While the couple was examining the painting, Queena walked over. “Hey, isn’t this the painting I gave to Sylvia? Why is it here?”
“Mom, Sylvia brought it over,” Clare said with a hint of a smile on his handsome face. “Not sure what she plans to do with it.”
Queena thought for a moment and then said, “I heard that this year’s Cultural Heritage Fair is starting soon. Could she be planning to participate?”
“Very likely,” Mollie added. “Otherwise, why would she suddenly take out this painting?”
As the three were chatting, Sylvia walked over in a new outfit, her tone casual and relaxed. “Uncle, I’m going to the Cultural Heritage Fair with Isaac tomorrow. If you and Aunt are free, you can come along.”
The Cultural Heritage Fair was always bustling with activity.
Every year, many big names in the calligraphy and painting world would compete there, and the prizes were quite attractive.
Especially this year, they had added a stone gambling segment.
Sylvia found it very interesting and worth attending.
“I heard there will be new attractions this year. It wouldn’t hurt to go,” Clare said with growing interest. He looked at Mollie. “What do you think, honey?”
“Sure! I’ve never been to the Cultural Heritage Fair before!” Mollie responded enthusiastically.
“Then it’s settled,” Sylvia nodded, putting away the painting. “I need to go out for a bit.”
Queena looked at the torrential rain outside, the sound of raindrops hitting the window loudly.
“Sylvia, the weather is terrible. It’s not safe to drive. Where are you going?”
Her tone was filled with concern.
Sylvia narrowed her bright almond eyes slightly. “To meet a friend.”
“A friend?” Before Queena could ask more, Sylvia had already opened an umbrella and stepped into the rain.
The old lady sighed helplessly as she watched her leave. “This child!”
“Sylvia knows what she’s doing, Mom. Don’t worry,” Clare reassured her before heading back to their room with Mollie.
Sylvia got into her BMW in the garage and drove into the pouring rain, thinking about the message she had received earlier.
“Boss, my stomach hurts so much.”
Evie was rolling in pain on her bed, not knowing why her stomach hurt so much after just drinking a glass of watermelon juice.
Her period wasn’t due, yet her stomach was in severe pain.
Sweat beaded on her forehead, and she felt weak all over, her face pale.
She took out her phone and tried calling Jasper but got no answer.
At that moment, Jasper was in a meeting with Franklin, his phone on silent mode, completely unaware of the incoming calls.
Desperate, Evie sent a message and called Sylvia.
“Boss…”
Her voice startled Sylvia. “What’s wrong? I’m coming over right now! If it gets worse, call an ambulance!”
“I… I don’t know Aettosa’s emergency number…” Evie said through gritted teeth before dropping her phone with a thud.
She passed out from the pain, unaware of something seeping between her legs…
Sylvia drove anxiously, calling out, “Evie? Evie? Are you okay?”
But all she heard was a busy signal.
She pressed harder on the gas pedal, speeding through the rain.
Driving recklessly in such weather was rare, but she kept honking her horn, forcing other cars to make way.
About ten minutes later, she arrived at Evie’s apartment.
She knocked but got no response. Panicking, she kicked the door several times with all her strength until it finally gave way.
A faint smell of blood hit her as she entered.
“Evie? Evie?”
Sylvia called out as she searched until she found Evie unconscious in the bathroom. Seeing the pool of blood beneath her shocked Sylvia to her core.
Her heart nearly stopped!
She rushed over and held Evie in her arms. “Evie? Evie?”
Evie’s face was as pale as a broken rag doll. Sylvia quickly carried her out to the car and sped towards the nearest hospital.
How could there be so much blood?
Evie had always been healthy, especially as a shooting athlete.
Why so much blood?
Sylvia’s mind raced as she drove, not caring about anything else.
She carried Evie downstairs and placed her in the back seat before driving to the hospital.
“Hereby, I declare this meeting concluded.”
As the president’s voice fell, thunderous applause erupted.
Participants began to leave the venue one by one.
Jasper took out his phone to switch off silent mode and was shocked by what he saw.
Evie had called him several times and sent messages.
His face turned pale as he quickly called her back but got no answer. He tried several times but couldn’t get through.
He anxiously told Franklin, “Sir, I need to go back to the apartment. Something might have happened to Evie.”
Franklin was taken aback. “What happened?”
Just then, Jasper’s phone rang again; it was Sylvia. “Jasper, we’re at the hospital emergency room. You should come quickly.”
Jasper was frantic. “What happened to Evie? Is she sick?”
“You’ll find out when you get here. The doctors are examining her,” Sylvia said before hanging up.
Jasper and Franklin drove straight to the hospital where Evie was admitted.
The atmosphere was tense as Jasper sped through the rain.
Franklin checked his watch and looked at the heavy rain outside. “With Sylvia there, it shouldn’t be too serious. Don’t worry too much.”
Despite his words, Jasper felt deeply troubled.
She must have been in so much pain. How could he not have been there for her?
Jasper blamed himself and pressed harder on the gas pedal.
When they arrived at the emergency room, they saw Sylvia waiting outside the operating room.
Sylvia wore a white top with blue jeans and sneakers, looking very fresh.
However, her expression was anything but fresh.
Seeing them approach, Sylvia stood up. “The situation isn’t good.”
Jasper’s mind went blank. “What do you mean ‘isn’t good’? She’s always been healthy…”
“Ectopic pregnancy,” Sylvia said with a hint of sadness. “This is her first pregnancy, but it might also be…”
Her last.
“You mean… she’s pregnant?” Jasper’s face turned ashen. “Ectopic… pregnancy!”
“Yes, it ruptured and caused severe bleeding. They had to remove one of her fallopian tubes,” Sylvia explained after taking a deep breath. “Normally, people have two fallopian tubes. Removing one still leaves a chance for pregnancy with the other one. So… although it’s less likely than with two tubes, it’s still possible.”
It was a matter of luck now.
Jasper closed his eyes, his eyes turning red with tears brimming.
“She’s so foolish; didn’t she know she was pregnant?”
“She’s young; it’s normal not to understand these things,” Sylvia felt equally sad. This was Evie’s first pregnancy but it nearly cost her life.
Jasper held his head in his hands in agony. “I didn’t know; I’m so stupid. She didn’t know; I should have reminded her. She mentioned her period was late a few days ago. It’s all my fault…”
Thinking of Evie lying on the operating table made him wish he could take her place. “How could I be so dumb?”
“It’s too late for that now. Let’s wait for the doctors; ectopic pregnancy is a common surgery,” Sylvia tried to comfort him but struggled to find the right words.
Franklin looked at the light above the operating room door. “You can always have another child later; right now, her health is most important…”
He wasn’t good at comforting people and his words sounded awkward.
Just then, the light went off!
The door opened with a click.
Two nurses came out first and then wheeled out Evie on a stretcher. Usually lively and energetic, Evie now lay there with her eyes closed.
An IV drip was attached to her hand.
Jasper rushed over, wanting to hold Evie’s hand but afraid of disturbing the IV needle.
His eyes were full of pain but he couldn’t utter a word.
The attending doctor walked out next.
“Doctor, how is my girlfriend?”
“The surgery was successful; we removed one fallopian tube but she can still conceive with the other one. Young people need to take better care of their health,” the doctor advised earnestly.
“Will there be any long-term effects?” Jasper asked anxiously.
He didn’t care about having children; he just wanted to know if she’d be okay!
The doctor replied, “That depends on how well she recovers post-surgery. The nurses will give you a care manual for post-operative care.”
The nurses moved Evie to a ward while Sylvia and Franklin followed them inside.
Evie lay quietly in bed; the anesthesia hadn’t worn off yet so she remained unconscious.
Jasper held Evie’s other hand that wasn’t connected to an IV drip. He looked at her pale face in silence, feeling utterly cold inside.
How did it come to this?
He never expected Evie would get pregnant or that she’d have an ectopic pregnancy. He felt like such a failure!