'products' of these unions, so having one is sufficient."

Emily was taken aback.

Ethan continued, "Strategic marriages are just about fulfilling tasks. Having children is merely for inheriting family assets and connecting interests. One child is enough. When couples don't have much affection, they naturally wouldn't want more children."

Ethan's parents were like that. After having Ethan, they separated within a few years.

Emily realized this with a slow "Oh."

Indeed, it seemed that in their circle, families arranged for business marriages had fewer children.

True love marriages were different. Olivia had endured severe pain giving birth but still joked, "Help me up, and I can have another."

"I'm not doing this just to fulfill a task," Emily defended quietly. "Certainly not to inherit family assets. Honestly, with you as a money machine, who needs another small machine?"

Ethan chuckled at the comparison.

"I understand," he said, touching his nose to hers, their faces close. "I don't need an heir just to fulfill a task."

That's why they hadn't had children in the past two years.

What he wanted was not for Ethan's wife to give birth to an heir, but for her to willingly have a child out of love.

He finally got what he wished for.

"Emily, I only want to have a child with you."

— It must be her, only her.

When he had completely won her over, everything else became irrelevant.

Ethan rolled over and pinned her down. "Actually, just having you is enough…"

Emily wrapped her arms around Ethan's neck and tilted her face up to kiss him.

Usually, his kisses were intense, almost as if he wanted to devour her. Today, however, he was unusually gentle and patient.

But Emily soon found this tender kiss even more nerve-wracking. Before long, she was gasping for breath, her eyes filled with a seductive charm, her cheeks flushed like someone who had been drinking.

Ethan lifted his head slightly, releasing her, his gaze deeply fixed on his little wife.

Her lips were slightly parted, and she looked up at him with pleading, sparkling eyes—her innocent, pitiful look was like a match to dry tinder, igniting instantly.

Before Emily could react, the limited-edition bathrobe she was wearing was torn apart, and she let out a little gasp, looking up at Ethan with a mix of indignation and embarrassment.

"What are you doing? Just now, you're not going to keep your kidneys!"

"What do you think?" Ethan continued his actions, his voice becoming a bit hoarse. "Weren't we talking about having a baby?"

Emily: "..."

Alright.

Such an action-oriented man, as expected of you, you dog.

Ethan whispered something in her ear. Emily's eyes widened, and her face, along with her neck, flushed immediately.

She bit her lip, shaking her head repeatedly, but Ethan only smirked and ignored her protests.

Emily stared at the starry ceiling, frozen.

Having never experienced this before, she didn't know how to react, her mind a blank, followed by a silent outburst:

!! What is he doing!

This is not how you make a baby!!

Instinctively, she wanted to curl up, but Ethan's response was noticeably faster and stronger.

Emily recalled her childhood ballet practice. She hated lying on the floor to stretch her legs—so painful, and it looked terrible, particularly ungraceful.

Now she looked even worse than she did back then. Completely exposed, utterly humiliating.

The pain wasn't unbearable. Compared to ballet, she felt like she was floating higher and higher, her consciousness becoming scattered and blurred… She heard unrestrained sounds of enjoyment, like a thirsty person finally finding a source of water.

Emily wanted to scream for help, but for some reason, as soon as she opened her mouth, she started crying, and the more she cried, the harder she sobbed, turning into a weeping bundle of pink.

...

In the days that followed, Emily refused to speak to Ethan.

It was simply unbearable.

How could such a dignified, high-born gentleman do… such beastly things!

But Ethan seemed completely unbothered and even confidently said, "I'm just making my wife happy. How is that shameless?"

He even handed her a glass of warm water, telling her to "replenish her fluids."

Emily, both embarrassed and angry, spilled the water all over Ethan.

She sobbed and lamented. How could she, who had never had such accidents before…

D*mn it, it's all his fault!

**

After deciding to have a child, Emily began actively participating in preparing for pregnancy.

The couple did not inform their families—Ethan was concerned that Old Mr. Harrison might put pressure on Emily.

They were secretly trying for a baby. Besides following the doctor's advice to take folic acid and other supplements, they also went to the hospital for a pre-pregnancy check-up.

Ethan wasn't too concerned about the check-up; for him, thorough physical exams were a routine part of each year.

Given his special status, this information was strictly confidential. The cooperating private clinic knew the rules well; if there were no issues, they would usually send the results and advice directly to him discreetly.

So when Ethan received a call from the private clinic three days after the check-up, he was immediately on alert—if a doctor was contacting him, it couldn't be good news.

The call was from the respected gynecologist at the clinic. "Ethan, did you and your wife have a pre-marital check-up?"

"Yes, we did. There were no issues," Ethan frowned, unable to help but ask, "Is there a problem?"

The gynecologist responded slowly, "If it's just a routine check-up, some issues might not show up…"

Ethan's heart sank heavily. He held his breath. "Just tell me."

The gynecologist hesitated a moment.

"Ethan, it's like this. Our results show that your wife has polycystic ovary syndrome."

Ethan didn't understand the term and frowned even more deeply.

"Polycystic ovary syndrome isn't rare. But…" The doctor continued gently, "Your wife also has a blocked fall

opian tube."

Ethan was stunned.

"Blocked fallopian tube…" He echoed slowly. "Can it be treated?"

The gynecologist said, "Yes, but it depends on the individual's condition."

Ethan's heart sank. He immediately thought of how Emily had been in good health in recent years, but what was the impact of her blockage?

Ethan remained silent for a while, not knowing how to comfort Emily.

He held the phone tightly and thought of her sensitive nature.

"What should I do now?" he asked.

"Give her time. I'll arrange for a specialist to conduct a comprehensive examination to determine the best treatment plan," the doctor advised.

"Alright," Ethan said.

After hanging up, he sat in his office, unable to focus on work. All he could think about was Emily, his mind in a whirl.

What he hadn't expected was that the obstacle they encountered was something so serious.

He needed to make this issue known to Emily, but he wasn't sure how to do it. He wanted to be the one to protect and support her.

So Ethan took a deep breath and decided to see her.

***

Emily was at home when Ethan arrived. He took off his coat and hurried into the room. "I have something to tell you."

Emily noticed his pale face and realized something was wrong. "What's the matter?"

Ethan sat next to her and gently took her hand. "We need to talk."

Emily noticed Ethan's seriousness and sensed that something wasn't right. "What happened?"

Ethan hesitated and then said, "The check-up results showed that you have polycystic ovary syndrome and a blocked fallopian tube."

Emily's eyes widened. She felt a sudden chill run through her.

"What… what should we do?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Ethan held her hand tightly, his eyes filled with concern. "The doctor said there are treatment options. We'll see a specialist for more details."

Emily nodded, trying to stay calm. "Okay. As long as there's a treatment, I'm willing to do whatever it takes."

Ethan held her close, his voice soothing. "We'll get through this together."

Emily leaned against him, trying to steady herself. She took a deep breath and whispered, "Thank you for being by my side."

Ethan smiled gently and kissed her forehead. "We'll face it together. You're not alone."

The couple held each other close, drawing strength from their bond.

***

In the following weeks, Emily underwent further examinations and began her treatment. Despite the challenges, she remained hopeful and determined.

Ethan stood by her side, supporting her through every step of the process. They faced the difficulties together, their relationship growing stronger through the trials they endured.

As time passed, they found comfort in each other's presence, knowing that no matter what challenges lay ahead, they would face them together.