Ethan stood at the doorway, watching Ayla who still had her back turned to him.The room was dimly lit, illuminated only by a classic chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Outside the window, night had fully descended. The city lights resembled clusters of artificial stars, dancing in the reflection of the glass.
"How are you feeling now?" Ethan asked softly, his voice gentle yet clear amidst the silence.
Ayla didn't respond immediately. Her eyes remained fixed on the window, as if hoping the darkness of the night could swallow all the chaos in her mind. After a few seconds, she took a deep breath and turned to face Ethan. "I'm going to terminate this pregnancy," she said bluntly, her voice cold but trembling.
"Ayla," Ethan stepped closer, "I know this is sudden. But you can't just get rid of this child."
Ayla's eyes now blazed. "This child shouldn't exist. It was just a one-night mistake. A mistake that should never have happened!"
Ethan clenched his fists. "Mistake or not, that child is also mine! You don't have the sole right to decide whether it lives or dies!"
"This is my body!" Ayla retorted sharply. "I'm the one who will carry it for nine months, endure the pain, nausea, and bodily changes. I have more rights than you!"
Ethan growled, but Ayla wasn't finished. "And have you forgotten? You're the one who asked me to forget that night, as if it never happened. So forget about this child too! Its life or death is in my hands!"
"And I won't let you kill my child!" Ethan shouted, louder this time.
Ayla's body trembled slightly with emotion. "You're married, Mr. Calloway. You should think about your wife's reaction. I'm not a homewrecker. I'm a doctor! My duty is to heal people, not destroy families!"
Before Ethan could respond, Ayla suddenly bent over. Her face contorted in pain, and her hands instinctively held her abdomen.
"Ayla?" Ethan quickly moved to catch Ayla's body as she nearly collapsed. "Ayla! What are you feeling?"
"My stomach hurts," Ayla murmured, her voice weakening. Her breathing became irregular due to the sudden pain in her lower abdomen.
Without saying much, Ethan immediately carried Ayla to the bed. He laid her down carefully, then sat beside her. His hand held Ayla's tightly while the other gently rubbed her abdomen in soothing motions.
"Do I need to call a doctor?" Ethan asked, worried, his hand still massaging Ayla's abdomen.
Ayla shook her head; the cramps in her stomach slightly eased with Ethan's warm touch. "It's just cramps, and that's normal given my current psychological state," Ayla replied, closing her eyes.
She was indeed an internal medicine doctor, but she also knew a fair amount about pregnancy and what she was feeling now. Her psychological condition wasn't stable, as the obstetrician who performed the ultrasound earlier had said, and she was advised to have complete bed rest until the third trimester. That doctor knew how Ayla worked, not to mention her research that made her neglect her body's condition, so the emotions she felt earlier caused her stomach to cramp.
Ayla could only close her eyes. Amidst the pain, anger, and mixed emotions, her heart trembled at the sudden tenderness. The child in her womb seemed to enjoy the caress from its father's hand. The child in her womb, still so small, already recognized who its father was.
Ethan continued to gently rub her abdomen until he saw Ayla's facial expression gradually improve, no longer showing pain. "Ayla," he said after a few seconds, seeing Ayla's face looking better, no longer in pain.
"If you still want to terminate it, I can't force you. But I want you to know what I want."
Ayla opened her eyes, still with a weak yet sharp gaze. "I want you to keep this pregnancy," Ethan said firmly. "I will take responsibility. I know this is complicated. But this child never asked to be born from that night. It's innocent."
He lowered his head, "If you allow me, let me be the father who protects both of you."
Ayla fell silent. For the first time since learning about her pregnancy, she felt something strange in her heart, a feeling she couldn't yet define. Between fear, ambition, and the realization that her life would never be the same again. All of it surged in a single heavy and restrained breath. That night, in the silence filled only by their breathing, Ayla said nothing. She just closed her eyes, trying to shield herself from a world that suddenly felt too noisy and changed too quickly.
Morning arrived without the greeting of sunlight. The hospital room was still enveloped in a dim atmosphere. When Ayla opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was the familiar yet unfamiliar white ceiling of the hospital room. She took a deep breath, hoping last night was just a nightmare. But reality is never as kind as hope. Her hand felt numb, pierced by an IV needle delivering vitamins into her body.
When a soft groan was heard from the side, Ayla slowly turned her head. On the sofa in the corner of the room, Ethan lay in an uncomfortable position with his suit still on. He looked tired but hadn't left.
Ayla watched him for a moment. The man hadn't gone home. Ethan had truly stayed with her all night. The memories of last night filled her mind again. Ethan's desperate gaze, his pleading tone, and the way he gently rubbed her abdomen as if speaking to a baby that didn't even have a complete form yet, all appeared like a slow-motion replay in her mind.
The man Ayla had always known as cold, firm, and unapproachable now looked so fragile at that moment. His face no longer held the firmness of a company leader but the fear of a father afraid of losing something he hadn't even had yet.
However, Ayla still didn't understand. Why did Ethan look so desperate? She knew Ethan hadn't had children from his marriage, but was that the only reason he was so afraid of losing the baby Ayla was carrying?
And even if the child meant that much to Ethan, what about herself?