Chapter 520 Delayed for a Few Days
Aurelia set down her fork. "Joe, let me go first. I have a higher chance of being a match with Burry."
Joe took a few sips of milk from his glass. "We should all get tested—it'll increase our odds."
Cathy had finished eating long ago, having been awake since dawn preparing for the hospital visit. "If everyone's done, let's head out. The more people we test, the better our chances. I'm getting tested too."
Burry's eyes welled up with tears. "Grandma, at your age, you shouldn't have to go through this. The procedure can be painful."
Cathy replied, "Sweetheart, you don't need to worry about anything now that you're home. Just focus on getting better. With so many of us, someone's bound to be a match."
Joe finished his milk and set the glass down. "It shouldn't be a problem. I've consulted with several doctors—even if we're not matches, there's still Aurelia. You two are twins, so there's virtually no chance of incompatibility."
Aurelia chimed in reassuringly. "Don't worry, it's going to work out. We share the same blood—there's no reason we wouldn't match."
The family took their largest SUV to the hospital. Joe had made all the arrangements in advance—Burry's room was ready, and her attending physician was Coral Bay's leading hematology specialist.
The entire family underwent comprehensive examinations and provided all necessary samples. Now came the agonizing fifteen-day wait for results. Joe simultaneously submitted Burry's samples to the bone marrow registry to search for potential donors, covering all bases.
With Burry officially admitted, Cathy brought two housekeepers from home to attend to her daily needs and meals.
At noon, Aurelia sent Nathaniel a Facebook message: [Have you eaten?]
At that moment, Nathaniel was still unconscious, exhausted from his injuries and jet lag. He'd been sleeping since morning, not even stirring during the doctor's rounds.
Zack clutched his boss's phone like a ticking time bomb. When he saw Aurelia's message pop up, he panicked, terrified she might call for a video chat and he'd slip up, ending his career. Nathaniel had been crystal clear—this incident must be kept from Aurelia at all costs.
After much deliberation, he unlocked the phone and carefully composed a response: [Already ate. Zack got sandwiches from that place you like—still tastes the same.]
To make it convincing, Zack opened a food delivery app, stole a photo from the restaurant's reviews, and sent it along.
Aurelia studied the photo carefully. "You're eating so little. Shouldn't you have more fish, shrimp, and dairy for calcium while your bone heals?"
Zack frantically searched the delivery app again, stealing images of shrimp and bone broth soup. He texted: [Got those too! Zack went shopping. Don't worry about me—eating plenty.]
Aurelia frowned at Nathaniel's messages. He never used emojis before. Ever since his trip to Elvenia, something felt off about him.
Aurelia: [Take care of yourself. I'll fly over in a few days. My period's late this month. Did you skip protection at the beginning when we had sex in the office last time? I'm a bit worried.]
Just as Zack thought he'd managed the situation, Aurelia's new message made him drop the phone with a loud crash.
Office sex? The more he texted, the closer he felt to unemployment.
The noise woke Nathaniel, who rubbed his eyes. "Zack, what time is it?"
Zack scrambled to pick up the phone, looking flustered. "It's noon, Mr. Heilbronn. You must be hungry—I'll go get food."
As he turned to leave, Nathaniel called him back. "My phone?"
Zack's heart nearly stopped. "Mr. Heilbronn, the doctor said no phone use."
"Want to trade jobs?"
Unable to withstand the pressure, Zack reluctantly handed over the phone and confessed. "Mr. Heilbronn, Ms. Aurelia Semona sent messages. I was afraid our cover would be blown, so I replied for you."
Nathaniel shot him a withering look and took the phone, scrolling through the Facebook conversation.
Zack's palms were sweating. "Mr. Heilbronn, what would you like to eat? I'll go buy something now."
Food was secondary—escaping his boss's glare was paramount.
Nathaniel's brow furrowed. "Didn't you already eat for me? Why buy more?"
Zack's knees nearly buckled. The food photos were manageable, but seeing Aurelia's message meant he'd stumbled onto his boss's secret—practically a death sentence.
"Mr. Heilbronn, I was just worried she'd be concerned! Now that you're rested, I'll go downstairs for food. You need proper nutrition after such trauma."
Zack slipped out before Nathaniel could respond.
"You're staging a mutiny!" Nathaniel muttered, then focused on his phone. Seeing Aurelia's last message made his pulse quicken.
Nathaniel: [How many days late?]
Aurelia: [About a week.]
An strange sensation stirred in Nathaniel's chest. Could she be pregnant again? He opened his calendar, calculating—it would be from their office encounter. That time had been intense, though he'd used protection. But contraception wasn't foolproof; many children were happy accidents.
Nathaniel: [Maybe get a pregnancy test?]
Aurelia hadn't been particularly concerned until his suggestion made her anxious. This timing couldn't be worse—she didn't want to be pregnant now.
Two children were enough. Her relationship with Nathaniel wasn't fully accepted by her family yet, and she needed to focus on Burry's bone marrow transplant. The thought filled her with unease and resentment toward Nathaniel.
Aurelia: [You need to use condoms every time from now on, or don't touch me at all!]
Nathaniel stared at his phone, not daring to respond. She had a point.
After a long pause, he typed back: [Besides the delay, do you feel unwell anywhere else? Any other symptoms?]
His questions made Aurelia anxious. She couldn't continue this conversation—she was spiraling.
Aurelia: [I'll buy a test first.]
Aurelia pocketed her phone and went to the pharmacy downstairs for two pregnancy tests. During the afternoon rest period, when everyone was napping, she snuck into the bathroom for the test.
Meanwhile, before Zack returned with food, Beatrice arrived with Ashley, carrying homemade meals.
Beatrice was beside herself with worry over her son's injury. "Nathaniel, how could you be so foolish? Why risk yourself for some stranger? Her death would be no great loss, but I only have one son. If something happened to you, how could I go on?"
Though her words were harsh, Beatrice's fear was genuine. She couldn't bear the thought of losing her child—the pain of burying a son was unimaginable.
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