Forced by fate – Destined to be his Wife

He took all his nerves, doubts, and emotion, and locked them up tight in a steel box and pushed them to the tips of his toes. Knowing that no matter the result, he had to stay calm and stable for TangShi. No reaction if it wasn’t his. He had to show her it didn’t matter, even if deep down it would destroy his heart. She needed him to be strong and stable while she was going through a hellish time and he also needed to still earn her forgiveness. This would not be enough for him to let her go a second time.

“Okay. Let’s do this.” The doctor wheeled over to the side of the bed on a low stool and waited while she laid down and adjusted her clothes awkwardly. Pulling her dress up and YuZhi used the bed blanket to cover her from the lower hips down to preserve her modesty.

The gel that was squirted on her lower abdomen was cold and slimy, and she squirmed and wriggled while a plastic handheld pad was pushed into her stomach firmly and slid around while the doctor clicked the mouse on the trolley and kept his eyes glued to the monitor. It wasn’t exactly comfortable and highlight how much she did need to pee. It felt like endless minutes of what was in reality only seconds, and the only noises form the Doctor were hmmm and ahhh noises to himself. A furrowed brow and deep etch of concentration while he did something with the monitor image.

YuZhi took her hand in his, interlocking their fingers and squeezed it tight, leaning over her on the bed so they were face to face and focused on her eyes, bringing her gaze to him and not the screen. His free hand coming up to brush away the hair across her forehead and he smiled softly, taking in her naturally beautiful face.

“Relax. It’ll all be over soon. Don’t think about anything.” YuZhi leaned in and kissed her on her temple, more to calm his internal war of emotions and the chaotic rhythm of his inner body. Surprising her with the soft affection which caused a huge lump in her throat and she doubted herself for still not forgiving this man and letting him back into her heart. Like this, she couldn’t understand her reluctance anymore.Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

TangShi was strung tight with crippling fear and began chanting in her mind over and over a small wish that this baby was conceived more than three weeks ago. It had to be YuZhi’s as she didn’t know what to do if it wasn’t.

“ahhhhhh, ummm.” The doctor exhaled heavily, a confused and exasperated expression creasing his brow and he wiggled the pad once more and then click, click, clicked at the keyboard and mouse. Seemingly unhappy with what he was seeing and TangShi held their breath.

“What’s wrong?” YuZhi turned his head, frowning with slight concern at him. Sensing this wasn’t good.

“I was hoping on a clear five-to-six-week window for your conception. Ultrasound gives you a date that is usually within a five-day error margin.” He blew out more air and screwed his face up as he peered at the embryo measurements on screen before admitting defeat.

“So?” YuZhi urged, his tension growing and a headache starting with the sheer stress. TangShi fell silent and still and stared at him with a pale pallor.

“I am measuring a three-to-four-week embryo. Your conception date could fall right on the day that….” The doctor lifted the pad and handed YuZhi some paper towels to wipe TangShi’s stomach and yet both stayed frozen and continued staring. “I’m sorry…. I ….. I hoped for something further back.”

“You’re kidding me, right?” YuZhi’s façade slipped and his raw pain slipped out in a raspy tone that made him bite his own lip and drag it back inside to conceal again. Cursing himself for caving and realizing he had held onto a tiny thread of hope.

“So I might have fallen pregnant on that day?” TangShi answered robotically, numb taking over as her worst fear was realized.

“We had sex that morning too. So it doesn’t mean a damn thing, right? It could still be mine? Or it could be for what…. five days before?” YuZhi’s carefully constructed persona was unraveling and he gripped her hand tighter to find some strength to pull himself back together.

“From experience it’s normally a couple days either side of the date we give or spot on. Rather than being a whole five days off. I’m sorry I can’t be more precise. I honestly thought it would be a case of you being around six weeks by now as I know you were trying naturally lately. A lot of women don’t experience as many symptoms as you until the five-to-six-week mark but the embryo is definitely smaller than a month.” His face flushed with heat at his own stress levels rising and felt like instead of setting their minds at ease, he made this worse for both of them. It wasn’t any clearer now than a half hour ago.

“So we have to wait for the baby to be born and get DNA then? Is that what you’re saying? Or will the other type of ultrasound be more precise?” TangShi’s feeble and tearful side was hitting full fervor, and the hysterics were quietly brewing as extreme denial kicked her butt.

The doctor shook his head, knowing the other ultrasound wouldn’t make a difference. It was not an exact science and conception dates were always approximate for giving a rough age to the embryo.

“It doesn’t matter. Tang, listen to me.” YuZhi turned to her, wiping her hair back and cradling her face as the doctor took over cleaning her abdomen for her for something to do. YuZhi string up internally, his heart beating fast but his mindset was calming down. “Either way, this is my kid. It doesn’t matter, do you understand? We’ll go ahead with the PR plan and the wedding. I’ll take care of you and when you begin to show, we’ll announce our baby news and that’ll be the end of it. No DNA…. No doubts, no questioning it. As far as my family are concerned this baby is mine. We tell everyone it’s mine and it will be.” YuZhi’s eyes misted over and he swallowed hard unable to stress enough that he didn’t want this to rip them apart again and he would do anything to stay with her. Even if that meant accepting the baby and loving it as his own without ever knowing for sure. He loved her enough to love the life growing inside of her and he would be its father no matter what. HE could live his life that way and give nothing else to that fucker Rong.

“I can’t….. I need to know. I don’t want you to do that or out you through that. What if it looks like him?” TangShi began to sob again and he pulled her up off the bed by scooping his arms under her and cradling her tight. His own emotions fraying and the urge to cry overwhelmed him.

“Yes, you can. It’s your baby and it doesn’t matter how it looks. I’ll love it no matter what and we can fix everything and go back to living our life like we planned. Rong will pay for what he did but this kid will never be his, never see him. No matter when it was conceived. Do you understand?” YuZhi’s voice turned stern and commanding, quietening her despair and pulling her face back so he could press his nose to hers. Serious and calm as he locked eyes on her again and drummed into her. “I love you. I’ll love our baby. I’m not going to lose you over this or push you away, so have a little faith in me.”

TangShi nodded, clinging on with desperation and let her tears fall as her body was wracked with grief and yet also relief. Knowing he wouldn’t abandon her for a second time but yet it didn’t stop the devastating heart break of thinking that she might force him to raise another man’s baby.