Ethan held the ultrasound film in his hand, looking at Aoife who had been silent since just now. He opened his mouth to say something, but his throat felt like it was stuffed with cotton, and not a word could come out.
Aoife touched her abdomen and looked up at the row of camphor trees in the hospital. Sunlight filtered through the camphor leaves, sparsely sprinkling on her. Aoife’s face was painted in a waxen yellow hue, but her neck was snow-white, almost transparent when illuminated. The veins on her neck were clearly visible.
Aoife felt unworthy of having a child. Once the child was born, countless troubles would await her, and as someone with no abilities, she couldn’t protect the child alone.
Should she have an abortion?
Aoife looked at her abdomen. There hadn’t been many changes in the three-month pregnancy period, but she could still feel a life lingering there.
Her lowered eyelashes trembled slightly. This was her family.
Due to the lack of affection in her life, she wanted to invest this emotion in this child.
“Do you want this child?” Ethan asked. He could see the conflict on Aoife’s face. “If you want it, keep it, after all… it’s your baby.”
“But this child will be born out of wedlock, without a father…”
Ethan shook his head. He reached out and gently rubbed Aoife’s head. “It won’t be born out of wedlock. If you’re willing, I can be the child’s father. As for your concerns, such as the child’s lack of status, I can help you solve them. The rest is up to you. If you don’t want this child, I’ll accompany you to the hospital to terminate it. If you do, I’ll be there to raise the child with you.”
He gave Aoife the space to choose and hoped she would give him a chance.
He didn’t mind having one more child to raise. As long as Aoife was willing, he could accept anything.
Aoife looked helpless, not knowing where to look. In the end, she could only lower her head and look at her toes.
Taking a deep breath, not remembering anything, he needed to give Aoife time to think, and he needed time himself.
“Let’s go, let’s go back.”
Christmas was approaching, and it was livelier abroad. The weather was cold, and Ethan carried a hand warmer with him, handing it to Aoife as soon as they left.
Previously, Aoife’s morning sickness was sporadic, but now that she knew she was pregnant, she constantly felt back pain, something pressing against her stomach, and she was always drowsy.
Previously, Aoife used to wake up early to prepare ingredients. Now, she overslept, and when she woke up to the sounds outside, she was startled. Putting on a coat, she opened the door and saw Ethan busy in the kitchen with the ingredients already prepared.
Upon hearing the commotion behind him, Ethan turned around. “Did I wake you up?”
Aoife shook her head. “Why didn’t you wake me up?”
“If you’re pregnant, you should rest more. Why should I wake you up to cook? Besides, I can handle this. What do you think?”
The ingredients were neatly arranged. Previously, Ethan, being from a wealthy family, couldn’t even wash dishes, let alone cook. But after living with Aoife for two to three months, he could not only clean but also cook and the presentation was decent.
However, the taste was always slightly off, no matter how similar the recipes and techniques were to Aoife’s.
Putting the ingredients into the cart, Ethan donned a helmet and instructed, “Remember to have breakfast. Rest at home, and I’ll sell snacks from now on.”
After confirming the pregnancy at the hospital, Ethan asked Aoife if she wanted the child. Up to now, Aoife hadn’t given a definite answer.
But Ethan could tell that Aoife wanted the child. Since she didn’t say anything, he didn’t push further and let things develop naturally.
Raising a child was costly, and there is no point in letting the adults suffer, let alone the child. Aoife’s health wasn’t good. She was diagnosed with malnutrition, low progesterone, and had to go to the hospital for injections to sustain the pregnancy.
Apart from the expenses during pregnancy, the bigger cost would be after the child was born. Aoife would need postpartum care, and the child would need nutritional supplements.
To ensure her safety and the baby’s health, he had to earn enough money quickly.
On a cold winter morning, the streets were foggy, and Ethan quickly closed the door after stepping out. “Hurry inside; it’s cold outside.”
The streets were deserted, with barely anyone in sight. Ethan carefully drove to the designated spot, where a few people were already waiting.
Opening the cart, Ethan apologized to everyone, “Sorry to keep you waiting. I came late today.”
“It’s okay. Boss, a seafood fried noodle for me. By the way, where’s the boss lady these days?”
“She’s pregnant. I asked her to rest at home, and I’ll be the one selling for the next few months.”
“The boss lady is pregnant. Congratulations, boss. Take good care of her. If you need anything, just ask us.”
Ethan smiled shyly. Everyone assumed Aoife was carrying his child, and he hoped so too.
Whether it was his child or not, the child belonged to Aoife, and he would treat it as his own.
At noon, Ethan wrapped up early and returned home. When he arrived, he saw someone standing at the door.
Aoife was wearing a thick coat and a scarf around her neck. Even at home, she wore heavy foundation, giving her a yellowish complexion. Ethan too had disguised himself, keeping up a beard, looking less youthful and more mature.
Parking the car on the side, he rushed over. “Why aren’t you staying inside? It’s so cold outside.”
“It’s not good to always stay indoors. I came out for some fresh air and to wait for you to come home for lunch.”
“Is lunch ready?”
Aoife nodded. “Yes, it’s warming in the pot. You can eat as soon as you return.”
The house was filled with a homely warmth. Following Aoife to the kitchen, he took the dishes she held and placed them on the table one by one.
“Aoife, I can cook now. You can wait for me to come home and cook. I don’t want you to be too tired.”
Aoife had been cooking since she was five. After so many years, it was the first time someone had told her not to cook to avoid exhaustion.
“I’m just pregnant, not disabled. Cooking is simple. I don’t want to do nothing. Being pregnant, I still need to exercise appropriately.” Gripping the fork tighter, Aoife hesitated for a moment before saying to Ethan, “Ethan, I want to keep this child.”
Ultimately, emotion triumphed over reason.
“Well, let’s find a new house. It’s best if there’s heating, a TV, and we need to prepare a nursery. I don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl you’re carrying, but we can find out in a month or two. Christmas is a week away, so we won’t set up our stall these days. Let’s go house-hunting. I’ve selected a few places and discussed with the agents. See which one you like, and the prices are reasonable.”
Ethan put down his bowl, took out his phone, and showed Aoife the houses he had inquired about.
Excitedly explaining each one, “This one is good. It has a kindergarten nearby, and a hospital at the back. The area is quiet and suitable for your pregnancy.”
“The greenery here is nice, and there’s a small pond below. It’s cool in the summer, and it’s near a food street, but a bit noisy.”
“And this one…”
Aoife watched as Ethan enthusiastically introduced the houses. It was her own matter, but he seemed to care more than herself.
Feeling a warmth in her eyes, Aoife asked, “Ethan, why are you so good to me? I thought you would advise me to have an abortion.”
“The child is three months old. Miscarriage would be damaging, requiring an abortion procedure that is harmful to the body. Plus, it’s a life.” When Ethan looked into Aoife’s eyes, he couldn’t help but feel a flutter in his heart.
“Do you believe in fate, Aoife? Meeting someone is fate, holding on is destiny. Look at me, believe me, I will be with you every step of the way.”
Actions speak louder than words; details are more important than sweet nothings. What Ethan didn’t know was that there was a term called deep affinity but shallow love.
Ethan had already chosen a house and only needed to make a call to meet the agent, sign a contract, and make a payment to finalize everything.
Ethan hired a moving company, spent a day moving their belongings, and then spent another day cleaning and organizing. The new house was twice the size of the old one, with a living room and two bedrooms, including an expanded kitchen.
After the work was done, there were three days left until Christmas.