Vanessa and Ryan left quickly as if nothing had happened, and I took the chance to sneak back to the ward.
I climbed onto the bed with difficulty, my heart pounding wildly. What I had just heard shocked me—I'd never imagined Ethan had been so thoroughly played by Vanessa.
As I was thinking about how to use this to my advantage, the door suddenly swung open.
I hurriedly pretended to be asleep, but the person who entered just stood silently at the edge of my bed, unmoving.
Worried they might harm me, I slowly pretended to wake up. Opening my eyes, I found Ethan leaning over me, so close his lips nearly brushed my nose.
He clearly hadn’t expected me to wake up and quickly straightened in a panic.
“I just came to check if you were still breathing,” he said coldly.
His reaction gave me an idea—maybe I could use this to buy time until the gentleman arrived.
“Are you sure Vanessa’s child is really yours?” I asked directly, skipping the pretense.
Ethan’s expression darkened, and he looked at me sharply. “Tessa, are you trying to stir up trouble between me and Vanessa?”
“I’m just giving you a reminder.”
Before I could say more, Ethan suddenly grabbed my hand, his gaze intense. “Tessa, I know what you mean. If you agree to divorce and stop causing trouble, I might consider being with you again.”
His stupidity and arrogance almost made me laugh, but to stall for time, I forced a look of surprised joy. “Really, dear? You mean it?”
“Of course.” My reaction clearly pleased his inflated ego, and he went on, “I’ll get you an apartment. Not as big as our home, but comfortable. I’ll visit often—but you’ll need to be discreet. I am, after all…”
A knock on the door cut him off, and like a startled rabbit, he jumped away, quickly letting go of my hand and stepping back to act innocent.
Ryan entered, greeting Ethan with suspicious familiarity, then turned to me with concern, playing the role of a dutiful doctor.
But the way he looked at me was off—like a predator eyeing fragile prey. It made my skin crawl.
“Ms. Morgan, you’re quite lucky. The fork missed your artery and windpipe. But be careful—you’re already three months pregnant. If you develop an infection…”
“What? Pregnant? Tessa is pregnant?” Ethan cut him off in disbelief.
“You didn’t know?” Ryan said innocently, handing him the diagnosis report.
Ethan snatched it and flipped through it. The deeper he read, the darker his face became.
“I can’t be pregnant... no!”
Before I could finish, Ethan charged at me, eyes blazing. He grabbed my throat and screamed like a madman.
“You whore! You cheated! Tell me—who’s the bastard?!”
“No... I’m not pregnant!”
I choked out the words as pain surged through me. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth, and the freshly stitched wound on my neck tore open, soaking my collar and gown.
“Ethan, stop it! This is a hospital! Let her go—you’re scaring the kids!”
Vanessa suddenly burst in and shoved him away. Jordan, who had followed her in, started crying in fear. Ethan noticed the noise outside and reluctantly let go.
Cough, cough! I collapsed on the bed, gasping violently for air.
“Tessa, you’ve got the guts to cheat but not the guts to confess? If you’re not pregnant, are you saying Dr. Blake lied?”
“He’s—”
I tried to speak, to expose what I saw earlier in the office, but then I noticed Vanessa’s hand gripping Jordan’s shoulder. Her sharpened nails hovered less than a centimeter from Jordan’s eye—ready to strike.
Vanessa gave me a smug smile. Jordan trembled all over, too frightened even to cry.
Then I heard a faint dripping sound—and realized with horror that Jordan had wet herself in fear.
“...Anyway, we’re divorcing. Who the father is has nothing to do with you.”
I looked straight at Ethan and said calmly. I knew he would take it out on me later—but to protect Jordan, this was the only choice I had.
