CHAPTER 161: CHAPTER 161- DARK NIGHT

"Yeah, the little sister in Janet’s belly will be Callum’s future wife," Angela said, gently guiding her son with a knowing smile. Janet smiled softly, remembering the agreement between Shaun and Charles—that if they had a girl someday, she would marry Callum. It seemed everyone had already accepted this fate.

"Really? Can I sleep holding my little sister like Daddy holds Mommy?" Little Callum’s innocent worldview was shaped by Shaun’s possessiveness toward Angela. Shaun didn’t even allow Brian to get close to Mommy, so Callum dreamed that when he had a wife, he could snuggle with his sister just like his parents.

"Hey, who taught you that?" Angela and Janet both blushed a little at Callum’s boldness—it was so like Shaun’s mischievous ways, passed down even to his son.

"But Daddy and Mommy do it all the time! Daddy calls you his wife, right?" Callum blinked his big, innocent eyes, completely unaware there was anything unusual about "sleeping like that."

"That’s different. Mommy told you you have to wait until your sister grows up and protect her, so no one steals her away, okay? Lots of people will like your sister, and you have to beat them all if you want to win the beauty’s heart!"

Callum nodded, half understanding. He reached out his small hand to gently touch Janet’s belly again, his eyes bright with wonder. He was excited to meet his sister and vowed silently to protect her always.

"Callum likes his sister, right?" Janet’s gaze softened as she stroked his hair. Though Charles often said he would hate the child if Janet left him, Janet knew that with Angela and Shaun by her side, the baby would be loved like their own.

"Yes! I like my sister!" The little boy, just four years old, already had a strong possessiveness over his future wife.

"Janet, you have to have the baby soon! Then I’ll play with my sister and not with Candy anymore!" Callum pouted, thinking of his mischievous little sister at home. His affection for Janet, Charles, and the baby grew with each thought. Since childhood, Callum had been close to Charles and naturally adored his baby sister-to-be.

Janet chuckled at Callum’s adorable words, her eyes shining with tenderness. "With you all here, I’m not worried anymore."

Meanwhile, in the study, the haze of cigarette smoke lingered as Shaun turned to the silent man sitting in the swivel chair. With a sigh, he stepped forward and stubbed out the cigarette in Charles’s hand.

"I remember you didn’t use to smoke," Shaun said.

Among the four men, Charles had always been the cleanest—never drinking, rarely smoking, and bothered by any unpleasant smells due to his mild germophobia. Yet lately, watching him care for Janet, Shaun was taken aback by how much Charles’s appearance had changed.

His face was etched with fatigue, his youthful stubble roughened, and his bloodshot eyes swollen with red veins. If Janet could see him now, she would surely be heartbroken over his worn-out state.

"I truly hate myself. Why can’t I do anything to help her? Shaun, do you know? When Janet cries out in pain from her headaches, I’m right there beside her, but I can do nothing. At that moment, I feel like the worst scoundrel in the world—I can’t even protect the woman I love..." His eyes shimmered with unshed tears. They say men don’t cry easily, but until the heart breaks, even the so-called ’Dark Night Reaper’ becomes a man with blood and tears.

"You’re Charles, the Dark Night Reaper. You have to believe in your strength! As long as there’s a glimmer of hope, you mustn’t give up. Janet will get better. Right now, what she needs most is you," Shaun said, struggling to comfort him. Charles’s dilemma was worse than when Shaun lost Angela or Brian lost Samantha; at least then, they had hope to cling to, a fire in their hearts to fight for the women they loved.

But Charles was different. Janet was right there beside him, yet he watched her grow frail day by day, living in constant fear she might leave him. For a man who could command the business world with ease—turning the tide with a flick of his hand—this was a crushing blow. Facing illness and impending loss, he was utterly powerless.

"Why did I let her get pregnant? Why did I let her take such a risk? Damn it! This is all my fault!" Charles’s eyes turned icy as he stood abruptly, turning his back to Shaun. Even among brothers, some emotions could not be easily revealed.

His slender fingers clenched, veins bulging, as he slammed a fist into the wall. Blood trickled from his knuckles, but he didn’t feel a thing.

"Have you considered sending her abroad for treatment? The facilities and expertise overseas are far better than here. Maybe it could make a difference," Shaun suggested calmly and rationally. Often, those closest to the pain are the most blinded. With all of Charles’s focus on Janet, he had overlooked this crucial option.

Charles’s eyes brightened with a new hope. Shaun was right—Janet needed him to have faith, or how could he save her?

Without hesitation, Charles ordered Giles to contact several renowned doctors in Europe and Southeast Asia. After explaining Janet’s condition, they waited anxiously for any news.

Her body was too fragile for a plane trip, and Janet insisted on carrying the baby to term. All they could do was wait.

But time only brought worsening news. Due to Charles’s high profile, the foreign specialists were unwilling to take the risk. The surgery had no guaranteed success—not even a 50% chance. This infuriated Charles. Was he doomed to watch her suffer without relief?

Her nights became increasingly restless. Often, she endured the stabbing pain in silence, biting her lips to keep from crying out—just to spare him worry. But this only broke his heart further, deepening his anguish and anxiety. Even if he had the whole world, without her, it was meaningless.

Finally, the day he feared most arrived.

The doctors had warned: as her condition worsened, the worst-case scenario would come true—she would slowly start to forget...