Hiding Behind Her Superficiality novel Chapter 532
“We first met back in Yothgurd.”
Yelena was taken back to the time when she was sixteen. Yothgurd. That’s where I lived before I turned sixteen. The Sullivans were expanding their territory in Yothgurd, a city in the south, at that time. Not only did the south have big cities, it also had the gentle air of Damoria. Her elders loved traditional houses, so she stayed in a refurbished courtyard. “I don’t remember…”
Hank looked at her with some disappointment in his eyes. “So, you don’t remember me.”
Yelena blushed. She had no recollection of ever meeting Hank. She thought he was making up a story.
“You were about fourteen and still a student. Do you remember running into a young lad on your way home from school one day?”
A lad? Yelena shook her head.
“I was vacationing with my folks back then, but the throng in Yothgurd separated us. While I was searching for my folks, I ran into a couple of kidnappers. They noticed my expensive clothes and tried to kidnap me.” Even though he was almost kidnapped, Hank only had reminiscence in his eyes and no fear or trauma at all. “I saw a girl crossing the bridge, and I called out to her. ‘Hey, Chubby! Help me!’”
Chubby… Wait a minute… Yelena stopped blushing, and a look of fury filled her eyes. Oh, I remember now. So that was him! Back in her junior high days, she gained a lot of weight and got a lot more rotund. Her classmates joked about it a lot, but it never got to her. Instead, it fed her ferocity. When she heard that boy calling her Chubby, she flew into a rage.
She was just fourteen back then, yet she was already five-foot-five. She was almost as tall as the kidnappers. She grabbed the kidnapper by her shirt and precociously said, “Hold on, miss.” Yelena cleared her throat and hissed, “I have some personal business to settle with this brat.” She shot Hank with a murderous glare.
Upset by this sudden interloping, the kidnapper tried to chase her away.
“Your son is an incredibly rude boy. He called me Chubby! I know I’m overweight, but he shouldn’t have said that to a girl like me. I need to teach him a lesson on respect.”
That was a good reason. Hank wanted the girl to buy him some time, so he just watched the drama unfold.
“It’s just a misunderstanding, girl. Just ignore it. I can apologize if you want.”
There was a crowd gathering around them, and the kidnappers were getting nervous. If the boy’s parents came looking for him, they would send the kidnappers to jail.
“No.” Yelena stood in front of the kidnappers, refusing them passage.
For some reason, Hank thought she looked like a small hill, and he burst into laughter.
“What are you laughing at? You still have no idea what you’ve done, do you?”
Hank pointed at the ladies. “They’re kidnappers.”
Panicked, the kidnappers let go of Hank and fled.
“You knew? Then why didn’t you shout?” Yelena was young, but she knew that calling the cops or shouting was the best way to deal with this case.
“It wouldn’t have helped. Everyone would have thought it was a family affair and stayed out of it, but if I called you Chubby, you’d come running just to teach me a lesson.”
He used me? Upset, Yelena said, “So you did it on purpose?”
“Yes. Thank you, Miss Chubby.”
That again? Enraged, Yelena started to tremble. “Who are you calling chubby? You’re so rude.” For some reason, she couldn’t argue with Hank. If anyone else had called her chubby, she would’ve fought back. Despite her weight, she was a fair and beautiful young lady, but she couldn’t flatter herself in Hank’s presence.
He was unlike the ugly kids in her class. If they had called her Chubby, she would’ve called them ugly, but she had a feeling that Hank would still look better than her even if she had slimmed down. For the first time in her life, she felt insecure. That insecurity shut her up, so she gave the boy a conflicted look. Then, she turned around to leave.
Her sad look made Hank feel guilty. “Hey, what’s your name? You saved me after all. I want to know your name,” he said awkwardly.
“None of your business.”
“I don’t like chubby girls. Can’t marry you, sorry, but I can grant you a wish or something.”
What on earth? Yelena wiped her tears away. “I don’t want to see you ever again!” She then ran away crying.
Hank’s folks found him eventually. They talked and concluded that Yothgurd was not a good vacation spot, so they decided to go home. That night, Hank was reminded of what happened earlier that day, and he cursed himself. The next morning, he woke up early and asked his parents to search for someone.
Hank remembered the badge she was wearing. It belonged to Yothgurd High’s junior high department, and he saw the name ‘Sullivan’ etched onto it. His parents looked into the girl. When they found out she was the one who saved Hank, they wanted to thank her, but Hank stopped them. Even though he was only fifteen, Hank had a plan for his gratitude. He stood in front of the headmaster’s room, staring at the field outside. He saw a rotund girl holding up a ball with difficulty, but he didn’t find her ugly. She might be chubby, but she was cute. A smile curled his lips, and he stared into the distance. “No. I’ll repay my debt myself.”
“After that, I spent two years completing my course at the university. Then, I went home to take over my father’s company. I wanted to contact you to offer you help with losing weight, but I later found out that you had already slimmed down and were about to debut. So, I purchased all of the magazines that you appeared in throughout the first year of your career. I’d say that I was one of the major reasons you became so famous,” Hank uttered.
Yelena hadn’t expected such a thing to have happened in the past—just the thought of it made the whole thing seem rather ridiculous. “Why didn’t you show up in the past, then?” Yelena was puzzled. This means that I had a famous benefactor that has been supporting me all along. Yet, no one ever knew about it, and Hank didn’t even plan on telling me about it!
“Yeah. I didn’t tell you about this because back then when I first wanted to open up to you, I found out that you had already fallen for Max,” Hank explained. Yelena found herself walking down memory lane. She would never forget how she spent her youth—Max filled her mind on most days after he protected her.
As a result, Yelena had been blinded by what was before her eyes, and she didn’t notice Hank, who had been secretly supporting her the whole time. “Well, if I had already fallen for Max, then… Why didn’t you just give up on me?” Yelena asked. Logically speaking, if Hank found out that I was doing well, shouldn’t he have forgotten about me and cut ties with me? Yelena wondered.
“That’s what I thought at first. I figured that I would leave once you rose to fame. However, I hadn’t expected myself to end up thinking about a chubby girl with a ball in her hand whenever I go to bed at night. I couldn’t erase that thought from my mind…” Yelena’s face turned pink when she heard of the memory that Hank clung onto. “What are you talking about? You’re the chubby one.” She punched him playfully.
Hank felt like his memory was playing tricks on him when he looked at Yelena’s slim and sharp face. “What I meant was that I had already fallen too deeply for you. So, I simply decided to continue liking you over the years. I’ve never stopped liking you,” he uttered.
“Hmph. I’ve seen the world, young man; I don’t believe a word that you say,” Yelena replied jokingly. Hank pinched her nose, making it hard for her to catch her breath. “I told you I wouldn’t lie to you anymore,” he said.
“So, how are you planning to deal with this matter?” Yelena asked.
Hank sighed and shook his head. “You probably won’t be able to figure things out with that simple mind of yours. Cecelia and I will come up with something, so you don’t have to worry about it.” Yelena felt intrigued by Cecelia—she felt like she had already developed a firm relationship with Cecelia although she still didn’t know Cecelia that well. A woman’s interest in another woman was often clear-cut and direct—one would take a liking to another woman as long as the woman had a good attitude, good looks, talent, and the absence of threat.
“Alright. In that case, should I head back to filming?” Yelena asked.
“Filming? I wouldn’t have allowed you to film this if I knew that there was such an extensive kissing scene.” Hank massaged his brows before he came to a firm decision. “I’ll request for a switch in the male lead of this show. I might have to oversee the plot of the whole show as well,” he stated.
“I…” Yelena stuck her tongue out as she didn’t know what to say. She knew that there was no use in arguing against Hank. “What should I do now, then?” If Yelena didn’t get to act in films, she would be jobless once more. All the enthusiasm and excitement that Yelena had felt toward her filming earlier disappeared.
“You should just take a break. For now, you should try to avoid contacting me. You need to make it seem as if we’ve cut ties completely, okay?” Hank said.
Yelena’s eyes lit up upon hearing this. “Well, isn’t that my greatest strength?” He wants me to pretend that we don’t have any form of relationship at all… Well, doesn’t that require acting as well? Acting’s where I shine the most! Yelena nodded before grinning.
…
However, Yelena hadn’t expected to have to master her role so quickly. She was sleeping at home one night when she heard a loud knock on her door. She dazedly shuffled over to open the door, only to find an elegant lady standing outside. The elegant lady raised an eyebrow when she saw Yelena. Her skin was smooth and free of wrinkles—she was clearly someone who took care of her looks.
“Are you Yelena?” the lady asked. Yelena was wide awake with surprise at that point, and she widened her eyes as she responded to the lady, “That’s right. I’m Yelena. Is anything the matter?” Yelena’s voice was rather shaky, and it made her sound like she was afraid of the lady.
The lady knitted her brows. “I’m Hank’s mother, Simone Balkan. I’m here to ask you a few questions. Would you be free to have a chat now?”
Yelena’s face immediately lit up when she heard that the woman was Hank’s mother and her future mother-in-law. “Of course! But… I don’t have much of a relationship with Hank, so I wouldn’t know much about his recent activities if you are curious about that,” Yelena explained with a smile. She didn’t make it seem as if she and Hank were huge enemies, as she knew that she would eventually have to fake a reconciliation with Hank.
Yelena didn’t want Hank’s mother to hate her! The best she could do was to remain polite but distant. “It’s fine.” Simone brushed her hair out of her face in the most elegant manner possible. “I just wanted to know more about what happened between you two, especially since I just found out about Hank’s relationship.”
Yelena invited the woman into her house, and Simone began to frown when she looked at her surroundings. “It seems like… you’re not from that wealthy of a family.”
“Yes, Miss Balkan. Please take a seat.” Yelena politely got the woman to settle down before she brought the woman a cup of tea. “I’m just from a regular family, and I’m not all that wealthy. But don’t worry—my feelings for Hank are real, and I have no intention of snatching his inheritance or anything of that sort,” Yelena explained.
This was the first time Simone had received such a response, and she burst out laughing after hearing it. “Don’t worry. Hank is a sensible man, so I know he wouldn’t just transfer all his inheritance to you…” Are you sure about that? That sounds like what your son would do. He has already spent huge sums of money on me, Yelena thought. She could only keep these thoughts to herself as she didn’t dare to bring up this matter.
Simone cleared her throat before she continued questioning Yelena. “What I’m really curious about is how you guys met,” she uttered.
Yelena blinked. “Well, do you want to hear the truth, or would you prefer a lie? You will have to prepare yourself if you want the truth. The way we met sounds like a plot in a romance novel—even I had to take some time to process the whole situation.”
Simone let out a hearty laugh. “I want the truth, of course. I love a good story.” Yelena could tell that Simone wasn’t a manipulative or haughty woman, so she felt comfortable enough to open up. She started telling the story from when they were kids, and she went on to tell Simone about how they ended up meeting again later in life. She realized how Simone’s eyes lit up as Simone listened to her.
“Are you mad at me, Miss Balkan?” Even though Yelena had been transparent about everything, she still felt rather anxious. Hank spent a large sum of his money on me. Wouldn’t Miss Balkan be furious to hear this?
“Why should I be angry?” Simone chuckled. “Isn’t it great that both of you managed to support each other at different points in life?” Support… I don’t think I’ve supported Hank in any way, Yelena thought.
“I think you might have misunderstood something, Miss Balkan. We’ve already broken up with each other, and I…” Yelena felt rather helpless at that point. Does this mean that Miss Balkan is actually supportive of our relationship? In that case, why did we rush into this whole act of breaking up with each other?
“I know… But that’s such a shame.” Simone let out a sigh before she took a sip out of her teacup. “I’m sure Hank is really fond of you, but I don’t know why you guys broke up in the end. Why don’t you tell me about it?” she asked.
Yelena gulped. “We broke up because he had to go on a blind date.” Simone nearly spat out her tea after hearing Yelena. However, she was a cultured woman, so she managed to calm herself down before speaking. “So, are you saying that the brat, Hank, dumped you over this matter?” she asked in the most pleasant tone she could manage.
Hank, a brat… Yelena felt like her brain was covered by a layer of fog. For some reason, she found it rather bizarre to hear Simone speak of her son in that way. Yelena was about to explain herself when someone knocked on her door again. “Let me get that.” Yelena flashed Simone a smile before she hurried to the entrance. She had just opened the door when she found herself greeted by a warm hug.
Hank rushed into the room and scanned Yelena from head to toe to make sure that she was still in one piece. “I’m glad you’re fine,” he uttered with a sigh. “Why wouldn’t I be?” Yelena was puzzled for a moment. However, she then noticed Simone from the corner of her eye, and she finally understood what Hank meant. It seemed like Hank had found out about his mother’s visit, and he had rushed over just to support her.
However… “I’m still here.” Simone’s voice was calm, and she didn’t reveal any emotions in her tone. Yelena spun around and glanced in Simone’s direction before she pushed Hank a little farther away from her. “Miss Balkan is still here. You should watch what you’re doing,” Yelena whispered.
“I don’t know why you showed up here today, Mom. However, we’ve already broken up, so I hope you don’t come over to bother Yelena from now on,” Hank uttered in a firm and icy tone. It seemed like he was certain that Simone had visited Yelena just to threaten Yelena to stay away from him. Yelena quickly shook her head. “It isn’t what you think. There has been a misunderstanding,” she uttered worriedly.
“Don’t be afraid. I know you must feel bad. You need to tell me if she threatened you in any way,” he replied.
“Hey, didn’t you guys break up with each other already? Why are you guys still clinging to one another?” Simone let out an amused giggle. “That’s enough. I’m not as mean as you guys think I am,” she uttered while standing up with her bag. “But… It’s true that you guys cannot be together. I’m sure you know why.”
Hank shot the woman with an icy glare. Yelena was stunned by the sudden turn of events. How did things change so quickly? Didn’t I just have a really pleasant exchange with Miss Balkan?
“I believe I have full autonomy in dating whomever I like. You shouldn’t worry about this matter.” Both mother and son were insistent on their stances, and neither one of them seemed to want to take a step back. “No, I think you misunderstood what I said,” Simone uttered as she held her chin up high. “I think both of you cannot be together because I think you’re no match for her.”
Yelena couldn’t stop herself from gasping in shock.
“You were dating one another, yet you dumped her just because you had to go on a blind date. She’s such a nice girl, and she once saved you. Is that how you’re supposed to treat your savior?” Simone clicked her tongue at her son while giving him a disdainful glare. I can’t believe I spent all my years nurturing this boy into a young man with such a horrible attitude! Yelena is such an innocent and kind young lady—I can’t believe she had to suffer because of him. Well, she does seem like a rather honest and simple girl. It’s no wonder she was fooled by Hank. It looks like she’s still confused at this point.
Simone walked over to Yelena before holding Yelena’s hands and gazing at her lovingly. “Yelena, I noticed how kind and nice you are after our talk earlier. Since Hank decided to treat you so horribly, I think you should just forget about him. I have tons of connections, and I can send you all of their contacts later. You should chat with some of these men, and you can tell me if you like any of them. I’ll set you guys up.”
Is my future mother-in-law trying to introduce me to other guys in front of my own boyfriend? The entire situation was too confusing for Yelena. Hank, on the other hand, realized what was going on, and his expression darkened immediately. “What are you doing, Mom?” he hissed.
“I didn’t do much. I just figured that I’d find Yelena someone who will cherish her since you don’t.” Simone had already pulled her phone out to open her Facebook application. “Why don’t you add me as a friend? I’ll send you some contacts later.” Yelena didn’t know how to reject the woman, so she awkwardly reached out to take Simone’s phone before adding herself as a friend.
Hank reached out to stop Yelena when he saw what she was doing. “Are you going to cheat on me, Yelena?” he growled with a stern look on his face. It was then that Yelena realized what was going on. “No, no. It’s fine, Miss Balkan; I don’t need any contacts.” Yelena waved her hands to signal that she didn’t need Simone’s offer.
Simone crossed her arms in front of her chest. “Look—you would’ve continued lying to me if I hadn’t forced the truth out of you. You’re clearly still in love with each other. Why did you lie to me?”
Yelena spoke up as she was worried that Hank would receive a scolding otherwise. “It’s not what it looks like, Miss Balkan. Hank just wanted to slow things down as he was worried that you wouldn’t be able to accept it.”
“Why does he have to care about that? Back then, his father practically turned the world upside-down when he courted me. His father even gave up on the family business! How could our son be so useless? He can’t even protect his own woman.” How frustrating! Simone thought.
Yelena was too embarrassed to speak at that point, so she simply stood by the side while eyeing Hank with her large, round eyes. It was as if she was trying to tell him that she had tried her best to help, but there wasn’t much else that she could do.
“I have my own plans,” Hank uttered in a calm voice while gazing at Simone. Simone seemed rather displeased to hear this. “What plan are you talking about? I want you guys to have a good talk. I’ll handle the rest of the matters,” she suggested. I can’t trust Hank at all! He nearly lost such a good wife. I had to step in just to take things into my own hands.
Elspeth turned around. “I’m going to bed,” she uttered without bothering to conceal the fatigue in her voice. Callum stared at her for a while, and his gaze darkened before he went into their room to grab his pillows. He ended up sleeping in the guest room that night, and they had started sleeping separately since then.
Callum and Elspeth were the only two people at home in the daytime. Usually, Callum would wake up earlier to prepare breakfast for Elspeth. However, Elspeth was surprised when she woke up to find that Callum hadn’t cooked anything the next morning. She sighed at the sight of the empty table. It seems like we really have some unresolved issues. Well, I’m not going to be the one to give in this time. I’m the one who’s pregnant here—Callum should be the one apologizing to me!
Elspeth ended up waiting for three whole days. Callum didn’t show any signs of remorse throughout this period—he didn’t seem like he wanted to give in, either. Elspeth received a call while she was waiting for Callum’s apology. “It’s been a while, Elspeth.” Arthur’s voice was clear and firm. “There’s something I’d like to tell you. Is Callum beside you now?” His voice sounded like a warm summer breeze.
“No,” Elspeth responded in a rather curt tone as she felt frustrated upon hearing Callum’s name. “That’s great. Could we meet up for a meal?” Arthur asked.
“I’m busy,” she replied. “I know you’re pregnant now, and I understand how you might have mood swings. However, other people might not understand what you’re going through,” he stated.
Does he know that I’m pregnant? “How did you find out about this?” Elspeth clenched her fists. “You don’t need to know how I found out about it, but you might be more worried if others find out about it.” He was obviously threatening her. Even though Elspeth didn’t know how he found out about her pregnancy, she knew that he could hold it against her.
If others learned about her pregnancy, the McGraths would be the first to send someone over to hurt her. On top of that, all the other people she had offended in the past would definitely seize this opportunity to harm her. Elspeth was confident that she could protect her own child, but she felt uneasy after knowing that Arthur was involved in this matter.
Arthur knew that she was Helia’s daughter, so he would definitely take advantage of this piece of information to cause a fuss in the public’s eye. He would change the narrative and make it seem as if her child with Callum was a product of incest—he would make it seem as if she was bearing her cousin’s child. Elspeth could ignore all these matters, but she didn’t want her child to have to deal with the consequences of such rumors.
Elspeth felt especially troubled whenever Arthur held something against her. She wanted to reject him, but she knew that she couldn’t be too harsh when the man held such an important piece of information in his hands. “I’m really busy,” she replied.
“It seems like you’re not worried about this at all.” Arthur swirled the wine in his glass as he smirked. “Well, that’s okay. If you don’t want to come over, I can always go to you.”
“You must have lost your mind. I’m in the Winthrop Residence now,” Elspeth uttered with a frown. “I know that. I also know that Callum isn’t home now,” Arthur added. He talked for a while more before Elspeth heard the sound of a car engine coming from his end of the line. “Alright. Don’t come over,” Elspeth uttered before taking a deep breath to calm herself down. “Name a place. I’ll go over to meet you.”
“I knew you’d agree to meet up eventually.” Arthur let out a grin of victory. “Let’s meet at Damoria Delicacies. They serve pretty good Damorian food, and I remember how much you love local food.”
Elspeth felt her head throbbing. “You must’ve remembered wrongly. I don’t like Damorian food.” She felt disgusted whenever she had to interact with Arthur.
“Well, you should take your time to get ready since you’re a pregnant woman. I’ll see you in an hour.” Arthur ended the call after that. Elspeth freshened up, but she didn’t bother to put on any makeup. She headed over to the restaurant they had agreed to meet at. Arthur was already inside by the time she arrived, and a glimpse of fondness surfaced in his gaze when he first saw her. However, he quickly wiped the look off his face. He stubbed the cigarette in his hand and opened the window a little wider when he noticed the woman’s baby bump.
Elspeth took a seat in the spot that was farthest away from him. “Why did you want to meet me in person, Arthur? Are you going to drug me the way you did the last time?” she asked.
Arthur shook his head before chuckling and admitting to his faults. “I know I acted a little too rashly the last time, but I genuinely miss you this time. I just wanted to have a chat,” he said.
“I’ve said this a ton of times, but I really don’t have much to say to you,” she replied.
“No,” Arthur said while shaking his head. “I asked you out today because of your pregnancy,” he explained. Elspeth immediately went into fight-or-flight mode as she pressed a hand against her belly while eyeing the man cautiously. “You’re not going to find ways to torture the baby in my belly, are you?”
Arthur flashed her a bitter smile. “I know I’m not the nicest man around, but I’ve never wanted to harm you. You don’t have to be so careful around me.” Even though Arthur had a rather horrible personality, he was right when he claimed that he had never done anything to harm her directly.
Elspeth nodded. “What do you want to know, then?” she asked.
“I found out about your pregnancy because Jethro told me about it,” Arthur explained. Elspeth was then reminded of what happened in the pharmacy. She contemplated the whole situation for a while, and she felt a sense of displeasure toward Jethro after she finally made sense of the whole situation.
“I don’t think you should keep the child.” Arthur got straight to his point. He made it sound as if the world would end once she gave birth to the child.
“I don’t think you’re in any position to tell me what I should do with my baby.” Elspeth was aware that she had considered aborting the child, but she didn’t want others to tell her what to do. “You’re a smart woman, Elspeth. I’ve always known this about you.” Arthur paused for a moment, then he sighed at the sight of her emotionless face. “But… Do you know how much you might be affected by the birth of this child?” he asked slowly.
Elspeth kept the same blank expression on her face as she spoke in a hard voice. “I know.”
“You don’t. If you knew how much you’d be affected, you wouldn’t be so stubborn now.” Arthur knew how stubborn the woman was, so he tried to switch to a gentler tone as he continued explaining the situation to her.
“Firstly, the child came at a bad time. Both you and Callum are focusing on developing the business now. Do you think you can bring yourself to give up on Azure Corporation just to care for the child? You’ll have to put in a lot of effort to care for a child on your own. Would you be able to do that? Secondly, you still don’t know where your real father is. Even if you manage to prove that you’re not blood-related to Callum, the public will still make comments on this matter. If you give birth to your child now, the child will carry the name of being born out of incest. Are you sure that this is what you want for your child?” Arthur asked.
“Lastly, and most importantly… You’re not fit to have a child now,” he said.
“What did you just say?” Elspeth’s gaze darkened.
“I know more than you think I do, of course. I only wanted to remind you of this matter because I don’t want anything bad to happen to you.” The look of concern on Arthur’s face didn’t seem pretentious. Elspeth was rather suspicious of his intentions. “Well, I still need you to give me a solid reason.” She wasn’t going to put her complete trust in the man’s words—she had to remain vigilant around him.
“Would you trust me if I told you the truth?” he asked.
“I’ll try my best to trust you.” Elspeth then realized how the man had been hesitant to tell her everything only because he was afraid that she would be suspicious of him. Arthur forced a smile. “I knew it. I’m sure you’ll never have complete trust in me. However, I still wanted to talk to you about this for the sake of your own health. When Jasmine’s grandfather treated your illness, he didn’t completely heal you. You might feel like you’re completely healed, but the truth is that your body wouldn’t be able to handle childbirth,” Arthur explained.
“Are you saying that Old Mr. McGrath did this to stop me from getting back together with Callum? Was this his plan all along?” Elspeth felt chills running down her spine. She hadn’t considered this matter in the past. She hadn’t expected Haris to be so manipulative.
“I guess you could say that.” Arthur seemed rather uneasy at that point. “Well, regardless, I don’t think you should keep the child.”
“Arthur.” Elspeth looked up with a hint of amusement in her gaze. “I don’t think your intentions are all that pure, am I right?”
A look of embarrassment flashed across Arthur’s face. “What do you mean by that?”
“You know what I mean, and you know what I’m about to say.” Elspeth took a deep breath as she felt anger building up within her. “I know my body the best, and I know whether I’m capable of handling childbirth or not. I don’t need you to tell me what to do.” With that said, Elspeth got to her feet and stormed out of the restaurant.
Elspeth only managed to calm down a little after she stepped out of Damoria Delicacies. She rubbed her belly with a neutral expression on her face. However, she still felt rather flustered and worried deep down. She wasn’t sure if everything Arthur told her was the truth, but she knew that part of what he said was right. I know that I can’t handle childbirth at this moment. I can tell from the discomfort that I’ve felt ever since I got pregnant. But… I’m also worried that he might only be stopping me from having the child due to his own selfish reasons.
Things were a complete mess in Elspeth’s mind. However, her eyes lit up when she thought of a person. About three hours later, Elspeth’s cab reached the entrance of a villa. She pulled out a few notes and handed them to the cab driver. “Keep the change.” The cab driver was elated, and he thanked her a few times before he drove off. Elspeth straightened her clothes before she stepped forward to knock on the front door.
Elspeth knitted her brows together when no one came to the door after her third knock. She eventually pushed the door open to let herself in. The door wasn’t locked, so she knew that someone was home. After some hesitation, Elspeth walked to the backyard, where she found a figure bent over in front of some bushes. The person was trimming the messy plants in the yard.
“Hey, old man.” Elspeth stood on the steps as she called out to the man in a laidback voice. It had been a while since Sonny last saw Elspeth, and he jumped in surprise when he heard the familiar voice coming from behind him. He nearly dropped his shovel on his foot. “What brings you here today, El? Do you miss me?” Sonny wiped the sweat off his forehead and kept his gardening tools away. He placed the tools on a rack and picked up a bottle of water before taking a few gulps.
“I’m pregnant,” Elspeth uttered. Sonny couldn’t help but spit the water out of his mouth after he heard the woman’s words. He was too shocked to speak for a while, and all he did was point a shaky finger in the woman’s direction. “You… You…”
“What about me? I was wondering whether I should keep the child.” Elspeth lowered her head and fidgeted. Sonny gazed in the direction of her flat belly before he spoke in a stern voice. “You don’t seem too well. Perhaps you should consider giving up on the child.”
“Well, would you have any ways to… help me keep the child?” Elspeth gazed at the old man. She was certain that he would have an idea. Sonny plucked a four-leaf clover from a bush nearby before he toyed around with it. “I think it’s best if you don’t give birth anytime soon.” Sonny had known Elspeth for years, and she was practically like a daughter to him. He couldn’t bear to watch the woman lie to herself, and he couldn’t bear the thought of her sacrificing her life just for her child!
“Why would you say that?” Elspeth knew the answer, but she insisted on questioning the man anyway. “Don’t you know my reasons? You’ve never been in great health, and I’m worried that both you and the child might end up losing your lives if you insist on giving birth,” he uttered in a helpless tone. Elspeth was his mentee, so he knew that she had never been the healthiest person.
In the past, Sonny had attempted to brew some supplements that could help with Elspeth’s health. However, he could clearly tell that Elspeth had lost a lot of weight since she got pregnant. The child in her belly was sucking up all of her nutrients. “Look at yourself. You’ve lost so much weight… Tsk. Is this how Callum takes care of his wife? How could he allow you to lose so much weight?”
Sonny felt sorry for Elspeth. “I think you would’ve been much better off if you had married the kid from the Payne Family. At least he genuinely cared for you! I could tell that he loved you from the way he treated you when we were abroad…” Sonny didn’t bother to filter his words.
Elspeth felt rather uneasy at the mention of Gilbert. “Alright. I’m a married woman now, and that was all in the past. Let’s not talk about that anymore. Just tell me—do you think it’s possible for me to keep the child?”
Sonny sighed while knitting his brows together. “It’s going to be hard.”
“What are the chances of things working out?” she asked.
“Less than 20%,” he replied honestly. He felt bad when he saw the look of disappointment on her face. “It’s fine. You’re still young, so you can always get another child. You don’t have to give birth now. You can give birth to more kids once you fix your health issues,” he uttered.
Elspeth nodded. “I got it,” she muttered in a rather dejected tone.
“You shouldn’t worry about this. Now’s not a good time to have a child, but that doesn’t mean that you’ll never be able to give birth.” Sonny felt like Elspeth was being too pessimistic toward the whole matter. Elspeth gazed down at her own belly. The fetus is barely a month old, yet I feel like it already has a life of its own. I feel like it’s connected to me. This is my first child with Callum, yet I’ll have to end its life before it gets to see this world. Elspeth’s heart ached at the thought of this.
She felt a surge of sorrow as she rubbed her own belly. “You should terminate your pregnancy as soon as possible. You have to do it for the sake of your own health.” Sonny patted her shoulder as he comforted her in a gentle voice. “I’ll get you some herbs now, and you can brew and drink them once you’re home. You can come to me after you’ve aborted the child. I’ll make sure to nurture you to good health.”
“You’re here, Elspeth.” A familiar voice came from behind her. She turned around to find herself staring at Arthur’s face. This guy seems to be everywhere! Arthur’s gaze softened when he noticed the papers she was holding in her hand. “Are you here to abort your child?”
“That has got nothing to do with you.” Elspeth turned around as she felt the need to stop Arthur from staring at her belly.
“You should’ve listened to my advice and aborted the child from the start, Elspeth… But I guess it’s good that you’ve decided to do it today. I’ll arrange for the best doctors to be on duty, and I’ll make sure that everything goes smoothly…” Elspeth felt her hairs standing on end when she heard the rather loving tone in the man’s voice.
“I said it’s none of your business!” Elspeth frowned in disgust.
“It’s fine. I’ll go make the necessary arrangements.” Arthur walked off with a victorious smirk on his face. At that moment, Elspeth no longer had the motivation to complete her procedure in that hospital. She had been about to leave when she noticed a man standing at the entrance of the hospital. The man was tall and slender, and he wore a rather mysterious look on his face.
Elspeth didn’t know how to describe how she felt—there was a mixture of guilt and helplessness within her. Yet, she couldn’t seem to stop herself from walking in his direction. She took a deep breath after stopping in front of him. “What brings you here?” she asked in a cautious voice.
“I should be the one asking you this question.” There wasn’t a hint of emotion in Callum’s voice. “Did you hear our entire conversation?” Elspeth asked with a rather pained look on her face. “Did you hear everything that I said to Arthur?”
“What is it? Are you going to continue doing things with him behind my back?” Callum clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white. “I never wanted to hide this from you. I simply haven’t found the right time to tell you about it.” Elspeth glanced at the man before her eyes. She felt oddly anxious at the thought of him being the father of her child.
Callum looked up and gazed in the direction where Arthur had walked off. “You didn’t get a chance to tell me, but you found the time to speak to him about it, huh? Since when did the two of you become so close?” There was a hint of anger on his face.
“It’s not what you think it is. I’m sure you know that I’ve never liked him.” Elspeth was about to continue explaining herself when Callum interrupted her. “You don’t have to explain yourself to me. You know yourself best,” he uttered. Then, he shot a fiery glare in the direction of her flat belly. “You’re pregnant with my child, but you don’t want to give birth to it. Is that right?”
Elspeth parted her lips to speak, but she couldn’t find the words at all. She didn’t know how to explain herself to him at that point. In fact, she didn’t even feel like explaining anything to him when she saw how emotionless he seemed. Is this how little we trust each other? Elspeth felt both frustrated and amused.
“Alright. I understand.” Callum smirked. “Don’t worry. You don’t have to give birth to my child if you don’t want to,” he uttered.
“Callum!” Elspeth’s face turned pale.
“In fact, if you don’t like being married to me, then we could just—”
“What’s the point of saying all these things?” Elspeth found it hard to breathe, so she pressed her hand against the wall to steady herself. “I know you find it hard to understand my actions for now, but can’t you just trust me for a bit?”
“I don’t know how to do that.” Callum stuffed both his hands into the pockets of his coat as he took a step back. “I won’t stop you from aborting the child. I’ll leave now.” He turned around to walk away, but his footsteps seemed rather unsteady as he left. He was just as hurt as Elspeth was.
The child in her belly was a product of their love. Yet, she seemed to insist on getting rid of the child without explaining herself to him. Callum felt extremely confused, and he decided to leave before he ended up saying anything hurtful to her. He hastened his footsteps at that thought. When he turned around a corner, he tilted his head back to find Elspeth crouching on the ground with both her hands covering her face. She had curled up into a ball.
Callum knew that she was crying. He took a deep breath before he made a phone call. “Hello.”
“What is it? Is anything the matter?” the person on the other end of the line asked.
“Can you come over to be with Elspeth? She’s in the hospital.”
“The hospital?” the person cried loudly. “What’s she doing there on her own?”
“She’s here to abort her child. You should come over to be with her,” Callum replied.
“An abortion? Is Elspeth pregnant? Why is she aborting the child?”
“I’m not sure, but I guess she has her own reasons.”
“Why do I feel so infuriated by your words?” Yelena stomped her foot on the ground as she confronted the man in a stern tone. “Am I her husband, or are you her husband? Shouldn’t you be at the hospital with her?” How could Callum neglect his responsibilities at a time like this? Yelena found this man utterly despicable. Despite that, she still got herself ready to head to the hospital.
“We had an argument. I don’t think she wants to see me now,” Callum explained.
“You’re a man. Why are you being so petty about these things?!” Yelena scowled as she threw a coat over her shoulders. Callum simply gave her the address of the hospital before he ended the call. When he turned around again, Elspeth was no longer anywhere to be seen.
…
Yelena couldn’t seem to reach Elspeth through her phone. Elspeth had decided to switch hospitals in the end as she simply couldn’t stand the idea of going through surgery under Arthur’s supervision. Elspeth lay on the surgical table of the new hospital, and she felt her eyelids getting heavy as she gazed up at the bright, white lights hanging above her head.
She had just been administered a dose of anesthesia, and she had felt a sting when the needle pierced her skin. The pain reminded her of Callum. He’s probably still mad at me. I’m sure he doesn’t understand my actions. He must think that I’m heartless to abort a child that we’ve been hoping for so long. Maybe I really am the most heartless person on earth.
Elspeth’s heart ached at the thought of this. However, as the anesthesia’s effects spread through her body, she could no longer keep herself awake. She felt her head getting heavier, and she later felt an emptiness in her abdomen. It felt as if something had been removed from within her—her body felt a lot lighter after that. She felt like she was dreaming the entire time.
About half an hour later, Elspeth opened her eyes to find out that the surgery had ended. She felt some discomfort as she got to her feet, but she didn’t feel anything else beyond that. “The surgery was a success, Miss Lynwood. You should get a lot of rest once you get home.” The nurse spoke to her in a gentle tone.
All she could think of was that her child was gone for good.
She was perplexed to the point where she didn’t know what she was thinking.
The nurse kept going on about some reminders, but she didn’t listen to any of them.
When she left the ward, someone was standing at the door. Instantly, her tears streamed down like a water tap that had been turned on.
“Elspeth…” Yelena spread her arms wide, allowing her friend to fall into her arms.
For the first time, she saw how fragile Elspeth was. She has always been my protector, but today, she looks like a broken doll.
“Elspeth, does it hurt?”
Even though Yelena had never given birth before, she knew how painful it must be for a woman after a miscarriage. Despite that, she could only comfort her friend gently and shed tears for her.
Caressing her face with a smile, Elspeth asked, “What are you crying for? It’s not like you went for the surgery.”
“I feel so bad for you.” Yelena only realized she had a nasal voice then. Suddenly, she clenched her teeth hard. “Callum is going overboard. It’s your surgery day! He was the one who made this happen, yet he’s avoiding you now. I’m starting to doubt if you married the right person.”
“Did Callum send you here?” Elspeth captured the point.
“Yeah. He said he has no guts to face you and claims that you hate him, but from my perspective, I think he’s just a coward!” Yelena then took off her jacket and draped it over Elspeth’s shoulders. “Come on. Stay over at my place for a few days.”
Even before marriage, Elspeth had never been to Yelena’s house, so she had no reason to go after her marriage, but now that Yelena invited her to come over, Elspeth nodded unexpectedly. “Let me make a phone call first.”
Yelena sighed bitterly. “Why are you still considering his feelings when he treats you like this?”
Lowering his head, Elspeth took out her phone and dialed a number. Three rings later, the receiver answered. “Hello.”
“I’m not coming home tonight. I’m sleeping over at Yelena’s.”
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