Chapter 561

Winnie had rarely seen him like this; the most vivid memory being from three years ago, when Melissa slipped into a persistent vegetative state, and he suffered through a bout of his functional neurological disorder.

Such episodes would twist him, bloodthirsty as if possessed.

He kicked viciously around, hands braced on his lanky knees, pressing against his temples in agony.

She couldn't even attempt conversation, too terrified to let out a breath.

Her phone buzzed discreetly.

Winnie clandestinely retrieved it and glimpsed a text from Rock.

Rock: [Winnie, it's unclear why he believes you're carrying his child. Perhaps his functional neurological disorder is exacerbating, leading him to imagine your pregnancy as a means to ensnare you? He's escorting you to the hospital presently, likely to confirm the presence of the 'fetus.' I may have impulsively aggravated the situation by suggesting you had terminated the pregnancy. I apologize, but it appears he is descending into a state of madness! However, if you genuinely wish for him to relinquish his hold on you once and for all, this could serve as a drastic yet effective catalyst.]

Her hand clenched the phone tight.

The pregnancy felt ludicrous. Though she touched her flat stomach, nothing confirmed it. Lawrence's conviction confused her.

Uncertain of his motives, she questioned whether he was truly delusional, on the verge of another episode, or manipulating her with a cruel lie.

Her mind was in knots, fixated on Rock's last words.

She didn't want this relentless drama, his never-ending tyranny.

A tear escaped the corner of her eye as she held her breath for dear life.

The moment they arrived at the hospital, Lawrence sprung to life, stepping out into the cold air.

He came around to her side, flung open the door without waiting for her to speak, and scooped her up with a resolute force. "Bryan, clear out the ER. Get the OBGYN here now."

His voice was clear, steady, but there was a tremor in his breath that seemed to unnerve anyone within earshot.

Winnie was cradled in his arms, feeling the strong yet icy beats of his heart against his chest.

She chose to remain silent, enduring his unpredictable behavior.

Soon, the emergency department was completely cleared out.

In the obstetrics and gynecology examination room, the female doctor waited apprehensively. As soon as she saw the towering man enter, she immediately covered the bed with sterile drapes.

Lawrence placed Winnie onto the bed.

"Mr. Rodriguez, should we start with a blood test or an ultrasound for the patient?"

"Which will yield faster results?"

"Given you mentioned the patient is just about a month pregnant, it's quite early, so the ultrasound might not reveal much and could be inaccurate. The detailed ultrasound results might take longer to process."

"Do the blood test." He strode to the windowsill, chain-smoking one cigarette after another, his icy gaze fixed on the needle as it pierced Winnie's arm.

The test results were expedited.

Minutes later, the doctor returned with the papers, glanced at the man by the window with his daunting gaze, and then at Winnie, who was silent on the bed.

"Ms. Winnie, your HCG levels show no fluctuation"

"Mr. Rodriguez, Ms. Winnie's HCG levels do not meet the early pregnancy benchmarks. This means..."

"What does it mean?" Lawrence's ears were ringing, his own voice sounding distant.

The ash built up on the cigarette between his fingers, dropping to the floor due to his heavy breathing.

It scattered, much like the fragmented halo in his eyes.

"What does it mean? Speak up."

Bryan clenched his eyes shut tightly.

The doctor, pale as a ghost, finally spoke, "It means Ms. Winnie isn't pregnant, or it could mean that the embryo is no longer viable."

Winnie looked down, confusedly touching her stomach.

She racked her brain. She questioned if she had truly been pregnant. The utter lack of memory convinced her otherwise.

Lawrence extinguished his cigarette on the wooden desk with a thud, burning a hole through it, his arm sweeping a water glass off the doctor's desk.

Winnie's heart skipped a beat.

In the next moment, the man moved swiftly toward her, his large hand roughly pulling her off the bed. Whether she was steady on her feet or not, he dragged her upstairs, muttering under his breath, "The tests here are unreliable; we're going to a proper OBGYN clinic. Winnie, we'll go to the specialists. The baby must still be there; it's just not detectable right now."

"Lawrence, please don't..."

"Are you happy now? You've dreamed of getting rid of me, haven't you?

You better hope the baby is still there, or... I don't know what I might do to you."

His eyes were filled with fury, a terrifying sight.

He pushed her into the OBGYN's office, insisting the doctor perform an ultrasound on her.

Half an hour later, several ultrasound results were laid out before Lawrence

The group of doctors stood in line, intimidated by the man's intense glare.

Lawrence chuckled lightly, "I want some good news. Tell me, her baby, is it still there?"

The doctors exchanged nervous glances, hardly daring to breathe.

Lawrence turned to face them, his gaze commanding.

The head of OBGYN had no choice but to step forward, choosing his words carefully. "Mr. Rodriguez, we're not familiar with this lady's previous conditions, as she has never been examined in our facility before. Our hospital can only take responsibility for the current examination results and provide you with those findings.

"Upon reviewing the ultrasound, there are no signs that she is pregnant.

"Whether it was a natural miscarriage or some form of surgical intervention needs a comprehensive examination of the uterus.

"But, it is certain that she currently does not have an embryo inside her."

Winnie stepped off the examination bed, facing the completely changed expression on his face.

She could feel his immense grief, she tried to clear her throat to calm him, saying, "Lawrence, I've told you, I will never have your child..."

"You will never have my child? You couldn't bear it, could you?

Rock said you wouldn't admit it, seems like it's indeed your disgrace, because it was my child?"

"I can't communicate with you, if I say I'm not pregnant, then I'm not..."

He seized her neck tightly, his grip tightening as he lost control.

His body remained unyielding, looming over her, his eyes exuding a dreadful and intimidating fury, ghastly in their anger.

Lawrence shook his head with a hollow laugh, his voice hoarse and twisted. "I never realized you hated me this much."

"So much that you would disregard a life."

"Winnie, is your heart made of iron? We've had feelings for each other, we've loved, and you cruelly snuffed out my child."

"You've been lying through your teeth."

"Exactly when did you find out you were pregnant?"

"You've been carefully concealing it from me, while I was full of hope for the child. Is this your way of getting back at me?

"During the half month I was away, you hurried to get rid of the baby, to marry Rock, right?

"You're so heartless, so ruthless, I'll make you wish you were dead.

You owe me a child, Winnie."

Winnie couldn't handle it anymore. His stubborn blame and loss of control made her lose it too. She struggled to grab his arm and, shaking, she pushed him away. "So what if I did get rid of it?"

"Yeah, I want revenge, I want to see you writhing in pain.

"Am I supposed to replace your child? And who's going to replace my whole, healthy Oscar for me?

"Let's call it quits, Lawrence You've caused me enough suffering; now you've had a taste of your own medicine. We're even.

"Goodbye."

Her tears spilled out unchecked, the stabbing pain was so intense it numbed her face. She didn't mind if he ended up hating her, as long as she could break free from him.