Chapter 182 Discovering the Secret
Aurelia got back to her rented place and video-called her grandpa. After chatting for a bit, Reed seemed pretty happy.
Feeling guilty, Aurelia said, "Grandpa, I still have a cold, so I can't visit you right now. Don't want to risk getting you sick."
"There are plenty of people here with me. Don't worry about me. Just focus on getting better," Reed reassured her.
At the hospital, Reed noticed a suitcase in the corner and asked, "Your suitcase is here. Do you want it back?"
Aurelia hadn't yet told her grandfather she moved out. If someone were to deliver the suitcase, it would inevitably reach Reed, and she wasn't ready to agitate him just yet.
Though her suitcase was packed with daily essentials, including pregnancy iron supplements and vitamins, she figured she could easily pick up these items at a local pharmacy.
"Grandpa, the suitcase..."
Before she could finish, Nathaniel's face suddenly filled the screen.
Aurelia quickly hung up the call.
Reed turned to Nathaniel, annoyed, "Why'd you barge in? I was talking to Aurelia, and you interrupted it!"
Nathaniel was speechless. He thought, 'I haven't even said anything. You could've kept talking, but somehow it was my fault?'
Reed tossed the phone on the bed and pointed to the corner, "Aurelia's suitcase is there. It has stuff she needs. Take it to her and check on her. Make sure she's taking her meds."
Nathaniel had been doing everything Reed asked lately, trying not to upset him.
He walked over to the suitcase. It was the same one from a year ago when Reed insisted Aurelia join him on a business trip.
She used to follow him everywhere with that suitcase. Now, it seemed like she was using it to escape.
Nathaniel noticed the zipper wasn't fully closed and gently pulled on it.
The zipper split open, and the suitcase fell apart.
He frowned, thinking,'I haven't used much force. This suitcase must've been cheap; otherwise, it wouldn't have broken so easily.'
He squatted down, picking up scattered clothes, a wallet, underwear, and shampoo.
When he saw two small bottles that looked like supplements, he slowed down to check the labels.
They read [folic acid, prenatal vitamins.]
The bottles were half-empty, indicating they'd been used.
His eyes widened with shock as a bold realization struck him. Even with his lack of experience, he knew that these items were for pregnant women.
His mind momentarily froze, his thoughts tangled in confusion. Then, he dismissed the idea as impossible. He had always taken precautions and been very careful in this regard.
"Clumsy as ever, can't do anything right. It's a miracle Aurelia puts up with you. With your bad temper, no wonder your wife's turned her back on you," Reed muttered.
Seeing him standing there, staring blankly at two small bottles that looked like medicine, Reed thought to himself, 'That girl's been looking pale and off lately. Could it be she's hiding some illness from everyone?"
"What are you holding? Let me see," Reed said.
Nathaniel, feeling numb, slowly stood up and handed the bottles to his grandfather.
Reed looked at the labels and was stunned. They exchanged glances for a few seconds.
Reed, being experienced, had no doubts. He coughed excitedly and scolded, "You idiot! Aurelia's pregnant, and you didn't even know?"
Reed was torn between mixed emotions. On one hand, he was thrilled that the great-grandchild he had longed for was finally on the way. At least he'd get to hold the little one before he passed, and it would give him something to show for his life when he met his late wife in the afterlife.
On the other hand, he was furious about the mess his useless grandson had created. Any woman would struggle to forgive the kind of mistakes Nathaniel had made. If Aurelia could somehow accept this idiot, Reed found it hard to understand, and he felt a deep sense of indignation on her behalf.
Nathaniel licked his dry lips, his throat parched, and his chest felt tight.
"Grandpa, I'll go ask the doctor."
He took the bottles from Reed and rushed to the outpatient building to find Dr. Perez. On the way, he thought about the past few days and realized he didn't need a doctor to confirm it. Aurelia was pregnant!
He recalled her recent unusual behavior, changes in appetite, sensitivity, slightly swollen belly, and resistance to intimacy.He wore a wry smile, thinking, 'How could I have missed something so obvious?'
In the consultation room, Dr. Perez was seeing a patient. Nathaniel waited outside for a few minutes until the woman inside came out before entering.
The doctor was surprised to see a man in the gynecology clinic.
"Sir, are you in the wrong place?" he asked.
Nathaniel's mind was in chaos, and he didn't know how to explain his purpose.
He hurriedly took out a photo of his marriage certificate with Aurelia from his phone and placed it on the doctor's desk, saying, "Dr. Perez, I'm Aurelia's husband. You saw her at the hospital the other day. Can you tell me about her condition?"
The doctor looked up and down at the imposing man in front of him and said, "Your wife's condition requires rest. I suggested she stay in the hospital for three days, but she begged to be discharged after just one day. Make sure she rests well, avoids fatigue, and doesn't stay up late! She's less than three months pregnant, and she shouldn't be like this. If she feels unwell, bring her to the hospital immediately."
Nathaniel listened to the doctor's words, and a confusing mix of feelings churned inside him. It was nothing like the day he heard Chelsea was pregnant. He'd never liked kids and had never planned to have any. The idea that the doctor was now telling him his wife was expecting was completely foreign to him.
He had to admit, though, the idea of a noisy little one didn't seem so intolerable anymore.
"Doctor, is there anything else I should be aware of?" Nathaniel asked.
The doctor glanced at him and said, "Avoid intercourse for the first three months. As a father, you need to take responsibility. Keep your wife happy and don't let her come to the hospital alone. She fainted once when she came, got soaked in the rain, and caught a cold. She was so weak that time."
Nathaniel's face turned pale and then flushed. It was indeed his negligence.
Leaving the hospital, he felt an uncontrollable excitement. His phone vibrated in his pocket, and he answered the call.
Zack said, "Mr. Heilbronn, the yoga studio called. They said Mrs. Heilbronn hasn't attended the prenatal yoga class we signed her up for. If she won't be going, should we get a refund? I remember we signed up for a regular yoga class, so there might have been a mistake. But that's not important now. Should we get the refund?"
Zack thought that given the current situation between the couple, she probably wouldn't be attending the yoga class anymore.
Nathaniel paused and said, "It's not a mistake. Find out where Aurelia has moved to and send me her address immediately."
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