Chapter 8 Prenatal Examination

Austin Moore had disdained Aria Knight and her manipulative ways for three years. The thought of that dog Isaac wanting to divorce his wife because of her made him angry.

"A scumbag, not fit to drink my wine. Clara is such a good girl, obviously easy to bully, how could she end up with a dog like you?"

Edward Harper let out a cold laugh.

"Easy to bully? Do you know how much she wants from me? A hundred million. To get a divorce, she wants a hundred million from me and is eager to change her status."

"Oh? Asking for too little."

The two of them drank nearly all the wine they had saved. By the end, their tongues were stumbling over their words, and Edward still murmured drunkenly,

"Tomorrow morning at ten, anyone who doesn't show up is a coward's son."

...

Edward vanished for the night, and everyone at the old house thought he hadn't returned. Only Clara Knox knew he left half the night because of their argument, and he probably went back to the Jade Dragon Bay Apartments later.

At breakfast, the old man was scolding again,

"That scoundrel, just wait until he comes back and see how I deal with him."

Everyone ate breakfast in silence, afraid to speak.

Bella Harper's eyes kept darting toward Clara, curious about how she managed to get out.

Clara had important matters to handle today and didn't want to cause trouble, so she ignored Bella.

After breakfast, Clara said goodbye to her grandparents-in-law and left the house alone, without even taking the chauffeur.

She stopped first at a pharmacy to buy a few early pregnancy test kits, then found a public restroom.

She opened the test kit and followed the instructions. In less than five minutes, she saw two bright red lines. She opened the remaining two kits to test again; still two lines.

Sitting on the toilet, Clara broke into tears. She had once so eagerly anticipated having a baby with him, but what should she do with a divorce looming?

Edward had always insisted on taking measures, even if he was in a hurry before any intimacy. This child was not easy to conceive.

But his attitude clearly showed that he didn't want children with her; otherwise, why would he meticulously take precautions every single time?

She cried for a long time. When she heard someone coming from outside, she collected herself and went out.

Her household book was in the suitcase left in Isaac Turner's car yesterday, so she needed to go to his place to get it.

Unsure if Isaac was home, Clara dialed his number. After a couple of rings, it was answered.

"Isaac, are you home?"

"Don't mention it. My old man had an acute appendicitis, had a minor surgery, and I've been back overnight to accompany him. I might only return to Capital City in a few days. Scum Harper didn't do anything to you yesterday, did he?"

"No, I'm just looking to get my suitcase. My household book is inside, and Edward and I agreed to change our registration today."

"Oh, that might have to wait a few days. Your suitcase is in my car's trunk, and I forgot to take it out yesterday. But the house code hasn't changed, so you can go over anytime, and the guest room on the second floor is always there for you."

Clara was moved by his words. After hanging up, she wandered aimlessly down the street. Passing a bank, she decided to pop in and check her account, surprisingly finding that her card was activated. At least Edward had a bit of conscience.

With several hundred thousand in savings, she had enough to last for a while.

She planned to rent an apartment and pick up her craft, which she had abandoned three years ago.

The stolen ruby pendant design was her work for a jewelry luxury brand called Swan in the M country. Her contract required her to deliver one design every half year.

Now that her design had been stolen, she needed to create a replacement.

Time flew by, and it was already ten o'clock. Clara felt a thrill of anxiety, unsure how to muster the courage to explain to Edward about her household book.

She deliberated for a long time and found a quiet place to call Edward.

In the top suite of the Imperial Grande, the phone rang several times without anyone answering.

Edward woke abruptly from a fitful sleep, hearing Austin cursing at him,

"You mutt, hug if you want to hug, but what the hell is with all the groping?"

Edward shook the alcohol from his system, glanced at the other person in bed, and, in disgust, gave Austin a shove, nearly kicking him off the bed.

He barely remembered getting drunk yesterday, so how did they end up in bed together?

Austin was almost losing it, whining that he felt dirty.

"Scumbag, you're just a scumbag! A wife at home, a mistress outside, and even your brothers aren't spared, are two kidneys enough for you? Did you imagine I was Aria Knight last night?"

The thought of being fondled all night long as if he were Aria made Austin's skin crawl.

Edward found him noisy,

"You're talking nonsense. I never touched Aria."

Austin looked at him incredulously, "You think I can believe that?"

"Believe it or not, I owe you no explanation. I have my moral boundaries. I wouldn't touch her before the divorce. Besides, Aria is such a pure girl, she wouldn't be that casual."

Austin eyed him skeptically but decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. The mention of Aria being pure made him feel slightly nauseous.

"Have you heard that most women find emotional betrayal harder to forgive than physical?"

Edward's mind suddenly flashed a name, and he let out a cold chuckle, saying no more.

Who exactly was emotionally unfaithful, calling out someone else's name even in dreams?

The phone rang again.

Edward glanced at his watch. It was already a quarter past ten.

He didn't know if Clara was waiting impatiently on the other end, but his heart harbored some unease.

"Director Harper, have you arrived?"

Being addressed as Director Harper nearly threw him off. She used to call him Edward, her voice soft and sweet, sounding even better in the dark.

Edward maintained an outward calmness and lied thoughtlessly, "Not yet, almost there."

There was a brief silence on the other side before she spoke.

"My household book is in Isaac's car. He's not in Capital City for the next few days, so it'll have to wait a few days before we can change our registration."

Edward raised a brow,

"If you don't want a divorce, just say so. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

Then the phone line went dead.

Austin nearly burst out laughing from the sidelines. How shameless could he be?

Feeling slightly relieved after explaining the situation to him, Clara hung up the phone.

Perhaps it was from the cold she'd caught the day before, as her lower abdomen felt a faint heaviness, and her head was a bit dizzy.

She hailed a cab from the street to the hospital and registered at the gynecology department.

Obstetrics and gynecology were on the same floor, and most people coming for pregnancy check-ups were couples, with the husbands waiting outside while their wives went in for examinations.

Watching the pregnant women being carefully attended to, Clara felt a pang of envy.

After completing a series of tests, Clara took her ultrasound results to the doctor.

"The baby's implantation is very low. In this situation, you should bed rest, avoid exercise, and come for regular check-ups."

Clara felt a wave of panic, "Doctor, what might result from a low implantation?"

The doctor reassured her,

"There's a risk of miscarriage. There's no need to worry. Just follow my instructions, avoid fatigue, and avoid irritation. Things will improve later, and if you're careful, everything should be fine. Also, you're slightly anemic, so supplement your diet for now."

The doctor listed numerous recommendations, like abstaining from intimacy in the first few months, avoiding emotional upheavals, and eating seasonal fruits and vegetables.

She left the consultation room with a stack of test results and sat in the waiting area to organize her documents.

A friendly woman nearby noticed she was alone and helped her organize her paperwork.

"Sis, are you here for a pregnancy check-up by yourself, where's your husband?"

Clara's heart tightened suddenly,

"My husband... he's busy with work."

The woman advised empathetically,

"Sis, you need to call on your man when you need him. If he can't be there for you during pregnancy, what good is he? Pregnancy checks are something he should join. Otherwise, he won't understand the hardships of a woman carrying a child for ten months."

"When you're vomiting your guts out, he won't see it, and when the child is born, he'll just say, 'It's just childbirth, every woman goes through it, why are you being so dramatic?'"

At that, the woman suddenly patted Clara, "Hey, look. Here's the kind of man to find, handsome and doting on his wife, how careful he's being, you can tell he's a wife-adorer."

Clara looked up, followed the woman's pointing finger, and saw the people opposite her. What she saw crushed her carefully gathered peace of mind, and her heart twisted with pain.