CHAPTER 50: CHAPTER 50: I GO TO THE HOSPITAL FOR A PREGNANCY TEST

Madam Sinclair let out a cold laugh, "Didn’t Miss Sawyer get tenosynovitis? I’m just an old lady, not made of stone, and I would never force someone into a difficult situation."

"You’re overthinking it, Madam. It’s really not a problem."

Serena had almost written flattery all over her face. "I did have tenosynovitis before, but I’m fine now. Playing piano won’t be an issue."

Madam Sinclair had lived long enough to see through people with just a glance.

She pulled me to her side, took my hand, and declined, "I’ve already found someone more suitable to play, so I won’t trouble Miss Sawyer."

Serena thought that by volunteering to play for Madam Sinclair, the old lady would feel extremely honored and delighted.

She never expected that she’d get turned down.

Now, she couldn’t keep up appearances anymore; the resentment in her eyes almost slipped out.

Timothy probably felt bad for her, and gently said to Serena, "If you have tenosynovitis, you should rest more. Don’t overexert yourself."

After he finished, he nodded slightly at Madam Sinclair and said, "We have plans tonight, so we’ll be leaving first."

Madam Sinclair didn’t try to stop him.

After they left, she gave a cold snort, "President Xavier really can’t keep his priorities straight. All I did was call out this social climber, and he gets unhappy? If he can’t handle something this small, how does he expect to make Xavier Group bigger and stronger!"

Ethan Xavier curled his lip. "That’s because you mentioned his favorite! Normally, as a big brother, he’s great at keeping his cool!"

I actually agreed with Ethan on this.

Timothy had just willingly come to visit Madam Sinclair, obviously intending to improve relations between the two families.

But even though Madam Sinclair spoke so coldly to Serena, he didn’t even wait for the dinner party to end—he just up and left with his lover.

This was very unlike Timothy’s usual style.

Honestly, it’s only with Serena that I’ve seen Timothy truly in love with someone.

For the rest of the banquet, I stayed by Madam Sinclair’s side.

Madam Sinclair wasn’t the kind of lady who looked down on others in upper-class circles; instead, she was well-mannered and very approachable.

It wasn’t until the dinner ended that I finally said goodbye to Ethan.

As I was leaving, Madam Sinclair said that the next time she hosted a banquet or a tea party, she’d be sure to invite me.

I was flattered and agreed with a smile.

After leaving that mansion, we got in the car. Ethan was still grinning ear to ear.

I asked the question I’d had on my mind: "Why are you so close with the Sinclair family?"

"Because my grandmother used to be friends with Madam Sinclair. Later, when my grandmother’s family fell on hard times, she took my mom and left Aurelia."

Ethan sighed. "Back when my dad divorced Timothy’s mom, he gave up the Xavier family fortune. My mom wanted to help my dad make a comeback, so she took me to ask Madam Sinclair for help. My dad being able to rebuild his business—Sinclair Family helped a lot."

Suddenly I understood, my curiosity satisfied.

"Zoe Ellison, I think you really have some kind of magic! As long as they’re good people, nobody can help but like you!"

He said proudly, "Looks like I’ve got great taste. Actually, back in elementary school, I’d already noticed you! Know why I didn’t bully anyone else, just you? Because I loved you! Get it?"

The look on my face must have cracked from shock at those words. "That’s a seriously weird way to love someone. Please, give that love to someone else. I don’t want it!"

"Then I’ll find another way to love you, okay?"

He said this as he moved closer to me.

I quickly pushed him away. "Can you act a little more mature?"

Ethan suddenly paused, looking at me with a very serious expression. "More mature? Like Julian Sinclair?"

I paused, almost not making the connection that he meant Mr. Sinclair.

"What nonsense are you talking about?" I didn’t bother with him and turned my face to the window.

Ethan said, "Just now Grandma Sinclair was just joking with you, don’t take her seriously! Julian Sinclair is in his thirties and has never brought a woman home. We’ve all wondered if he might not like women at all. Anyway, don’t be thinking about him, you and he wouldn’t suit each other."

I massaged my aching temples. "Ethan, can you please let me have some peace and stop rambling?"

Julian Sinclair and I are basically strangers. We’ve barely spoken two words. How could I ever go there?

Finally, we arrived at the complex.

The elevator stopped at my floor first. Ethan tried to get out with me, but I pushed him right back inside and rushed to my apartment.

Through the door, I could hear his voice calling distantly, "Zoe Ellison, are you hiding from the plague or something?"

The reason I was so eager to get home was because I had something important to do.

And that was to buy a pregnancy test.

Lately, the frequent dry heaving and my delayed period had me more and more worried.

Even if the chances were slim, that didn’t mean they were zero.

As soon as I got home, I placed an order for a pregnancy test on the online market.

Half an hour later, the delivery guy dropped it off.

I took the test, my fingers trembling slightly, and hurried to the bathroom.

After taking the test, I saw there was only "one line" and finally let out a breath.

Maybe it’s just too much stress and my mood lately that’s messing up my period?

As for the nausea, it probably was just a stomach issue.

Either way, there’s no way I’m pregnant.

...

Relieved, I finally started to take off my makeup.

After showering, I sat at my computer. There were no new emails in my inbox.

My resignation letter seemed to have sunk into the ocean.

The company still hadn’t replied about my resignation or sent any termination notice.

The next morning, I called HR.

They told me, "We never got your resignation letter. Maybe your direct supervisor didn’t send it up?"

I was speechless. Had Victoria Monroe gotten so love-struck she’d lost her mind?

It’s been ages and there’s still no word about my resignation.

I called her, and she picked up right away.

"Did you see my resignation letter?"

I got straight to the point.

Victoria replied, "You’re sure? You really want to leave? Let me remind you—at your age, this is the best time to have a child. Plus, with only a bachelor’s degree, it’ll be hard for you to get into another company. Don’t be so impulsive!"

I said coldly, "That’s none of your business. All you need to do is approve my resignation and tell HR to give me my degree and press card."

Victoria was silent for a moment. "And what if I say no? I’m short-staffed right now. Even if you’re leaving, at least help me get through this period."

"How can you even ask?"

I couldn’t help saying, "You set up David Bowman to assault me, so you should’ve known I’d never work for you again! You’re short-handed? That’s your own problem. Honestly, with a boss who abuses their power like you, it’s no surprise if someone replaces you soon."

Victoria said, "Zoe, I didn’t want to hurt you. I really didn’t expect David Bowman to be that disgusting! You know I have my reasons!"

I sneered, "Your reason is you can’t marry into the Sawyer Family, so you let Serena use you! Where are you? Let’s talk in person."

Since she still wouldn’t let me go even after I resigned, I decided to let her hear the recording I took of Sophia Kendall and Miles Sawyer’s mother’s conversation yesterday.

Victoria said, "I’m out on an interview right now. I won’t be back at the office until six."

So, I uploaded today’s Chapter in the novel backend, and in the afternoon, when it was almost time, I drove to the company.

By then, the workday was over, and no one from our department was working late.

I knocked on Victoria’s office door. No response, though the lights were still on inside.

After a long while, I pushed the door open.

The scene before me made my eyes go wide.

Victoria was collapsed on the floor, her white suit dress soaked in blood.

She was unconscious.

I jumped in fright and hurriedly called for an ambulance.

...

At the hospital.

The doctor said Victoria had self-administered an abortion and now needed to have her uterus cleaned out to remove what was left of the fetus.

If they couldn’t stop the bleeding, she might lose her uterus altogether.

I couldn’t imagine: she took abortion pills and still came to work?

Now, I couldn’t reach anyone connected to Victoria, and she was still unconscious, so I could only sign for her and waited outside the operating room.

When someone’s life is at stake, any past grudges have to be set aside for now.

While Victoria was having surgery, I went to the gynecology clinic to ask about my irregular period.

After I described my symptoms, the doctor just handed me a slip and told me to get a blood test.

"Go check, see if it’s early pregnancy."

I was stunned and quickly explained, "I already took a pregnancy test last night, and I’m not pregnant. Plus... my husband and I barely have sex, and we use protection."

The doctor said, "Pregnancy tests aren’t 100% accurate. I’ve seen too many cases in gynecology where protection failed, test kits were off, and people ended up with an unplanned pregnancy. Go get the bloodwork. If it’s not pregnancy, we’ll treat it as a regular cycle problem."

The doctor’s words made all the worries I’d just put down come rushing back.

To be safe and get rid of any nagging fears, I followed the doctor’s advice and got my blood drawn to test for early pregnancy.

But this wasn’t a major hospital—just a district hospital. The doctor said they don’t process this test at night. I could get my blood drawn, but the results wouldn’t be ready until sometime the next day.

...

An hour later, Victoria was rolled out of surgery, lying on a gurney.

Thankfully, she was awake and her uterus was saved.

Once in the ward, she weakly said, "The doctor told me you brought me here. Zoe Ellison, thank you..."

"Give me your family’s number. I’ll call them."

I kept my face cold, still angry at the way she set me up.

Now that she was conscious, I had no desire to repeat the whole ’farmer and snake’ parable again.

Victoria forced a bitter smile and shook her head. "Don’t bother calling. They won’t come."

"What about your fiancé? Give me his number."

I remembered Miles had just taken Victoria to a dinner party yesterday. Surely he wouldn’t turn his back on her already?

Victoria suddenly broke down in tears—not just stifled sobs, but a total meltdown.

I was at a loss. "What’s going on with you? Stop crying and talk!"

She cried for a long time before finally telling me, "He invited me out this afternoon, said he brought me vitamins that were good for pregnant women. I really thought they were vitamins..."

I was shocked.

So it turned out, Victoria didn’t take the abortion drugs herself—Miles tricked her into taking them.

I touched the recorder in my pocket. Forget it. No need for her to hear those words now.

Who knows if she could handle it?

Just then, I saw Victoria take out her phone.

"Who are you calling?" I asked.

Victoria seemed to have one last sliver of hope. "Miles. I want to ask him what he’s thinking."

I couldn’t help but say, "Are you kidding me? After what he did, you really don’t get what he’s thinking?"

But Victoria insisted on dialing Miles’ number anyway.

As expected, his phone was off. Miles wasn’t picking up at all.

She just kept calling.

I couldn’t watch any longer. I took out my recorder. "Maybe after you hear this, you’ll realize just how pointless all this is."

Soon, the conversation between Sophia Kendall and Serena’s mother from yesterday played from the device.

Their tone was so dismissive and scornful that Victoria clenched her fingers so tight she made her IV pull blood back into the tube.

"So, they never intended to accept me from the very beginning..."

Victoria let out a miserable laugh, her tears soaking the pillow.

Gradually, a look of bitter resentment appeared in her eyes. She said to me, "Weren’t you planning to write about the Xavier Group’s equipment delays? Go ahead! And anything you’ve got on Miles Sawyer, just write it. I’ll publish it!"

I breathed a little sigh of relief. At least she’d finally woken up.

Just then, my phone rang, and to my surprise, it was my mother-in-law calling.

I was a little confused. All these years, Sophia had rarely ever called me herself.

Once I answered, Sophia said, "Come over tomorrow. I have something to discuss with you."

"What can’t be talked about on the phone?" I was wary and said, "If it’s important, we can talk now."

Sophia said coldly, "How can we talk about divorce on the phone? Can you sign papers over the phone?"

I frowned. I remembered I’d already signed the divorce agreement, and I’d even tricked Timothy into signing it too.

What paperwork is left?

I was about to ask, when Sophia continued, "Timothy has already drafted a new divorce agreement. We’re just waiting for you to sign!"

Timothy wrote a new agreement?

Was he not satisfied with the one I gave him before?