Chapter 384: Try to Touch My Child

Chapter 384: Try to Touch My Child

Caspian's hand froze mid-air, cigarette in hand. "Why are you bringing her up out of nowhere?"

Harriet held back a smile. "Caspian, are you angry?"

"How could I be angry at you?"

"But when I mentioned Coralie, you were clearly unhappy."

"Even if I'm unhappy, it's not at you."

"So you're angry at Coralie?" Harriet pressed on. "Caspian, you two have already broken up. By all rights, there should be nothing between you anymore."

"But the moment she's mentioned, your emotions shift. That's clearly not normal." Harriet smiled. "Given your personality, only people you care about can make you emotional, right?"

"Harriet, what are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying you should face your own heart." Harriet's smile faded as she spoke seriously. "Is there a possibility that you actually can't let go of Coralie?"

"I can't let go of Coralie?" Caspian laughed mockingly. "Harriet, are you still half asleep?"

Harriet: "I just hope you can take your relationship seriously."

"There is no relationship between us anymore." Caspian said coldly. "If there's any last connection, it's only Qiana."

Harriet didn't say anything more. "I understand."

"Go on inside." Caspian finished his last drag. "I'm heading back."

"Okay, I'll watch you leave."

Harriet watched Caspian drive away. Just as she turned to go inside, she saw Coralie standing at the door.

"Coralie?" Harriet walked over. "What are you doing standing here?"

"You hadn't come back yet. I was worried, so I wanted to come out and meet you."

"I just ran into Caspian and we talked for a bit."

Coralie's lips pressed together slightly.

Harriet explained, "Don't worry, I won't go back on my word. I didn't tell Caspian about your pregnancy."

"Harriet, I'm not doubting you." Coralie said softly. "It's just that whenever I see Caspian, I don't know how to face him."

"You both need to give yourselves some time." Harriet smiled. "Don't think too much about it for now. Rest well for a few days. Some things, once you calm down, will naturally become clear."

"I'll listen to you."

After Griffin's men were dealt with, there had been no other activity.

He stayed at Lakeside Gardens almost without leaving the house, his daily needs taken care of by a housekeeper.

Harriet hadn't paid attention to him. All information about Griffin came from Tristan bringing it up on his own.

Apart from taking care of her family, Harriet spent her free time studying medical texts and occasionally video calling Helena.

One afternoon, Harriet was on the phone with Tristan when Coralie suddenly knocked and came in.

"Coralie's here, talk later." Harriet hung up and said, "Coralie, come sit. Let me check on you."

Coralie walked over and sat down beside her.

"Looking good." Harriet finished the examination. "Your body is fine, don't worry."

"Okay."

Seeing her hesitant expression, Harriet said, "You don't need to hold back around me. Just say whatever you want to say."

"Harriet, I don't want to keep this baby." Coralie said with difficulty. "Qiana already lacks a father's love. I can't bring another child into the world knowing I can't give them a complete family."

Harriet wasn't surprised.

She could tell that Coralie truly planned to let go of Caspian and wouldn't stay by his side in a degrading way because of a child.

So her decision to give up this baby was normal.

"Coralie, I respect your decision, but I think Caspian has the right to know." Harriet said. "You should explain the situation to him and have him go with you to the hospital."

"Harriet, can't I just quietly get rid of this baby?" Coralie said with difficulty. "I don't want to be tangled up with him anymore."

"But this child is also Caspian's. He has the right to know." Harriet said seriously. "Don't worry, I won't let Caspian do anything to you."

"I understand." Coralie nodded. "I'll go talk to him."

"Good." Harriet responded. "Normally I should help you contact the hospital, but the child in your belly is my family after all. I really can't bear it, so I won't get involved in this matter. You two can handle it yourselves."

"Harriet, I'm sorry."

"You haven't wronged me." Harriet held her hand. "Your life shouldn't be held hostage by a child. In this life, the most important thing is not to wrong yourself."

"I understand. Thank you, Harriet."

Harriet didn't follow up on this matter, only prepared some medicine for post-abortion recovery, planning to give it to Coralie when the time came.

She was preparing these when her phone suddenly rang.

Harriet glanced at the screen and answered, "Caspian, you're calling me?"

Caspian's low, cold voice came through. "Harriet, did you know Coralie was pregnant?"

"What's wrong?" Harriet asked. "Did Coralie tell you?"

"So you knew?" Caspian laughed coldly. "Coralie didn't tell me anything. She's at the hospital right now getting an abortion. The hospital secretly contacted me. I'm on my way there now."

"So Coralie didn't tell you about the pregnancy?" Harriet was surprised. "She's getting an abortion behind your back?"

Caspian didn't respond.

"Caspian, don't do anything rash." Harriet immediately headed out. "If Coralie did this, there must be a reason. You can't hurt her."

"Don't worry, I don't hit women."

"I never thought you'd physically hit a woman, but verbal abuse is also a form of harm." Harriet anxiously changed her shoes. "I'm heading over now. Let's wait until I get there to talk about everything."

In the car, when Caspian saw another call coming in, he switched over.

"Mr. Romanov, we're already stalling for time. We won't be performing the surgery on Ms. Walker today."

"Good." Caspian said coldly. "Keep a close eye on her. I'll be there in ten minutes."

"Yes."

More than ten minutes later, Caspian arrived at the hospital and, escorted by the director, went straight to the operating room.

As soon as he entered, he heard Coralie's voice. "Doctor, why can't we do the surgery today? Wasn't the time set yesterday?"

"Ms. Walker, when we measured your blood pressure just now, we found it was high, so we need to observe you. We can only proceed with the surgery once your blood pressure stabilizes."

"Really?" Coralie sounded puzzled. "Why didn't you tell me during the examination?"

"Sorry, the nurse was negligent."

Coralie was about to ask more when she heard footsteps from the doorway.

She turned to look, and when she saw Caspian, her face instantly went pale!

She had come to a private hospital, and it wasn't under Apex Global Group or the Romanov Group. How could Caspian be here!

The hospital director respectfully asked, "Mr. Romanov, do you need a lounge prepared?"

"Of course." Caspian's deep, sharp eyes fixed on Coralie as he said coldly, "This isn't the place to talk."

"Yes, I'll prepare it right away."

Coralie changed clothes with a nurse's help and was soon brought to a luxurious lounge.

Caspian stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, smoking.

Outside, the sky was overcast—a storm was coming.

"Give me an explanation." Caspian's low, cold voice slowly broke the silence.

"There's nothing to explain." Coralie forced a smile. "We had sex too many times that night, so the birth control didn't work properly. I got pregnant by accident. I came to the hospital to deal with it. That's all."

Caspian turned around, taking a drag from his cigarette.

Through the pale smoke, he looked at Coralie standing not far away, her back straight. "This is my child. Who gave you permission to make this decision on your own?"

"If I don't deal with it, should I keep it?" Coralie countered. "Wouldn't you suspect I'm trying to trap you with this baby again?"

Caspian was left speechless. "...I didn't say to keep it, but this child is mine. I have the right to know."

"I just thought, since we've already made a clean break, it's better to avoid trouble. For such a small matter, there's no need to bother you."

"You think a child is a small matter?" Caspian laughed bitterly. "Coralie, looks like you're done pretending. Showing your true colors now, aren't you?"

"Whatever you say." Coralie took a deep breath, trying to suppress the tears in her eyes and the pain in her chest.

This was her child. Even though it hadn't formed yet, how could she bear to give it up?

But she had no other choice.

"Caspian, I honestly think I'm considering your interests in this matter." Coralie looked at him calmly. "After all, if Grandpa finds out, he might get his hopes up again and force you to accept me for the child's sake. That would only make you more uncomfortable, wouldn't it?"

Caspian had no response.

Coralie was right. He hated Mason forcing him to accept Coralie.

In handling this matter, Coralie was being very considerate of him.

But somehow, he just felt uncomfortable.

Really uncomfortable.

Caspian finished his cigarette and stubbed it out in the ashtray on the coffee table, saying in a heavy voice, "This is my child. You have no right to decide its fate on your own, understand? Let me tell you, Coralie, without my permission, not a single hospital will dare perform an abortion on you. If you don't believe me, feel free to try."

Coralie's fingers trembled. "Then what do you want from me?"

Caspian didn't answer.

He didn't know what he wanted either. Getting rid of the child was clearly the smartest choice, but he just felt uncomfortable!

Coralie spoke up. "Caspian, this child was a mistake to begin with. I'm just correcting that mistake now. Why are you stopping me?"

Caspian laughed coldly, then walked up to her step by step. "How did this mistake happen? Don't you know? If you hadn't been so forward in seducing me that night, this child wouldn't exist."

Thinking of that night, Coralie felt both ashamed and embarrassed.

That night, as a final goodbye to Caspian, she had indeed been unusually forward, drawing a period on this unrequited love.

But she never expected to end up pregnant.

Between her and Caspian, there was only one simple connection—children.

Without the child, they would have nothing to do with each other.

"It's my fault." Coralie smiled bitterly. "Caspian, I wronged you, so can I please ask you to let me get rid of this child?"

The more she backed down, the more uncomfortable Caspian felt.

And when he felt uncomfortable, he wouldn't let Coralie feel comfortable either.

"Why should I agree?" Caspian laughed coldly, a wicked smile spreading across his face. "It's just one child. It's not like I can't afford to raise it."

Coralie's face went pale!

"What do you mean? You want me to have this child?"

"Why not?"

Coralie suppressed the violent heaving in her chest. "Caspian, having and raising a child isn't as easy as you make it sound!"

"You have money. Never mind one child—you could afford hundreds or thousands. But a child isn't just someone you feed and raise to adulthood."

"A child is a person who needs love, especially parental love."

"Qiana already doesn't have a complete family. I already feel terrible about that. I can't be this impulsive again and bring another child into the world knowing I can't give them a complete family."

"Because some things can't be made up for with money."

Caspian smirked. "So basically, you still want to marry me, don't you?"

"If I wanted to marry you, I wouldn't be at the hospital today." Coralie forced a smile and said firmly, "Caspian, things are over between us. I won't let this child be born. I will definitely get rid of it. You can't stop me."

Caspian's pupils suddenly contracted. He reached out and grabbed her neck. "Try touching my child and see what happens!"

Coralie couldn't breathe, instinctively hitting his hand. "Let go..."

But the more she resisted, the harder Caspian squeezed!

Just as Coralie felt she was about to suffocate, the lounge door was pushed open.

Seeing the scene before her, Harriet immediately rushed forward to stop him. "Caspian! What are you doing! Are you crazy! Let go!"

Only then did Caspian release Coralie.

Coralie gasped for air, coughing violently.

"Coralie, are you okay?" Harriet supported her. "How do you feel?"

"I'm fine..."

Harriet turned to look at Caspian and demanded, "Looks like I overestimated you. I thought you had basic gentlemanly manners and wouldn't lay hands on a woman. But what were you just doing? You had your hand around the neck of a woman carrying your child!"

"Harriet, she provoked me first." Caspian said calmly. "You didn't hear what she said. She said she would definitely get rid of my child."

"You know this is your child too." Harriet couldn't hide her anger. "For you men, having children is easy. You have some fun, and ten months later you're a father. But do you know how much suffering Coralie has to endure that you can't even imagine?"

"Qiana is still so young. Coralie's body hasn't fully recovered yet. If you can't control yourself, then take proper birth control measures!"

"Whether she chooses to keep or abort this child now, it will cause great harm to her body!"

"But from a woman's perspective, I support her decision to abort, because given her current physical condition, the harm from an abortion is much less than from giving birth. That's why I didn't oppose her decision."

"Caspian, money can solve most of the world's problems, but there are always some things money can't solve or replace."

"If you can't give this child a complete family and love, what right do you have to decide to keep it?"