radicalducati Chapter 146
Chapter 146
"Yes, I'm pregnant."
Bianca breathed out lightly, releasing her intertwined fingers.
The nurse looked at the IV in her hand and cautiously replied, "In that case, let me go and consult the doctor just to be safe. Please wait a moment."
About to leave, Bianca stopped the nurse. "Wait."
The nurse turned back, and Bianca pleaded, "Could you please keep my pregnancy a secret for me, especially from my brother?"
The nurse was about to respond when Dominic walked in from outside the ward. His expression was serious. "Not telling me? How long do you plan to hide it? Bianca, you've really become quite capable."
Bianca frowned, panic flickering in her eyes. She hadn't expected to be caught by Dominic. Seeing Alessia, Riley, and the rest coming in behind him, her mind went blank for a moment.
It felt like her brain had short-circuited.
"You're really pregnant?" Riley looked at Bianca, his eyes behind his glasses staring directly at her.
"No, I'm not." Bianca avoided Riley's gaze, refusing to meet it. She turned over, pulling up the blanket to cover herself, trying to hide.
Riley looked at Bianca's back, the face that was always gentle and modest now showing calmness. His mesmerizing fox-like eyes were deep, hiding countless emotions, none of which he wanted to share with anyone.
Riley stepped past Dominic and approached the bedside, grabbing Bianca's arm. "Bianca, turn around and look into my eyes. Repeat what you just said. Are you really pregnant?"
Bianca ignored him, so Riley pulled her arm again, repeating several times, but Bianca still refused to respond.
Riley couldn't hold back his emotions anymore. Cracks appeared, and impatience crept in. He pulled harder, his tone carrying a mix of anger directed at who-knows-who.
"Bianca, must you be so immature and willful? Can't you be responsible for yourself a little?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Bianca turned around abruptly. She sat up quickly, grabbed the pillow behind her, and threw it at Riley. Tears welled up in her eyes.
"Riley Sinclair, you're mature, you're not willful, and you're responsible. Being responsible means you want me to abort the baby. Have you ever thought about whether I'll be sad, whether it'll harm my body?"
Riley caught the pillow thrown at him and looked at Bianca, who was usually arrogant, now angry but unable to hide her vulnerability. He furrowed his brows slightly at the sight of her.
He suddenly wanted to step forward, wipe away the tears on Bianca's face, and tell her not to cry.
But when he tried to take a step forward, his feet felt like they were made of lead.
In his mind flashed scenes from his childhood, when men and women fought each other, drunk and muddy, with a messy house they couldn't find a place to stand.
The small figure seemed to be caught in a beam of white light, performing a silent drama alone, cleaning up the room alone. At an age when he should have been taken care of, he had to take care of a pair of parents.
Accidentally bumping into his father's forehead, he was knocked down to the ground with a slap. Finally, after cleaning up, he was so hungry that he didn't want to move anymore, and had to use tap water to fill his stomach.
The shadow over his head pressed him to the point of suffocation.
He didn't want this. How could he build a family? How could he possibly have children, let alone a girlfriend?
Riley pursed his lips, his hands hanging by his side turning into a crossed position across his chest. He glanced at Bianca sideways, the smile that was almost always directed at everyone now cruelly tugging at the corners of his mouth, aimed solely at Bianca.
"Bianca, it's your drama, not mine. That night when you were clinging to me like fire, how come you didn't consider whether you would get pregnant, whether you would be sad, whether it would harm your body?"
"You bastard." Bianca trembled with anger at Riley's words.
This man... how could he be so shameless? Yes, she was wrong that night, she was drugged, but Riley wasn't, he could have pushed her away.
But he didn't!
"Enough!" Dominic, who hadn't spoken since entering the ward, finally spoke up.
His words were squeezed out from between his teeth, his fists clenched, and the veins on his wrists bulging, indicating that his patience had reached its limit.
His sister was inexplicably pregnant, and he needed to figure out the situation. But instead, what he got was his sister, whom he had raised in the palm of his hand, being bullied.
And not only was she bullied, but she was also accused of bringing it on herself.
"Riley Sinclair, get out."
"Mr. Carter, about the child..." Riley smiled wryly and lifted his head again.
"Children of the Carter family should naturally be raised by the Carter family. You have nothing to do with it. Get out. I won't hit you because you're dirty," Dominic's eyes darkened, and the reason he didn't lay hands on Riley again was simply due to his disdain.
Last time, he acted because there was still a chance for Riley to redeem himself. But this time, he saw him as trash.
Getting physical with trash would lower his own standards.
Riley looked at the ground in contemplation for a moment before finally making a decision. "Fine..."
"No, Brother, think carefully about the consequences before you speak," Alessia grabbed Riley's hand, trying to dissuade him. "I know you have psychological issues, but you can overcome them."
Alessia's eyes were filled with encouragement. Riley's recent words were truly beyond despicable. She wanted to slap him hard.
But the conversation they had in the garden last time made her understand that he had his reasons.
One can't emerge from the cocoon without breaking it, nor can one start a new life without stepping out of it.
Riley awkwardly tugged at his lips and pulled away from Alessia's hand. "Okay, I know you're trying to help me, but I really don't like marriage, children, or being forced into anything. That's it."
Riley caught a glimpse of Bianca's even more distressed expression after his words. His heart squeezed, but behind it, there was almost a masochistic sense of gratification.
"Riley Sinclair!" Dominic's fists clenched audibly.
"Enough, be quiet," Alessia didn't expect Riley to be so stubborn. He was her brother after all, and she couldn't just slap him. Otherwise, she would have done so long ago.
Thinking that someone is pregnant with your child is extortion? He really thinks he's something special.
"Fine, I'll be quiet. I'll leave now as if nothing happened." Riley instantly reverted to his usual gentle demeanor and walked out.
Bianca suddenly got out of bed and blocked Riley's way, slapping him across the face.
Bianca lifted her chin slightly, a proud look on her face. Even if she was hurt and crying, she would never lick her wounds alone, and even if she did, it would only be for a short while.
"Riley, this slap is what you owe me. From now on, we have no more ties."
Riley touched the side of his face that was slapped. It didn't hurt, but his heart clenched. He smiled gently, his tone soft. "We have no ties, but I still advise you to abort the child."
Riley pushed up his glasses and left the ward.
Seeing Riley's smile, Alessia felt very sad. She hesitated for a moment, thinking about Bianca and Dominic inside, and then followed him out.
As soon as Alessia left with Riley, Bianca walked toward the bed with vacant eyes. She felt scared all over, unable to look at Dominic.
She was afraid of her brother's disappointed gaze, and even more afraid that her brother would reject her...
"Bianca!" Just as Bianca was about to pass by Dominic, he called out to her.
Bianca trembled all over, slowly turning her head to whisper, "Brother!"
As soon as she called out 'brother,' Dominic's protective arm had already circled around her.
Nestled against her brother's shoulder, Bianca felt the taste of her childhood.
Her brother always protected her, whether it was her father disciplining her for the sake of another woman, her mother neglecting her, or some annoying boy bullying her.
Her brother was always there.
Bianca felt her nose tingle, her eyes moist, unable to suppress the overwhelming sense of grievance.
"Brother, I was wrong, I'm sorry."
"Don't be afraid, no matter what, you have me." Dominic's cold face was full of indulgence, gently patting Bianca's shoulder.
"If you want to keep this child, and it's a boy, I'll teach him how to conquer the world. If it's a girl, she'll be the princess of our family. If you don't want to keep it, I promise no one in Toronto will ever know you were pregnant."
Dominic poured all his efforts into nurturing and reprimanding his sister. No matter what she did wrong, he would always hold her in the palm of his hand.
At this moment, Bianca felt fortunate. Even if she was unmarried and pregnant, even if she was despised by a man, her brother never thought to blame her.
Downstairs in the hospital building.
Alessia followed Riley silently, all the way out of the hospital. Riley showed no signs of stopping, and his state was very abnormal.
When they reached the edge of the road, Riley stepped out, and a taxi whizzed by, nearly hitting him. At the critical moment, Alessia reached out her hand and pulled him back.
Alessia grabbed Riley's arm, suppressing her emotions, and questioned, "Brother, are you trying to kill yourself?"
Riley's lips curved into a bitter smile, almost silently confirming it. Alessia let go of his shoulder and shook it.
"You're not even afraid of death, why are you afraid of taking on the responsibilities of a family? Why would you rather hurt others and yourself with those cruel words? Are they really scarier than death? Brother, you're just a coward."
Alessia pushed Riley away, and he staggered.
***