Chapter 473 Twin Brothers
Thalassa froze.
Then she instinctively denied the idea, "Having a baby isn't as easy as just deciding to have one. Besides, you always had difficulty conceiving. The last time, with Charles and Chicago, it was nearly a catastrophe. It's not feasible!"
"But what about Charles?" Fiona looked toward Thalassa, her eyes bloodshot and brimming with terrified tear. "I've tried everything, but I can't find a suitable bone marrow match. How long am I supposed to wait aimlessly?"
"Honey..."
Thalassa stood up, walked over to Fiona, and gently wrapped his arms around her.
"It's only been a month. Finding a bone marrow match is hard, it's normal. Don't panic."
"I'm his mother, why can't he use my bone marrow?" Fiona lamented, filled with frustration.
For years, she had harbored the belief that her fluctuating emotions during early pregnancy and the near-death experiences were responsible for Charles's poor health. Now, with Charles's life hanging precariously in the balance, her guilt and remorse had reached unparalleled levels.
Today was particularly excruciating for Thalassa as well.
"Aren't we good people? We do our best to help so many each year, never expecting anything in return from heaven. Without expecting payback, there wouldn't be disappointment. But why instead of getting no payback, do we find the rug pulled out from under us?"
As Thalassa spoke, he couldn't help but hold Fiona and cry.
"Have you confirmed the person's identity?" Darwin asked in a deep voice.
"Yes, DNA comparison, just sent to you," the other party replied, "That man is indeed your brother from the same mother."
"Bring him here," Darwin commanded.
There was a moment of silence on the other end before the other party continued, "Mr. Darwin, I must remind you, this man is locally infamous as a thug and a scoundrel. If he finds out he has a brother of your stature, it could spell big trouble for you."
"Right now, I just want Charles to live." Darwin's voice dropped. "I can't worry about the rest."
"Understood. I'll take him for the matching first. If it's successful, I'll find a plausible reason to keep things from getting complicated for you."
"Just arrange it, and make it fast," Darwin said gravely. "After it's done, whatever you want is yours."
"Servicing you is our duty and obligation."
"Do it quickly," Darwin urged.
After the call ended, Darwin took a long, deep breath.
Since the initial round of inquiries had proved fruitless, Darwin's mind turned to his biological mother.
With some concerted effort, he had managed to track her down.
The individual turned out to be a professor at Oxford Business School, who had served as Grandma Solomon’s assistant for five years. She left Grandma Solomon’s service to pursue studies abroad before Darwin was born. Fifteen years ago, she married a local schoolteacher and had three children. Tragically, three years prior, the entire family perished in a tsunami while on vacation on an island, leaving Darwin stunned by the sudden turn of events.
However, the investigation into Darwin's biological mother's family soon revealed another lead.
She was born in a small coastal town in the South.
In that coastal town, the bias favoring sons over daughters was deeply ingrained. Despite her outstanding academic achievements, at the age of fifteen, she was married off to a bachelor more than ten years her senior in exchange for a dowry of four thousand dollars.
Two years later, she bore a son and soon after, she fled.
Finding her way to Bay City, her striking appearance and physique secured her a job at a club.
It was there, through a stroke of luck, that she crossed paths with Grandma Solomon, who happened to be visiting the club. Impressed by her actions, Grandma Solomon took her under her wing.
This time, Darwin's people had no trouble finding the son she left behind, Charles.
However, he was a rotten apple—his father was a scoundrel, and he was the spoiled only child of doting grandparents—locally, the mention of his name was met with head shakes.
However, Darwin had no other choice.
Hanging up the phone, he approached the hospital room door. Faint cries emanated from within, causing his hand to pause just before turning the knob. Suddenly recollecting something, he swiftly sent Fiona a message explaining that he needed to step out momentarily. With urgency driving him, he departed the hospital without delay.
It took a while before Fiona noticed Darwin's message.
"What could be more important than his wife and child?" Thalassa seethed, frustration evident in her tone.
Seeking solace in her friend's embrace, Fiona found some relief from the weight of her worries. As they held each other, Fiona wiped away her tears and responded to Darwin's message with a simple "okay."
Putting her phone aside, Fiona gently smoothed Thalassa’s disheveled hair, attempting to lighten the somber mood. “You’re crying so much, anyone would think you’ve been picked on,” she remarked with a hint of playful teasing.
Thalassa paused, considering whether to tell Fiona about the money she gave away, but fearing a scolding, she decided some secrets are better left unspoken.
"No." Thalassa shook her head.
Fiona felt a bit helpless.
"Just remember to talk if there's something bothering you. Don't keep it all to yourself." Fiona patted her head. "We don't need that many people here. Go get some rest."
"I'll stay with you a little longer."
Thalassa clung to Fiona in an exaggeratedly affectionate manner.
After lingering for a while, Thalassa finally left the hospital.
She needed to conserve energy for the plethora of tedious tasks awaiting her the next day.
Not long after Thalassa left, Darwin returned.
When he opened the door to the hospital room, he found Fiona daydreaming.
She snapped back to reality and looked up at him. "Back so soon?"
"Just went to grab something," Darwin spoke as he set a bag down in front of Fiona. “Eat up.”
Fiona glanced at it curiously before opening the plastic bag to reveal some bouncy-looking rice balls.
“Sesame rice balls,” Darwin said gently, “cooked in ginger syrup.”
Fiona stared at Darwin in astonishment. “You knew…”
As a child, she was very fond of sesame rice balls.
Later, while working with Darwin, when she was under a lot of stress and feeling down, she would seek out those street vendors for a bowl of sesame rice balls swimming in ginger syrup.
The chewy rice balls, accompanied by the fragrant scent of sesame, offered instant comfort to Fiona's senses.
However, the indulgence in such treats came with the risk of weight gain, a concern Darwin consistently expressed. As a result, Fiona refrained from indulging in them for quite some time, abiding by Darwin's dietary restrictions.
“Just eat,” Darwin insisted, offering no explanation.
During the five years she was gone, he relived every moment with her, rediscovering her preferences.
Fiona pursed her lips.
Then she picked up a spoon, scooped up one, and took a bite.
It was sweet, not the texture Fiona preferred.
Yet she ate several more.
“Darwin...” Fiona still decided to bring up the matter of having another child with him.
While the prospect of conceiving was uncertain, the act of trying held significance for her.
“Yes?” Darwin responded.
Fiona looked up at him. “Let's have another child.”
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