Chapter 4 : The Pregnancy

Chapter 4 — The Pregnancy

Three days after marrying Renji Jing, Naomi returned to work alone.

Everyone stopped talking when she entered the Katherine Steward Cancer Research Institute. A colleague who had been walking towards her halted with a folder pressed against her chest, then peered behind Naomi as though Renji might still appear.

“You’re back?”

The surprise in her voice drew more attention. Naomi knew what they had expected after the wedding: photographs from an island, stories about a private honeymoon and a bride too occupied with her husband to remember work existed.

“I have a meeting this morning,” Naomi replied.

“A meeting?” The woman gaped at her. “We thought you would be somewhere completely off-grid with your husband.”

Several colleagues smiled and waited for Naomi to explain why she had returned three days after becoming Mrs Jing. She had no honeymoon story to give them and no intention of telling anyone that her husband regretted marrying her.

“The researchers are expecting my findings.”

The smiles faded, and everyone gradually returned to work. Naomi concentrated on the report she had been preparing before the wedding.

At twenty-five, she was already an Oncology Research Fellow at the Katherine Steward Cancer Research Institute at Greymore University. She had graduated at the top of her class two years earlier with an MD/PhD, which allowed her to move directly into research instead of following the traditional residency-first path.

Her work focused on Silver-Latent Carcinoma, known across the pack as Silverscar. The cancer could remain dormant in a child’s bloodline for years before becoming active, often during the child’s first shift. Once it advanced into its aggressive stage, the pack called it Silver Rot. Naomi and the other researchers were trying to detect it early enough to treat pack children before it ever awakened.

Her phone vibrated halfway through the report.

Naomi checked it immediately. The institute’s administrative office had sent a reminder about an unfinished form.

Since leaving the Jing mansion, every notification had made her expect Renji’s name. He had watched her leave with two suitcases and had not called or sent a message afterwards.

Naomi had made up her mind to move on, yet she checked the screen again before returning to the report.

The findings in front of her mattered more than the husband who did not want her. If the newest result could be repeated, it might change the next stage of their Silverscar research and bring them closer to detecting the disease before it harmed another child.

Her phone vibrated again.

She checked it just as quickly, only to find a message from one of the researchers confirming the meeting room. Her brows knitted when Renji’s name failed to appear. She switched the phone to silent and pushed it out of reach.

The meeting began shortly afterwards. Some of the researchers appeared as surprised as her colleagues had been, but no one questioned her return once she started presenting the work.

Naomi explained the latest findings and separated the confirmed results from the one that did not match their earlier tests. The researchers challenged the disputed result, questioned whether the next stage should be delayed and examined the hereditary markers alongside the new figures.

“This section cannot move forward yet,” one of them stated.

“I agree,” Naomi replied. “We repeat it, but the confirmed work should continue.”

Another researcher examined the final finding. “This suggests we may be able to detect Silverscar before it becomes active.”

“It gives us a direction,” Naomi corrected. “We still need the same result again before we call it proof.”

“If you are right, how early could we identify it?”

“Before it progresses into Silver Rot. That would give doctors time to intervene while the child is still healthy.”

The questions continued for almost an hour. Naomi answered each concern, defended the results that had already been confirmed and agreed that the disputed section should be repeated immediately. By the end of the discussion, the team had approved the next stage of the work while assigning further tests to the result that still needed proof.

The meeting held Naomi’s attention until she reached the final slide.

“The difference appears here. When we compare it with the earlier findings—”

The remote slipped from her hand.

Naomi bent to retrieve it, but the figures blurred. Someone called her name. She reached for the table and missed before her knees gave way.

The researchers rushed towards her as she collapsed. One of them called for help, but Naomi could no longer understand what they were saying.

Then everything went dark.

When Naomi opened her eyes, a doctor was beside her hospital bed.

“What happened?” she asked.

“You collapsed during your meeting. Your colleagues brought you here.”

Naomi tried to sit up, but the weakness in her body forced her back against the pillow. “Why did I collapse?”

“We ran several tests after you arrived.”

“Did you find something wrong?”

“You are exhausted, but that is not all.” The doctor hesitated. “Naomi, you are pregnant.”

Naomi gaped at her. “Pregnant?”

“We repeated the test to be certain.”

“No. There has to be a mistake.”

“There isn’t.”

“Show me.”

The doctor handed her the result. Naomi read her name, the date and the positive result, then read them again.

“Can stress cause a false result?”

“No. The pregnancy has been confirmed.”

She could only remember one night with Renji, two months earlier, when they had both been drunk and ended up making love on the couch. That was the night she had felt reassured that their union could work and agreed to proceed with the marriage plans.

But she had heard the rumours that Renji could never father a child. So how was this possible?

There had been no other man. The baby could only belong to Renji.

“Is there someone you want us to call?” the doctor asked.

“No.”

“Your husband should be informed.”

Naomi looked up sharply. “Do not call Renji.”

“You do not have to decide anything immediately,” the doctor advised. “Rest first, then we can discuss the pregnancy and your options.”

Naomi gripped the blanket.

“I want an abortion.”