Chapter: 618
The throbbing pain left her momentarily speechless, rendering a reply to Mitchel impossible. ©
The lines of Mitchel’s face deepened as he knocked again, his tone impatient.
“What’s going on?”
The clamor was reminiscent of a fallen object. Mitchel’s mind immediately leapt to the worst-case scenario—Ariana fainting. He
dove towards a nearby drawer, rummaging for the changing room key.
Ariana, meanwhile, pushed aside the wheelchair that had assaulted her ankle and endeavored to rise. But as she made the
attempt, pain flared up anew, resulting ina cold sweat breaking out on her forehead.
It had been a day filled with unexpected falls. She ruefully reflected on her decisions. If only she had not sought Holden, this
chain of mishaps could have been avoided. And to top it all off, she hadn’t even been able to see him.
Just as her mind circled this thought, another knock resonated from the door.
Mitchel’s voice, steady and calm, drifted in, “Ariana, if you don’t answer, I’ll have to come in.”
The sound of a key turning in the lock followed his warning.
Ariana, who was not yet fully dressed, mustered a weak response. “Please, wait outside. I’m alright, just not finished dressing
yet.”
Hearing Ariana’s frail voice, Mitchel suspected her condition was far from alright.
“Have you fallen?” he questioned.
“Yes,” she admitted, voice strained. “I was leaning on my wheelchair when it tipped. I tumbled down with it.” Annoyance flickered
through her as she wrestled with the half-on pants, replacing them with her dirty skirt. ©
“Can you stand now?” Mitchel knocked twice on the door, concern lacing his voice.
Ariana made an attempt to rise, only to discover her other foot had suffered a twist.
As if the universe had decided to play a cruel joke on her, labor pains seized her.
She gripped her belly, focusing all her energy on calming herself. Summoning what strength she could muster, she answered
Mitchel, “I can’t get up. I need to rest a bit.”
Mitchel’s brows knitted together in concern. “Your voice doesn’t sound too good. I should come in and check.” He began to tum
the key in the lock, only to be stopped by Ariana’s outburst.
“Don’t come in! I’m not dressed yet.” Pain had begun to paint a sheen of sweat on Ariana’s forehead. She gently stroked her
belly, hoping to calm the baby.
To Mitchel, in this predicament, gender barriers were immaterial. He’d spent so many hours studying the human anatomy in the
lab, and to him, bodies were merely subjects of study.
Softening his tone, he tried to reassure her. “Ariana, let me in. As a surgeon, I’ve seen countless bodies. To me, you’re just
another patient.”
“I understand. Just wait,” Ariana replied, knowing she couldn’t continue in this state. Leaning against the wall, she took a deep
breath, hoping to quiet the turbulence within her and soothe the baby in her womb.