Fred sat with his head in his hands in the Hospital. There were nurses on duty moving from side to side. All he could hear was the sound of Ana's body hitting the ground from earlier that night. The staircase, the scream, the blood on the floor.
His chest felt like it was being crushed from the inside. Guilt clawed at him, leaving invisible wounds. He hadn't even thought twice when he stormed off from Tiana, hadn't looked back when her voice echoed as he left. All he remembered now was the way Ana's body layed and the sickening thud when she landed.
The doctor finally appeared, pushing open the doors and adjusting his glasses with tired eyes. He looked like a man who had spent a long night doing everything he could with very little rest. His coat was slightly wrinkled, and his expression was serious but calm.
"Mr. Nork?" he called, scanning the hallway until his eyes landed on Fred.
Fred jumped to his feet immediately, his heart pounding as he closed the distance between them. "Yes? How is she? Is she okay?" His voice was urgent, almost desperate.
The doctor gave a small nod and took a deep breath before answering. "She's stable," he said, his tone professional but gentle. "She sustained some bruising around her ribs and arms, and a mild concussion from the fall. Nothing life-threatening, but she'll need to rest and be monitored for the next few days."
Fred let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. The tension in his shoulders dropped slightly. "Thank God," he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.
The doctor glanced at him with mild curiosity. "You said she fell down a flight of stairs?"
Fred nodded slowly. "Yes. It happened so fast. I… I caught her just after, but not in time to stop the fall."
The doctor looked at him closely, as if trying to read more from his face. "She's also pregnant," he added, his tone turning cautious. "A few weeks along, from what we can see. The baby appears unharmed for now, but she has to be very careful going forward. No more stress. No more risks."
Fred's eyes widened, his mouth parting slightly in shock. Pregnant? His mind began to race.
"She's in a private suite now. You can see her, but don't overwhelm her. She'll be waking up soon."
Fred nodded slowly, his mind already a mess of questions. "Thank you, Doctor."
The doctor gave a polite nod before walking away, leaving Fred frozen in place, trying to process the news.
The doctor, however, didn't walk away. His eyes sharpened.
"There's something else," he said. "She's pregnant. Twenty-three weeks in."
Fred froze. "What?"
The doctor crossed his arms. "Yes. I don't know the full story, but I need to ask, what happened to her? Falls like this could have ended very differently. It's lucky the baby wasn't hurt. But she needs to be protected. Safe."
Fred's throat went dry. "It was an accident," he murmured. "She fell."
The doctor studied him for a long time, then nodded.
"She's in room 407. I trust she'll be taken care of properly from now on."
Fred swallowed the guilt and nodded. "She will be."
The hospital room was warm and silent, lit with expensive lighting fixtures. Everything was luxury-grade, the plush white sofa, the glass walls with city views, the scent of fresh roses in a vase on the table. Fred had spared no cost. It was the least he could do.
Ana lay on the bed, pale against the white sheets. Machines beeped softly beside her. An IV line disappeared into the back of her hand.
Fred sat beside her, his eyes tracing every inch of her face. He hadn't slept. He couldn't. Her fall had played in his head like a horror movie. She'd looked so small lying there, so vulnerable. And now, he'd heard she was pregnant.
His mind was everywhere. Was it from before he met her? Was that why she never looked anyone in the eye? Was that why she kept running from him?
A soft groan interrupted his thoughts. Ana stirred.
He stood instantly, leaning in. "Ana?"
She blinked slowly. Her eyelashes fluttered, and her lips parted.
"Sir?" she whispered.
Relief flooded his body. "Yeah. I'm here."
She turned her head toward him. Her eyes were hazy.
"Where…?"
"You're in the hospital," he said gently. "You fell. But you're okay now."
Ana winced, trying to sit up, she held her bandaged head.
"Easy," Fred said, placing a hand on her arm. "Don't move too fast."
Her gaze drifted down to her belly. She reached for it with trembling hands.
Fred noticed. "The baby's fine," he said. "The doctor said everything looks good. But you need rest."
Ana shut her eyes, her hand staying on her stomach. 'He knows' the voice sounded in her head. "I didn't mean to fall," she murmured. "She came at me. I was just trying to walk away."
Fred clenched his jaw. Tiana.
He reached out, brushing a strand of hair from Ana's forehead.
"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked quietly.
Ana looked at him, confused. "Tell you?"
"That you were pregnant."
Her breath caught. She looked away.
He turned to her with intense eyes. "The doctor said the baby is okay"
The silence between them was louder than a scream. Ana couldn't look at him, not eye to eye.
"I asked you before, if we'd met…. You said no" Fred said with a very calm voice.
"We haven't met… sir"
"Lies…. My memory can't deceive me, my senses still remember"
"Lies?"
"You reminded me of someone. Someone I met once. Some time ago. One night. It was blurry, but your voice, your scent… it brought it all back."
Ana's lips parted, but no words came.
Fred stepped closer, gripping the edge of the bed.
"Tell me something," he said. "That night at the hotel… was it you?"
Ana didn't answer. Her face went pale.
Fred leaned closer.
"Was it you, Ana?"
Her eyes began to water. She turned her face away, tears falling down her cheeks.
Fred straightened slowly, heart thudding.
He stared at her.
And then, quietly, he asked, "Who's the father of the baby?"
Ana closed her eyes.
The silence between them was louder than a scream.