The Officer's Runaway Wife & Secret Son novel Chapter 570

Rhys's heart instantly tightened. "What's wrong? Are you sick? Where does it hurt? Is it because you've been too tired lately? Have you seen a doctor?"

Clara looked at his panicked face, peeled his hand off her wrist, and firmly grasped it in hers.

Rhys didn't get an answer. He was about to ask again when Clara firmly pressed his palm against a completely unexpected place.

Clara applied a bit of pressure, planting his hand squarely over her lower abdomen.

"I'm pregnant."

In that split second, Rhys's pupils dilated. The sudden news hit him so hard it completely short-circuited his brain.

His heart rate spiked from seventy-two to over a hundred and ten.

"Yesterday, while I was keeping Emily company for her check-up, I felt nauseous, so I got my blood drawn. Six weeks."

Clara didn't give him any room to react or weigh the pros and cons. She immediately raised her hand, pointing a finger squarely in his face, cutting off whatever he was about to say.

She rapidly continued:

"But you need to shut up and let me finish."

"I don't care what kind of garbage is running through your head right now, and I don't care if you're internally calculating whether or not you'll survive the surgery. Do not say a word about dragging me down. Do not tell me that if you don't make it, you're afraid Felix and I will suffer raising another child alone. And absolutely do not utter a single word about getting an abortion."

"Rhys, I am absolutely keeping this baby, and no one can convince me otherwise. If you dare say a single pessimistic word, I will never forgive you for the rest of my life."

By the time the final sentence landed, her hand was still pressed over his, having never shifted for a single second.

Her rapid-fire delivery completely sealed off every single sentence Rhys could have possibly uttered.

Rhys froze in his slightly stiff posture, staring intently at the little lioness in front of him who had just bared her claws.

A profound joy began to spread through his eyes, making him forget how to breathe normally. He had to take deep breaths just to steady the wildly erratic beating of his heart against his ribs.

Trapped against him, Clara didn't understand what he meant. "What are you talking about?"

"When did I ever say I didn't want this baby?"

He tilted his head slightly, his thumb brushing gently against the side of her ear, his eyes full of confusion.

"Before you even walked through that door, you had already planned exactly how to shut me up. From your opening line to your closing statement, you didn't leave me a single inch. You prepared so much—did it never cross your mind that I wouldn't reject this?"

"What?"

"I've already missed four years of Felix's life. From the day he was born to his first steps, I wasn't there for any of it. That is the greatest regret of my entire life. How could I ever be willing to give this baby up? This is our child. I couldn't have asked for anything more."

Clara stared at him blankly.

She had thought she was about to face a brand-new tug-of-war, but she never expected him to be even more resolute than she was.