Eva's heart raced as she realized the impact of her words. Adrian's intense gaze bore into her, and for a fleeting moment, she felt vulnerable, almost exposed. “Is there someone else you care about?” he pressed, his voice tinged with an unsettling mixture of curiosity and concern. “Why have you never shared it with me?” Eva quickly shook her head, attempting to dispel the unfounded tension that hung in the air. “I didn’t mean it like that. You’re misunderstanding me,” she said, gently pushing back against his mounting questions. Yet, Adrian seemed relentless in his pursuit of clarity, his urgency unbeknownst to him. With a steady breath, she finally responded, “Honestly, it doesn’t matter. That person won’t be you.” His reaction was immediate and sharp—a deep furrow appeared on his brow, and an unsettling darkness clouded his expression. “Then explain the report,” Adrian demanded, his voice cooling to an edge that sent shivers down her spine. The notion that she wouldn't harbor feelings for him, that she might even reject him, stung in a way that he couldn’t articulate. Caught off guard by his determination, Eva could only respond vaguely, “I’m not sure what report you mean. Is it something from the company?” “The maid found a report in the trash during cleaning. It was in our room, torn apart. Isn’t it yours?” Eva’s mind raced. “Torn apart? Oh, that! Yes, it’s my medical report. What’s the issue?” Adrian scoffed, disbelief painting his features. “You expect me to believe that? What kind of medical report is thrown away in shreds?” His grip on her wrist tightened, and he leaned in closer, searching her eyes for any hint of deception. “Are you hiding something from me? I want the truth.” Feeling increasingly helpless under his penetrating stare, she countered, “I didn’t mean to destroy it. It got wet in the rain, and when the ink blurred, I simply tossed it. That’s all.” A sudden stillness enveloped Adrian. The rain—the downpour that day, she had been caught in it, hadn’t she? As he processed her explanation, Eva took a step closer, her voice teasing. “What’s got you so flustered? Do you fear it was a pregnancy report?” Adrian's heart raced, a breath catching in his throat as he considered her words, still etched with the underlying fear he tried to quell. He studied her, his eyes flickering with conflicted emotions. Raising an eyebrow, Eva probed further, “What’s with that look? Are you worried a pregnancy would complicate things with you and Vivian?” His expression hardened, eyes narrowing with a hint of distrust. “Are you pregnant?” With a casual shrug, she replied, “No. If I were, I would show you the report. Given our history, if I decided to terminate the pregnancy, you’d probably help me out financially, wouldn’t you?” Her flippant tone belied the seriousness of their exchange, and Adrian's already taut expression shifted subtly. “What did you just say? You’d terminate the pregnancy?” The rising pitch of his voice set her on edge, but Eva instinctively nodded, her gaze dropping under the weight of his questioning. “Yes, I would.” Unbeknownst to her, as she spoke, turbulent emotions swirled in his chest—anger and confusion entwined. But the gravity of her words pulled Adrian back to the present. “If I chose not to terminate, what do you think would happen to you and Vivian?” Her words struck him like a bolt of lightning, piercing through the haze clouding his mind. For a long moment, he stared silently at her, emotions flickering and then fading away. Without a word, he stood up, his demeanor suddenly icy and distant. “You don’t need to go to work today. Just rest,” he said, his tone chillingly devoid of warmth as he turned on his heel and exited the room. Inside, Eva knew she had spoken truthfully or, possibly, a painful truth masked in hypothetical musings. If ever the day came when that choice loomed ahead, her love for Adrian, unreciprocated as it was, would not shift his devotion to Vivian. Years before, Adrian had buried himself in darkness, nearly drowning under ominous waters before a figure emerged from that tumult, diving in to save him without hesitation. It was a moment seared in his memory—the rush of water, the weight of despair, and then the blurred image of Vivian, fearless and determined. When he awoke in the hospital, it was to hear the harrowing news: Vivian had been injured while rescuing him, her delicate hand had met jagged stones in the riverbed. As he finally lifted his gaze to her beside him, weary and pale, it ignited a solemn vow within him. From that day on, he would ensure she felt supported, cherished, every moment counted, as long as she wanted to be at his side. For her, there would always be a place reserved as Mrs. Blackwood.