Chapter 573 Charlotte is Pregnant
Patricia, with a confident smile, laid out her terms, "We can go ahead with the contract, but with clear conditions. If the system doesn't meet the benchmarks during testing, you'll get a full refund, down to the last cent. If it passes, we finalize the contract, and you complete the payment. This ensures protection for both of us. I'll also commit to not selling the system elsewhere, eliminating any concerns about contract breaches down the line. It's a win-win, with no risk of loss for either party."
James felt a wave of relief hearing Patricia's proposal. He had been worried she might reject the negotiation outright. It seemed she was getting a handle on the subtleties of business negotiation.
Maximilian observed Patricia with an increasing interest and suddenly burst into laughter. "There's a rumor that you lack business savvy. Clearly, that's not the case."
Patricia, slightly flustered by the compliment, felt her cheeks warm up.
"So, Mr. Reed, does this mean you accept my terms?" she said.
Maximilian nodded and smiled. "Absolutely, I'm on board. It's unprecedented for Nexus Holdings, though. I'll need to void the initial contract and have our legal team draft a new one in line with our discussion."
Patricia was agreeable. "I look forward to the updated contract."
Maximilian added, "Drafting might take a couple of days, and I wouldn't want you to wait around. Give us three days, and I'll personally deliver the contract to the Langley Group's office. Our legal teams can review it together, and we can iron out any issues on the spot."
Patricia saw the merit in the plan and nodded in agreement.
As they stood to conclude their meeting, Maximilian extended his hand, "Till we meet again."
Patricia shook his hand. "I'm looking forward to a fruitful collaboration."
Maximilian smiled tenderly. "As am I."
With their business in Country M wrapped up, Patricia planned her return. She had Alan book a flight back for that evening but made a point to visit Charlotte at the mental hospital before departing.
Charlotte appeared to be in a stable condition in the facility. There was no mistreatment; no demands for her to engage in illicit activities or theft. She spent her days in solitude, either gazing vacantly outside or chuckling to herself, always neat and clean.
Patricia observed Charlotte, feeling a mix of disdain and a reluctant acknowledgment that Charlotte had faced her consequences.
Noticing Patricia's presence, Charlotte looked over with a naive grin.
With a heavy heart, Patricia exited the room, carefully closing the door behind her. She paused momentarily at the door of another patient, one who bore an uncanny resemblance to Hunter, but the door was firmly shut, obscuring any view.
Patricia moved on, deciding not to dwell any longer. Charlotte's fate, and anything related to this place, no longer held significance for her.
Meanwhile, Charlotte, who had been smiling vacantly, suddenly felt sick and vomited profusely, soaked in her own mess. Panicked, she banged on the metal door for help.
The medical staff quickly responded. As a nurse cleaned Charlotte and changed her into fresh clothes, she murmured, "What's with her lately? She vomits every single day. Could she be pregnant?"
This comment caught the doctor off guard. Sensing the doctor's gaze, the nurse stopped changing clothes, her expression becoming awkward. "No way, right?"
The doctor shifted his gaze to Charlotte's belly. Indeed, Charlotte's abdomen was noticeably larger, a detail that had previously gone unobserved. Not just her abdomen, but her entire midsection seemed enlarged.
"Take her for examination immediately!"
Without delay, the doctor ordered a series of tests—urine, ultrasound, and blood tests.
The swift results confirmed the pregnancy. Charlotte was four and a half months along, but the fetus was underdeveloped, likely due to prolonged malnutrition, which also explained why the pregnancy had gone unnoticed.
"Contact her family immediately," the doctor instructed. The situation of a patient with mental health issues being pregnant was a troublesome matter.
The nurse looked uncertain. "We don't have any contact information for her family. She mentioned that a set amount would be automatically deposited into her account every month, but that's all we know."
The doctor's brow furrowed in confusion.
The nurse then raised a critical question. "What's our plan here? Are we considering continuing the pregnancy?"
The doctor found himself wrestling with the situation internally. 'A pregnancy in a patient with severe mental health issues? This is uncharted territory for us. But is proceeding with the pregnancy even a viable option? And what about a termination? Without family consent or any idea of who the father might be, that's a legal and ethical minefield.'
As he mulled over these daunting questions, the doctor's gaze lingered on Charlotte's enlarged abdomen.
What should he do?
...
After her visit to the psychiatric facility, Patricia retreated to her hotel and reached out to Nathan to express her gratitude for his assistance and to inquire about Hunter's current status.
"I've hit a dead end. Both Hunter and Alaric Morgan seem to have vanished from the system," Nathan said.
Patricia was taken aback. "Vanished from the system?"
Realizing Patricia couldn't see his nod, Nathan clarified, "Yeah, it's like they've been erased. That usually only happens with an official death record."
Patricia exploded. "So, are you saying Hunter is dead?"
"I can't confirm he's dead, but his records have definitely been wiped. Everything looks official, no signs of tampering."
He hesitated before adding, "You know, everything was a little too easy to find, which made me suspicious. I kept digging for a few more days but came up empty."
Patricia sensed the oddity as well. She had a feeling that something was off but couldn't put her finger on it.
"When was the supposed death?" she asked.
"About two months back," Nathan replied.
Silence fell over Patricia. Two months meant that, according to these records, Hunter had passed shortly after her departure from Country M. The whole scenario felt oddly straightforward yet unsettlingly enigmatic.
Choosing to set aside the puzzle for now, Patricia said, "I really owe you one. Your help in M country was invaluable. I would've been lost without it."
Nathan's reply was light-hearted, "Think nothing of it. Just give me a shout if you need anything down the line. And I'll keep an eye on Hunter's situation, letting you know if anything pops up."
"Thanks, I appreciate it," Patricia responded before ending the call and starting to pack up her belongings. She didn't bring up her visit to Charlotte at the psychiatric hospital.
James, too, silently went about packing.
After they had finished, they grabbed a quick bite at the hotel before checking out with their luggage in tow.
During the lengthy flight home, Patricia quickly dozed off. James, seated beside her, gazed at her with a mix of fondness and sorrow, dreading their impending farewell.
The thought of leaving Patricia filled him with a deep sense of loss.
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