Bound by lies, Trapped by Desire - Chapter 118: Chapter 118

Elena’s POV:
Her hands clenched tightly around mine, as we both listened to the doctor speaking in a grim, tone. “Furthermore, in Alderidge, if the father of a pregnancy that has passed the six-week mark is known or identifiable, especially in a case involving medical risk, we need either his informed consent for the procedure or at least his verified paternity to proceed with certain medical pathways and to ensure all legal and familial responsibilities are addressed. It’s a legal requirement designed to protect all parties involved, including the potential father.”
I clenched my jaw so hard my teeth ached. “What happened to her was non-consensual, Doctor! Rape! Why in God’s name would she still need the permission of the perpetrator for an abortion?!” My voice rose sharply, the injustice of the situation making my blood boil. Mielle flinched beside me, her grip tightening on my hand.
The doctor nodded slowly, his expression softening "I understand your outrage, Elena. Believe me, we see cases like this far too often in this hospital, and it is infuriating. The law in Alderidge, particularly when it concerns pregnancies beyond the earliest stages and with an identified potential father, operates under the premise of ‘paternal rights and lineage protection,’ regardless of the circumstances of conception."
He paused, then sighed and added. "It's a deeply flawed and often cruel law in cases such as Mielle's, a law that many of us in the medical community actively fight to change. But as it stands, for us to legally proceed with a termination without the father's direct consent, or at the very least his verifiable and documented refusal to acknowledge paternity..."
He took a slow, steadying breath. "...Mielle would have needed to have filed a formal police report for sexual assault within a very specific and limited timeframe immediately following the incident. Furthermore, a forensic medical examination – often referred to as a ‘rape kit’ – would have had to be performed and the collected evidence meticulously documented immediately after the assault occurred. That evidence would then be used to establish probable cause for the non-consensual act in a court of law, which could then potentially grant Mielle a waiver for the paternal consent requirement."
His eyes met mine, then Mielle's, his gaze filled with a genuine regret that mirrored the helplessness I felt. "Unfortunately, given that the incident occurred a month and a half ago, the crucial window for collecting viable forensic evidence via a rape kit has closed. The delicate biological evidence necessary for that kind of irrefutable legal proof degrades very quickly, often within a matter of days, even hours in some cases."
He continued. "This leaves us with a very difficult and limited path forward, legally speaking."
He looked directly at Mielle, his gaze filled with a profound compassion, then back at me, his expression somber. "Mielle, your well-being, both physical and emotional, is our utmost priority here. We can, and absolutely will, provide you with immediate and ongoing counseling and comprehensive support to help you process and begin to heal from the trauma you've endured. But regarding the pregnancy itself, your immediate legal options, without the father's cooperation or voluntary acknowledgement, now unfortunately boil down to carrying the pregnancy to term, or pursuing a potentially lengthy, expensive, and highly invasive legal battle to attempt to obtain a court order. Even then, successful legal challenges to this specific and deeply problematic part of Alderidge law are… exceedingly rare without immediate and strong forensic evidence to corroborate the assault."
The doctor then subtly pivoted, his voice softening slightly, becoming more nurturing and less clinical. "For now, Mielle, your primary focus should be on rest and allowing yourself the time and space to begin the process of recovery from this profound shock. We can certainly give you a mild sedative to help calm your nerves, if you wish, or simply advise you to go home to a safe and quiet environment and rest. We have also provided you with comprehensive information regarding our in-house counseling services and external support groups specifically designed for survivors of sexual assault. Please, take care of yourself, Mielle." He gently handed a pamphlet to Mielle. "We will schedule a follow-up appointment for you next week, regardless of what you ultimately decide about the pregnancy. We’re here to support you every step of the way."
After a few more weary and emotionally charged questions from Mielle about the immediate medical aspects of her situation, questions that I barely registered through a haze of my own fury and helplessness, we finally left the examination room.
"Mielle," I began, my voice softer now, seeing her utter fragility, the shell-shocked look in her eyes. I reached out and gently squeezed her hand. "What… what do you want to do now? About all of this? What are your wishes, Mielle?"
She shook her head slowly, a single tear escaping her already swollen eyes and tracing a lonely path down her pale cheek. Her voice, when she finally spoke, was barely a whisper, thin and reedy, filled with an immeasurable despair. "I don't know, Elena. I just… I honestly just don't know what to do."
I pursed my lips. Looking out of the hospital’s large front windows, I saw that the sky was completely dark now, the city lights twinkling like distant, indifferent stars. “Where are you staying right now, Mielle?” I asked, my voice gentle but firm. “Should I drop you home? Are you close by?”
And she shook her head again, her movements small and defeated. “I can’t go home… not like this. Not now. I was just visiting my grandmother earlier today, and I told her that I’d be heading back to Velhaven this evening. I just… I got so incredibly overwhelmed after taking the pregnancy strip test… that I completely lost track of time. Can you just… drop me off at the bus stop? I’ll figure out a way to make my way back somehow.” The last part of her sentence was a broken murmur, a barely audible plea that made my chest ache with a fierce protectiveness.
I frowned, my grip tightening on her hand. “You absolutely cannot head all the way back to Velhaven alone like this, Mielle. It’s late at night, you’re clearly in shock, and you shouldn’t be by yourself. Just sit here for a moment, okay? Give me a few minutes.” I said, gently but firmly pushing her down onto the chair.
I turned then and quickly dialed Haruki’s number, my fingers fumbling slightly with my phone in my haste. It took him a few rings to pick up, and I took a deep, steadying breath before speaking. “Hey. Haruki? It’s Elena.”
“Yes?” He asked, prompting me to continue.
“I have a friend here with me who’s going through a… a really serious crisis. She needs a place to stay tonight, somewhere safe and quiet, where she can just… rest. Would it be alright, would it be at all possible, if I took her back to your condo for a night or two? She’s in absolutely no state to be alone right now.” I rushed the words out, a sense of guilt gnawing at me for imposing on his generosity so soon. “I’m so incredibly sorry to even ask this of you, Haruki… you can charge me extra rent, whatever you think is fair, I—” He cut me off mid-sentence, his voice sharp. “Elena, is your friend a guy?”