The rescue team swiftly arrived on the scene, extracting Vivian from the wreckage and rushing her to the hospital. Fortunately, aside from a fractured left leg, she suffered no serious harm and, after two days, returned to the Sharpe household under specialized care for recovery.
Then...
"What did you say?" Ethan demanded, holding the manual the family doctor had handed him, his face flushed with anger and his body trembling.
The seasoned doctor, a hint of fear in his eyes, looked back at Ethan. This wasn't the typical reaction he expected when presenting such a manual to couples. Was there some hidden secret he had inadvertently stumbled upon? He nodded understandingly, as if privy to confidential family affairs. "I won't say a word."
Ethan, still seething, glared fiercely at the doctor. "What won't you say?"
The doctor nearly lost his nerve under Ethan's intense gaze. His head wrapped in bandages and a large bruise marring his face from the airbag impact during the crash, Ethan's usual handsomeness was marred, giving him an even more menacing appearance.
"Nothing... I... I'll keep this matter confidential..." the doctor stammered, hastily trying to explain himself.
"Why would it need to be confidential?" Ethan, puzzled by the doctor's reaction, snapped.
"Oh? This..." The doctor was at a loss for words. If Ethan wasn't angry about the possibility of the child not being his, then why was he so furious?
"Forget it, you can leave now!" Ethan had more pressing matters to settle with Vivian and had no intention of wasting time with the doctor.
"Oh, alright..." The doctor, as if granted amnesty, hastily gathered his belongings and prepared to depart, pausing only to add, "Early pregnancy can be unstable, please ensure Mrs. Sharpe takes good care of herself."
Ethan's anger flared anew at this reminder. Through gritted teeth, he spat, "I... know... that."
The doctor scurried away under the escort of the butler, thoroughly intimidated.
Clutching the maternity manual, Ethan turned and entered Vivian's room.
Upon seeing her leisurely reading a newspaper, her leg encased in a bulky cast, a surge of anger erupted within him.
"Ethan, has the doctor left?" Vivian greeted him with a smile, seemingly oblivious to any issue.
Her nonchalant demeanor fueled Ethan's rage. He roared, "How could you do this?"
Vivian, never having seen Ethan so enraged, rubbed her ears in confusion.
"What did I do?"
"You... you..." Ethan waved the manual in front of her, his voice laced with fury, "You're pregnant, do you realize that?"
Oh... here comes the reckoning. Vivian finally understood the source of Ethan's outburst.
She blinked innocently. "Yes, I know!"
"You... you know?" Ethan froze for a moment, then his anger escalated.
"You knew and still...!!"
Reflecting on Vivian's actions – engaging in hand-to-hand combat for the security chief position, chasing thieves at the gala, the high-speed chase and shootout on the mountain road, culminating in the car crash – Ethan grew increasingly alarmed. Each incident was a potential miscarriage risk!
Yet, she remained so calm, acting as if nothing had happened!
Ethan yearned to shake her, to delve into her mind and understand how she could engage in such perilous activities while pregnant. Did she not consider their child's safety, or even her own?
But he refrained, unable to unleash his anger on a pregnant woman. Instead, he slumped down beside Vivian, taking her hand gently and pleading, "Can you... can you take better care of yourself?"
He realized, from stories of her past and her selfless actions, that Vivian excelled at projecting strength to protect others, but she neglected her own well-being. Always placing others' needs above her own, she dedicated herself to safeguarding those around her.
His heart ached for her past experiences and the realization dawned on him that he had unknowingly grown to care deeply for this woman, worrying about her every move.
Despite his reluctance to admit it, the truth was undeniable.
He had developed feelings for Vivian.
Vivian was taken aback by his words. Expecting him to berate her for risking the child's safety, or to urge her to prioritize the baby, she was surprised when Ethan implored her to care for herself.
In her previous life, she was smart and powerful, relied upon by many, and never received nor required anyone's worry. It was her norm to safeguard her companions and flawlessly execute missions assigned to her.
This was the first time someone expressed concern for her welfare, urging her to cherish herself. Recalling Ethan's insistence on acting as bait to protect her in the valley, the first time she felt protected, she was deeply touched.
Thankfully, rescue came swiftly, sparing Ethan any harm. However, the emotion of being cherished lingered in Vivian's heart. Tenderly, she caressed Ethan's bruised face, the purplish-blue marks making his handsome features comically uneven, like a clown's uneven makeup. Seeing his altered appearance filled her with sorrow.
"I want to protect our child, and the child's father too," Vivian murmured softly.
She had suspected her pregnancy, knowing from the novel's plot that the fictional Vivian would miscarry due to a setup.
But she refused that fate.
Childless in her previous life, Vivian longed to become a mother.
However, her past life's profession and circumstances never allowed it. Daily life entailed constant danger, an environment unsuitable for raising a child. She had accepted sacrifices for her cause, rescuing war-torn children, without regret.
Yet, fate granted her a second life, a husband, and the prospect of a child. Although Ethan didn't seem entirely thrilled, for the first time, Vivian had the chance to build a normal family, a life she cherished deeply.
Thus, she was doubly determined to safeguard her family.
Perhaps she had acted impulsively, overlooking the changes pregnancy brought. But she couldn't be blamed – she lacked experience.
Ethan sighed, gazing at Vivian with tenderness. "But a child can't live without its mother either. Our family... can't afford to lose anyone."
Blushing slightly, uncertain if Vivian grasped the depth of his words, he stole a glance at her.
To his surprise, Vivian smiled gently at him.
"Yes, our family."
Things she had yearned for in her past life were now within her grasp.
