Chapter 1 The Pregnant Mute


    It was a dark and silent night.


    A man picked up his suit from the floor and headed out. He couldn''t wait to leave for the master


    bedroom. That was where he slept, alone.


    udia and Ben Crawford have been married for two years, yet they had never shared the same bed


    over one night.


    When udia opened her eyes, it was already at the dawn of the next day. Soon, she heard the preset


    broadcast:


    "Dear mother-to-be, you''ve been expecting for 27 weeks and 2 days. Your due date is 89 dayster,


    during which we hope you..."


    For some reason, she recalled the night when she came back from the hospital with her pregnancy test


    result. The man suddenly fell out with her upon seeing the word "Positive" on that sheet.


    He uttered an order without any intention topromise, "Get an abortion."


    udia fell in great Anguish. She regretted and wondered why she had to marry a man who didn''t love


    her at all.


    Her emotional turmoil was cut off by the unexpected call of her housekeeper.


    “Ma''am, breakfast is ready!"


    When she got downstairs, her husband was already sitting at the table. He had chosen an old


    fashioned suit and leather shoes today. With the sleeves of his white shirt rolled up, he was reading


    today''s newspaper, and on the table, there were some hand-shredded cheese and a slice ofva tart.


    This was his breakfast routine.


    Her eyes briefly skimmed over him. Then she walked over and sat across the table. The housekeeper


    served a sandwich and said, "Ma''am, would you like me toe with you for your prenatal check-up


    today? Hospitals aren''t the best ces for a pregnant woman to walk in alone.”


    udia nodded. She peeked at him, only to find that he was frowning. She immediately lowered her


    eyelids.


    The housekeeper served some soup. Being mind-absent, udia identally hit her elbow on the


    bowl. The searing hot soup spattered her hand.


    "Ow…!"


    Her unpleasant scream sounded like a broken engine that desperately needs to be lubricated.


    His brow furrows. udia saw and stopped screaming in fear. She bit her lips and ran to the kitchen,


    running the cold water over the scald to ease the pain.


    She was a "mute", that was what the other Crawford called her. She couldn''t speak.


    The only voice she could let out...


    The only voice she could let out was that shrill and unpleasant scream.


    After breakfast, Ben carried his briefcase and headed out. The housekeeper cleaned the table and


    asked, "Ma''am, you might want to get dressed upstairs soon... We''ll set off in a minute."


    udia nodded, got up, and went upstairs.


    She arrived at thergest obstetrics and gynecology hospital in the city with her housekeeper at around


    8:30.


    She fondled her big belly. She was keeping this baby safe and healthy all by herself. He would never


    ept this kid.


    She remembered it was written on the testament of Ben''s grandmother that udia and Ben''s kids will


    be the future heir to the Crawford family.


    That term was the reason why he married her and why he gave up forcing her to abort the baby.


    Her heart ached when she saw the dynamic image of the little fetus on the screen of the color


    ultrasound.


    “The baby is very healthy! Your due date is just two months away. You should take more rest.”


    The doctor finished the examination and handed all the result sheets to udia.


    udia smiled and took them over. The doctor added, "Try to avoid sexual intercourse for the sake of


    Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    the baby. The father has to be patient during this period."


    udia flushed. She nodded slightly and fast, eyes narrowing and lowering down.


    As she turned away and was about to leave the room, the doctor behind her dialed a number and


    whispered to the other side of the phone, "Ma''am, I''ve checked the fetus. It''s healthy, without any


    udia heard their conversation word by word. They had contacted the doctor. They had asked the


    hospital to do a gic test of the baby without informing her.


    That was why the routine test took them so long!


    A dull pain suddenly hit her in the chest. She staggered to her feet, her body shivering. She leaned


    against the wall of the hallway, her heart torn apart.


    Stepping out of the hospital, she found it dark and cloudy outside. The wind was howling. A storm was


    on the way.


    udia stood on the side of the road, letting her skirt flutter in the wind. The housekeeper went to get


    the car, and was never back.


    She kept waiting until the raindrops fell hard on her body,


    She then felt way more disappointing when she saw a ck Rolls Royce drive past her slowly. Ben


    was in the car, with a cold and heartless profile.


    Her heart felt as cold as ice, and her face turned from helpless to desperate.