Free Web NovelChapter 129: She is pregnant
"I will be there," Richard said quickly, as if he was afraid she would change her mind. "I have something to show you. It’s important."
"Okay," she replied shortly. "See you then."
As soon as she hung up, she pulled up her recent calls and tapped Andrew’s name for the third time that hour. She held the phone to her ear, listening to the hollow ring... ring... ring... until it finally cut to voicemail.
Nothing. Not even a text to say he was busy.
He had been so distant and distracted lately. He barely looked at her when they were in the same room, and his mind always seemed to be somewhere else. Jasmine stared at the dark screen of her phone, feeling a cold knot of doubt in her stomach.
Now, she was starting to wonder if it was a good idea to marry him.
Was she walking into a life of loneliness? Was marrying him the biggest mistake of her life?
....
Julian’s fist slammed into Andrew’s jaw, the sound echoing through the cold, damp bunker. Andrew’s head snapped back, his blood splattering onto the concrete floor.
"Who the fuck do you think you are, touching my woman?!" Julian barked.
He didn’t wait for an answer. He tightened his grip on Andrew’s neck, his fingers digging into the skin.
Andrew was chained to the same wall where Seraphina had been held earlier.
His arms were stretched wide, the metal links rattling with every move he made. Despite the pain, Andrew let out a laugh.
Julian didn’t hesitate. He delivered another punch, then another. Each blow was fueled by the hours of terror he had spent searching for Lyvana.
Andrew spat out blood onto Julian’s expensive shoes.
"Fuck you, Blackwood," he wheezed, a twisted smile on his face.
"Before tonight is over," Julian said, his voice dropping low, "you will wish you never even knew her name."
Julian stepped back and slowly began to roll up his sleeves.
Back in the hospital the doctor walked into Lyvana’s room, looking at his clipboard. He looked at the family and gave a small, tired smile.
He walked over to the bed and leaned down. He pulled a small penlight from his pocket and gently lifted Lyvana’s eyelids, checking her pupils. He then moved his stethoscope over her chest, listening intently to her heart and then to her lungs.
"How is she doctor," lady Glowen asked, when
"She is doing very well," the doctor said softly. "The sedative is almost gone from her system. Like I told Mr. Blackwood, she is just sleeping it off. The pregnancy is perfectly healthy too."
The room went deathly silent.
Lady Glowen gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. Damon froze, his eyes widening as he looked at the doctor.
"Pregnancy?" Lady Glowen whispered, her voice trembling. "Did you say... pregnancy?"
The doctor stopped, realizing his mistake. He looked around the room and saw the shocked faces of the parents and the grandmother.
"Oh. I... um, I thought you knew. Yes. She is pregnant. And um, the pregnancy is progressing well."
Isabelle burst into tears, leaning into Damon for support. Damon looked down at his sleeping daughter.
When the doctor finished and left the room, Lady Glowen sat in the chair next to the bed. She took Lyvana’s hand and squeezed it gently.
"I don’t think she knew she was pregnant," she said quietly.
"I think so, too," Damon added, his face darkening. "This will make things very complicated for her. She and Mark are already separated. A pregnancy with him now..."
"I can’t believe she is pregnant at all," Lady Glowen said. "Was the diagnosis wrong."
Emily stayed in the corner, pressing her back against the wall. She watched them talk, her stomach turning in knots.
She knew the truth that would change everything. She wondered if she should speak up. If she should tell them that Mark wasn’t the father at all.
It was Julian.
She texted Ethan.
They found out Liv is pregnant.
They think it’s Mark.
What to do???
Ethan texted back.
Will call you in a minute.
Emily stared at her phone, her thumb hovering over the screen. In the middle of the room, Lady Glowen and Damon were already discussing how to handle Mark. They were talking about him as if he were still part of the family.
"We have to call him," Damon said, his voice heavy. "If it’s his child, he has a right to know. Even if they are separated."
"No," Lady Glowen snapped, her eyes flashing. "Not after what he did. We wait until Lyvana wakes up."
Emily felt sick. She looked back at her phone as it began to vibrate in her hand. It was Ethan. She quickly stepped out into the hospital corridor to answer. ƒreewebηoveℓ.com
"Baby," Ethan’s voice came through. "What happened?"
"The doctor just blurted it out," Emily whispered, looking around to make sure no one was listening. "Ethan, they think it’s Mark’s baby. They’re talking about calling him."
On the other end of the line, there was a brief silence. Emily could hear the faint sound of a struggle and a muffled scream in the background.
"That’s bad," Ethan said. "Do not say anything yet. Julian is... erm occupied. If he hears that the family is giving Mark credit for his children, he might actually kill Andrew Thorne right now. I need we need to handle this carefully."
"How?"
"Well, for starters, don’t let anyone call Mark, ok."
"Ok."
Ethan hung up. When she went back to Lyvana’s room. Lady Glowen was still sitting by the bed, her face, deep in thought.
Damon and Isabel were whispering near the window. They looked happy about the pregnancy.
Suddenly, a soft moan came from the bed. Lyvana was awake. She blinked against the bright hospital lights, looking confused.
"Lyvana?" Lady Glowen whispered, leaning close to stroke her hair. "Can you hear me, darling?"
Lyvana turned her head slowly. She looked at her grandmother, then at her father and Isabel. Then finally at Emily.
"Where... where am I?" she whispered dryly.
"You’re safe," Damon said. "You’re in the hospital. Julian found you."
Lyvana looked confused.
"Who is Julian?"
