(Not) The Billionaire’s Replacement Bride

“From the EKG results we’ve obtained, for now, we can confirm that Mrs. Ariana is experiencing tachycardia. This is a condition where the heart beats faster than it should,” he continued quickly as three pairs of eyes stared at him with confusion. “Have you ever experienced your heart beating faster during exercise?” the young doctor’s question was directed more towards Jody. Jody nodded. “That’s what’s happening to Mrs. Ariana right now. But clearly, it’s not because of her exercising.”

“There are many reasons why someone might experience tachycardia aside from exercise. Hypertension, anemia, stress, and several other factors can cause a patient to experience something like this,” the senior doctor explained again. “We need to conduct further tests on Ariana’s condition.”

The three people in front of the doctors nodded. “Do your best for them, Doctor. I want my granddaughter-in-law and future great-grandchild to be under the best care,” Mrs. Rosaline said. The two doctors nodded simultaneously.

“We need to study the patient’s medical history. Because this also involves the patient being pregnant at the moment,” the young doctor said. “In my opinion, it’s highly likely that this isn’t the first time the patient has experienced something like this. Is there any medical history for the patient?”

Amber immediately nodded her head. After all, it wasn’t a secret anymore. Until now, she and Jody had kept Ariana’s condition a secret from everyone because it was what the girl wanted, but the presence of Mrs. Rosaline here meant the elderly woman already knew about Ariana’s health condition. Even though Amber didn’t know how much she knew.

“The first time Ariana experienced something like this was in high school,” Amber explained. “She fainted after exercising. The doctor said she had tachycardia, just like you said. But at that time, the doctor also said it was normal considering Ariana was exercising and recommended that she no longer participate in strenuous sports.” Amber remembered the moment when she panicked and rushed Ariana to the hospital and afterward when her friend asked her not to tell anyone at home.

“Just as the doctor advised, Ariana didn’t engage in excessive activities anymore. Until one day, without doing anything, she said she felt shortness of breath and chest pain. We thought she just caught a cold until one day Ariana suddenly asked for a more thorough examination at the hospital, and the doctor who examined her then said Ariana had arrhythmia.”

The two doctors nodded simultaneously. “We’ll conduct a more thorough examination on that. So, is the patient currently on any treatment?”

Amber nodded again. “She practices yoga to manage stress. She tries her best not to overexert herself, and she knows when to stop. She also takes medications, but she decided to stop recently because of her pregnancy.”

“So, she has consulted with an obstetrician?” the young doctor asked again. Amber nodded once more.

The three of them left the room with downcast faces. Mr. Yosef was already there, waiting for them. “Mrs. Ariana has been transferred to the recovery room,” he said before the others could ask. They all nodded and followed Yosef wherever he led them.

Yosef led the three of them to a VVIP room that looked empty. There were only two nurses sitting behind a desk in the corridor, staring at square screens in front of them.

Yosef opened the door for them, and there they saw Ariana, lying on a wide bed with a bedside monitor lit up on her right side. An oxygen tube was attached to her nose. They noticed a few things attached to the back of her shirt and her thumb. Ariana seemed fine, her face looked peaceful. A little pale, but peaceful.

Mrs. Rosaline approached the bed and sat in the available chair. She reached for Ariana’s hand and held it gently.

“Since when did you know about Ariana’s condition?” Amber’s sudden and sharp question made Jody tense, and he immediately nudged his friend’s arm. “Why?” Amber asked back at Jody, clearly unhappy. “Am I the only one who shouldn’t know about this?”

“It’s not like that, Amber. But this isn’t the time,” Jody replied. “Then when?” she asked, still with her sharp tone.

“I found out about Ariana’s condition recently,” Mrs. Rosaline replied. “If you really knew about Ariana’s current condition, why didn’t you help her explain to your beloved granddaughter that her condition isn’t okay? Haven’t you heard about the risks of arrhythmia in pregnant women? Even for someone who didn’t have a history like hers, it could be dangerous, let alone with Ariana’s previous condition!”

“Amber!” scolded Jody angrily.

Amber looked at her friend with teary eyes. Her face turned red from anger. She sat on one of the sofas in the room roughly, covering her face with both hands. Jody approached, feeling Amber’s trembling body. He knew that Amber was sad right now. He also knew that besides her anger, Amber felt disappointed right now. Not just with Ariana but more with herself.

“Why does it have to be like this? Why does she insist on getting pregnant? She should prioritize herself and terminate the pregnancy. The fetus isn’t even alive yet. Why can’t she be selfish?” Amber asked these questions one after another. Her voice was muffled between her hands and her sobs. “Why can she be so stupid? What? Does love have to make her sacrifice herself? The doctor said she could have children later. Why didn’t she consult with a doctor before deciding to get pregnant?” she asked again. “And where is Gerald? Where is he when Ariana is like this? He surely chose that woman, didn’t he?” Amber opened her eyes and stared sharply at Mrs. Rosaline. “If only I knew about this marriage, if only your granddaughter didn’t do something sneaky like kidnapping my uncle and forcing Ariana to marry him, Ariana would be fine now. She wouldn’t be lying there.” She pointed at Ariana, who was still keeping her eyes closed.

No one spoke. Besides Amber’s sobbing, the only sound they could hear was the beeping from the monitor.

A long pause followed. The silence in the room became increasingly unpleasant. Until finally, the person they were waiting for showed signs of consciousness.

“Ariana…” Mrs. Rosaline’s voice made Jody and Amber instantly raise their heads and look toward the bed. Ariana was indeed awake. Her eyes were looking at the people who had been waiting for her one by one.

“I made you worried, huh?” she asked with a hoarse but playful tone.

Amber snorted, choosing to turn her face away and wiping her face harshly. “You made us worried, damn it!” Amber said sharply.

But immediately the girl stood up and approached. The same went for Jody.

Mrs. Rosaline raised the bed’s back until she felt Ariana could see her friends comfortably. “Thirsty?” Mrs. Rosaline offered patiently. Ariana smiled and nodded. She accepted the straw that had been inserted into a bottle of mineral water and drank slowly.

“Are you okay?” Amber asked after Mrs. Rosaline put theNôvelDrama.Org exclusive content.

bottle back on the table. “I’m leaving, Amber,” Ariana’s answer made Amber freeze again.