Free Web NovelChapter 34: Chapter 34: This Thing Is the Male Lead?
"A prenatal checkup?" Sonia looked completely lost.
Felix’s voice drifted over from the kitchen. "That’s right. Did you forget?"
Sonia: "..."
’She really had forgotten.’
’She’d been thrust into the role of a pregnant woman the moment she transmigrated, completely bypassing the process of conception and the surprise of finding out. So how could she possibly remember something like a prenatal checkup? The most important thing was, the baby in her belly was just too good! From the moment she’d arrived until now, she hadn’t experienced a single bit of morning sickness. No nausea or urge to vomit, no physical discomfort. Aside from her showing belly, she felt no different from anyone who wasn’t pregnant.’
"I... I might have forgotten for a moment, but I just remembered," Sonia stammered. Hearing Felix’s approaching footsteps, she quickly saved her artwork, exited the program, and set her tablet down on the pillow.
Felix still seemed too shy to look at her. "It’s okay, as long as I remembered. I scheduled the appointment with the doctor for ten in the morning. You can just wake up at your usual time."
Sonia nodded. "Okay."
...
The hospital for the checkup had been chosen before Felix went bankrupt. The hospital director was a close friend of his, so even though Felix was now broke, the director had still arranged for the best doctor to see Sonia.
Standing in the lavishly decorated hospital lobby, Sonia felt a little apprehensive.
"Felix." She tugged on his sleeve, leaning in to whisper, "This hospital looks really expensive..."
Felix replied while getting in touch with the director, "It’s a private hospital. It doesn’t just look expensive; it is expensive."
"A private hospital?!" Sonia was stunned.
’No wonder. No wonder everyone coming and going in this lobby has such a distinguished air about them. So it’s a private hospital.’
’Aethelburg is a top-tier metropolis with sky-high prices, where every inch of land is as precious as gold. Anyone who can afford treatment at a private hospital in this city is bound to be rich or powerful.’
’As someone who was now broke, Sonia felt completely out of place standing here.’
"Um, let’s go to a different hospital," she said, tugging on Felix’s sleeve again, her expression pained. "Private hospitals are too expensive. We don’t need to have the checkup here. I’m perfectly healthy, and the baby is doing great. A regular public hospital would be fine."
"We can’t." Felix put his phone away, turned, and took Sonia’s hand, leading her toward the escalator.
Sonia froze for a second.
’This was the first time. He wasn’t just grabbing her wrist with a detached air; he had purposefully and firmly taken her entire hand.’
’Her hand was enveloped in his warm, dry palm. A reassuring warmth traveled slowly and gently from their touching skin, up her arm, and seemed to seep right into her veins.’
’Her heart instantly began to beat a little faster.’
"Wh-why can’t we go?" she asked, lowering her head to sneak a glance at their intimately joined hands.
Felix smiled. "Right after we found out you were pregnant, I booked a complete prenatal care package for you at this very hospital. I’ve already paid for it, and it’s non-refundable, so we can’t exactly go anywhere else."
"...Oh, I see." Hearing that Felix had already paid, Sonia couldn’t help but breathe a secret sigh of relief.
"W-well, all right then. Let’s just do it here."
"Watch your step." Felix carefully guided her onto the escalator. Only when he was sure she was steady did he turn to look ahead. "Sonia, don’t worry about the cost. Even though I’m bankrupt now, I can still provide for you and the baby. Within my means, I will always give you two the absolute best. You don’t have to try to save money for my sake."
Sonia replied, "I know you want to give us the best, but saving money isn’t a bad thing. After all, money doesn’t grow on trees. It’s just a prenatal checkup; the tests are the same at any hospital. The quality of care at a private hospital isn’t that different from a public one."
"But since you’ve already booked it, let’s not dwell on it. We should just focus on the checkup. As long as the baby is healthy, that’s all that matters."
Felix quietly added, "And you need to be healthy, too."
Sonia agreed. "Right!"
Felix was on good terms with the hospital director, who had made special arrangements. As a result, Sonia didn’t have to wait in any lines for her examination. Her designated doctor personally escorted her to every test.
The entire examination was completed in less than half an hour.
When Sonia came out with the report, Felix immediately rushed to her side. "How did it go?"
Sonia handed him the papers. "The results aren’t back yet. The doctor said it would be about twenty minutes. I need to use the restroom. Where is it?"
Felix took her hand naturally. "I’ll take you."
Sonia didn’t refuse. "Okay."
The restrooms were at the end of the hall. After looking over the report, Felix raised a hand to point the way for Sonia. "See that illuminated sign? The restroom is right there—"
"Mr. Preston?"
The words were barely out of his mouth when an unfamiliar male voice suddenly spoke up beside him. Felix and Sonia turned in unison to see who had spoken.
He was a man whose looks and presence could only be described as perfect. He wore a masterfully tailored black suit of exceptional quality. His features were sharp and handsome, his aura commanding, and his every gesture exuded charm.
He descended the stairs with long strides, approaching Felix.
Felix watched him, a polite smile touching his lips. "Mr. Lockwood. It’s been a while."
’Mr. Lockwood...’
’Hearing that name, Sonia instantly knew who this man was.’
’Ethan Lockwood. The male lead of this novel, Cecilia Quincy’s fiancé, and the ex-husband of the story’s female side character.’
’As the main character, Ethan Lockwood was nothing but a pretty face. His moral compass was so appallingly bad that during the novel’s serialization, he had earned himself the number three spot on the list of the ’21st Century’s Most Disgusting Male Protagonists.’’
’Sonia could still recall his whole series of classic, shameless maneuvers...’
’The original Sonia had officially gotten together with Jasper Linden during her junior year of college. Jasper was utterly smitten and had pursued her for a full year before she finally agreed to be his girlfriend. Yet it took Ethan Lockwood less than a month to steal her away.’
’When Ethan Lockwood showed up, the original Sonia and Jasper Linden had been dating for nearly six months. Back then, her identity as the fake Quincy heiress hadn’t been exposed yet. To the outside world, she was still the Quincy family’s most beloved daughter.’
’Ethan Lockwood had only met her a handful of times before claiming to be deeply in love, and despite knowing full well she had a boyfriend, he relentlessly hit on her.’
’At first, the original Sonia felt his behavior was wrong, but she couldn’t resist a man who was willing to be the "other man" all in the name of "love." In less than a month, he had coaxed her into his arms.’
’And just like that, Jasper Linden was dumped.’
’Ethan Lockwood had a silver tongue. In his second month with the original Sonia, he showed up at the Quincy family’s door, boldly announced his intentions, and promised Mr. and Mrs. Quincy that within a year of graduating, he would make a name for himself and provide their daughter with a life of wealth and security.’
’Moved by his "sincerity," Mr. and Mrs. Quincy agreed to give him that chance.’
’Who would have thought that a year later, the Quincy family would find their true, long-lost heiress, and the original Sonia would become an impostor overnight.’
’And it was at that exact moment that Ethan Lockwood had a sudden epiphany: the original Sonia wasn’t his true love after all. The one he loved was someone else entirely!’
