Her previous miscarriage, along with the traumatic experience of being stranded in the icy wilderness for an hour, had resulted in menopathy. This condition significantly complicated her chances of conceiving.
Now that she was finally pregnant, losing the baby again could cause fatal damage to her already fragile womb.
"Idiot..." Bailey cursed in a hoarse voice.
She shouldn't have applied the pain-relieving powder when she was changing his bandages earlier. If she had let him experience the pain fully, he wouldn't have had the energy to torment her.
Ultimately, she was too compassionate. Her heart ached for him, yet he showed her no kindness at all.
The man leaning against the headboard gradually calmed his fluctuating emotions. His thoughts became clear, and his intellect slowly reawakened.
He slowly turned his head to the side. Seeing the angry Bailey with her back to him, he was reminded of the words she had said before they made love.
Is she really pregnant?
I was too hasty before, too eager to see her, and so I lost control. But now that I think about it, she wouldn't joke about being pregnant.
"Bay, are you really pregnant?"
Bailey snorted, her gaze fixed intently on the antique on the shelf, her whole body tense.
Seeing that she didn't respond, Artemis shamelessly reached out to touch her shoulder, coaxing, "Honey, are you really angry?"
"Don't touch me." Bailey swatted his hand away.
Hmm... Judging by her tone, it seems that she's quite upset.
Artemis casually slid his hand down her shoulder, finally resting it on her abdomen.
"Pregnant women shouldn't get angry. It could affect the baby's development."
As he spoke, a tremor ran through his voice, his fingers taut with tension. Upon contact with her abdomen, they quivered gently.
Only heaven could gauge the immense self-restraint he had to exercise to barely contain his joy and prevent himself from losing composure due to excitement.
The pain of their previous loss had always lingered in their hearts. Now, half a year later, hearing the news of her pregnancy again felt like a special gift bestowed by the heavens.
"Bay..."
Bailey suddenly sat up, her sudden movements straining her limbs. Waves of discomfort washed over her.
She glared at the man behind her, her eyes welling up with tears as she choked out, "Artemis, you're not human. Even though you're the one who's been playing with me, you still blame me for getting upset and affecting the baby's development. All you know is how to bully me, and you don't even bother to explain your flirtatious behavior with other women. Are you so sure that I can't live without you, and that's why you've cornered me, taking the liberty to toy with me as you please?"
Artemis became anxious. He reached out to cradle her face, his thumb gently caressing the corner of her eyes, trying to dispel the tears welling up in her eyes.
"Don't cry. I just missed you so much. That's why I—I've come to my senses now. I promise I won't touch you recklessly again. And about Rebecca, there's really nothing going on between us. If I wanted to pursue her, I wouldn't have held back at the hot spring."
At this moment, Bailey was incredibly vulnerable. In front of this man, she couldn't summon her usual strength.
As she gazed at his determined facial features, tears trickled down from her eyes.
"B-But your explanation isn't clear. I received some photos, and all of them are of you and Rebecca. You guys were playing in the swimming pool in your swimsuits, enjoying wine on the balcony in your pajamas, and standing side by side, moving in perfect harmony. Artemis, is this how ordinary friends behave? I came to you carrying a child. Don't you have any sympathy for me?"
Artemis gritted his teeth, forcefully suppressing the urge to tell her the truth.
"Alright, you should get some rest first. We can talk about this matter after you've had a good sleep."
The light in Bailey's eyes gradually dimmed.
She had said all she could, yet the man remained unmoved. She didn't know what else to do.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Suddenly There Are Three (Bailey and Artemis)