Chapter 394

The next day.

After scarfing down breakfast, Isabella got a call from Nina.

Nina wanted her to tag along to the hospital.

Isabella freaked out, thinking something was wrong with Nina. But when they got there, she found out Nina had an appointment with the OB-GYN.

"Nina," Isabella's eyes darted to Nina's belly.

Nina got the hint, grabbed her hand, and said, "Nope. I'm just here for a check-up because I wanna have a baby."

"Wait, you want a baby?" Isabella got all excited, "For real?"

"Yeah." Nina nodded, but she looked kinda worried. "Actually, Richard and I were using protection at first. But then we stopped. Bella, I'm kinda scared I can't get pregnant."

"Why do you think that?" Isabella tried to comfort her, "You're still young; Richard's healthy as a horse. You guys are in your prime. Take care of yourselves, and you'll definitely have a baby!"

Nina nodded, but she still looked anxious. "When I was pregnant with Charlie, I had to take a ton of meds to conceive. Then I had a massive hemorrhage and lost the baby; the doc said it might be tough for me to get pregnant again."

"Where there's a will, there's a way," Isabella said, "Medical science is super advanced now; there's gotta be a solution. Let's see what the doc says first."

Nina nodded. "Okay."

Nina went through all the tests; the doc frowned for what felt like forever before saying, "In your case..."

Nina and Isabella held their breath, staring at the doc, scared he'd say something bad.

After a long pause, the doc said, "Because of the previous miscarriage surgery, your uterus got damaged, so it's tough to conceive now. But it's not impossible. Chill out, and it'll happen when the time's right."

Nina asked, "Do I need to take any meds? For my last pregnancy, I had to take a ton of meds to conceive."

The doc tapped away at the keyboard, making notes, and said, "There are medications that can help. I'll prescribe some for you."

Nina didn't hesitate. "Thanks, doc!"

The doc smiled. "We'll start with a safe amount. Too much can mess you up."

As they were leaving, Nina still looked a bit anxious.

The doc called out to Nina. "Getting pregnant is also about your mindset. Especially for those who have trouble conceiving, it's super important to stay positive. Relax, and it'll happen when the time's right."

Nina's frown eased a bit. "Thanks, doc."

Nina went home and immediately prepped the meds.

She took a big bowl, and the smell wasn't as bad as before.

Nina carefully took a couple of sips. It was a bit bitter, but not as bad as the last meds.

Despite the taste, Nina was willing to tough it out to get pregnant.

"What are you drinking?" Richard walked in from outside.

As soon as Richard entered the house, he smelled the nasty odor. When he walked into the kitchen, he saw Nina holding a big bowl of something, frowning even more.

Nina said, "Meds."

Richard asked, "Why are you taking meds?"

Nina felt a bit embarrassed but didn't want to hide it from him, so she told him the truth.

Richard then took the bowl from her and turned to pour it into the sink.

Luckily, Nina stopped him in time, protecting the bowl of meds. "What are you doing?"

Richard frowned. "If getting pregnant means you gotta go through this crap, I'd rather skip the baby thing!"

Nina quickly covered Richard's mouth with her hand. "Don't say that. What if the baby hears and gets upset and decides not to come?"

Richard took her hand and held it in his palm, a bit amused. "How can you believe all that stuff?"

Nina didn't care. "As long as I can get pregnant."

Richard's eyes flickered, and for a moment, he was at a loss for words.

Seeing Nina like this, his heart felt like it was being twisted, the pain almost suffocating him.

Richard raised his hand, gently tucking Nina's hair behind her ear, and said softly, "Actually, not having a baby isn't a bad thing."

Without a baby, it would be easier for Nina to remarry in the future. If Nina hated him in the future and had to face his child every day, how would she endure the rest of her life?

Nina glared at him. "I told you, don't say things like that!"

Richard smiled and agreed, "I won't say it."

He raised his hand and took another bowl from the cabinet.

Nina looked at him, puzzled. "What are you doing?"

Richard didn't answer Nina but took the bowl of medication from her.

"Don't pour it out," Nina exclaimed.

But the next second, her eyes widened.

Richard didn't pour out Nina's medication but he tilted the bowl and poured half of it into another bowl.

Then, Richard handed the bowl with the lighter taste to Nina. "You drink this."

Richard picked up the other bowl and drank it in a few gulps.

Nina stared at him, her heart pounding.

Richard wiped the medication from his mouth and said, "Having a baby isn't just your responsibility. How can I let you suffer alone with such bitter medication?"

Nina's eyes sparkled, her heart filled with warmth.

Nina vaguely remembered when Charlie forced her to take medication.

At that time, she complained that the medication was too bitter and strong that she wanted to vomit.

However, Charlie just impatiently scolded her, even accusing her of being unreasonable and pretentious.

Because of her past experiences, Richard's actions now moved her even more.

Richard put down the bowl and gently pinched Nina's nose. "Are you moved?"

Nina sniffed. "No."

She just felt that meeting Richard was the best thing that ever happened to her.

In the evening, Isabella held the invitation in her hand, squeezing it repeatedly. Finally, she gathered the courage to leave the house and went next door.

The lights were on, indicating someone was home.

Isabella knew she might not see Esme, but she still wanted to try her luck.

She hadn't seen Esme for several days, and her calls were still going straight to voicemail.

Isabella was about to knock on the door when it opened from the inside.

Quentin stood in the doorway, looking surprised to see her. "Bella, do you need something?"

Isabella asked, "Is Esme here?"

"She's not here," Quentin said, glancing at the invitation in her hand. "But if you have something to say, I can pass it on. I'm about to go to the hospital to see her."

Isabella asked, "How is Elodie? Is she okay?"

Quentin shook his head.

He didn't say anything, but his expression was very serious. That was enough to explain the situation.

Isabella didn't have the courage to ask further. She handed over the invitation. "Please give this invitation to Esme. My wedding is in two days, and I hope she can come."

Quentin took it and agreed readily, "Okay."

"Thank you." Isabella said with a nod.

Quentin suddenly called out to her, "Isabella."

Isabella was confused. "Yes?"

Quentin's eyes were conflicted, as if he had something to say but he was hesitant for some reason.