Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

Ethan had his hands in his pockets and turned his head when he heard her call, looking unusually serious.

The woman was holding her stomach, frowning, clearly uncomfortable. Ethan said something I couldn't hear, then helped her to an empty chair in the waiting area and handed her a bottle of water. He wasn't far from me, but he didn't notice me at all. Seeing this, my heart sank. All the warmth and protection he had shown me felt like a lie.

I always thought he was a responsible guy. Maybe I made the wrong choice again.

I don't know if Ethan sensed something, but he suddenly looked my way. I quickly stepped back, hiding around the corner. When I peeked out again, he had already looked away.

I don't remember how I got back. When I handed the test report to Charlotte, she kept thanking me. I sat in the chair, feeling lost and silent.

"Emily, you don't look good," Lisa said, concerned.

I shook my head numbly and whispered, "It's nothing, just feeling a bit off."

"Where do you feel off? Don't push yourself. If you really feel bad, take a break. I'm here," Lisa insisted.

"My heart feels off," I said blankly.

I don't know how much time passed before my phone rang, and Ethan's name lit up on the screen. My throat felt tight, but I still answered. "Do you miss me?" Ethan's voice was as charming as ever.

I leaned back in the chair, tilting my head up, blinking away the soreness in my eyes. "Yes."

"Then come out and see me. I'm at Grace Hospital," he said.

He admitted he was at the hospital and asked to see me so casually. Maybe there was some misunderstanding.

I walked out of the building and saw him sitting on a bench in the yard, his sleeves half-rolled up, looking relaxed. His profile was like a painting.

I took a deep breath and walked towards him. He saw me quickly, a smile spreading across his face, warm in the sunlight.

I looked away, trying to stay clear-headed. I told myself, 'Many beautiful things are just appearances. I can't be fooled, and I can't indulge in this anymore, no!' Ethan pulled me to sit beside him, his arm naturally around me, but I felt uncomfortable.

"Why are you here?" I asked calmly.

"I came to see you," he said quickly, but my heart sank.

If he hadn't lied, I might still have hope, but he did. If he were truly honest, there'd be no need to lie.

"It's noon. Are you hungry? Want to grab lunch?" he asked, twirling a few strands of my hair.

I stared at the grass, seeing every blade clearly. "I don't want to eat."

"What's wrong?" Ethan finally noticed something was off, his tone concerned.

Normally, his concern would make my heart race, but now I felt unusually calm. "No appetite," I said flatly.

He suddenly turned my face towards him, forcing me to look into his eyes. He studied me for a moment, then smirked mischievously, "Are you pregnant?"

'The one who's pregnant isn't me.' I gently pushed Ethan away. "No, I just don't want to eat right now. Besides, I'm at work. I can't just leave. You go ahead; I'll handle lunch myself."

I feared he would insist, but he nodded. "Alright, but don't skip meals. If you do, don't even think about coming to work later."

After he left, I returned to my job, but I was distracted all afternoon. When it was time to leave, I didn't wait for him and took the bus home.

Standing in the villa again, any sense of belonging was gone. I felt like an outsider, like I never should have been here.

But leaving without a word seemed too dramatic, so I made dinner and sat on the balcony with Scruffy, lost in thought.

When the door opened, it was already dark. The lights were off, and Ethan probably searched around before finding me on the balcony. "What are you doing here?" he asked, ruffling my hair.

"It's too hot inside. I'm cooling off here. The food might be cold; you should heat it up," I said.

"Did you eat?" he asked.

"Yes." Actually, I hadn't eaten. I lied because I was afraid he would force me to eat, afraid I couldn't resist his concern, afraid I would get even more entangled in his gentle trap.

Ethan suddenly straddled my legs, making them go numb from the weight. He lifted my chin with one hand, looking at me seriously. "What's wrong with you? I noticed you didn't look well today. Are you sick?"

Seeing that I wasn't speaking, he pressed his forehead against mine. When I tried to pull back, he held me tightly, not letting me move.

"Or... are you really pregnant?" He had a teasing smile, his tone relaxed.

"What if I am? What then?" I looked directly at him, trying to catch any subtle expression.

Ethan stared at me for a moment, then suddenly pinched my face, quite hard, as if punishing me. "What do you think? I told you back in Greenfield Village, whether or not to take birth control is up to you. If you get pregnant, don't even think about aborting the child. I'll take responsibility."

"How will you take responsibility?" I pressed on.novelbin

He leaned in, and I had nowhere to escape, pressing tightly against the back of the chair.

Ethan grabbed my chin. "If you're carrying my child, then I'm the father. How do you think I'll take responsibility? What's wrong with you today? Did you burn out all your brainpower in just two days of work?"

He was joking, but I wasn't in the mood. He mentioned the child and taking responsibility without a hint of guilt. I thought, 'Is he really so honest, or is he just a great actor?'

I didn't know when, but his breath in my ear became heavier, and his hand slipped under my clothes.

I held his hand and turned my face away, avoiding his kiss. "I'm tired."

Luckily, he didn't push it and just kissed my forehead. "If you're tired, go to bed early."

So, I ended up not eating dinner, just took a shower and went to bed. In reality, I didn't sleep at all, my mind constantly replaying the scene of Ethan with that pregnant woman. It seemed I had to find the truth myself. I didn't know when Ethan went to bed, probably because of my earlier rejection, he didn't come into my room.

The next day, he still drove me to work, and I didn't refuse. He parked the car in the usual spot. As I was getting out, he suddenly called me, "Emily."

Recently, when he was in a good mood, he would call me "honey," so calling me by my name now seemed particularly serious.

I turned back, and he looked at me seriously. "If you're still not feeling well, go get checked. If you're really pregnant, there's no need to go to work. I don't want you to work so hard, and I don't want my child to suffer." Such words could still impact me emotionally, but I calmed down quickly. "I know my own body."

Closing the car door, I had just stepped into the hospital when I quickly turned back out. Seeing his car turning around, I quickly hailed a taxi and followed him.

Following Ethan wasn't a spur-of-the-moment decision; I thought about it all night.

I didn't want to compromise or pretend. I needed to find out the truth.

I followed him, seeing his car enter the underground garage of a building before the taxi stopped.

I got out and looked up. It was a grand building with "Skyline International Corporation" on top. It was work hours, and there were many people coming and going. I never knew what Ethan did for a living. Even after being with him for so long, I never asked, thinking it would seem like I was after his money. He never mentioned it either.

'Could he be working at Skyline International Corporation?' I hid behind an old phone booth across the street and saw Ethan come out of the parking garage and walk into Skyline International Corporation. The employees entering with him seemed to be greeting him.

I remembered the last time at Blue Ocean Bar, those people who wanted to introduce their daughters to him were very respectful. 'Maybe he's a manager in some department at Skyline International Corporation?'

I thought I would have to wait until noon for Ethan to come out, but just after ten, he came out holding his suit jacket. When he drove out of the garage, I hailed another taxi and followed him.

Passing by a plaza, he stopped the car, and I saw him enter a maternity and baby store, making my heart sink.

"Miss, are you getting out or not?" the taxi driver asked.

"Wait a bit," I said.

After a while, Ethan came out with a bag of items. Once he started driving again, I had the taxi driver follow him.

He drove further and further away, finally stopping outside an old neighborhood. He got out and went straight into the neighborhood. I quickly paid the fare and followed him. Afraid of being discovered, I didn't dare follow too closely. Ethan entered a building, and I quickly followed but didn't go upstairs. Instead, I silently counted his steps as he climbed the stairs.

It wasn't long before I heard him coming back down. I could tell it was him because he was wearing high-quality leather shoes, and I was familiar with his footsteps.

I hid under the stairs, and after he left, I went upstairs. Based on the number of steps he took, I reached the fifth floor, where there were two apartments. It had to be one of them.

The truth was just a door away, and my palms were sweating from nervousness.