Chapter 193 The Joy of Fetal Movement
"Didn't I tell you to have someone follow her?"
Zack quickly explained, "They're following her. Our people jumped in too. Two swimmers are supporting her from below, and another one went to get help."
Nathaniel pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly too distracted to work.
"Is she okay?" His voice trembled as he asked.
"No major issues, she might have swallowed some water, but her life isn't in danger," Zack answered.
Nathaniel dropped the files in his hand and stood up hastily.
"Let's go see her."
Zack ran ahead to press the elevator button, and they drove straight to the hospital. Chelsea was already back in her ward.
After consultations with neurologists, gynecologists, and cardiologists, the diagnosis was schizophrenia and threatened miscarriage.
Norman appeared, running up to Nathaniel with tears and snot all over his face.
"Mr. Heilbronn, Chelsea almost had a miscarriage. She's carrying your own son. Please help her. She almost drowned. She's only in her twenties. She can't die!" Norman cried sorrowfully.
Nathaniel's face turned pale as he stood by the window, silent. He had merely refused to go with Chelsea to try on wedding dresses, and she had already attempted suicide. She wouldn't let him off the hook.
Chelsea was still unconscious, and Norman sobbed, "Mr. Nathaniel, please stay with her today. If she wakes up and doesn't see you, she'll definitely cause a scene. She doesn't listen to a word I say. I don't want to lose my daughter."
Nathaniel was conflicted. He wouldn't agree to her unreasonable demands.
"When she wakes up, I'll explain everything to her."
Norman's expression froze and he said, "Mr. Heilbronn, you won't abandon Chelsea, will you? She gave you the best years of her life. You can't do this to her. She's carrying your child!"
Nathaniel rubbed his temples, determined to set things straight with her this time, no matter what. Even if she was acting like a nineteen-year-old, she needed to know the truth. He couldn't let things continue as they were.
As long as she was willing to negotiate, he could give her anything except marriage.
Nathaniel stayed at the hospital from dawn till dusk, but Chelsea showed no signs of waking up.
In just half a day, he felt like he had lived through centuries. He watched the second hand of his watch tick by, hoping the person on the bed would suddenly wake up and be clear-headed.
Meanwhile, Aurelia had no idea about Chelsea's lake incident.
Her anxiety had reached new heights; she was constantly suspicious, fearing every day that Nathaniel might not come home.
The sky had completely darkened. She didn't want to dial that number, clinging to him like she used to. Now, her only request was for him to give their unborn twins the complete fatherly love they deserved. As for their marriage, she no longer had any illusions.
She stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, staring outside in a daze.
The new villa Reed bought was too big, so big that even with so many servants around, it was eerily quiet, making her feel lonely.
The small dining room table was filled with carefully prepared dinners by the nutritionist, but she hadn't touched a single bite.
He had promised to come home in the morning. As a responsible father, he should be here, not staying with Norman or Chelsea, leaving her and the children at home.
Reed called via video, looking in great spirits.
"Aurelia, did you eat on time today?" Reed asked.
Aurelia glanced at the small dining room and paused.
"Grandpa, I'm not a child. I won't let myself go hungry!"
Reed laughed, "That's right. You have two babies in your belly. You need to eat for three, or there won't be enough nutrition."
Aurelia smiled. "Grandpa, I know."
Reed looked rosy. The doctor had said he could be discharged in a week. He was so excited that he wished time would fly so he could meet his great-grandchildren.
After hanging up the video call, Aurelia checked the time. It was past nine in the evening.
She felt a pang of bitterness as she ate in the small dining room, her meal tasting like cardboard.
Alone, she opened the package containing the baby swing Nathaniel's assistant had sent over and began to assemble it piece by piece. Every time she hit a snag, she would replay the instructional videos over and over.
Daphne came up with a glass of milk and stood at the door for a while.
"Ma'am, would you like to have some milk first? It's good for sleep."
Aurelia smiled faintly and took the glass from Daphne. She wasn't alone anymore; she had to be responsible for the babies in her belly. She would try anything good for her body, even if she had no appetite for the milk.
Daphne glanced at the pile of unassembled parts on the floor.
"Ma'am, why not wait for Mr. Heilbronn to come back and assemble it? That's a dad's job. You don't have to do it as a mom."
Aurelia's hand trembled slightly as she held the milk cup, struggling to keep her emotions in check.
"Okay, let's wait for him to come back and do it."
Daphne took the cup and went downstairs, leaving Aurelia alone in the nursery. She sat there, waiting until past one in the morning. He had said he would return today, but the day had come and gone.
Aurelia hesitated for a long time before dialing his number. After a long series of rings, a robotic female voice answered.
She looked at the posts she had made on her Facebook account, documenting every prenatal checkup and the babies' growth. Listening to the fetal heartbeat sounds on her phone, she felt a mix of emotions.
She sat quietly by herself, when suddenly she felt a faint flutter in her lower abdomen. She focused intently, and felt it again.
Her heart raced with a mix of wonder and excitement. She quickly opened her browser and searched for the sensation. Her suspicions were confirmed—it was the miraculous feeling of fetal movement.
The twins were moving.
Aurelia lay on the bed in the nursery, caressing her belly, listening to the recorded fetal heartbeat sounds, and fell asleep unknowingly.
The next day, she woke up to find Nathaniel still absent. She knew he hadn't come home all night and hadn't given her a reasonable explanation.
This habitual disappearance could only be related to Chelsea.
She smiled bitterly. This time, she had hoped Nathaniel would come back, not for herself, but for the sake of the babies—hoping they could have a chance to experience their father's love. As he had once said, she wasn't going to deprive the babies of their right to a father's love.
But now it seemed this fatherly love was too casual.
If he only came back when he had time, and disappeared whenever Chelsea called, then these two babies would be no different from her childhood.
'Such cheap fatherly love is better than none,' Aurelia thought.
During breakfast, Norman called from an unfamiliar number.
"Aurelia, let go. You can see it yourself. As long as Chelsea is around, Nathaniel will never fully commit to the family. He and Chelsea have a bond since childhood. You can't compete with that. Chelsea is carrying his child. No matter what, they won't be separated. He won't abandon his own child."
Aurelia felt a sharp pain in her heart.
"What about you? Would you abandon your own child?"
Chelsea was his child, but so was she!
As a child, she had doubted herself countless times, wondering what was wrong with her. Why, as his child, did she receive such different treatment? Chelsea was cherished while she was cast out.
'Even animals protect their young. How could he be so heartless?' Aurelia thought.
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