The MC President's Forsaken Wife (Zara and Knox) novel Chapter 431

Chapter 211-1

Chapter 211-1

+25 Point

The sun breaks bright and clear the following afternoon, burning away the lingering morning mist, but the knot in my stomach only tightens as Locke’s truck pulls into the medical clinic’s parking lot.

He steps out, rounding the truck to open my door. His hand instantly finds mine, his long fingers interlacing firmly with mine as we walk up the concrete path. The air is crisp, but his palm is pure warmth against my cold skin.

Inside, the clinic is mercifully empty. We don’t wait long. Within five minutes, a nurse leads us down a quiet hallway and into Examination Room 4.

The door opens a moment later, and Dr. Innis steps in. At our last visit, she was bright and cheerful, but today, her expression is heavy with serious concern.

Right away, I feel my stress and worry spike.

“Zara, Locke,” Dr. Innis says, pulling her rolling stool forward. “Please, sit.”

“I’ve reviewed the emergency room records from Dr. Kline following your admission last week,” Dr.

Innis says, her tone grave. “When Dr. Kline spoke to me on the phone this morning, she detailed the

extent of the physical trauma you suffered. The blunt force blows to your abdomen, the severe

facial bruising, the stitches to your lip…”

She pauses, taking a slow breath as she sets the chart down on her lap.

“Zara, given the physical severity of the assault you endured, I was deeply, deeply worried about placental abruption or internal tearing. Twelve weeks is a critical juncture in fetal development under normal circumstances, let alone after a physical beating of that magnitude.”

The air in the room suddenly feels entirely depleted of oxygen. Locke’s grip on my hand tightens, his knuckles turning white.

“But – but I had an ultrasound right after the attack,” I protest. “And everything was fine.”

“Yes, Dr. Kline’s initial bed-side scan in the ER showed no immediate structural detachment, which

was a miracle. But today, at your full twelve-week mark, I need to verify tissue viability, check the fluid levels, and ensure the placental wall is completely intact.”

“So you might see something else?” Locke asks. “Something that wasn’t present at the time?”

“That’s what we’re going to find out today.”

“Okay,” I whisper, my voice trembling slightly as lie down on the paper-lined table. “Okay.”

I take a deep breath, pull up the hem of my shirt. The cool gel makes me gasp softly as Dr. Innis

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Chapter 211-1

applies it to my lower stomach.

The room drops into a tense, deafening silence.

+25 Pony

Dr. Innis presses the transducer against my skin, moving it slowly in small, deliberate circles. The screen flickers to life, displaying grainy shades of gray, white, and deep shadow. Seconds feel like

hours.

Then, Dr. Innis flips a switch on the console.

Thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump.

The sound fills the small exam room like thunder. It’s fast, steady, and impeccably strong, a fierce,

stubborn rhythm echoing out into the quiet space.

On the screen, a clear, tiny outline emerges amidst the shadows. A head, miniature hands tucked close to a chest, tiny legs kicking.

A choking breath leaves my throat. “Oh… oh, God.”

Locke lets out a long, heavy exhale, the massive tension leaving his shoulders all at once.

Dr. Innis smiles warmly, her earlier concern melting into pure professional relief as she measures

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