[7]

“Where am I?” Auri asked weakly. Her eyes fluttered open, only to close again as the light in the treatment room felt painfully bright. Her head was heavy, her breathing still uneven, her body aching all over. The sharp scent of antiseptic filled the air, instantly telling her she was in a hospital.

“Mrs. Harrow? Can you hear me?” a nurse asked, her voice gentle yet firm.

Auri blinked slowly. “Yes,” she replied hoarsely. Her hand moved instinctively to her abdomen. “My baby…”

“Try to stay calm,” the nurse said quickly. “The doctor will be here shortly. Your condition is stable for now.”

Auri tried to piece together what had happened before she ended up in this bed. Ethan arrived with Anna. Eating cake together. Then—right. The cake. The cake with peanuts. Ethan panicking. She is struggling to stay conscious. And the last image that lingered in her mind—Anna.

A few seconds later, the door opened. A man in a white coat stepped inside, his expression serious yet familiar to Auri.

“Thank goodness you’re awake,” he said. “I’m Dr. Austin. We’ve met quite a few times before, haven’t we?”

Auri nodded weakly. “Doctor.”

Dr. Austin moved closer, opening the medical file in his hands. “You had a severe allergic reaction. Fortunately, you were brought in on time. But I need to be honest with you.”

His tone grew firmer.

“If treatment had been delayed by just a few more minutes, not only would you have been in danger—your baby’s condition could have been at risk as well.”

Auri closed her eyes briefly, her fingers tightening around the blanket. “I didn’t know the cake contained peanuts, Doctor.”

“This isn’t the first time I’ve warned you,” Dr. Austin continued, his voice free of blame but heavy with emphasis. “You remember the previous incident, don’t you? Your allergy history is quite severe. You can’t casually try foods when you’re unsure of the ingredients.”

“I understand,” Auri said softly. “I wouldn’t have eaten it if I’d known.”

The nurse beside her jotted something down, then adjusted the IV in Auri’s arm.

“Your blood pressure dropped sharply at one point,” Dr. Austin went on, though his expression was much more relaxed now. “Luckily, your body responded well once we administered treatment. Still, I want you to be extremely careful from now on.”

“I will be,” Auri replied. Her voice was still weak, but her resolve was clear.

Dr. Austin nodded. “Good. Get some rest for now. We’ll continue monitoring you over the next few hours.”

He closed the file the nurse handed to him, gave a few instructions about her care, then glanced around the room. “Where is Mr. Ethan? I saw him bring you in earlier.”

The question lingered in the air.

Auri was wondering the same thing. She hesitated for a moment before answering, but another voice spoke first.

“He’s with another patient who arrived at the same time as Mrs. Harrow,” the nurse standing beside the bed explained.

Auri turned her head slowly. “Another patient?”

The nurse nodded. “A pregnant woman who experienced light bleeding. You both arrived almost simultaneously.”

Auri frowned. “At the same time?” she repeated softly.

Dr. Austin looked at her, his brows knitting slightly. “From the moment you arrived, Mr. Ethan stayed by your side. I assumed he was still with you now. There are a few things I need to discuss regarding your condition.”

Auri swallowed. “When I woke up… he wasn’t there.”

The room felt colder than before.

The nurse hesitated briefly, then continued, “When you were taken into the treatment room, your husband made sure your condition was stable. After that, he was asked to accompany the pregnant patient.”

“Is that patient’s condition serious?” Dr. Austin asked the nurse.

“Not particularly, Doctor,” the nurse replied quickly. “She just needs observation.”

Auri closed her eyes. The words echoed in her mind. Just needs observation. While she had nearly lost consciousness from a severe allergic reaction.

“Do you know which room that woman is in?” Auri asked.

The nurse nodded, though she looked uncertain.

“Could you please call my husband?”

“Of course, Mrs. Harrow.”

“Mrs. Harrow,” Dr. Austin said gently, “you don’t need to think about anything else right now. Focus on your recovery.”

Auri turned to the obstetrician who had cared for her since the day her pregnancy was confirmed. She forced a faint smile. “I understand, Doctor.”

But her thoughts wouldn’t stop. If Ethan knew her condition had been critical… why had he chosen to be at someone else’s side?

Dr. Austin gave his final instructions to the nurse before leaving the room. “Check her blood pressure every fifteen minutes. If she complains of any shortness of breath, report it immediately.”

“Yes, Doctor.”

The door closed softly. The room fell quiet again, filled only with the steady beeping of the monitor. The nurse adjusted Auri’s blanket. “You were lucky you arrived in time.”

Auri managed to small smile. “Yes… I know.”

Not long after the nurse left, Ethan finally came in. He looked exhausted, his breathing uneven—but the moment he reached Auri’s side, he pulled his wife into his arms.

“Thank God you’re all right, love. I was so worried about you.” He pressed a lingering kiss to Auri’s forehead. “How are you feeling? What hurts? Where does it hurt?”

Auri was caught off guard, but she forced herself to appear fine.

“Dr. Austin has already checked on you, right? What did he sa—”

“Where were you?” Auri asked quietly.

Ethan froze, clearly flustered.

“Were you… with Anna? The pregnant woman who was bleeding?”

“Yes, love.”

“You stayed with her until she regained consciousness?”

Ethan swallowed, his throat tight. “Her condition looked serious.”

“And what about me?”

Ethan didn’t say a word.

“Didn’t I almost die because of the cake your friend gave me?” Auri forced herself to sit up, even as pain throbbed through every inch of her body.

Ethan sighed, then tried to soothe her. “But you’re fine now. Anna really didn’t do it on purpose.”

Auri stared at him in disbelief, then drew in a shaky breath.

“Always her… always Anna,” she muttered, jaw tight.

“This is the last time I’m asking.” She didn’t look away for even a second. Her eyes stayed locked on Ethan—steady, unyielding—while he stood there, visibly uneasy.

“Who is your wife, Ethan? Me… or Anna?” Her voice trembled, but her gaze did not.

“Every time we argue, why do you always—”

“Tell me who you want,” she cut him off, her voice breaking but firm. Her fingers tightened around the bed sheet as she steadied herself.

“If you choose her, then from today on—” She met his eyes, her voice barely above a whisper. “we’re done. I am no longer your wife.”