During the egg retrieval process, anesthesia is usually used to alleviate pain, but without it, the entire procedure was excruciating. The doctor was on edge throughout, but Winifred Dawson managed to endure it.
Everyone has a different tolerance for pain. Winifred Dawson was naturally delicate, trembling all over and collapsing weakly into Leland Burns’ arms, as if she had lost half her life. She was not only in pain but also scared.
Winifred Dawson lay with her eyes closed, her breathing gradually becoming even after starting off tense. She took several deep breaths before her mind cleared again.
Leland Burns personally dressed Winifred Dawson and tidied her clothes. When he saw the blood staining the sheets, his face stiffened.
The doctor had been as careful as possible, but there was still some bleeding.
Leland Burns carried the weakened Winifred Dawson to a hospital room for an IV. She lay quietly with her eyes closed.
Leland Burns sat by her side, noticing her fingers twitching. He knew she wasn’t asleep; she was pretending to avoid talking to him. She was genuinely angry this time.
Leland Burns understood that he was at fault for causing her pain, so he chose not to disturb her and let her rest.
He memorized the doctor’s instructions: after egg retrieval, she needed plenty of rest and a good mood. They were to avoid intercourse for over a month and seek immediate treatment if ovarian hyperstimulation occurred to prevent premature ovarian failure and other complications.
The hospital room’s silence felt oppressive, unlike the quiet at home.
The air in the hospital carried the smell of medicine, and in the stillness, there was a sense of suffocating dread.
Winifred Dawson stayed in a private room with no disturbances. The door was half-closed, and by noon, medical staff and patients began appearing in the hallway.
This silence lasted for an unknown period. Leland Burns waited for Winifred Dawson to speak first.
But even after the IV bag emptied and the nurse removed the needle, Winifred Dawson remained silent. When the nurse pressed a cotton swab to stop the bleeding at the needle site, Winifred Dawson reflexively clenched her fist and struggled.
Leland Burns looked up. The previously feigning-sleep Winifred Dawson had opened her eyes. They were red and wet with tears, making her look pitiful.
Leland Burns sighed. “I was wrong. I shouldn’t have brought you to the hospital or made you suffer. It’s all over now. Can you forgive me?”
Winifred Dawson turned her face away from him. Leland Burns tightly held her hand. “Don’t move; your hand is still bleeding.”
Her clenched fist relaxed.
After stopping the bleeding, Leland Burns discarded the cotton swab and sat on the bed’s edge, wiping away Winifred Dawson’s tears.
“I promise I’ll never let you suffer again.”
Winifred Dawson glared at him with red eyes. “Promise? Isn’t an oath supposed to include some harsh words?”
Seeing that she responded to him made Leland Burns happy; it meant she was starting to calm down. He smiled and raised three fingers beside his temple, saying, “If I ever force you to do something you don’t want to do again and cause you pain like today, may I lose everything important to me and suffer your pain a thousand times over.”
Alright then, Leland Burns, remember what you said well.
Getting nothing would be too lenient for you; Winifred Dawson would make him lose everything he had now-extreme retribution for betrayal and unrequited love until he had nothing left!
“Are you satisfied now?” Leland Burns asked cheerfully, unaware of anything amiss as he coaxed Winifred Dawson.
Winifred Dawson blinked away her tears. “My stomach hurts now.”
“Is it unbearable?”
Winifred Dawson shook her head. “It feels like needles pricking inside-uncomfortable.”
Seeing that Winifred Dawson could bear it, Leland Burns said, “If it becomes unbearable, tell me immediately. The doctor said mild pain is normal.”
Winifred Dawson responded with a soft “Mm.”
Leland Burns stayed by her side, trying to distract her with conversation.
Winifred Dawson focused on Leland Burns’ wrist.
A person with superior looks often has hands more attractive than ordinary people’s-well-defined bones and long fingers with clean nails. Leland Burns wore a wedding ring on his left ring finger along with a watch and a chain on his wrist.
Wearing so many accessories might seem cumbersome on someone else but looked elegant on him without appearing effeminate. Winifred Dawson recognized them.
The watch on Leland Burns’ wrist was one she had worn before but couldn’t remove. She thought those thugs had either sold or discarded it long ago but hadn’t expected it to end up on Leland Burns’ wrist.
Clearly, the watch had been modified; otherwise, Leland Burns wouldn’t have been able to wear it.
As for the thin chain accompanying the watch, Winifred Dawson noticed it earlier but hadn’t paid much attention until now when it seemed familiar upon closer inspection.
Seeing her staring at his hand, Leland Burns raised it and asked, “Do you want this?” referring to the watch.
“No, my hands are ugly; it wouldn’t look good on me.” She had finally managed to take off that annoying watch; there was no way she’d put it back on again.
Leland Burns didn’t force her; he held her hand gently and remarked that her hands weren’t ugly.
Typical flattery-some things might look acceptable alone but become unsightly when compared against something more exquisite.
Winifred Dawson resisted pulling her hand away as Leland Burns continued holding it while talking about his wrist chain.
Technically speaking, it wasn’t a bracelet but a necklace.
“You might not remember this; you gave me this chain,” he said.
With this reminder from Leland Burns, Winifred Dawson finally recalled throwing such a chain at him on her eighteenth birthday night when he gave her that watch which she found unlucky-so she threw him a chain in exchange.
The chain wasn’t expensive-a delicate collarbone chain-but surprisingly, Leland Burns had kept it until now.
Leland Burns then mentioned their future child; once they successfully retrieved eggs and completed procedures abroad for IVF through surrogacy-they’d have children of their own from someone else’s wombs belonging solely to them both!
Leland Burns envisioned an ideal scenario-wanting both son & daughter through surrogacy simultaneously if possible!
“When our children are born-you’ll surely be happy seeing them,” he said optimistically already imagining future joy-the smile never leaving his face throughout!
Whether she’d be happy remained uncertain-but clearly-Leland Burns already felt joyous envisioning future possibilities!
Winifred Dawson maintained composure outwardly yet felt anxious internally-she needed swift action before marriage-to bring down Leland into despair preventing such outcomes altogether!
While brainstorming potential names-all seemed inadequate-as mentioning kids repeatedly failed eliciting any response from Winifred!
“Winifred-don’t you want children of your own?”