When she opened her eyes, the sharp scent of hospital disinfectant filled her nose.
Nearby, a young nurse whispered to her colleague, "Both are women, but really, everyone has their own fate!"
"The second daughter-in-law of the Grive Family in the next ward only had a little fright, but the head of the family has been worried sick, guarding her room day and night, not even taking off his clothes to rest. He’s been so devoted, you can really ship a couple like that!"
"Unlike this one... I heard it was the servants who couldn't bear to watch and feared she’d die right there, so they called emergency services."
When Darren arrived, there was a hint of apology in his expression and he was carrying bags of nourishing supplements.
“Joanna, about what happened earlier... I was just so anxious that I acted irrationally. These tonics are my way of making it up to you. But you're allergic to peanuts, so be sure to check the ingredients carefully."
"Are you… and the baby okay?"
It was like a slap followed by a sweet date. What a clever trick. But Joanna wasn't buying it.
She forced herself to sit up and looked him straight in the eye. "Drake, how did you know I'm allergic to peanuts?"
Darren was stunned for a moment, his eyes evasive. "Mom told me, of course. When it comes to food, one has to be extra careful with pregnant women."
Full of holes! Garcia hated Joanna so much. How could she possibly remember her preferences and allergies?
Joanna quietly withdrew her gaze and looked out the window, her face filled with sorrow.
"When I heard the news of your eldest brother's death, I wanted to leave this world too, to follow him. When I swallowed a large number of sleeping pills, where was he? When I slit my wrists in the bathtub and blood flowed all over the bathroom, where was he? When I stood atop an eighteen-story building, the freezing wind cutting through me, where was he then?"
Darren's pupils trembled and he guiltily looked away. "I actually…"
Just a few seconds away from speaking, Darren’s words caught in his throat as a young nurse rushed in, flustered.
"Mr. Grive! Something’s happened to your wife! She found out you weren’t there and is threatening to slit her wrists!"
Darren still left. When Joanna’s close friend arrived, she was furious.
"Joanna, how did you end up like this? You’re not quite human, not quite a ghost!"
"How could the Grive Family treat you like this? You're the widow of their eldest son, after all! Once you give birth, just leave. In the meantime, I’ll keep an eye out for some outstanding young men. Worst case, we find you someone new and you remarry!"
That night, when Joanna went out to fetch water, she overheard Darren and Zaylee talking in the room next door.
"Honey, the informant I planted said Joanna plans to leave after giving birth. She's even planning blind dates to remarry! A fickle woman like her really can't be trusted. She has no sense of virtue as a widow!" Zaylee said indignantly.
But unlike her righteous anger, Darren's expression was complicated and especially dim. He shook his head.
"Impossible! Joanna loves me so much. There's no way she'd be willing to leave me. Blind dates? Who else does she think she can marry besides me? Even if I die, she should remain a widow for me forever."
"Just in case!" Zaylee's eyes rolled craftily. "How about this… We knock her out and get someone to take compromising photos of her. If she ever thinks about remarrying, we can use those photos to threaten her. That way, she’ll never escape the Grive Family for the rest of her life."
Just one wall away, Joanna returned to her room, closed the door and slowly slid to the floor.
This time, Darren didn’t even pretend to care about any bond they once shared as husband and wife.
That very night, a nurse sneaked into her room and slipped something into her water cup. Joanna pretended to take a sip, then turned around and vomited everything out in the washroom.
In the dead of night, someone quietly slipped into the room, climbed into bed, wrapped an arm around her waist and began planting heated kisses on her.
Joanna’s eyes flew open. Without hesitation, she reached beneath her pillow, pulled out the fruit knife she had long prepared and stabbed without a word.
"Who…"
A muffled groan rang out as the drunken man staggered to his feet, bleeding from his abdomen and barely able to stand.
Joanna turned on the light, only to realize it wasn’t someone sent by Zaylee to take indecent photos.
It was Darren.
He had bribed the young nurse to drug her, crept into her bed to touch her, force a kiss on her and even attempt to violate her.
At this moment, his drunkenness outweighed the pain. Darren was still out of it.
“Joanna, don’t go on blind dates with anyone else, I’m begging you… You’re still carrying my child, how could you possibly marry someone else?”
Under the light, the man's eyes were filled with nothing but longing.
