Chapter 10
Chapter 10
Since Derrick, the CEO of Riverbend Group, took a day off from work, his assistant team noticed something strange.
Their boss, Derrick, who seemed like he could live at the office 24/7, suddenly became lazy. He started showing up late, leaving early. and playing on his phone during meetings. And sometimes, he would be missing by the afternoon.
One of the assistants sighed, “Looks like things are really changing. Even Mr. Graham doesn’t want to work anymore.”
Another assistant, with a mysterious look, spoke, “I heard that Mr. Graham’s wife is pregnant.”
“Really? That’s great news.”
“I hope Mr. Graham gets so happy that he’ll give us a bonus or something.”
Derrick didn’t know whether it was great news or not, but he had been getting more and more anxious lately.
Ever since Ethan warned him that Katherine might soon experience morning sickness, Derrick hadn’t had a moment’s peace.
Katherine was normally in great health, but after three years of marriage to Derrick, she’d been through a lot. Now, something as simple as morning sickness was enough to bring her down
She had only recently managed to adjust her routine for better health, and the little bit of weight she had gained was quickly lost.
The staff at home tried everything, constantly changing the menu to find something Katherine could stomach, but she still suffered
from severe nausea.
On top of that, cramps and frequent trips to the bathroom at night were constantly tormenting her. She couldn’t eat well or sleep well. and her face looked so haggard that it was hard to believe she was only twenty–five.
Tonight, Katherine finally managed to fall asleep. Derrick walked over to the window, a cigarette hanging from his mouth, though he
hadn’t lit it
He was so stressed that he felt like he was graying at the temples. Over and over, he cursed the version of himself from two months ago -the one who, out of spite, thought a baby would bind Katherine to him.
But when Derrick saw Katherine suffering like this, unable to sleep for days on end, his heart felt like it was being torn apart. He thought, ‘If only I had known…”
Derrick bit down on his tongue hard until he tasted blood before releasing it. He thought, ‘Regret is pointless. I have to pay for what I’ve done wrong. But this cost is way too much!
At Ethan’s suggestion, Derrick took Katherine to the hospital. The driver kept the che’s speed slow, and Derrick was concerned that Katherine might have other adverse reactions,
He kept her close, his arm around her, continuously scanning their surroundings. Every time he noticed a car following them past two intersections, he would eye it suspiciously. He couldn’t shake the worry that the man Katherine kept thinking about might suddenly
appear
It took a while, but Katherine finally looked at him. Derrick couldn’t let anyone ruin the bond they had, especially not
Suddenly, Katherine gaged. Realizing she was in the car, she quickly covered her mouth. The physical stimulation brought tears to her eyes, and everything around her felt blurry.
Derrick steadied her with one hand while reaching for the trash bin with the other. “Go ahead. You can throw up,” he said softly.
Before he could say anything else, Katherine was already hugging the trash can, dry heaving. She hadn’t eaten breakfast in the morning for her check–up, and all that came up was bile. After she finished, she collapsed weakly against him.
Derrick propped his arm behind Katherine’s neck, and with his other hand, he gently wiped her mouth with a wet wipe. “Hang in there. Once you finish the check–up, I’ll get you some water, okay?”
He spoke softly, almost pleading, afraid that raising his voice would upset Katherine. He blamed himself, knowing it was because of him that Katherine was going through all of this
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Chapter 10
“It’s okay.” Katherine shook her head weakly, her eyes meeting Derrick’s concerned gaze. She raised her hand, gently pressing her thumb against the dark circles under his eyes. “Derrick, you’ve lost weight too?”
“No, you must be mistaken. Derrick grasped her hand and held it in his warm palm. He thought. Forget losing weight–if I could take Katherine’s morning sickness in her place. I would gladly do it.
“Mr. and Mrs. Graham, we’ve arrived at the hospital, the driver announced. The car parked smoothly in the lot, and the driver opened the door for Derrick.
After Derrick got out, he hurried around to the other side to help Katherine out of the car. Katherine had just thrown up and skipped breakfast Her legs buckled beneath her.
“Careful.” Derrick’s heart leapt. Without a second thought, he lifted Katherine into his arms.
The weight felt so light that it was almost startling. But Derrick pushed down the discomfort in his chest and carried Katherine toward the hospital. When they reached the entrance, he asked a staff member for a wheelchair.
“No need. That’s too much,” Katherine refused repeatedly. She thought, I can walk. Sitting in a wheelchair would make people think I’m about to die.
Then should I carry you?” Derrick assumed Katherine didn’t want to sit in the wheelchair because it was uncomfortable. He bent down again, as though preparing to lift her,
“Alright. I’ll sit in the wheelchair.” Katherine’s brows twitched, and she immediately sat down in the wheelchair. The wheelchair had been borrowed at the last minute, and it wasn’t very comfortable.
Derrick looked down at Katherine’s head, his gaze darkening. He thought, ‘She really doesn’t want me to carry her? Why? Does she still not like being touched by me? But didn’t she lean on me in the car earlier?”
Just as Derrick was deep in thought, a voice filled with uncertainty rang out. “Kate? Charles’s voice carried a soothing power that could calm any irritation.
However, Derrick’s blood began to boil at the sound. He glared at Charles, who stood tall with an elegant, gentlemanly demeanor, his fists clenched so tightly that they cracked.
Derrick thought. No wonder Katherine doesn’t want me to touch her. She’s probably afraid he’ll see. Maybe all of this–the way she’s acting is just to get Charles’s attention”
–
With that thought, Derrick’s eyes filled with fury, as though he were staring at his nemesis. He glared at Charles with intensity.
But Derrick did nothing–he simply watched as Charles slowly approached and finally knelt in front of Katherine. Derrick didn’t even have the courage to shove Charles aside.
Derrick thought that getting Katherine pregnant had already made him an unforgivable sinner. He figured that if he hurt Charles now, Katherine, who had been playing along, would immediately show her true colors.
Katherine stared at Charles’s face, one that was engraved in her soul. It felt as though the scene before her had transported her back to when she had just died in her previous life, witnessing it as a ghost.
“Charles,” Katherine
grilled her teeth as she said his name, her eyes filled with crimson, like blood spilling from her pupils “How dare you show up in front of me again?”
Katherine raised her hand, suddenly grabbing Charles by the throat. Her nails dug into his skin, and in an instant, she had him choking, his face turning red and his neck bulging. “You monster. You should go to hell,” she roared.
Katherine put all her strength into it, but Charles’s movement to step back made her lose her balance. She fell out of the wheelchair.
“Watch out,” Derrick shouted. He hadn’t even processed Katherine’s sudden action of choking Charles. But when Derrick saw her about to fall, his instinct kicked in, and he quickly reached out to catch her
Let go. Let go of me? Katherine struggled, her eyes glaring at Charles as if they were bleeding Tm going to kill him. I’m going to avenge you. Derrick, let go of me‘
Derrick didn’t understand what Katherine was saying, and she was struggling so violently that he didn’t dare hold her too tightly.
“It’s okay. Don’t be afraid.” Derrick held Katherine close, covering her eyes, constantly soothing her in a low voice. “You hate him? Then let me take care of him for you, okay? Don’t get upset. You’re still carrying the baby”
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Chapter 10
With just those few words from Derrick, Katherine slowly calmed down. She thought, “Right, I’m still carrying the baby. Nothing is more important than keeping the baby safe.
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