Chapter 299: High Risk

\[Sarah\]

As the entrepreneurship summit concluded, I made my way through the crowd with my bodyguard closely flanking me. My phone vibrated in my purse, and when I answered it, a smile spread across my face though I didn't say a word.

"Who was that?" my bodyguard asked, noticing my silent call. "You didn't say anything."

"You'll find out soon enough," I replied, slipping the phone back into my purse, a warmth spreading through me that I hadn't felt in weeks.

Once we reached the car, I gave the driver the address of a restaurant across town. My bodyguard glanced at me in the rearview mirror.

"Is it Mr. Pierce you're meeting?" he asked.

The smile instantly vanished from my face, my muscles tensing as if I'd been struck. The mere mention of Theodore's name sent a cold wave washing through me.

"Why would you bring him up?" I snapped, my voice sharper than I intended. My fingers curled into the soft leather of the seat, nails digging in. "If it were him, do you think I'd be this happy?"

My bodyguard wisely remained silent for the rest of the drive as I stared out the window, one hand abWhen we reached the restaurant, I straightened my shoulders and smoothed my expression, determined not to let Theodore's ghost haunt this meeting too. I made my way directly to the private dining room where Jason was waiting. He rose as I entered, his eyes lighting up, a warm smile spreading across his face that somehow eased the tightness in my chest.sently drifting to rest protectively over my barely-showing pregnancy.

"Day off?" I asked as he pulled out a chair for me.

"Yes, during the day at least," he replied, his gaze scanning my face with genuine concern. "I'm so relieved you're back safely. I've been worried sick about you."

Before I could respond, my eyes caught on a small rectangular object on the table. "What's this? Your card?" I asked, my brows drawing together as I stared at the innocuous piece of plastic.

Jason sat down beside me, his chair close enough that I could catch the faint scent of his cologne. His expression turned earnest, shoulders squared with resolve. "Yes. Take it and use it to pay off what you owe Theodore."

My spine stiffened. Without hesitation, I pushed the card back toward him, the plastic sliding across the polished table surface. "I don't need it," I said firmly, my chin lifting slightly. "I may owe him money, but he's not forcing me to repay it. Whether I pay him back or not is my decision alone." My voice caught slightly on the last word, betraying the emotion I was trying to suppress.

Jason pushed the card back to me, his fingers brushing against my hand. "You've broken up with him. The sooner you clear this debt, the better." His voice softened. "Sarah, you saved my life. Everything I earn is yours if you need it."

Every word he spoke made my throat constrict with unexpected emotion. I blinked rapidly, fighting back tears.

"The reason I returned to work wasn't because I love it," he continued softly, "but so I could help you when you needed it."

"Jason, I really can't accept your card," I said, my voice thick. "Having dinner with you already makes me happy. As for the money I owe Theodore, I can handle it myself. Trust me, okay?" I tried to lighten the mood. "You've gotten even more handsome since I last saw you!"

"Don't change the subject," he replied firmly, taking the card and pressing it into my palm. "Just keep it for me. When I need money, I'll ask for it back."

"The PIN is your birthday," he added quietly.

My eyebrows shot up. "Why would you tell me the PIN?" I asked, a warmth spreading across my cheeks.

"I have a terrible memory," he said with a self-deprecating shrug, though the twinkle in his eyes told me he remembered my birthday perfectly well. "You can remember it for me."

I was utterly speechless, caught between gratitude for his generosity and frustration at his gentle manipulation.

Though I reluctantly accepted Jason's card, slipping it into my wallet with hesitant fingers, I had absolutely no intention of using it. Instead, after our meal, I transferred the money I'd recovered from Wilson along with my earnings from Europe to the account Victoria had provided. The transaction completed with a soft ping from my phone, bringing a small measure of satisfaction—these were funds I'd earned or reclaimed, not borrowed.

Twenty minutes later, my screen lit up with a notification. My heart seized in my chest as I saw it was from the hospital—my amniocentesis results had arrived.

With trembling fingers, I opened the message:

Down Syndrome: Low Risk

Trisomy 18: Low Risk

Neural Tube Defect: High Risk

High risk?!

My fingers tightened around the phone until my knuckles turned white, the world around me suddenly spinning as if the floor had dropped away. The restaurant's ambient noise faded to a dull roar in my ears, overwhelmed by the thundering of my pulse.

My baby... really did have a problem?!

My mind raced through everything I knew about neural tube defects. I pressed my hand against my abdomen, as if I could somehow protect my child. My breath came in short gasps, a cold sweat breaking out across my forehead.

"Sarah? Are you alright?" Jason's voice seemed far away. "You've gone completely pale."

"I need to go," I finally managed, my voice hollow. "I'm sorry, Jason. I have to leave."

\[Theodore\]

The interview video went viral instantly. My phone wouldn't stop buzzing with notifications as everyone forwarded the clip to me.

The news of Sarah allegedly scamming me out of a billion dollars had already caused a sensation. This was her first public response, and shockingly, she admitted to it. Even more surprising to the public was that I hadn't sued her or demanded repayment. The audacity of her statement made my blood simmer. Was I really that gullible in her eyes?

Back at Pierce Technologies, after a tedious board meeting deflecting inquiries about my personal life, I returned to my office to find countless messages containing the same video clip.

James walked in with an amused grin. "Theodore, have you seen the video? Did you make her angry or something?"

I set down my phone and took a slow sip of water, trying to compose myself.

"She looks well," James remarked. "You haven't seen her since she returned, have you?"

We hadn't met face to face, but we'd already argued over the phone, her voice cutting through me like a blade.

"Do you want to see her?" James asked. "I could arrange something..."

"No," I replied curtly. "When we meet, either she makes me angry or I make her angry. She's pregnant now, and I don't want to upset her."

"Can't you two communicate properly?" James sighed. "At least for the child's sake! You can't let your baby be born without a father!"

"She doesn't want me to be the child's father," I said flatly, remembering her accusations.

"Then be more assertive!" James insisted, his hand slicing through the air for emphasis. "You can't give in to her on everything."

I shot James a sideways glance, my eyes narrowing slightly. "She can barely accept me when I'm not being assertive," I replied, a bitter edge creeping into my voice. "If I pushed harder, she'd see me as an enemy." I shook my head, memories of our last conversation flashing through my mind.

James fell silent for a moment, studying me with an expression that was uncomfortably perceptive. "You can't completely ignore her," he finally said, his tone gentler. "In another month or two, her pregnancy will be obvious. People will speculate about who the father is. The press will be relentless."

"We'll deal with that when her belly shows," I said dismissively, pinching the bridge of my nose as a headache began to throb behind my eyes. "Right now, I have enough problems."

"Haha! She's certainly difficult," James said with a knowing smile that made me want to throw something at him. "But that's exactly why you can't let her go—because she's unlike anyone else."

Victoria knocked and entered at that moment, her face ashen, lips pressed into a thin line. I couldn't tell if she'd overheard our conversation, but frankly, I didn't care. Her presence was largely irrelevant to me.

"Theodore," she began, her voice professionally neutral though her eyes darted nervously between James and me. "The foundation has been established as you instructed. I've sent the bank account details to Sarah as requested." She paused, swallowing visibly before continuing. "She has already transferred two hundred million dollars into the account."

My brow furrowed deeply, the headache intensifying as her words registered. Where did Sarah get that kind of money?! My mind raced through possibilities—her medical practice was successful but not that lucrative, Sullivan MedTech was struggling financially... Who had loaned it to her?

Was it Jason?!

The thought hit me like a physical blow, jealousy surging through me with such force that I actually felt my vision darken at the edges. The idea of Sarah accepting such a massive sum from another man sent a wave of possessive rage boiling through my veins.

I drove straight to Sullivan MedTech headquarters, my knuckles white on the steering wheel, the engine roaring as I pushed well beyond the speed limit. I was determined to discover the source of her two hundred million, to confirm whether my suspicions were correct.

If she had obtained it from another man—if she was willing to accept that kind of financial help from Jason but rejected even the smallest assistance from me—I would find it absolutely unacceptable.

The thought burned like acid in my chest as I stormed into the building, ignoring the startled receptionist's greeting, and strode toward the elevator with purposeful steps, jabbing the button repeatedly with my finger as if that would make it arrive faster.

As the elevator doors slowly opened, I found myself face to face with Sarah—her cheeks streaked with tears, eyes red-rimmed and swollen, face ashen with distress.