Chapter 140 A Father-to-Be
"Bring me the medication. Now."
Alexander's eyes were cold as tempered steel.
"Do you not understand me, Liam?"
Facing that furious gaze, every word of protest died in Liam's throat.
His face went pale. Before Alexander's temper could fully erupt, he lowered his head. "Yes, sir."
He turned immediately and pulled open the conference room door.
The moment it swung open, he nearly collided with a nurse running toward them in a panic.
The nurse saw Liam and her face drained of color. "Mrs. Hamilton—she's bleeding! She's been taken to the emergency room!"
Alexander's head snapped up.
The next second, he was already out the door, striding fast toward the emergency room.
The red light above the emergency room doors glowed like a warning beacon. Time stretched. The light stayed on.
Alexander sat on the bench, head down, his hair falling over his eyes. His hands were clenched into fists.
He forced himself to block out every worst-case scenario. He repeated one stubborn belief in his mind—Caroline could not die. Whether she was truly innocent or had committed terrible wrongs, she had to live. She had to face the final reckoning of her life.
The red light finally went out.
"Sir! The doctor's coming out!" Liam, who had been standing nearby, called out.
Alexander's eyes flew open. He shot to his feet and rushed toward the door as it opened.
"How is she?"
He grabbed the doctor's arm so hard the man flinched. But the doctor quickly steadied himself and pulled down his mask.
"Mr. Hamilton, please calm down. Mrs. Hamilton is out of danger. The bleeding has stopped for now."
Alexander's tightly wound nerves loosened for a brief moment. Then the doctor's next words hit him like a bolt of lightning.
"However, Mrs. Hamilton is pregnant. About four weeks along. Still very early. She became extremely agitated earlier, fell multiple times, and her body is severely weakened. Combined with the psychological trauma, she's showing signs of a threatened miscarriage."
"Her physical condition… you know it better than I do. If she loses this baby, it is unlikely she'll be able to conceive again."
Pregnant. Father. The two words collided in his mind. His ears rang. The world tilted.
The news detonated his already chaotic thoughts. In five years, he had never imagined himself having a child.
Before, he had only wanted a child with Edith. Later, he despised Caroline. Saw her as a criminal. He would never allow her to carry his bloodline—it would only be an extension of sin.
But now, this tiny life had arrived at the worst possible moment. When he was in the most pain. When he could not even face her.
It came so suddenly. So inconveniently. Yet it was so heavy he could not walk away.
So heavy that he realized—no matter what had happened before, he could not let it fall.
Alexander staggered. Liam quickly stepped forward and grabbed his arm.
But Alexander's body still sank. He slid down the wall and collapsed to the floor.
Liam shot a quick look at the stunned doctor.
The doctor understood. He did not say another word. He lowered his head and left quickly.
Liam crouched down, his voice full of concern.
"Sir, are you... all right?"
Alexander did not seem to hear him.
He slowly raised both hands in front of his face. His gaze was hollow as he stared at his palms, as if they were already holding something unbearably heavy.
Suddenly, his shoulders trembled. A sound escaped his throat—half laugh, half sob.
"Liam..." He turned his head. His eyes finally focused.
"Did you hear what the doctor said? She's pregnant... Caroline's pregnant..."
His mouth twitched. It looked like crying. It looked like laughing.
"I'm going to be a father... I have a child..."
Liam kept his head down. Silent.
He wanted to say congratulations. But the simple word stuck in his throat. He could not get it out.
Edith's secret had not been uncovered yet. Her relationship with Linus was still unclear.
And Caroline was lying in the emergency room, her mind nearly destroyed.
This child, arriving so suddenly—was it a blessing or a curse?
No one could say.
When Caroline woke, her mind was foggy and sluggish, like it had been stuffed with cotton.
She blinked hard. It took a while for her vision to focus.
She saw a pale ceiling. Smelled the faint scent of disinfectant in the air.
This was... a hospital?
She turned her stiff neck slightly. Then froze.
Why was Alexander here?
He was sitting in a chair beside the bed, slumped over the edge of the mattress. His hair fell over his eyes. He looked like he was asleep.
Caroline blinked in confusion.
She did not remember how she had gotten to this room. She definitely did not remember their relationship being good enough for him to keep watch by her bedside.
And before she lost consciousness...
Wait.
Caroline suddenly remembered.
That night, she had attended the birthday party the Hamilton family threw for Alexander next door. His twentieth birthday. She had come home, taken a shower, and gone downstairs for water.
As she passed her father's study, she overheard his anxious voice.
"Armando just called! Alexander's missing! He received a ransom note! They think it's that lunatic Linus!"
Caroline's heart leapt into her throat.
Alexander had been kidnapped? But he had just had his birthday!
Yes. Linus was a lunatic. He was capable of kidnapping someone in broad daylight.
She did not think twice. While her father was still in the study making calls and gathering men, she slipped out of the grounds and drove into the night.
She had no idea where Alexander was. She could only circle the areas where Linus might show up, based on fragmented memories.
Finally, in a filthy, isolated alley on the outskirts of town, she found him.
He was curled up beside a dumpster. Covered in blood. The formal suit he had worn just hours ago was torn to shreds.
"Alexander! Alexander!" She rushed over, her hands shaking so badly she did not dare touch him. She could only call his name over and over.
She did not know how long she called before he finally lifted his heavy eyelids. His unfocused gaze took a long time to land on her face.
"Help me..."
Hearing his response, Caroline's tears nearly spilled over.
"I will! I'll get you home!"
She bit down hard on her lip and used every ounce of strength she had to pull the man to his feet. He was taller and heavier than her, and it was a struggle.
They stumbled out of the alley together. But they did not get far before the sound of rapid footsteps echoed behind them.
The killers were coming.