Chapter 6 A Child He Refused to Believe In

​Liam Oscar stood frozen, the phone still slipping from his hand and landing on the polished floor with a loud, echoing crack. Though the call had already ended, Dizer's final words continued to echo violently inside his head.

"I'm going to confirm my pregnancy. Before you ask... yes. You're the father."

​"Liam!" his assistant rushed inside, looking alarmed. "Sir, are you alright?"

​Liam didn't answer; his heartbeat pounded furiously against his chest. Pregnant? How? His mind immediately replayed the fragments he could remember from their wedding night. 

He had been heavily intoxicated. He recalled a soft voice, gentle hands helping him remove his jacket, a faint floral fragrance, and a woman crying—then, nothing but darkness.

​"No..." he muttered, clenching his fists. He grabbed his car keys and stormed out of the office.

​"Liam!" his assistant hurried after him, breathless. "You have surgery in forty minutes!"

​"Cancel it."

​"What?"

​"I said cancel everything," Liam barked before disappearing into the elevator.

​The Ultrasound Room

​Meanwhile, at City Central Hospital, Dizer sat quietly in the waiting area of the obstetrics department. Around her, excited couples whispered to one another—some holding hands, some playfully arguing over baby names, and others smiling warmly at ultrasound pictures. She lowered her eyes, acutely aware that she was entirely alone. Again.

​"Ms. Shank?" a nurse called out, walking over.

​Dizer stood up. "This way, please," the nurse guided her.

​Inside the consultation room, Dr. Evelyn Martins smiled warmly. "It's been a while," she said, but her smile faded slightly as she studied Dizer’s face. "You don't look happy."

​Avoiding the question, Dizer straight-to-the-point confessed, "I took two tests."

​"And?"

​"They were positive."

​Dr. Evelyn nodded professionally. "Let's confirm it."

​Several minutes later, the ultrasound monitor flickered to life. Dizer stared silently at the screen as Dr. Evelyn's smile slowly widened. "Congratulations."

​Dizer swallowed hard, her voice trembling. "So..."

​"It isn't just one," the doctor interrupted gently.

​Dizer’s eyebrows knitted together. "What?"

​The doctor turned the screen slightly toward her. "You're carrying twins."

​A heavy silence filled the room. Dizer looked at the tiny shapes on the screen. They were barely visible, yet they were alive. A single tear slowly rolled down her cheek. Twins. Without realizing it, she placed a trembling hand over her stomach, and a genuine smile—the first one she'd worn in weeks—appeared on her face. "They're... my babies."

​Dr. Evelyn handed her a tissue, her tone turning serious. "You'll need to be careful, Dizer. Your stress level is extremely high. If it continues... you could lose them."

​The smile immediately vanished from Dizer's face. "Lose them? No," she shook her head instinctively. "No."

​"You need rest."

​"I can't. I have too much happening right now."

​Dr. Evelyn leaned forward, looking her dead in the eye. "Nothing is more important than these babies now."

​Dizer slowly looked back at the monitor, observing the two tiny heartbeats. Two little lives depended entirely on her. "I'll protect them," she whispered fiercely.

​The Forgotten Envelope

​Outside the hospital, Liam's car screeched into the parking lot. He hurried inside, ignoring the greetings of colleagues, and stopped abruptly at the reception desk. "I'm looking for Dizer Shank."

​The receptionist checked the system. "One moment, Doctor Oscar... I'm sorry, Ms. Shank left about ten minutes ago."

​Liam's shoulders dropped in defeat. "So I missed her."

​"I'm afraid so."

​Thanking her quietly, Liam turned to walk away. As he reached the exit, he noticed a half-open brown envelope sitting on a nearby chair. A nurse hurried over and sighed, picking it up. "Oh dear, Ms. Shank forgot this. I'll call her."

​Before she could, another nurse interrupted, "She's already driven away."

​"What do we do?" the first nurse frowned.

​Liam stared at the envelope, which bore the prominent logo of the hospital's obstetrics department. "I'll return it," he offered.

​"Thank you, Doctor," both nurses smiled, handing it over. Liam accepted it, completely unaware that inside the envelope lay Dizer's official twin ultrasound report.

​Seeds of Doubt

​Later that afternoon, Camille sat inside Liam's office, checking her makeup in a small compact mirror. She smiled to herself, confident that everything was finally going according to plan. Soon, she would become Mrs. Liam Oscar.

​The office door burst open, and Liam walked in, looking unusually pale and exhausted.

​Camille immediately stood up. "Liam. You look terrible. Did something happen?"

​No response. Liam walked straight to his desk and loosened his tie. Finally, he looked up. "Dizer is pregnant. She says the child is mine."

​For a brief second, pure panic flashed across Camille's face before she instantly masked it with a laugh. "Liam... surely you don't believe that."

​When Liam remained silent, Camille walked closer, lowering her voice manipulatively. "You've barely lived together. You were drunk that night. She's just trying to keep you."

​Liam frowned. "We're married, Camille."

​"But were you really husband and wife?" she pressed, noticing the doubt taking root in his expression. "Think about it. She's losing everything, you chose me, and suddenly... she's pregnant? Doesn't that seem incredibly convenient?"

​Liam rubbed his forehead, completely overwhelmed. "I don't know."

​Camille smiled inwardly. Perfect. Confusion was exactly what she needed for now.

​The Confrontation

​That evening, Kendall and Javier arrived at Dizer's apartment unannounced. Dizer opened the door, startled. "What are you doing here?"

​"We're coming in," Kendall said coldly, walking past her without waiting for permission while Javier followed quietly behind.

​Dizer closed the door, bracing herself. "What is this about?"

​After a heavy pause, Javier spoke softly. "We heard about the pregnancy."

​Dizer's expression hardened. "So?"

​Kendall looked directly at her, his eyes devoid of any warmth. "Is it true?"

​"Yes," she met his gaze without hesitation.

​Instead of congratulating her or asking how she was feeling, Kendall delivered a cold, brutal command: "You need to get rid of it. The child cannot be born."

​The room became deathly quiet. Dizer stared at her father in disbelief. "What?"

​"The child," his voice remained emotionless. "It will ruin everything."

​Dizer’s breathing slowed as she turned to her mother, who kept her head lowered. "You agree with him? Answer me!"

​"Dizer... we're thinking about your future," Javier whispered, tears gathering in her eyes.

​A bitter, loud laugh escaped Dizer. "My future? You destroyed my future! You cared nothing about my reputation when you handed my husband over to my sister.

" She placed a fiercely protective hand over her stomach. "This child is all I have left. My babies will be born."

​"Dizer!" Kendall snapped, his patience breaking. "I am your father, and I won't allow it. It will ruin our family's reputation."

​"And I'm their mother. You don't get to decide anymore. You have no choice."

​"I do," Kendall's face darkened as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. "I'll arrange the procedure myself."

​Realizing he intended to force her into a medical termination, fear shot through Dizer's body. She stepped backward, panicked. "Don't."

​Kendall ignored her and began dialing.

​Suddenly, a voice thundered from the open doorway, stopping everyone in their tracks.

​"Put the phone down."

Everyone turned in shock. Liam Oscar stood at the entrance, his eyes burning with a terrifying anger. His gaze moved from Kendall's phone, down to Dizer's trembling hand resting defensively over her stomach, and then back up.

​"What exactly," Liam's voice became dangerously quiet, "are you trying to arrange?"