Chapter 6

Lena methodically began sorting through financial documents after she returned home. Micah's supplementary card, jewelry, and property deeds were all laid out on the table. It was as if she were tallying up the remnants of a ridiculous dream. Micah was discharged from the hospital three days later. He appeared at the door in a crisp suit. His tie was meticulously knotted. He was not at all like someone who had narrowly escaped death. "Baby, things have been crazy at work lately. I haven't had time to be with you." He had kept his hospitalization a secret. A faint scent of disinfectant still lingered on him as he walked over and tried to hold her. Lena knew he had rushed out of the hospital because he was afraid she would be suspicious and start asking questions that he wouldn't know how to answer. However, what he didn't know was that she had seen everything. She had witnessed how he had risked his life for another woman. "How's the baby?" Micah suddenly asked as his gaze shifted to her lower abdomen. "Have you been taking the prenatal tonic? Why does your belly still look so small?" He extended his hand and intended to touch her belly, but Lena instinctively stepped back. "I'm not feeling well. Please don't touch me." Her voice was indifferent. Micah frowned and immediately called out to one of the household staff to ask about Lena's recent condition. His face darkened when he found out she hadn't been taking the prenatal tonic. Then, he went to the kitchen to prepare the tonic himself. "Baby, come on." He held a bowl, speaking to Lena in a voice soft enough to melt the coldest heart. "Drink this for your health. It'll make giving birth easier." Lena looked at the black-brown liquid in the bowl. She was just about to come up with an excuse when the doorbell rang. A few of Micah's close friends had come by. Their expressions were tense. When Micah saw them, he told her to get some rest before bringing them to the study. Lena immediately dumped the tonic into the sink once their footsteps faded completely. She was about to head back to the bedroom when she heard loud voices coming from the study. "Micah, Laris is now being forced into an arranged marriage. She refused, so her parents locked her up. They're planning to go ahead with the wedding the day after tomorrow and getting it over with before she can resist." A loud clatter came from the room like a teacup shattering. It took a long moment before Micah's cold and indifferent voice sounded, "I see." "What does that mean?" one of his friends asked. "It means," Micah slowly replied, "I won't let her marry someone she doesn't love." The study instantly erupted into chaos. "What do you mean? Are you going to crash the wedding?" "Micah, calm down. You have a family now, and your child is due in just a few months!" "Have you thought about what people will say about Lena if you do this?" "How is your child supposed to face all of this?" "Aren't you afraid she'll divorce you?" Micah's voice cut through with unwavering resolve amid the flood of objections, "I'll handle it. Lena won't find out about any of this." "What if she does?" There was a brief silence before his voice sounded again, "So what if she does? I'll sweet-talk her. The little girl loves me too much. She can't live without me." Lena stood outside the door. Her face was as pale as a sheet. She unconsciously pressed against her chest with her fingers. It still felt heavy within, but it was not the soul-wrenching pain she had used to feel. She suddenly realized that she was slowly letting go. She truly didn't love him anymore. Micah had been unusually busy for the past few days. Lena coldly watched as he left the house early and returned late with his phone never leaving his side. The light in the study often stayed on until the early hours of the morning too. She knew that he was meticulously planning the secret grand wedding. The divorce cooling-off period ended that morning. Lena left home early and picked up her divorce certificate from the lawyer. The property division had already been settled. She took nothing else aside from her personal belongings. Micah was standing in front of the mirror adjusting his tie when she returned. He wore a brand-new dark blue suit. The cufflinks coldly gleamed in the morning light. It was a style she had never seen before. He must have specially bought it for today. "Back from your walk?" Micah caught her reflection in the mirror. The corners of his lips curled into a gentle smile. "Baby, I have something important to attend to today. Stay home and get some rest, and don't forget to take your medicine." He then turned around and lightly brushed over her lower abdomen. He playfully warned in a low tone, "Be good to Mommy today. Daddy will be mad if you make her feel sick." Lena looked at the tenderness in Micah's eyes and suddenly felt a wave of irony. He could risk his life for Laris, but he couldn't even realize that their child was already gone. She clenched the divorce certificate in her hand. "I need to talk to you."