In the interweaving of one event after another, it was nearly impossible not to think of Aoife’s lack of involvement.
What Aoife didn’t know was that her secret, which she had been hiding, had already been guessed by Ethan.
Everyone has their troubles. Learning of the kind of relationship between Aoife and Finn, Ethan felt a deep sense of loss and regret. But he reminded himself that Aoife was still Aoife, the gentle, shy, and strong Aoife.
In his eyes, she was the best.
Ethan felt a stirring within him again. When he had confessed his feelings to Aoife, she hadn’t given him a definitive answer.
Did she even know his feelings? If he confessed again, would Aoife accept him? Or would it scare her away?
Aoife was reluctant to go to the county hospital, afraid that Finn would find her.
Knowing her fears, Ethan couldn’t stand idly by. He managed to procure two fake identities.
Aoife was afraid of hospitals. Her previous mental health check for depression had left a scar, and she was genuinely worried about her health.
What if she had a tumor? Surgeries could cost tens of thousands, where would they find the money?
Throughout the journey, Aoife was consumed with worry until Ethan took her hand. She flinched but didn’t pull away as Ethan held on tightly.
His hand was warm, a stark contrast to her own, which were always cold.
The warmth seemed to spread through her body with each pulse of her heart.
Ethan held her hand tightly, reassuring her, “Don’t be afraid, I’m here.”
Her uneasy heart calmed with his words.
Arriving in the county, Ethan led the way with navigation on his phone, holding Aoife’s hand tightly. The streets were not crowded, but he feared she might get lost in this unfamiliar place.
In the hospital, Ethan communicated with the local language, impressing Aoife with his ability. She knew she would never have dared to come alone.
The doctor handed Ethan a slip of paper.
Aoife leaned in to look but couldn’t understand the scribbled notes.
“Go for an ultrasound.”
The results were quick. Lying there for the abdominal ultrasound, Aoife saw Ethan’s anxious gaze on the screen. When a shadow appeared, he froze, the shadow looking ominously like a tumor.
Ethan’s face went pale, unsure of how to break the news to Aoife.
Feeling his intense stare, Aoife grew more nervous, fearing she might really have a severe illness requiring surgery.
“What’s wrong?” Aoife looked up at the screen.
Ethan felt a deep pain, as if hammered in the chest, spreading to every corner of his body, his fingertips trembling.
After a moment, he tried to comfort her, “Don’t worry, if it’s a tumor, it’s likely benign. We’ll just remove it; it’s not a big problem.”
A tumor? Could it really be cancer?
Aoife felt a void in her brain, her body went limp, unable to even get up.
She looked at the small shadow on the screen, unfamiliar and frightening.
Both laypeople, they didn’t understand what it meant.
Ethan asked the doctor, “What kind of tumor is this?”
The doctor looked puzzled, his forehead creased, “Your tumor looks like a person?”
“What?”
“Your wife is pregnant, about 12 weeks along.” The doctor added with a hint of sarcasm, “Aren’t you adults? How can you not tell the difference between a pregnancy and a tumor? Didn’t you notice something off about your wife’s menstrual cycle?”
Ethan was stunned, a bitter taste in his mouth. Aoife was pregnant… and the father was obvious without question.
Seeing Ethan’s somber face, Aoife thought her condition was grave. After the check-up, she got dressed and cautiously clutched Ethan’s shirt.
“What did the doctor say?”
Ethan was silent.
Aoife’s voice faltered, “Tell me, whatever it is, I’ve prepared for the worst. I can handle it. I’m not afraid.”
Ethan mustered a strained smile, “You’re pregnant, three months along.”
Aoife had only been abroad for three months. The timing matched when Finn had been intimate with her, an accidental pregnancy.
Staring at the small shadow on the screen, Aoife’s focus blurred, her soul seemingly slipping away.
She touched her abdomen, her entire body trembling.
Did she even want this child?
Her mind was blank, unable to concentrate.
If she were rational, she would know the answer quickly. This child shouldn’t come into the world, it couldn’t. The right thing would be to end the pregnancy.
She was already fleeing for her life, how could she care for a child? Her documents were fake, how would she give the child an identity? The expenses of childbirth were the least of her worries. Money could be earned, but who would provide the missing father’s love?
If this child were to be born, it would be illegitimate, and as Finn’s mistress, the shame would be eternally nailed to her soul.