CHAPTER 152: HELP ME GET THROUGH TO HER

As the doctor continued to explain details about their daughter, Ranon squeezed Hazel’s hand lightly. "I want a picture of it," he finally said.

"Sure, Mr. Leighton. We will print the picture for you," the doctor replied, and Ranon nodded appreciatively.

Hazel’s heart swelled with happiness at the sight of their baby moving on the screen. Tears welled in her eyes, streaming down her cheeks as emotions overwhelmed her.

She wasn’t sure why she cried, but she would blame it on pregnancy hormones.

Noticing her tears, Ranon quickly wiped them away with a gentle touch. He offered her a gentle smile before leaning down to kiss her forehead. In that silent exchange, Hazel felt a deep assurance that their baby would be loved unconditionally.

At the very least, it would lessen her guilt about their marriage. They might not be together when the baby grew up, but she wouldn’t lack love.

After the ultrasound, as they returned to their apartment, Ranon’s protectiveness intensified. He hovered around her, refusing to let her carry her own bag.

"You know I am pregnant, not sick," Hazel remarked, a light laugh escaping her lips.

Ranon didn’t respond verbally; instead, he pulled her closer, one arm rested on her waist while the other held her bag. He opened the car door for her and buckled her seatbelt with the utmost care.

To her surprise, he didn’t drive as fast as usual; his protective nature was evident with every moment they spent together.

"Are you going to treat me like I am a fragile vase?" Hazel teased, but Ranon remained silent, only turning on the music that she loved as he drove the car out of the parking lot.

"Are you hungry?" he asked after a moment, his tone gentle.

At first, Hazel hadn’t realized it, but now, when he brought it up, she could feel the hunger. "Yes, please. I want to eat. Feed me." Her excitement was bubbling within her.

***

Carl pleaded with Laurel to reconsider her decision. His emotions overwhelmed him as he spoke, his voice cracking with desperation and his body shaking from the force of his sobs.

He wrapped his arms around her tightly, as if trying to hold onto the remnants of their shattered family.

"Mother, please. Please come back. I want you and Father to be together again. Please don’t break our family."

His words pierced through Laurel; each one showed the depth of sorrow that Carl felt. It cut deeper than Laurel could ever imagine.

"Why can’t things go back to how they were?" Carl continued. He refused to face the reality. This was not the life he wanted. "Please! I am sorry, Mother. I am sorry." He held onto her tightly; his body was trembling against hers as he buried his face in her shoulder. "You are my mother. You will not abandon me, right? I have been abandoned before. If you abandon me again, I don’t know what I would do. Please, Mother."

The weight of his plea wrapped around Laurel, suffocating her with anguish.

As he cried, it made Laurel’s pain more tangible, yet it also served as a reminder of the pain and humiliation that she had to go through. The betrayal left a deep scar, which she would carry for the rest of her life.

Laurel’s heart ached at the thought of hurting Carl and denying his request, but she was steadfast in her decision.

Carl was too young to fully comprehend the complexities of the situation, the heartbreak, and the reasons that had driven Laurel away.

She wanted so desperately to comfort him, to tell him that everything would be alright, but she also knew that she couldn’t return to the life that now she despised.

"Carl..." she whispered softly, as she tried to find the words that could soothe him without betraying her own heart. "I love you, Carl," she managed to say, even as she felt the tears well up in her eyes. "But sometimes love means making hard choices."

"Mother, please. Father is very devastated. He didn’t want to lose you. I don’t want to lose you either!" Carl’s voice was filled with anguish.

Laurel’s heart sank further at his words, but she struggled to respond. The gravity of the situation weighed heavily on her.

And his plea felt like a knife that twisted into Laurel’s chest. She instinctively patted his back in an effort to comfort him, her movements gentle and soothing.

Laurel wanted to tell him it would all be alright, to offer him the assurances he so desperately sought, but she knew that would only be a lie, a false promise she couldn’t keep.

Silence enveloped them for a moment, with only the soft sounds of Carl’s breathing as she continued to hold him close.

"Carl," Laurel finally whispered. "I wish things were different. I wish I could fix it all."

***

James found himself spiraling into despair as he sought out Denzel for help, knowing that he was running out of time and fearing the imminent loss of Laurel. He felt desperate enough to swallow his pride and approach her father.

"I need to see her," James insisted to Denzel. "I have been trying to contact her, but she refuses to answer my calls. She hasn’t replied to any messages."

James was a mess; dark circles underlined his eyes, a testament to his many sleepless nights.

Denzel glanced at James, arms crossed in mild annoyance; he still remembered his own disappointment over Laurel’s actions.

Their relationship was strained, especially after the confrontation where Laurel had insulted Ema, prompting Denzel to kick her out of the house.

"It will be hard to meet her. She is always very stubborn." Denzel looked at him. "You did her dirty."

"I know what I did was unforgivable," James spoke, desperation creeping into his voice. "But I am willing to do everything. Anything to win her back. I want her to know that I will agree with whatever decision she makes. Please, help me get through to her."