Chapter 5

After dry-heaving until there was nothing left, I finally started to feel a bit better.

My face was still deathly pale.

With my free hand, I pulled a small pill bottle from my pocket.

I gave a self-deprecating smile.

"Kieran, I have a bad stomach. I always have. Have you forgotten that, my dear husband?"

"Besides, pregnant? You know our situation better than anyone. Whose baby would I be pregnant with?"

Kieran froze. We had been married for three years, and he had never touched me.

He glanced at the label on the pill bottle and let out a complicated sigh of relief.

Yes, I did have stomach problems.

And given our situation, it was impossible for me to be pregnant with his baby.

Besides, in Kieran's eyes, my love for him was deeper than the ocean. I would never be with another man.

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice unusually soft. "I was overthinking."

He quickly released my wrist, took the bottle, and personally poured a pill into my hand.

He even brought me a glass of warm water.

"You walked so far today and were in the sun for so long. You must be exhausted."

He handed me the glass, his tone laced with a hint of apology. "I shouldn't have made you walk here alone."

Seeing this, Camilla, standing behind him, contorted her face.

She bit her lip, her fists clenched with jealousy.

She glanced around, then suddenly swayed.

"Kieran..." she called out weakly. "I feel so sick..."

Before she finished her sentence, she collapsed into her chair, her eyes shut tight.

"Camilla!"

Kieran instantly dropped the glass of water he was holding for me and rushed to her side, catching her.

"Get a doctor!" he yelled toward the doorway.

Everyone in the room crowded around, a flurry of chaotic activity.

I sat in my original seat, watching the scene unfold with a completely numb heart.

Kieran swept Camilla into his arms and hurried out.

"I'm taking her to the hospital. The meeting is on hold."

He left without a backward glance, the frail Camilla cradled in his arms.

He never looked at me again.

An important meeting that would decide the fate of two powerful families ended just like that.

Kieran's mother walked over and gave me a cold look. "What are you still sitting here for? Pack up and go home."

I silently gathered my things and took a car back to the estate alone.

Perhaps it was the sun and the long walk, or perhaps it was the pregnancy, but I started to feel increasingly unwell.

That night, a high fever set in, and my whole body ached.

But I was too afraid of harming the baby to take any fever reducers.

My throat was raw, and every word felt like a knife.

I was exhausted and weak, as if all the blood had been drained from my body.

I wanted to change out of my sweat-soaked nightgown, but even that simple act was a struggle.

I tried for a long time to sit up, but dizziness sent me crashing back onto the bed.

The damp fabric clung to my skin, cold and sticky, making the fever even more unbearable.

I had no strength to change, and no one came to help.

I drifted in and out of consciousness. All night, Kieran never came back.

When I finally woke from my fevered state, the sky was bright.

I struggled to my feet and poured myself a glass of water with a trembling hand. I reached for my phone to check the time and accidentally opened Camilla's latest Instagram post.

The picture was of a man's large, well-defined hand tightly holding a woman's slender one.

I knew that hand all too well. It was Kieran's.

The caption read: "Thank you for staying with me all night. With you by my side, I'm not afraid of anything."

Below were tons of likes and comments.

"I'm so jealous of Camilla. To have a man like that protecting you."

"Who's this handsome guy? He's so devoted to you!"

"When are you two getting married?"

I suddenly remembered how every time I had been sick, the most Kieran would say was:

"Have the family doctor look after you. I have family business to attend to. I don't have time for this."

Back then, I was so naive. I actually believed he was that busy.

I even thought I was being understanding, that I shouldn't bother a future Don with such "trivial" matters.

I had even found a man who put his family responsibilities first to be charming.

Thinking back on it now, it was utterly laughable.

He was just selectively busy. His specific brand of tenderness was reserved for a specific person. And that person was not me.

I smiled bitterly and calmly closed my phone.

For the unloved, even falling ill is an inconvenience to be borne alone.

For five straight days, Kieran didn't come home.

The estate was silent. So quiet I could hear a pin drop.

I began to quietly pack my things, sorting non-essential items into boxes.

The lavish evening gowns, expensive jewelry, and the formal attire required for family gatherings.

They were once symbols of my status, but now they were just ornate shackles.

My phone rang suddenly. It was my mother.

I hesitated for a moment before answering.

"Scarlett, how are things going with you and Kieran?" my mother's voice was anxious. "The family keeps asking about an heir."

"Scarlett, you can't be so willful. You need to think about the family..."

"I know, Mamma. Don't worry," I said calmly, pausing my packing. "You'll have your answer in a month."

"A month?" Her voice was filled with surprise. "What do you mean..."

She was stunned for a moment before asking, "Are you pregnant? Even if you got pregnant now, you couldn't possibly have a baby in a month."

"You'll know when the time comes," I cut her off.

"That's good, that's good," my mother said, relieved. "I knew my daughter wouldn't let the family down."

After hanging up, I stared blankly at my luggage, gently stroking my belly.