Chapter 6: The Hospital Visit

At 4:00 a.m., Daniel returned home, a faint trace of alcohol lingering around him. He'd evidently showered, but the scent was impossible to miss. He moved with deliberate gentleness, slipping into bed quietly. As he leaned down to kiss my forehead, he froze—startled by my wide-open eyes staring back. "E, why are you still awake? Were you waiting for me?" If it weren't for my imminent departure, I might have rolled my eyes. It was just you, Daniel, and your charming mistress, who'd wrecked my sleep. Daniel slid closer, wrapping me in his arms from behind. His warmth enveloped me—a sensation I'd once found comforting but now felt nothing short of repellent. Nausea bubbled in my chest as my thoughts drifted to the bar—imagining the hands currently holding me indulging in their betrayal just hours earlier. "E, you don't need to wait up for me next time. I don't want you to tire yourself out like this." I turned, slipping from his embrace to face him. My gaze, unapologetic and scrutinizing, bore into him. "Daniel, if one day—now I'm saying just hypothetically here—if I died or left for good—who would you end up with?" His ocean-colored eyes grew glassy, tears pooling within their depths. His expression wilted into desperation, like a stray dog trembling at the mercy of a passing storm. Even his voice, thick with fear, cracked. "Are you serious?" He hoped I'd laugh it off, perhaps say it was nothing but a poorly-timed joke. Instead, I met him with calm, unyielding silence. We knew each other too well. Years together had forged an unspoken understanding so profound that a single look could reveal unspoken intentions. Once, I'd believed we were utterly inseparable. But after three years of marriage, I didn't even know he'd cheated—or how long he'd been with Amy. It hurt. It was like I'd never truly known Daniel at all. My husband of three years. My childhood sweetheart. Had he always been like this? Or was it just Amy—the one who'd changed him with her magic? How grand, how miraculous. I tried to read his face for any sign of guilt or remorse. Daniel forced a smile more pathetic than tears. He gripped my hand tightly. "E, why are you leaving me? We've never left each other before." Daniel turned away, his tears spilling unchecked. Still turned slightly from me, he plastered on the thinnest veneer of a smile. "If this is supposed to be a joke, it's not funny. Not funny at all, E." "I'm terrified, you know that? Just imagining you leaving me—it's enough to—" His voice cracked. "It's enough to shatter me." Suddenly, realization dawned over him. He drew my hands to his face, his eyes ablaze with pleading. "Did someone say something to you? Is it some ridiculous rumor? Or are you angry because I came home late?" "God, E, I'm sorry. It's all my fault." "I can't live without you, E. I can lose everything—but not you. If you're angry, go ahead and hit me!" His tears burned like drops of fire as they rained onto my palms. "It's my fault—I should have come back sooner. I'm an absolute f*****g asshole." "I swear I'll change. No more late nights, okay?" "Just please, please, don't leave me. I'll do anything—anything at all—to make it right." And then, he used my wrist to strike his own face—a self-inflicted punishment meant as penance. I pulled my hand back, letting it fall limp at my side. Exhaustion claimed me like a heavy fog. Daniel had been the center of my world once. I'd loved him deeply. I'd believed that shared love would mean I'd see his remorse—his guilt consuming him from the inside. But I didn't. All I saw was anguish, borne not from regret or shame, but from fear—fear of losing me. Again, I wondered—was any of it real? The love, the vows, the promises? Was it all a carefully curated illusion? Neither of us slept well that night. His arms remained coiled around me, tighter than ever. By the time I woke the next morning, Daniel was already up, the smell of breakfast carried through the house. "I made you breakfast. Remember to eat!" I looked up at him. His eyes were rimmed with dark circles. And yet, there he stood, smiling soft and tender. "Get some rest today, okay? Stop overthinking so much, E. I love you." He spoke the words easily but paused before continuing. "I have to step out for a while. I'll be back soon." Step out? To take Amy for a prenatal appointment? My eyes lingered on his face, a faint smile curling my lips. "What's going on? Can I join you?" Daniel's performance was flawless. His gaze was crystal clear. "E, you've been overexerting yourself lately. Today's your chance to rest, hmm? I'm just going to get a routine check at the hospital. I haven't been feeling great these past few days." Without hesitation, I grabbed the keys and donned my coat. "Daniel, I'm worried about you. I'll come along." Before he had the chance to respond, I swept past him, unlocking the door and heading for the garage. I swung open the passenger door and took my seat. "E, wait for me." Sliding into the driver's seat, he sighed. "Take it easy. Buckle in, okay?" I mirrored his tone with practiced ease. "What kind of symptoms have you been having? Why didn't you say anything before?" His hands flexed against the steering wheel. His answer came a heartbeat too late. "You know me. It's just some old issues flaring up again. Truthfully, there's nothing bothering me physically—I just figured, better safe than sorry." Better safe than sorry? I turned my face away. What a pitiful excuse. Soon, we arrived at the hospital. "E, wait here for me first. I'm going to check the appointment." Daniel smiled at me, making sure I stayed put. After briefly confirming with the Medical Receptionist, a Medical Assistant soon came to escort him into the Exam Room. The moment he left, I immediately approached the Medical Receptionist. "Which doctor did that man just schedule an appointment with?" The receptionist was clearly taken aback. After glancing down at her records, she leveled her gaze at me. "I'm sorry, miss, but we're not allowed to divulge patient information without consent." Amy's words sent a wave of unease through me. My patience was wearing thin. "Just now, the man who went in—Daniel, the Alpha of Crimson Pack—is my husband. This is our Bond Mark." I pointed to the golden sigil on my thumb, pausing before adding, "He has one too. I'm sure you saw it when he signed the forms." "Now, can you tell me? Which doctor did he schedule with? I need to know what's wrong with him. I'm really worried." Her mouth gaped open as she stared at me. "Ma'am, sorry, I'm afraid I cannot disclose much, but the finest obstetrician here, Dr. Smith, is located in the very first office down the hall. His schedule today is limited to just one couple—whose 'wife' has already been waiting in his office for half an hour." The receptionist emphasized the words 'couple' and 'wife' with deliberate weight. Feigning nonchalance, I let my gaze drift toward the appointment ledger she was clutching. Dr. Smith—the name beside his own bore only two entries: Daniel and Amy. In the instant I registered their names together, I braced myself for the tidal wave of emotions. But, contrary to my expectations, I found an odd serenity taking root. The gnawing doubt and restless anxiety that had haunted me for days dissipated. I could no longer summon even the faintest excuse for Daniel. He and Amy had already brought a child into this world. Many were privy to this truth. Except for me. "I've heard they're quite a devoted couple. The husband specifically requested Dr. Smith reserve this afternoon exclusively for them so they could conduct a thorough examination to ensure their baby's health." She was kind-hearted and well-meaning. The purposeful flipping of pages within the appointment book was less an act of busywork and more a veiled invitation for my prying eyes. She tilted the ledger just enough for me to see Daniel's name emblazoned on yet another appointment, this time under Dr. Thomas—whose office was conveniently situated right next to Dr. Smith's. Beside it was also Daniel's name, but in the second column. However, on Doctor Thomas's appointment sheet, there was another name—I just didn't catch it clearly. "Doctor Thomas' office is right next to Doctor Smith's. His specialty is treating male genital conditions. And today, he only has two appointments—one in two hours." I nodded earnestly. "Thank you. Sincerely." I mustered a polite smile. Yet beneath my outward composure, every thread of uncertainty that had once unraveled me now seemed tightly coiled. Knots had formed—certainties where unknowns once lingered. For some reason, every shred of unease and confusion within me suddenly crystallized into clarity. I no longer cared whether Daniel truly loved me. His actions—a master fraudster—had been meticulously orchestrated. Two appointment forms. Even instructing Amy to arrive half an hour early. All to prevent me from uncovering the truth. I almost burst out laughing. I wanted to applaud his caution. Bravo, Daniel. It was no wonder I'd uncovered no shred of evidence before now. But did he think emotional bonds could be dictated by sleight of hand—by petty tricks designed to keep his lies afloat? An idea bloomed—a mischievous notion. Quietly, I approached the doorway Daniel had disappeared behind. The golden letters on its plaque read: "Dr. Smith." A muffled exchange bled through the threshold. It was Daniel. "Dr. Smith, how far along is my wife in her pregnancy?" "Five months, congratulations. The baby looks healthy." Then Amy's voice filled the vacuum—high-pitched and syrupy. "Honey, do you think our baby will look like you or like me?" My inability to conceive in the past three years gave Helene an excuse to torment me—she claimed I'd failed in my duties as Luna. Daniel knew all of it. He even stood by as Helene humiliated me during the Lunar Festival. Yet he already had a five-month-old child with Amy? My pulse raced, not from grief, but from pure, seething rage. And just like that, a clock began ticking in my mind—26 days. Barely a month left to untangle the web that bound me to him. I'd planned to play ignorant until then. But now? Now I wanted nothing more than the raw satisfaction of seeing his fraudulent mask ripped clean. I felt the urge to give him a hard slap. My hand found purchase on the handle. Was I really gonna open this "Pandora's box"? Echoes of Amy's provocation from the night before haunted me anew. "Just sign the papers. My child is already four months along. You can't compete with me, Evelyn. Not anymore." Was she serious? Curiosity swelled—I wondered who Daniel would choose. A humorless laugh bubbled in my chest. Amy believed I was her obstacle. But in her naive assumptions, she missed the simplest question: if Daniel truly adored her, why was I still his wife? Why hadn't he spoken even one word of divorce or sought to sever the Mated Bond in the past five months? She didn't understand. I'd loved Daniel, once. Had Daniel approached me back then, spoken plainly, I might have relinquished our union. But he hadn't spoken. He'd kept his silence—always. With time suspended in unbearable pauses, I pushed the door open. It slammed against the wall, reverberating like cannon fire. The tremble was fleeting—Amy froze for a heartbeat, Daniel visibly recoiled. And just like that, the actor in me emerged. I clasped my hands over my mouth, an exaggerated gesture of surprise. "Oh, my God! Daniel! What are you doing?" It was the first time I'd ever seen Daniel so panicked. He'd been playing the doting "husband" to Amy—his hand resting on her shoulder, pulling her close. But the moment he saw me, his eyes widened. His arm jerked back as if burned, and he practically leaped from his chair, putting a full two meters between himself and Amy. As if she were something filthy. Amy, however, proved far more composed—a woman rehearsed in melodrama. With the poise of a seasoned performer, she collapsed at my feet, a tearful echo resonating in her drawn features. She knelt at my feet, tilting her face up—tears streaming from her eyes, slipping into her golden hair. What a tragic beauty! But the moment she lunged toward me, I took a subtle step back. "Please, forgive me, E! It's my fault. Just hate me. Daniel and I are in love, true love! This baby means everything to me. I beg you, please, let me bring her into this world." The nurses who'd been busy began to gather around. Many waiting patients turned their heads at the commotion. Amy sobbed dramatically, pleading with me—yet her hands clutched desperately at my pants. Oh, I wasn't going anywhere. I looked down at her—that youthful, pretty face, that enviable figure, now with the faint swell of pregnancy. Amy thought that by defeating me, she could claim everything. Just by the child in her belly? How naïve! A mischievous smile curled my lips. If this was her battleground, I'd meet her—stone for stone—and push this farce to its zenith. Feigning surprise, I gasped anew, my eyes dramatically widening. "Oh, my God! You're pregnant? Amy? Why didn't you tell me?" I made every syllable heavy. "How far along are you? Say it again—who's the father?" My gaze flickered toward Daniel. He looked paralyzed. Desperation consumed him as he locked eyes with Amy, silently begging her not to utter his name aloud. But Amy ignored his silent supplication. She looked down, wiping her tears. "It's Daniel." A whistle stoked my lungs, though I withheld it. Daniel blanched visibly. His skin drained of color, his forehead began to bead with sweat. His blue eyes darted toward me—a pitiful plea flickered in their depths. His voice stammered. "E... I didn't—" I leveled him with a stare, the chill in my eyes seemingly endless. "Daniel, tell me the truth. Is Amy carrying your child?" Daniel's panic mounted. "E, listen—I can explain—"