Chapter 6

At the Howell family house, the dining room table was crowded with people. The sky had turned completely dark, Michelle and Kate were ravenously hungry. Unable to hold back, Michelle complained, “Father, what time is it? Kate has a weak stomach and can’t go without food. Isn’t it unreasonable for the whole family to wait for Alice?”

Kate nodded, genuinely starving. Usually, Marcus would have indulged her, but today he forbade any movement at the table. “Then go have some honey water.”

This was Ethan’s first meal at the Howell family as an official son-in-law, but they waited until seven o'clock for Alice to return.

When Alice walked in, all eyes turned to her, and she felt a shiver. Marcus’s serious face cracked a smile. “Alice, you’re back! Come, sit down and eat.”

It was her first time at the main table for dinner, and as she stared at the white rice, her heart raced with anxiety. Marcus piled food onto her plate, eager to fill her bowl, making her feel increasingly uneasy and unable to eat. “Grandpa, that’s enough. I’m full. You don’t have to do this; I’m not used to it.”

Her voice wasn’t loud, but everyone heard. She looked up and met Ethan’s gaze across the table, her heart stinging as if stung by a wasp. Quickly, she averted her eyes, pushed her chair back, and stood up. “I’m full; I’ll head back to my room. Grandpa, please enjoy your meal.”

As she attempted to return to her small room, Marcus stopped her. “Alice, I’ve prepared a new room for you, right next to Kate’s. You can go rest there now.”

Stumbling slightly, Alice nearly fell. She looked skeptically at Marcus, but he ordered someone to take her upstairs, confirming she hadn’t misheard.

She felt increasingly uneasy. What had happened to these people overnight? Her grandfather was suddenly warm and friendly, her father overly accommodating, and even Michelle was acting politely, albeit begrudgingly.

Was it because of the child in her belly?

Still, her decision was something no one could change.

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On Friday afternoon, after having lunch with Riley in the cafeteria, Alice said to her, “Riley, I remember your aunt is a gynecologist?”

She had initially planned to go alone, but she felt scared. Riley was her best friend and last source of support, and Alice grasped her hand tightly.

“Yeah, she is. What’s up? Are you feeling unwell?” Riley couldn’t help but smile, “Itchy?”

Alice shook her head. “Can you help me schedule an appointment with her for tomorrow morning?”

“Of course! She has a specialist clinic tomorrow, but what’s wrong? Is your body really…?”

Alice hesitated for a moment, then told her the truth, excluding the details from the hot spring incident. Riley nearly shouted, and Alice quickly covered her mouth. Riley then held her hand in concern, and Alice nodded. “Don’t say anything; let’s just go to the hospital.”

Riley, worried, asked, “Who was it? Why didn’t I know anything before?”

“It was the man who bumped into me that day,” Alice bit her lip, feeling both shame and anger surging through her, distorting her delicate features.

Riley was about to ask more, but Alice said, “If you really consider me a friend, don’t ask anything else. Just accompany me tomorrow.”

“Okay, I’ll call my aunt right now.”

The next morning, Alice, accompanied by Riley, went to the hospital on an empty stomach.

Aunt Johnson was the first to see them. She had already heard about the situation from Riley the night before, so she only asked about Alice’s physical condition before giving her a list of tests to undergo. If everything came back normal, they could schedule the procedure for the afternoon.

Blood tests, ultrasounds, ECGs—all were done one after another, and by noon, all the results were in.

Aunt Johnson reviewed the results, nodding. “You meet the criteria for surgery, but for a painless procedure, you’re still too early. You can only choose medical abortion or the regular one. Which would you prefer?”

“What do most people usually do

?” Lacking experience, Riley was anxious to ask.

“With a medical abortion, there’s a chance it might not be complete, requiring a follow-up curettage. The regular procedure is painful since it doesn’t use anesthesia… the painless one can only be done after 40 to 50 days, so you’d have to wait a bit longer.”

“I won’t wait. I want the regular one.” Alice decided without hesitation.

Riley shuddered, fear apparent in her eyes. Alice was scared too, but she feared that man more. She didn’t want to endure that kind of inhuman torment again.

Aunt Johnson looked at Alice with some surprise, then nodded. “Alright, I’ll personally handle the surgery. You can prepare yourself.”

“Thank you, Aunt.” With Riley supporting her, Alice stood and walked out.