Chapter 14

The doctor handed Hailey a lab report, pointing to the highlighted section. "These are the blood test results. The patient's hCG levels are at 36 U/L. Typically, anything over 25 U/L indicates pregnancy." Hailey's face twisted with anger as the words sank in. She couldn't believe Alexia's luck—her body had been so "cooperative" that after just one night, she'd managed to get pregnant! At that very moment, Alexia's eyes fluttered open. She caught the doctor's explanation. The realization hit her like an explosion in her brain. She was pregnant. The doctor continued, "Her flu is quite severe. Taking medication could prolong recovery and may pose some risk to the baby. I strongly recommend IV treatment. What's your decision?" "Medication." "IV." Two voices spoke at once. Alexia turned toward the doctor, her voice weak. "I'll take the IV." "Understood. I'll prepare the prescription," the doctor said, nodding before leaving the room. As soon as the door closed, Hailey sneered, her venomous. "Oh, look who's finally awake! You're not seriously thinking of keeping that little parasite, are you?" Alexia, still dazed, responded faintly, "It's none of your business." "A sickly mother, a bastard child without a clue who the father is, and you're dirt poor. How exactly do you plan to raise it?" Hailey let out a mocking laugh. "You should just get rid of it—it'll only drag you down. And if the Reed family finds out… do you think there won't be consequences?" Alexia's lips parted, ready to respond, but before she could, the door swung open. Calvin stepped in. "What are you holding?" Hailey froze, panic flashing across her face. Alexia's heart thudded loudly in her chest. Forcing herself to stay calm, she answered evenly, "It's nothing. Just the doctor's prescription." Hailey snapped out of her daze, fumbling as she stuffed the lab report into her bag. Calvin absolutely cannot find out about this. If he discovered Alexia was carrying his child, the truth about Hailey replacing Alexia as his chosen partner would inevitably unravel. And if that happened, Hailey's carefully constructed claim to the title of Mrs. Reed would crumble in an instant. Meanwhile, Alexia turned her gaze to Calvin, her expression blank. "What are you doing here?" Calvin countered with a calm yet pointed question, "What do you think?" Alexia glanced at him briefly before shifting her gaze to Hailey. "Did you bring her all the way to the hospital just to make me kneel and apologize?" She didn't believe for a moment that Hailey had any genuine concern for her well-being. As for Calvin? He wasn't the type to be that considerate, either. Calvin's face darkened. Her dismissive attitude grated on his nerves. However, Alexia was too overwhelmed to notice his reaction. The bombshell of her pregnancy consumed her thoughts, leaving no room to worry about Calvin's mood. Looking utterly defeated, she muttered, "I'll apologize and resign. I don't care about the job anymore. But can you at least let Melody keep hers? It's a matter of life and death." Calvin's sharp gaze flickered to her. Her pale, lifeless face was a stark contrast to the fiery, stubborn energy she'd displayed just the day before. All this from a cold? She looked like she'd been completely drained. His lips twitched slightly as a faint, inexplicable softness stirred within him. "Take two days off. When your leave is over, go back to work." Alexia didn't respond, her mind still spiraling, consumed by the news of her pregnancy. She barely registered what he'd said. On the other hand, Hailey was livid. "Mr. Reed, why are you letting her go back to the company?" "It's just a janitor's job. If she wants it, let her have it. It's inconsequential," Calvin replied dismissively. Hailey begrudgingly nodded, but she quickly added, "But… What if she bullies me?" Calvin turned back to Alexia, his tone turning sharp. "Don't forget. Don't provoke Hailey again." Alexia slowly raised her head. "I didn't provoke her. She's always the one picking fights with me." "She's no match for you. She might appear arrogant and domineering, but you… You look innocent and harmless, but underneath it all, you're cunning and full of schemes," he said, lifting an eyebrow. "And even if she causes trouble, you'll endure it. That's the price you pay for stealing her place." Alexia let out a soft laugh, though it carried no warmth or joy. "Heh…" Hailey's lips curved into a triumphant smile as she slipped her arm through Calvin's. "Mr. Reed, will you take me home tonight?" "Mm," Calvin responded with a nod. Hailey turned to Alexia, a smug glint in her eyes. "Oh, Alexia, don't bother waiting up for Mr. Reed tonight. He'll be out late." With that, the pair left the room together. Alexia sat in silence, lost in thought, completely disconnected from the world around her. As the doctor administered the IV, she finally broke the silence. "How far along am I?" The doctor replied, "Blood tests only confirm the pregnancy. To determine how far along you are, we'd need to perform an ultrasound." "Thank you," Alexia murmured. Once the IV treatment was complete, Alexia requested an ultrasound. Later, she returned to the doctor's office with the results in hand. The doctor scanned the report briefly and said, "You're about four weeks pregnant." Alexia remained silent, her chest rose and fell as she tried to process the words. "Are you considering not keeping it?" the doctor asked. "I…" Alexia hesitated. She didn't know how to answer. In truth, she didn't want to keep it. As cruel as Hailey's words had been, some of them rang true. Alexia was already struggling to support herself and Christine. Bringing a child into the picture felt impossible. And then there was Calvin. If he found out, the fallout would be devastating. Noticing Alexia's hesitation, the doctor continued, "If you're leaning toward not keeping it, you should take better precautions in the future. But there's something you should know. "Your uterus is tilted and retroflexed, which makes it difficult for you to conceive. If you terminate this pregnancy, it might be very hard—or even impossible—for you to get pregnant again." Alexia's fingers curled tightly into fists as the weight of the doctor's words settled over her. Seeing her hesitation, the doctor suggested, "A medication-based termination is an option within the first 49 days, so you have some time to think it over. Don't pressure yourself. You're a beautiful woman—I imagine your baby would be just as beautiful." After leaving the hospital, Alexia's heart felt unbearably heavy. Should she keep it? Or not? If she kept the baby, how could she possibly provide for the baby when she didn't even know who the father was? But if she didn't, what if this was her only chance to ever become a mother? The questions swirled in her mind. The more she thought, the more overwhelmed she felt. Her head throbbed with an almost unbearable intensity as if needles were stabbing into her skull. The pain made it hard to breathe. In that moment of anguish, a deep longing for Christine swept over her. Without thinking, Alexia pulled out her phone and dialed Christine's number. She told her that she'll be there in about an hour. As soon as she stepped off the bus, Alexia spotted a familiar figure waiting by the roadside. Her eyes stung with emotion. Every time she came home, Christine was always there, waiting at the corner. She ran toward her. "Mom, how long have you been standing here?" "Not long," Christine replied with a gentle smile. "Why'd you buy so much? You're wasting money again." Despite her scolding tone, her hands had already reached for the bags, her care and concern evident in her every action. "It's nothing. Just some milk, eggs, meat, and a few supplements. You need to take care of your health," Alexia said lightly. They began walking toward the house. Their home was small, old, and worn, yet it exuded warmth. Alexia turned to Christine. "Mom, let's sleep together tonight." Christine was busy sorting through vegetables. "How could we do that?" "I already told Grandpa I'd be staying here tonight," Alexia replied. Christine didn't press the issue further. Soon, dinner was ready. Alexia picked up a piece of fragrant pork roast, but as soon as she bit into it, a sudden wave of nausea overwhelmed her. She shot to her feet, rushing outside where she vomited violently. Christine followed immediately, worry etched across her face. "What's wrong? Are you sick?" Alexia avoided her gaze. "No, it's just the cold. I must've upset my stomach by eating something greasy." "You need to take better care of yourself, Alexia," Christine frowned. "I will." Alexia hesitated before asking, "Mom, how did you feel when you found out you were pregnant." Christine rested her hand lightly on Alexia's shoulder, and she spoke thoughtfully. "I felt a mix of shock, fear, and happiness. It's hard to explain. "Being pregnant is such a joyful thing, but it also comes with so much responsibility. I was terrified I wouldn't be a good mother, that I wouldn't be able to take care of my baby. But every time I felt the baby move, it was… fulfilling." Alexia wrapped her arms around Christine tightly, her emotions bubbling to the surface. Sensing something was off, Christine asked, "Why are you asking about this all of a sudden? Don't tell me… Are you pregnant?"