Chapter 670
From his office, Jonathan dialed Irene’s number. As soon as the call connected, he said coldly, “If you let any more shady characters barge into my company again, you’ll face the consequences.”
Irene froze. Then she snapped, “Jonathan, how could you talk to me like that? What do you mean by ‘shady characters’? You’re talking about Yalena, aren’t you?
“Yalena is truly a wonderful girl. I only sent her to you hoping you two would get closer. Trust my judgment, Jonathan, this time, I swear I’m not mistaken about her.”
Jonathan cut Irene off coldly. He said, “I don’t want to hear this. If you’re so fond of her, just go ahead and make her your daughter. As for me, just pretend you don’t have a son anymore.”
Irene shot back, “What? How could you break my heart like this? Yalena visited Hayden so many times when he was in the hospital. And her parents are such decent people. Hayden knows all about the Kelly family. Yalena’s parents are so upright, and there’s no drama in their family at all. This time, I’m absolutely certain. This marriage would be a perfect match between equals. Hello?”
Irene wanted to say more, but the line had already gone dead.
Standing by the window, Jonathan gazed out at the vast expanse of skyscrapers stretching as far as the eye could see. His solitary figure appeared desolate, casting a stark, fragmented shadow on the floor.
The next second, Jonathan’s phone rang again. It was the manager of the airline calling.
The manager said, “Mr. Lynn, Ms. Johnston is scheduled to take the flight at 7:30 p.m. from Nareigh to Londinov tonight. Would you like me to reserve a seat for you on the same flight?”
Jonathan paused briefly before replying, “No, thank you.”
The manager replied, “Understood, Mr. Lynn. Please feel free to contact me if you need anything else.”
The call ended.
Jonathan thought, ‘So, she’s really leaving tonight.‘
At 2 p.m., Jennifer returned home, clutching her medical report and expensive pregnancy-preserving medication. She was utterly exhausted, both physically and emotionally. She had taken special leave today to get a check-up at an unfamiliar hospital where no one knew her.
The doctor advised her to monitor the situation for a few more days: the fetal heartbeat was weak, and other indicators weren’t promising either. In particular, her hCG and progesterone levels had dropped significantly, indicating a possible risk of fetal demise.
Jennifer asked, “Why is this happening?”
The doctor replied, “If you haven’t taken any unprescribed medication, it might be due to excessive stress and immense emotion.”
Jennifer stumbled out of the hospital in a daze. As a gynecologist herself, she knew all too well how precarious the baby’s condition was—there might be no saving it.
She thought, ‘Maybe I should just give up on becoming department head. I should stop reaching for what’s beyond my grasp and just settle for being deputy head. Even if, as the younger generation rises, I never get such a prime opportunity again or have to wait another five or six years…’
The more she dwelt on it, the heavier the weight on her shoulders felt. She thought, ‘Is this my karma? Is it because…’
‘But now, I don’t want to lose this baby. I want this baby to survive. I want Donald’s baby. This baby is my only leverage and last hope.’
Jennifer looked around at the empty house. Clothes she’d washed two days ago still hung untouched on the balcony. The flowers on the windowsill were wilting after two days without water.
Donald had always been the one to take care of everything at home. Without him, the house felt like a mess, and Jennifer found the silence deafening.
Jennifer found herself recalling every moment she had shared with Donald here. After long and exhausting days at work, he would cook dinner for her. When she was up late rushing to finish her thesis, he’d quietly bring her a bowl of pasta and gently urge her to get some rest.
She couldn’t get over the devastated look on Donald’s face when she lied about not being pregnant, just to get that promotion.