Taken By My Fiancé's Uncle - Chapter 40: Chapter 40

"Sorry, but if we hadn't done the surgery, she would have bled out. I'm really sorry," the doctor said, looking down.
Sheila started crying. "As long as she's okay, that's all that matters."
Lorenzo turned his head, not able to watch anymore.
Eugene took a deep breath. "Where is she?"
"She'll be out soon and moved straight to her room. But it's best if only one person stays here so she can get some rest," the doctor advised.
The hospital room was quiet. Eugene stood by the bed, looking at Lorraine.
Without thinking, he reached out to check if she was still breathing. Her breaths were faint and shallow. He touched her hand, which was freezing cold.
The baby had come and gone in the blink of an eye, like a breeze passing through his heart. Before the ripples could even settle, it was already gone, leaving him wondering if it had ever really been there.
He lowered his eyes, his grip tightening a little.
Lorraine slowly opened her eyes, groggy. Seeing him, she thought for a second she was in his bed. "Eugene, I'm so cold. I had a dream. I fell into an icy lake. I was freezing all over. The baby..."
She paused. The fog in her mind cleared, replaced by a sudden clarity. A strange emotion bubbled up inside her. First, it was a sense of calm and then emptiness, as if something had slipped away without her even noticing.
She wondered, 'If this is a dream, why does it smell like disinfectant? Why...'
Images started flashing in her mind, like broken pieces slowly coming together. She remembered Stephen pushing her down the stairs.
"The baby!" Lorraine suddenly sat up.
"Don't move," Eugene quickly pressed her back down, worried she'd pull out the IV in her hand.
"How's the baby?" she asked urgently, reaching for her stomach.
She'd never been completely sure about keeping the baby, but when she fell down the stairs, her hands instinctively protected her belly.
At that moment, terror and despair wrapped around her heart like poisonous vines. She'd never prayed so desperately, hoping the baby would be okay.
The moment she moved, she felt warm, wet blood gush out. Her hand froze. She knew her own body too well.
"Are you hungry? The surgery's been over for six hours. You can have some water now," Eugene said, picking up the cup beside him and offering it to her.
Lorraine turned her head, staring at him in a daze and almost forgetting to blink. He held the cup out, but she didn't take it.
She studied his face, hoping to find some sign this was all just a dream and that she'd wake up and everything would be okay. But there was nothing.
After a long pause, Eugene nudged the cup closer. "If you wait too long, the water's going to get cold," he said softly.
"Oh..." Lorraine bit her lip, lowered her head, and finally took the cup from him. Instantly, her eyes misted over, tears welling up until they clung to her lashes.
"Do you want anything else to eat?" Eugene asked.
"I'm sorry," Lorraine suddenly blurted out, not even sure who she was apologizing to.
Eugene froze. "What?"
"I'm just... really tired. I want to sleep a little more. Is that okay?" Lorraine said, setting the cup back on the nightstand.
"Of course. Get some rest." Eugene watched as she lay down, gently tucked the blanket around her, and dimmed the lights to a soft, comfortable glow.
Lorraine turned her back to him, clutching the sheets so tightly her knuckles turned white. Her body curled into a small ball and her cheeks puffed out. Her tears silently slid down her face.
She'd always been good at holding it in. Even when they beat her badly at the Shaw residence, she never let out a sound. She'd learned the hard way that crying only made them angrier and the blows harder.
So now, she just gritted her teeth, sweat beading on her forehead as she fought to keep it all in.
Eugene's heart ached at the sight. He couldn't take it anymore. He reached out, gently turned her to face him, and said, "If you need to cry, just let it out. Holding it in isn't good for you."
Her lips were already raw from biting them so hard, but she still refused to make a sound.
Lorraine stared at him, stunned. Tears still streamed down, falling onto the back of his hand.
"I can't," she whispered, shaking her head with heartbreaking sincerity. She'd forgotten how to cry out loud and what it felt like to let herself cry.
Eugene felt a sharp ache in his chest. After a moment, he quietly released one of her hands and used his fingers to gently pry her lips apart, stopping her from hurting herself any further.
Lorraine's face was streaked with tears. Her vision was blurred, and without thinking, she bit down on his finger instead.
Eugene winced at the pain, but then he leaned in, pressing his lips softly to hers.
His tongue pressed against hers, making it hard to breathe. Her tears flowed even harder. It was salty and bitter, slipping into both their mouths.
But he still wouldn't let go. He cupped her face in his hands, kissing her deeper until her whole world spun and she almost passed out. Only then did he finally pull away.
Lorraine was too drained to cry anymore. She just lay there on the hospital bed, dazed, her lips red and swollen. She couldn't tell if it was from biting herself earlier or from his kiss.
Her heart was pounding so fast that it felt like it might burst, and the monitor beside her kept beeping warnings.
"Didn't you say you wanted to sleep? Then sleep a little longer," Eugene said gently, pressing her back onto the bed. "Get some rest."
Then Eugene turned off the light and walked out of the hospital room.
Lorraine closed her eyes. The last tear slid from the corner of her eye as she reached out and covered her belly.
She thought, 'Sorry, I couldn't protect you. Sorry, I lost you before I even had the chance to look forward to meeting you. I'm so sorry.'
When Lorenzo stepped out of his office, he saw Eugene leaning against the end of the hallway, smoking.
He walked over and gave Eugene a pat on the shoulder. "Stephen's still throwing a tantrum downstairs, demanding treatment. What do you want to do about it?"
"Throw him out. Call every hospital in the city and tell them not to treat him," Eugene said.
It was up to Stephen now whether he lived or died.
"Alright," Lorenzo let out a long sigh. "I really thought you were finally going to have a child, Eugene. I'm so sorry."
Eugene stared out at the pitch-black sky outside the window. "How is she doing?"
"She has a mild concussion, but otherwise she's fine. No broken bones. No other injuries," Lorenzo replied.
"Okay. Got it," Eugene said.
"I'll get back to work, then. If you need anything, just call me," Lorenzo said.
"Alright," Eugene replied.
Eugene stood there alone, only snapping out of it when the cigarette burned down and singed his fingers. Her quiet apology just now made him feel deeply ashamed.
In business, even a second of hesitation could cost Eugene everything. Years of making tough calls had made him forget how to care about anyone else's feelings. This time, Lorraine was the key piece he needed to bring Stephen down.
That was why, on her wedding night, he hadn't hesitated to take her, leaving her with no choice but to stand by his side.
But when she looked at him with those clear eyes and quietly apologized, it felt like a slap to his face, sharp and stinging.
That was why, when he left the hospital room earlier, he felt like he was running away.
And right now, he clearly didn't have the courage to face her, either.
"Mr. Moore." Daryl came over with several middle-aged women standing behind him. "These are the top caregivers. They'll be taking care of Ms. Shaw's meals and daily needs for the next month."
Eugene turned and glanced at them. Their uniforms were neat, and they carried themselves with a professional, well-trained demeanor.
He nodded, stubbing out his cigarette on the window ledge. "Whatever she needs, or asks for, make sure she gets it. No exceptions."
"Yes, sir," Daryl replied.
Lorraine slept for what felt like forever. When she finally woke up, it was already noon, and the sunlight was streaming through the window.
Sheila was sitting by her bedside, her eyes red from crying, watching her with concern. "You're awake."
"How long was I asleep?" Lorraine asked.
"Two days and two nights. Are you feeling any discomfort?" Sheila said.
Lorraine shook her head and instinctively glanced around the hospital room.
The caregivers were bustling about. As soon as they saw she was awake, they hurried over to ask what she wanted to eat, and someone started checking her vitals. Eugene was nowhere to be seen.
"You're looking for Eugene, aren't you? He hasn't shown up at all these past few days. It's just too much," Sheila said indignantly. "How could he do this?"
"Maybe it's because our deal is over," Lorraine said softly, looking away.
'Now that he's gotten what he wanted, and I've lost the only thing he needed, he probably won't come back. There's nothing left between us,' she thought.
One of the caregivers brought over a bowl of warm oatmeal. "You should eat something, Ms. Shaw. You must be starving."
As soon as Lorraine took the bowl, the caregiver hurried out of the room to call Isaac. "Ms. Shaw is awake," she said.
"Alright, got it." After listening, Isaac hung up and headed into Eugene's office. "The caregiver says Ms. Shaw is awake. She's doing well, and she's eating."
Eugene's fingers paused for a second. After a moment, he nodded, his face unreadable. "Good."
Isaac stood there for a bit longer, waiting.
Eugene looked up at him. "Anything else?"
"No, that's all," Isaac replied.
"Then what are you standing here for? Waiting for me to buy you lunch?" Eugene asked.
"Wouldn't dare," Isaac said quickly, backing out of the office.
When the door closed, Eugene shut the file he couldn't focus on anymore and rubbed his brow. 'As long as she's okay, that's enough,' he thought.
A month went by in a flash. On the day Lorraine was discharged, the willows lining the street were already sprouting fresh green leaves.
Sheila pulled up to pick her up. "Do you want to go back to school or stay at my place for a few days?"
"Let's stop by Silverlake Villa," Lorraine said. "I need to wrap up a few things."
"I already packed your stuff and your bunny for you. What else could you possibly need to do?" Sheila protested. "Can't you just skip it?"
"No." Lorraine shook her head stubbornly.
"Let me go for you, okay?" Sheila really didn't want her to go back to the place where she lost her baby.
Lorraine shook her head again. "I have to do this myself. Let's go."