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Chapter 8

Penulis: Green Gardenia
Looking at the pregnancy report, Nelson finally raised his eyes to Sarah, his voice somewhat hoarse. "Last night, when you said you were pregnant and bleeding... that was true?"

Sarah remained silent, not answering.

Nelson felt his heart drop. After looking at her for a while, he finally asked, "Is the baby... okay?"

"It's fine."

Silence hung in the air for several moments. Nelson stared at the report in his hands, not knowing what to say.

Sarah watched him, trying to read his confused and complicated expression, wondering what his feelings were about this child.

The hospital room remained quiet for a long time. Nelson held the pregnancy report, his emotions in turmoil. Eventually, he looked at Sarah and asked, "This baby—what do you plan to do with it?"

Sarah looked at him and countered, "What do you think I should do?"

As she asked this, her hand unconsciously gripped the blanket tightly. Her bright dark eyes remained fixed on him, waiting for his answer.

Nelson's gaze lowered slightly. After hesitating for a few seconds, he said, "Since it's already here, let's keep it."

Sarah's tense body froze for a moment.

"Okay," she replied.

Perhaps because he had learned about Sarah's pregnancy, Nelson didn't bring up the club fight again. Though he had been in a hurry to leave earlier, he now stayed at the hospital with Sarah.

He even began discussing marriage plans with her, asking what kind of proposal she wanted and what style of ring she preferred.

Sarah listened calmly to his fantasies. If she hadn't seen his messages ordering gifts for Lucy, she might have wavered in her resolve for a few seconds.

Unfortunately, she had seen his affectionate messages to Lucy and the special apology gift he had prepared for her.

He only managed to stay with her at the hospital for two hours before growing restless. He excused himself to use the bathroom, but really went to call Lucy.

"Mmm... as long as you like it... I'll bring her later... she is my girlfriend after all..."

Sarah couldn't hear everything clearly from the bathroom, but she gathered enough to know he was talking to Lucy.

Half an hour later, Nelson returned, though Sarah had no idea what he and Lucy had discussed.

Nelson asked Sarah to attend his good friend George's wedding with him that evening.

Sarah didn't want to go, but Nelson had endless reasons why she should, and she agreed just to stop his pestering.

At the venue, Sarah discovered that Lucy was a bridesmaid. Since they had already had their confrontation, when they saw each other, Sarah showed no expression.

Lucy glanced at Nelson and just smiled understandingly.

After the bride and groom had completed the ceremony, just as things seemed to be wrapping up, the emcee suddenly invited the groom's friends to come on stage for the bouquet toss.

Naturally, Nelson was called up to the stage as well.

As the bride threw her bouquet, amid the cheers of the crowd, Sarah watched as Nelson easily jumped up, first among everyone, and caught the bouquet.

The emcee spoke up, "The bouquet has been caught by the groom's handsome friend. Tell me, sir, seeing how desperately you fought for these flowers, are you planning to give them to a special lady?"

All eyes turned to Nelson. Sarah sat among the guests, watching him calmly.

After just a few seconds of hesitation, Nelson looked toward Lucy and smiled softly. "Yes, I want to give these flowers to her. I wish her happiness, fulfillment, and joy."

With that, he handed the bouquet to Lucy, who pretended to be surprised, covering her mouth. "Nelson, you..."

During this exchange, her triumphant gaze met Sarah's from across the room, full of mockery.

The emcee, assuming the two were a couple, encouraged Nelson to get down on one knee and propose. Immediately, the guests and Nelson's friends began wildly cheering them on.

"Propose! Propose!"

The chants echoed throughout the room. Watching this scene, Sarah couldn't help but let out a cold laugh.

Her presence now seemed completely unnecessary. Without her there, Nelson would probably be gazing lovingly at Lucy and asking, "Will you marry me?"

Seeming to remember that Sarah was watching from below, Nelson turned to look into the crowd, accidentally meeting Sarah's scornful eyes.

Nelson panicked for a moment, then awkwardly handed the flowers to Lucy.

Leaving the banquet hall, Nelson looked at Sarah's calm, detached expression and tried to explain, "About what just happened, don't overthink it. Everyone was just having fun, so..."

"I understand," Sarah replied simply, without saying more, and walked toward the car.

"Nelson, Miss Paterson, wait!" Lucy came running from a distance, still clutching the bouquet.

Reaching them, Lucy looked at Nelson and said, "Nelson, it's hard to get a taxi here. Could I ride with you two?"

Then she glanced at Sarah, asking timidly, "Would that be okay, Miss Paterson?"

Sarah was too disgusted to respond and simply got into the car without a word.

Of course, Lucy got in with Nelson's unilateral permission.

On the way back, Lucy seemed very happy, holding the bouquet and chatting endlessly with Nelson.

Sarah sat in the back seat with her eyes closed, silent, trying to block out everything and rest for a moment.

Suddenly, the car dramatically accelerated. She opened her eyes, about to ask what was happening, when she heard a loud crash.

The car flipped onto its side and tumbled into a field by the roadside, landing upside down with its wheels pointing toward the sky.
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  • Withered Yet Freed   Chapter 25

    There wasn't the slightest resemblance to Nelson anywhere."Doctor, is it possible you've given us the wrong baby?" Richard had been so excited about this child, and now he was equally terrified and angry.Restraining his emotions, he questioned the doctor.The doctor responded very carefully, "Mrs. Jackson was the only woman in labor. There's no possibility of a mix-up. If you don't believe me, you can immediately request a paternity test."The doctor made this suggestion mainly because he worried that when Lucy regained consciousness and saw the baby, she might cause a scene at the hospital. So he suggested they take both mother and child for paternity testing.The doctor's words left Richard completely hopeless.Nelson was on the verge of collapse. People gathered around him, looking at his ashen face, wanting to say something but unable to find any words."Karma. This is all karma..." Nelson said, suddenly breaking into laughter. He had betrayed Sarah, so he deserved to be m

  • Withered Yet Freed   Chapter 24

    Nelson froze, his body stiffening as he turned to look at Lucy in disbelief. "You're pregnant? With my child?"Lucy quickly masked the guilt in her eyes and nodded. "Yes, I'm pregnant with your baby. It happened the night I returned from Europe, at the club. You were completely drunk, and we..."Listening to her words while watching Sarah's retreating figure, Nelson suddenly felt everything was absurdly ironic. He had truly become exactly the type of person she had described.Sarah heard Lucy's words but merely smiled faintly before hurrying toward Travis who was waiting outside.Her life had a new beginning now. What others did belonged in the past.That night, the newlyweds sat on their marriage bed opening their wedding gifts..Sarah looked at the pile of cards and gifts on the bed, too excited to feel sleepy. Travis emerged from the bathroom, towel-drying his hair.He walked up to her and gazed down. Sarah initially tried to pretend not to notice.But his gaze was too inten

  • Withered Yet Freed   Chapter 23

    "Travis." Sarah spoke up, looking at him. "Would you wait for me outside for a moment? I'll handle this."This was her battle to fight; Travis shouldn't have to dirty his hands with it.Travis glanced at Nelson, clearly reluctant to leave Sarah alone with someone like him. But respecting her decision, he nodded slightly before walking out.After watching Travis go, Sarah turned to face the disheveled Nelson."Nelson, didn't you read the abortion paperwork and breakup letter carefully?" she asked.Nelson refused to accept reality. "Sarah, I know this is just your way of punishing me. I've learned my lesson, and I promise I won't upset you again. Come back with me. Let's have our baby and be a proper family together. We can build a good life, okay?"Sarah pressed her lips together and sighed deeply. Looking at him, she no longer concealed the disgust in her eyes. "Nelson, I suddenly realize that for these three years, I've been a complete fool. To think I loyally stood by someone l

  • Withered Yet Freed   Chapter 22

    In an instant, the Paterson parents' faces darkened. Mr. Paterson looked at Nelson, his eyes filled with fury. "What did you just say?"Nelson continued, "Sarah and I have been together for three years. During those three years, we lived together...""Slap!" Before he could finish, Mrs. Paterson, her eyes blazing with anger, struck him across the face.She glared at him. "Whatever happened between you and my daughter in the past is over. Don't you dare soil her reputation with your filthy words. Get out of here."She was trembling with rage.Mr. Paterson's expression was equally severe. He looked at his old friend and said, "Richard, we've been friends for years. If you and your son truly came to attend my daughter's wedding, you're welcome. But if you came to damage my daughter's reputation, then please leave."Inside the reception hall, the emcee was inviting the parents of the bride and groom to come on stage for speeches.The Paterson parents turned and went back inside.Ne

  • Withered Yet Freed   Chapter 21

    A man in a black suit stood at the center of the stage, holding a bouquet.Seeing this, Nelson was almost certain they had entered the wrong venue. This was clearly a wedding, not an anniversary celebration.He turned to his father, saying, "Dad, quickly call Uncle Andrew and ask which hall they're in. We should go there now."Richard's expression had already changed when he spotted Sarah's face in the video.Despite Nelson's urging, he didn't make a call. Instead, he said gravely, "We're not in the wrong place."As he spoke, he looked toward the bride slowly walking toward the center of the stage—it was Sarah.Nelson also saw the bride, but with his nearsightedness and Sarah's stunning appearance today, though she looked somewhat familiar, he didn't make the connection.Guests at the tables watched the beautiful bride with admiration. "The Winters and Paterson children are truly exceptional—a perfect match of talent and beauty.""Indeed. I heard the families have been friends

  • Withered Yet Freed   Chapter 20

    Brookshire.Learning that Nelson was heading to Oakville, George thought he was going on important business and frowned. "What are you going to Oakville for?""Sarah went back there. I'm going to bring her home." Nelson was in a bad mood, still unable to contact Sarah these past two days.Seeing his irritation, George wasn't sure what to make of it. "Why the sudden interest in bringing her back? You never used to care much about her whereabouts. Besides, Lucy's been in Brookshire lately. Aren't you going to keep her company?"At the mention of Lucy, Nelson thought of the photos Sarah's father had thrown at him. He frowned and said, "Why would I keep her company? She's not my girlfriend. And Sarah is pregnant. Stop saying things that might upset her. She's expecting and needs to maintain a positive mood.""What? She's pregnant too?" George was momentarily speechless. Hearing Nelson's protectiveness toward Sarah, he held back what he had intended to say on Lucy's behalf.With both

  • Withered Yet Freed   Chapter 19

    On the swing set, under Travis's puzzled gaze, Sarah began speaking. "I have something to tell you. I know that after hearing it, you might not want to marry me anymore, but I still want to tell you before we get married. Although we knew each other as children, we haven't seen each other for many years. This is essentially an arranged marriage by our parents, with too few traces of love between us. That's why I want to be clear about everything before we marry. After you understand, you can decide whether you still want to marry me."Seeing how serious and sincere she was, Travis nodded. "Alright."In truth, no matter what she said, he wouldn't change his mind about marrying her. But he was happy that she wanted to be honest with him before the wedding. It meant she was taking their relationship seriously."I had an abortion. Though it was early in the pregnancy, I still want to be honest with you." She explained her three-year relationship with Nelson in detail, then paused before

  • Withered Yet Freed   Chapter 18

    Just as he was thinking this, Lucy called. He looked at the number displayed on the screen.After a moment's hesitation, Nelson answered."Nelson, I'm not feeling well. Could you take me to the hospital?" Lucy's voice was gentle but sounded somewhat weak.His instinct was to go immediately, but after seeing the remnants of the photos he had just burned, he hesitated for a few seconds and replied, "Lucy, I'm quite busy these days. Let me ask George to take you to the hospital instead."Nelson had never refused Lucy before. This was the first time.On the other end of the line, Lucy's face instantly darkened. It must be that wretched Sarah, she thought, using some tactic to keep Nelson from seeing her.She couldn't express her displeasure over the phone, so she responded graciously, "That's fine. Take care of your business, but no matter how busy you are, remember to look after yourself.""I will."After hanging up on Nelson, Lucy, with a grim expression, called George.She had

  • Withered Yet Freed   Chapter 17

    Oakville, the Paterson home.When Nelson called, Sarah's father was helping her mother fold favor boxes for wedding gifts.In the spacious living room, the three family members plus their housekeeper had already assembled dozens of small decorative boxes.Mr. Paterson's back was sore from sitting too long, so when his phone rang, he stood up gratefully to answer it, stretching with relief.Seeing the caller ID, he answered, "Nelson, what brings you to call me?"Hearing her father's words, Sarah, who had been focused on folding the delicate boxes, froze momentarily.On the other end, Nelson's voice sounded hoarse. "Mr. Paterson, I have something I'd like to ask Sarah. Could you put her on the phone?"Mr. Paterson looked toward Sarah, about to hand her the phone, when suddenly she stood up and smiled toward the doorway. "Travis! What a surprise!"Travis walked in carrying several bakery bags. After greeting Mr. Paterson who was on the phone, he handed Sarah a box of still-warm pa

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