Crossroads

"Thank goodness she was sent to the hospital in time....

"The patient's emotions are all over the place. We can't risk upsetting her further, and we're recommending at least a week's stay, especially considering the excessive bleeding..."

"Get out! Get out of here!"

The doctor's words were cut short as Stephanie suddenly sat up, her face drained of colar, her lips trembling as she shouted towards the door.

The medical staff turned while Kevin hurried to the door and said in a low voice, "I told you not to come in and upset her!"

Dominick stood at the ward's entrance, his usually stoic expression now betraying a mix of emotions.

"Dominick, Stephanie might be feeling really unwell. Let's come back later. Vincent, who was standing behind Dominick, tried to reason.

He dreaded Dominick's explosive temper. After all, no one would dare shout at him like that, telling him to leave.

The ward's door was swiftly slammed shut, leaving Dominick outside.

And he didn't stop it.

Dominick couldn't hear what was being said inside, but he remained rooted to the spot, staring at the closed door.

Vincent shivered slightly. If Dominick decided to barge in, he could easily kick down that ordinary door.

"Let's not bring this up when she's around anymore," After a long pause, Dominick spoke in a low voice before turning away to head towards the elevator.

Vincent watched him leave, feeling somewhat dazed. He was unable to fully comprehend what had just happened.

'Was Dominick going to just leave like that?

'Since when did Dominick, with his stern demeanor, learn to be so forgiving?

Stephanie spent two days and a night in the hospital, mostly in a daze. She hardly spoke or ate, relying on IV nutrition, with Kevin by her side the entire time.

"Stephanie, do you need some water?"

Around 9 p.m., Kevin saw her open her eyes and immediately approached the bedside.

Stephanie gazed at him for a moment before speaking in a hoarse but much calmer voice now. "No thanks."

"The doctor mentioned they found traces of medication in your bloodstream. These drugs can affect your nerves and cause emotional instability. If pregnant women take them, it can lead to..."

"You can head back now," she interrupted suddenly.

Kevin's expression flickered with complexity. "You might think I have some ulterior motive for doing all this, but I don't! Stephanie, you called me last night, and I had a gut feeling something was wrong, so I came to check on you, I truly didn't have any other intentions..."

Perhaps it was guilt for his past actions that made Kevin feel uneasy under her gaze.

"Thank you," she said simply, lowering her gaze..

'If it weren't for him, maybe...I would have been gone from this world already.

She tightened her grip on the white bedsheets with her right hand, suppressing a wave of emotions.

"You called me last night, and I had a feeling something was all, so I came to check on you." What Kevin said replayed in her mind, and she found it absurd.

Little did she realize that a mistakenly dialed number to Kevin became her lifeline, while Dominick's response left her pleading in despair Standing by her hospital bed, Kevin noticed the hint of redness in her eyes. Stephanie wore her emotions on her sleeve, and her disappointment, anger, and heartache were etched across her face.

But why?

"You should leave," she whispered once more.

Kevin hesitated, "But considering your condition..."

Stephanie raised her head, mustering a faint smile. "Kevin, once I saved you by the riverside, and now you've saved me. So, I'll graciously wish you, Claire, and your daughter a lifetime of happiness."

Her words left him feeling awkward and uncertain.

As for Claire's involvement, he was the one who strayed first.

Kevin began, his voice complex. "Stephanie, if there's a chance..."

"There are no 'ifs' in this world. You should go," she interjected calmly.

Her eyes sparkled with clarity, and her complexion was much better than before. "Kevin, perhaps you never truly understood me. However, don't worry about me. Ever since I left Reed Villa, I've been on my own."

She had been living by herself since then..

Even if she was alone, she could be strong for herself too, Kevin bit his lip, struggling to find words to say, but he didn't think he had the right to say it.

"By the way, when you leave, could you lock the door for me? I don't wish to see certain people," Stephanie said casually, pulling the blanket closer, looking like she wanted to seek solace in sleep.

Without turning, she heard the soft shuffle of footsteps and the following click of the door being locked.

Stephanie absentmindedly placed her hand on her abdomen, her gaze drifting towards the balcony window as she allowed herself to get lost in contemplation.

Around 1 a.m., a sleek navy blue Maserati screeched to a halt outside the hospital gates.

"Ms. Reed's medication effects have dissipated, and her emotions have stabilized." The hospital director and attending physicians conversed in the lobby.

"And the child?" Vincent couldn't resist asking.

Dominick's gaze narrowed at the mention of the child, and his voice turned cold and commanding. "Regardless of the child's condition, assure her that everything is fine!"

The hospital staff felt the weight of his words. "Mr. Wellington, regarding the child, there's no need for undue concern. The child is safe for now.

Vincent was skeptical and pressed on. "There was a significant amount of blood in the hotel suite. Concealing the truth isn't necessary...

While they were already addressing the situation, Dominick's insistence on keeping Stephanie in the dark was unexpected.

"We did find traces of medication in Ms. Reed's bloodstream, but the dosage wasn't enough to induce a miscarriage," one of the attending physicians explained in a hurry.

"Then why did she bleed excessively?"

"You see, Ms. Reed has cervical polyps, a common ailment exacerbated by her pregnancy. The bleeding resulted from both the medication's effects and the presence of cervical polyps."

Dominick breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this explanation.From NôvelDrama.Org.

It wasn't because she lost her child, but rather...

If this unborn child didn't make it, what would become of the connection between him and her....

"What do you mean by 'safe for now'? Is Stephanie's illness serious? Why wasn't it detected during her previous check-ups?" Vincent, with a history of many girlfriends, had occasional discussions about pregnancy with them.

"For cervical polyps, we're starting with medication. If Ms. Reed's inflammation persists, then we'll consider minimally invasive surgery. It's gentle on the uterus, and with proper care, shouldn't affect the fetus much."

Afraid of Dominick's reproach, the doctor hurriedly added, "Ms. Reed is expecting twins, and the cervical polyps only became inflamed recently, which is why they weren't detected earlier on."

"Twins?" Vincent was taken aback, only catching on to this amidst all the medical jargon.

However, Dominick's expression soured at the mention of twins.

Ignoring the doctors, he walked straight to the elevator.

Vincent and the remaining doctors exchanged puzzled glances. "Does Mr.

Wellington dislikes twins?" murmured one doctor softly, as most people would be excited about twins.

"Twins?" It was late at night, and the hospital was deserted. In the elevator, Dominick muttered to himself For some reason, he remembered the graphic childbirth photos he had seen in parenting class. His voice trailed off, hinting at an unknown meaning. "She's going to have two..."

Tonight, like the previous one, was still in the early hours, but at least he wasn't as agitated.

Dominick paused in front of a ward, standing silently before turning the doorknob.

He assumed she was asleep.

Or perhaps she was still on a drip. He had no idea about her current condition.

He only wanted to check on her while she slept, but the door was locked from the insidet Dominick's stern face darkened as he struggled with the locked doorknob. Frustration flickered across his expression. "Did she dislike seeing me so much?"

In the quiet of the night, with the window slightly open, the damp breeze of early summer wafted in.

Stephanie was sound asleep. Suddenly, a figure rose, moving gently to close the window.

Then, he approached the bed and tucked her blankets properly. With instructions to the medical staff not to disturb her, the room was empty except for the two of them.

He stood by the bed, his gaze m

lingered on her with a mix of emotions. Suddenly compelled by something, he leaned down and lightly brushed his fingertips against her lips...

He felt an urge and a strong desire to move closer to her.

Then, he leaned in and softly kissed her lips.

She seemed to sense something, abruptly turning her head. He straightened up immediately like he was caught in the act.

"Dominick!"

At 7 a.m. the next day, Vincent arrived at the hospital, thinking m Stephanie's medication effects subsided, and she wouldn't be as had irritable. Hence, he wanted to visit her.

To his surprise, he saw Dominick sitting on a chair outside the room. Had he been sitting here all night?

"Didn't he go inside?'

Dominick's complexion wasn't great.

As Vincent glanced up, hospital staff began their morning shifts.

"Good morning. We are coming in now," the nurse said politely to whoever was inside.

Vincent immediately realized that Dominick had been locked out by Stephanie. He felt that Dominick had indeed become a more patient man.

However, when the door was finally opened, Dominick strode past the doctors and nurses.

"You!" He glared angrily at Kevin, realizing they had spent the entire night together in this locked room.

Stephanie was awake now. She was looking much better than before, but she still wore a stern expression as she glanced at Dominick. "Got something to say?" She met Dominick's gaze, then smirked coldly, "Are you going to accuse me for being shameless and seducing men everywhere?"