Chapter 255 Ethan Falls Ill

Chapter 256 Proposal

Ethan reached out and pulled her into his arms, holding her tight. He buried his face in her hair.

Anna could feel his tears falling on her shoulder, warm, one drop after another.

"You can't lie to me about something like this," Ethan said, his voice muffled against her shoulder, thick with tears. "I really thought something happened to you..."

"I'm sorry," Anna said, patting his back gently. "Are you really mad? If it helps, you can yell at me."

Ethan lifted his head from her shoulder, eyes red. He was about to say something when Anna stepped back, opened the box in her hands, and showed him the ring inside.

Ethan froze.

"Ethan," Anna said, her voice shaking a little but clear. "Will you marry me?"

Ethan looked at her, throat moving. His mouth opened and closed, but the tears came first.

"I will. I really want to."

He pulled her back into his arms, chin resting on her forehead, tears sliding down his nose and onto her hair.

Anna laughed in his arms. "I wasn't even done talking and you already said yes."

"No need," Ethan said, holding her tighter. "I agree to everything."

The wedding was big.

Hank picked the date himself and booked the whole estate.

The weather was great that day. Sunlight came through the leaves onto the grass. White roses lined the path from the entrance to the stage. Every table had nice flowers and handwritten name cards.

Anna wore a custom wedding dress with a long skirt, but the waist was made higher to hide her seven-month belly.

When she walked down the red carpet holding Benjamin's arm, she saw Ethan waiting at the end.

He wore a black suit with the tie she gave him, hair combed back neatly.

But if you looked close, his eyes were red.

When Anna reached him, she lowered her voice. "Don't cry. Everyone's watching."

"I'm not crying," Ethan said, voice clearly choked. He blinked, took her hands gently, like they might break.

During the vows, Ethan's voice shook when he said "I do." People in the audience smiled kindly. Anna smiled too, but her eyes got wet.

Hopie was the flower girl. She carried a small basket with a bow, scattering petals as she walked seriously. The petals went all over, but her face looked like she was doing something very important.

After the wedding, the most tired person wasn't the bride or groom. It was Hank.

The old man was so happy he bragged about his granddaughter-in-law to everyone and kept drinking. Ethan stopped him a few times.

"Grandpa, take it easy."

"I'm happy today, leave me alone." Hank pushed his hand away and picked up another glass of wine to drink with his friend.

Ethan looked at Anna helplessly.

Anna smiled at him.

That night, after all the guests left, Ethan and Anna sat on the bed in their new room.

Anna kicked off her heels and rubbed her swollen ankles.

Ethan squatted down, put her feet on his knees, and massaged them.

"Tired?" he asked.

"Not too bad," Anna said, leaning against the headboard. "This little one just keeps kicking me. It hurts a bit."

Ethan put his ear to her belly and got kicked right away.

"This kid's definitely like you. Got some temper."

"Like you," Anna said with a smile.

"Fine, like me," Ethan said, pulling her into his arms, chin on her forehead. "Hope it's a girl, as cute as Hopie."

A few months later, the baby was born.

Outside the delivery room, Ethan paced like a trapped animal. Hank and Anna's parents sat waiting. Hopie slept on her grandpa's lap.

When the nurse came out, Ethan rushed over.

"Mother and daughter are fine," the nurse said with a smile. Ethan had already pushed past her into the room.

Anna lay on the bed, hair wet with sweat and stuck to her forehead.

Her face was pale, but she smiled when she saw Ethan.

"It's a girl," she said weakly. "Come look."

The nurse brought the wrapped baby over.

Ethan looked down. His first thought was that this baby was smaller than Hopie had been, skin all wrinkled, some leftover stuff on her face, tiny fists clenched, eyes closed, sleeping.

"She..." Ethan tried to find the words. "She looks... this..."

"I know what you're thinking," Anna laughed. "She looks a little ugly, right?"

"I didn't say that."

"It's all over your face."

Ethan picked up the baby, arms stiff from being so careful.

He looked at the wrinkled little face and said seriously, "She looks like you. Just not grown in yet. Not ugly."

Anna laughed so hard her wound hurt.

When Hank brought Hopie in to see her sister, Hopie walked around the crib a few times, then looked up and said seriously to Anna, "Mom, sister is a little ugly."

Anna patted her head. "You looked like this when you were born too. She'll look pretty when she grows up. I thought you were a little ugly back then too."

"Really?"

"Really."

Hopie looked at her sister again, thought for a bit, then decided. "Then I won't mind. I'll like her even if she's ugly."

The whole family stood around the crib. Hank laughed and said the baby's eyes and brows looked like Ethan's.

Christina said the mouth looked like Anna's. Everyone was talking excitedly while the baby slept through all the noise.

Ethan named her Sophia Gray.

He said he hoped this child would have a peaceful life, understand everything, but never go through any mess.

Anna thought the name sounded nice, so they kept it.

After Sophia's one-month party, Anna noticed something.

This kid slept way too much.

Hopie had been easy too, but at least she was awake at normal times—cried when hungry, fussed when wet, looked around when held.

But Sophia was different. She was almost always sleeping. She kept her eyes closed while feeding, fell asleep right after, didn't even open them for diaper changes. Sometimes she slept five or six hours straight. When she woke up, she seemed weak, just made a couple sounds and went back to sleep.

"This child is so easy," the nanny Beth said with a smile. "I've taken care of so many kids, never seen one this easy."

Anna thought it was convenient at first, but gradually felt something was off.