Chapter 145 Light at the End of the Storm

Chapter 145 Light at the End of the Storm
The master bedroom of the Nathaniel residence turned suffocating for several long minutes. Alice was still sobbing softly, her hands clasped protectively over her belly. Her pale face stared blankly at the ultrasound monitor Doctor Sarah was preparing. Evan stood beside the bed, gripping Alice’s hand so tightly it was as if he wanted to pour every ounce of his life force into her.

“Doctor, please… why is he so quiet?” Alice whispered hoarsely.

Doctor Sarah moved swiftly but calmly. She spread gel across Alice’s abdomen and began guiding the probe. Every pair of eyes in the room locked onto the black-and-white screen. Zavian and Lavina stood near the door, holding their breath in the crushing silence.

Seconds stretched into what felt like hours. Then, a fast, rhythmic sound suddenly filled the room.

“Do you hear that, Mrs. Alice?” Doctor Sarah smiled in relief. “That’s his heartbeat. Very strong. One hundred forty-five beats per minute. Perfect.”

Alice squeezed her eyes shut, tears spilling again, this time not from fear but from overwhelming relief. The tension drained from her body, leaving her limp against the pillows.

“He’s okay?” Evan asked, his voice trembling.

“Very okay, Young Master,” Doctor Sarah replied, pointing at a small movement on the screen. “The baby was probably startled by the sudden surge of his mother’s adrenaline, so he went still for a moment. But look, he’s moving again.”

Evan released a long breath, as if tons of weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He kissed Alice’s forehead again and again. “Did you hear that? He’s strong. He won’t give up just because of the threats of a dead man.”

After Doctor Sarah administered a mild sedative and confirmed that Alice’s physical condition was stable, Zavian called Evan out into the corridor.

“Edwin is truly gone, Evan,” Zavian said quietly. “The finger, the box truck, everything has been cleaned up by Rico. The police have officially closed his suicide case. There will be no trace of Edwin Smith left in this world.”

“I want to make sure not a single piece of news about his death or that insane ‘gift’ reaches the media,” Evan said firmly.

“It’s already handled. To the world, Edwin Smith died of illness in prison. No drama, no curses,” Zavian said, patting his son’s shoulder. “Now focus on your wife. Make sure she feels completely safe.”

Evan nodded and returned to the bedroom. Alice looked calmer now, though her eyes were still swollen. Lavina sat beside her, gently stroking her hair.

“Grandma asked Lily to remove all the white roses from the front garden and replace them with jasmine,” Lavina said softly. “We’re starting a new atmosphere in this house.”

“Thank you, Grandma,” Alice murmured.

One Week Later

The tension left behind by Edwin’s final act slowly faded, replaced by consistent warmth and peace within the house. Evan kept his promise. He did not go to the office for a full week, delegating all business matters to Rico and his professional managers. He spent every moment at Alice’s side.

That morning, Alice sat on the balcony, enjoying the warm sunlight. Her pregnancy had reached five months, and she now wore loose but elegant maternity clothes.

“What are you doing?” Evan asked as he approached, carrying a glass of warm chocolate milk.

“Just watching the birds in the garden,” Alice replied with a smile. “It feels strange, doesn’t it, Evan? No threatening calls, no guards running around in panic, no family drama.”

Evan sat in the chair beside her. “That’s normal life, Alice. And that’s the life we’re going to live from now on. I just got a report from the legal team. All the Elino land disputes have been settled by the central court. Everything is officially in your name.”

Alice took a sip of her drink. “I don’t care about the land anymore, Evan. I just want us to stay like this.”

“We will,” Evan said confidently. “Oh, one more thing. I dismissed the old security team for letting that truck get through. The new team is led by a former elite commander. No one will pass that gate without my written authorization.”

Alice chuckled softly. “You’re being protective again.”

“Of course. I have two lives to protect now,” Evan said, rubbing Alice’s belly. This time, he felt a strong kick. “Wow, he agrees with me.”

The days that followed were filled with harmony. Lavina busied herself overseeing the renovation of the nursery next to the master bedroom. Alice often joined her in choosing paint colors, which were finally settled on warm gray with soft wooden accents.

One afternoon, Zavian invited them to dinner at a private restaurant in the city center. It was Alice’s first time leaving the house since Edwin’s incident.

“We need a change of scenery,” Zavian said as they sat at a table overlooking the city skyline. “And I want to celebrate something.”

“Celebrate what, Papa?” Alice asked.

Zavian took out a small jewelry box and slid it toward her. “This is a diamond brooch shaped like a flower bud. It belonged to my late wife. She asked that it be given to the daughter-in-law who would bring peace to the Nathaniel family. And I think you’ve done more than enough.”

Alice accepted the box with teary eyes. “Thank you, Papa Zavian. This means so much to me.”

Evan looked at his father with newfound respect. Their relationship, once cold and rigid, had softened because of Alice.

“So, no more Black Rose secrets?” Evan asked half-jokingly.

Zavian shook his head. “Buried with the people who carried them. Now there is only a clean Nathaniel family.”

That night, after returning home, Evan and Alice walked down the corridor toward their bedroom. Alice stopped in front of a large photo of Elino, now placed in a more honorable spot in the family gallery.

“Papa would be happy seeing me now,” Alice whispered.

“He would be proud of you,” Evan replied.

They entered the bedroom. Evan helped Alice remove her shoes and lie down. The room was peaceful, filled only with the soft hum of the air conditioner. There was no familiar anxiety that usually crept in at night.

Evan lay beside Alice and pulled the blanket over them. He wrapped his arms around her from behind, burying his face in her fragrant hair.

“Alice,” Evan murmured.

“Yes?”

“I’ve already registered our baby’s name on the provisional birth record. I used the Nathaniel surname, but I included a middle name from your family,” Evan said.

Alice turned to face him in the darkness. “Really? What name?”

Evan whispered the name into her ear, a name that combined the strength of the Nathaniels with the true gentleness of the Smith family. Alice smiled broadly and wrapped her arms around Evan’s neck.

“It’s perfect, Evan.”

They stayed like that for a long moment, wrapped in each other’s embrace. Alice felt deeply loved and protected. But then, something crossed her mind, and she loosened her hold slightly.

“Evan, there’s one thing I forgot to ask,” Alice said, her tone suddenly serious.

“What is it?” Evan frowned, a hint of concern flickering across his face.

Alice looked at him meaningfully as her hand brushed the locked bedside drawer. “You said all of Edwin’s belongings were destroyed, but why did I still see the silver key from my mother’s deposit box in the pocket of the suit you wore this afternoon? Is there something inside that box you haven’t opened yet?”