After All the Hurt, She Chose Herself novel Chapter 101

The police officer's expression turned serious after listening to the recording.

He immediately sent a team of officers over.

Aria gave them Flora's location.

In the meantime, she had to wait at the station until Flora was brought in so she could make a formal identification with the evidence.

Aria sat quietly on the bench, her fingers unconsciously drifting to her lower abdomen.

Realizing the little life was gone, she couldn't stop a lump from forming in her throat.

Her phone buzzed a few times.

It was a message from Gideon.

[Gideon: Where are you? We need to talk.]

Aria flipped her phone over, screen down, and didn't reply.

Right now, she just wanted to be alone.

A female officer brought over a cup of hot coffee and spoke gently, "Here's something to drink, Ms. Rowan."

She looked pale, sitting all alone on the bench with no one to look after her. The officer couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy.

Bullied as a child and now being threatened like this... it was truly pitiful.

Aria thanked her in a low voice and held the paper cup, the warmth of the coffee chasing away some of the chill in her hands.

Gideon waited for two minutes, and when Aria didn't reply, he stepped out of the hospital room to call her.

He called once. Aria didn't answer.

On the third call, Aria finally picked up, her voice cold. "What is it?"

Even though her voice was icy, Gideon felt a hint of warmth just hearing it. He softened his tone. "On stage today, Hazel pushed you. Are you alright?"

Aria scoffed inwardly.

Alright?

She had planned to recover her strength before getting an abortion, but after that push from Charles and Hazel, she had lost the baby entirely.

But it had been almost two hours since the conference ended.

Was this fake concern even necessary?

"I'm fine. You don't need to worry about me."

Faintly, Aria heard Flora's voice.

Flora: "Gideon! I think Lilith is having a withdrawal episode! We have to do something!"

And then, the line went dead.

Aria put her phone away, her face blank. It was a good thing she'd gotten rid of the baby.

Keeping it would have been a real tragedy.

But since Gideon knew she was pregnant, she had to hide the fact that she'd had an abortion.

Otherwise, if Gideon, who wanted the baby's cord blood, found out the child was gone, he would never let her go.

---

In the hospital room.

Lilith was drenched in sweat from the discomfort. Before, they had all unconsciously assumed it was a symptom of her nerve pain.

They had never imagined it was withdrawal.

"Gideon, it's so itchy... my whole body is itching, like ants are crawling all over me. It hurts..."