CHAPTER 253

Isabel had been transferred to a ward, but Sam was still in shock. The doctor was telling him the dos and don'ts, but all he heard was someone talking. He had no idea what the doctor just said. Sam only snapped out of it when the doctor was done talking. He was about to leave, but Sam stopped him. "Sorry, doctor, but can you say that again?"

Sam was pale and unfocused. The doctor could see that the patient's condition came as a great shock to Sam, so he brushed the inconvenience aside and repeated the dos and don'ts patiently.

"You're saying she was pregnant?" He stared at the doctor in disbelief.

The doctor nodded. "Yes. She was nine weeks pregnant. Her womb broke and suffered excessive blood loss because it was heavily impacted." He shook his head regretfully. "Sorry, but we did our best." The patient looked young, and yet she lost her womb. The doctor could understand how her family felt. They must find it hard to accept.

"She was nine weeks pregnant?" Sam turned his gaze to Isabel, who was lying on the bed. He had no idea what to feel. She was nine weeks pregnant, and yet she's single. The people will be scandalized if the news gets around. After the doctor was gone, he sat down beside the bed stiffly. Sam summoned his trusted subordinate over after a while. "I want you to find out who the father is."

His underling went to do his job.

Damian and Queenie came over. He nervously said, "She didn't mean it, Mr. Taylor. Isabel slapped her too. She went too far, and Queenie fought back a little. She had no idea Isabel was pregnant, or she wouldn't have kicked her belly."

Sam was tired. He did not want to deal with this, so he waved Damian down. "You guys go home. We'll deal with this later."

Damian pleaded, "Please have mercy on us, Mr. Taylor. Let Queenie off the hook for once. We have a young son, and he can't lose his mother. Queenie only defended herself. Isabel barged in and started slapping her. This was totally unexpected."

"I know. Just go home." Sam raised his hand. He refused to talk about this any further.

His bodyguard came and stood before the Shriver couple. "I'll have to ask you to leave." He extended his arm.

Left with no choice, Damian and Queenie left. Queenie could not even feel her legs. She was leaning on Damian, and he held her all the way out. She was terrified out of her mind. It was like a scythe was right above her head and would kill her anytime.

Damian was upset as well. The Harts were far more powerful than the Shrivers were. Damian wanted to protect her, but he was too weak to do so. They were helpless. Everything depended on the Taylors now.

Queenie regretted befriending Isabel. She would never have done that if she knew this would happen, not even if it meant the Shrivers could get closer to the Taylors. She was nervous. Queenie was awaiting her verdict, and it could mean the death of her future.

Isabel regained consciousness about six hours later.

Sam noticed her waking up, and he stared at her. "Who's the father?" The look in his eyes was deathly cold.

He was usually warm and soft-spoken. Isabel had never seen him looking like that before, and it scared her. "Sam?"

"Who's the father?" Sam repeated himself coldly.

"What do you mean?" Isabel tried to move, but she felt a stab of pain coming from her belly. Frowning, she asked, "What's wrong with me? My stomach is killing me!"

It was hard to explain, but Sam said, "You had a miscarriage." holds © this.

"Miscarriage?" Isabel's eyes widened in disbelief. "That's impossible."

"That's not the only problem. Your uterus was ruined and lost too much blood, so the doctor had to remove it," Sam continued. "You're barren now."

"Impossible!" Agitated, Isabel tried to sit up, but the pain from her stomach made her gasp and lie back down. "That's impossible. That's a joke, Sam. No way that's true! I can't be barren! They can't have removed my uterus! No!" How am I supposed to get married if I'm barren? How am I supposed to date a rich guy and marry him if I can't get pregnant? No wealthy family would let their sons marry a barren woman.

"It's true." Same held his anger back. "Who's the father? What's his name? Why didn't you tell me you have a boyfriend?"

Isabel denied, "I-I don't have a boyfriend."

"You don't have a boyfriend?" Sam raised his voice. "So how did you get pregnant? Did you somehow become a hermaphrodite and knock yourself up?"

Isabel held the edge of her bed tightly, stammering, "I… I…"

The sight of her terror and fear broke his heart. She was his only sister, and now she was barren. But she's still so young. How is she supposed to live like this? The pity for her overwhelmed his anger for her, and he closed his eyes and calmed down. He asked gently, "You have to tell me who the father is, Isabel. The only way out for you is to marry him." The guy knocked her up before they got married. He has to pay the price. Nobody's going to marry her now that she's barren. He has to take her hand in marriage.

"No! I won't!" Isabel screamed. "I won't marry him!" she protested.

"Why?" Sam frowned. "You're barren now. Nobody else is going to marry you, so the guy who knocked you up has to do it. And you guys must be a true couple if you let him knock you up. You guys love each other. It'll be a happy marriage, don't you think?"

"No, no!" She shook her head violently. "There's no love in this relationship. I won't marry him even if it's the last thing I do."

"What are you talking about?" He looked at her suspiciously. "If there's no love in this relationship, then why did you get yourself knocked up? Who is that guy?" Realization struck him, and murder flashed in his eyes. "Did he force you? Tell me his name. I'll kill him!" he hissed.

Isabel shut up. Nobody forced her. She was the lady of the Taylors, so how could anybody have forced her? She would have told her family about it if that happened. She had done it willingly, but she would never marry that man.