Remember That Hurt

Chapter 6 Whose child is it?

　　The thought of maybe having a baby gave Anna a flicker of hope.

　　Ethan had just settled Jasmine and was coming out when he spotted Anna surrounded by a crowd.

　　Without a second thought, he strode over in long, urgent steps.

　　Anna's eyes lit up when she saw him. Clinging weakly to the hem of his pants, she said, voice trembling, "Ethan, Ethan… help me, please help me…" But before she could finish, she blacked out.

　　Ethan's face went stiff as he scooped her into his arms. Seeing her bruised-up face made something gnaw at his chest.

　　"Doctor! Now!" he shouted.

　　Once she was rushed into the ER, he tugged at his tie, clearly rattled.

　　"She's pregnant!" the doctor announced after a brief checkup.

　　Ethan shot up from his seat. "Pregnant?!"

　　He always used protection whenever he was with her—pregnancy just didn't add up.

　　His mind went to Toby—that man Anna had once given her jewelry money to. The thought made his gut twist.

　　When Anna woke, she saw Ethan sitting at her bedside. Her heart leapt. "Ethan!" she called out, eyes trembling with hope.

　　Maybe he did still care. Even if it was just because of the baby, it was still something.

　　"You're pregnant," Ethan said coldly, his face stone.

　　The baby. Anna's hands instinctively moved to her stomach, holding it protectively.

　　Watching her reaction, Ethan's face darkened. He reached out, gripping her chin. "Whose kid is it?"

　　The little warmth just sparked in Anna's chest vanished in a flash. Her face fell.

　　"You think I cheated on you?" she asked, voice shaking.

　　Ethan didn't respond. His hand on her chin only tightened.

　　"Please, Ethan, trust me. It's yours—really." Anna gave a bitter smile, pain filling her eyes.

　　"I always use a condom," Ethan said, the look in his eyes dripping with disbelief.

　　Anna's mind flashed to that night—he had been drunk, pinned her down on the couch, took her without hesitation, and called out Jasmine's name while doing it.

　　She shut her eyes in despair. How was she supposed to explain that?Anna hesitated, like she wanted to say something but held back. To Ethan, that just screamed guilty conscience. Just imagining her being with someone else made his stomach churn.

　　"Is there even a point in explaining? You're not gonna believe me no matter what I say, are you?" Anna stared straight at him.

　　"If you want me to believe you, then bring me proof." Ethan's tone was icy, already convinced she'd cheated on him.

　　"I—" Anna felt like her heart had just dropped.

　　"Don't play the victim here. Save it." Ethan threw a folder right at her. It hit her face hard before landing on the floor.

　　The sharp edge of the folder cut a line across her cheek. Blood started trickling down, staining her skin—gruesome and unreal.

　　But Anna didn't flinch. She bent down slowly, picked up the folder, and opened it with shaky hands.

　　Inside were receipts from selling her jewelry, bank transfers, even photos of her and Toby looking… close.

　　Her eyes kept flicking through the images—her and Toby? Her mouth fell open in shock.

　　"What's wrong? Seeing your ex again spark some joy?" Ethan sneered as he grabbed her neck.

　　"Ethan, you've got it all wrong! There's nothing between me and Toby!" she tried to explain, voice laced with panic.

　　But that name—Toby—Ethan couldn't stand hearing it from her mouth. His vision blurred, and he tightened his grip without realizing it.

　　Anna struggled, but his fingers just dug in deeper. Her chest spasmed with fear—he was really going to kill her.

　　A chilling pain shot through her heart. All because she'd dared to hope, to believe a brief moment of kindness meant something. She'd thrown away every bit of dignity just to stay by his side.

　　And this was what she got—her love trampled, her worth dismissed.

　　Her eyes slowly turned cold, the light in them fading fast.

　　Realizing what he'd done, Ethan suddenly let go, panic written all over his face, sweat dripping down his back.

　　Gasping loudly, Anna filled her lungs with much-needed air. For a long while, she just sat there, catching her breath.

　　Then she looked up at him and said, voice steady: "Just assume the baby's not yours. Let me go."