Chapter 4 Chapter 4

The doctor frowned. A faint feeling of discomfort and irritation crept up inside him. He was a leading obstetrician and gynecologist, a man who had devoted his entire life to his field; his words were almost regarded as truth in this domain. Normally, if anyone dared to question his expertise, he would flare up immediately. Such doubt did not merely offend his intellect, it struck at the professional pride he had so painstakingly built.

But looking at this poor young woman, with eyes red and swollen, filled with despair and loneliness, her pale face drained of all color, he couldn’t bring himself to be angry. He simply said gently: "Alright, here’s what we’ll do. Go to the obstetrics department and get examined again, then bring the results back to me."

Catherine nodded — a hollow, mechanical nod. Her legs felt like stone; she couldn’t lift them. Still dazed, the world around her seemed to tilt and spin, every sound echoing as if from another world. Then she stood up and left the room.

As soon as Emily saw her, she immediately supported her, saying: "Are you done with the check-up? Let’s go home."

Unexpectedly, Catherine shook her head and said, "Can... can you take me to the obstetrics department for a test?"

Emily was stunned, but under Catherine's urging, she complied. She didn’t understand why Catherine wanted to take such an apparently absurd test, but the look in Catherine’s eyes - so full of emotion - made it impossible for her to refuse.

The journey from the doctor’s office to the maternity ward seemed endless; every step she took felt as heavy as if her feet were cast in lead. While waiting for the results, Catherine trembled all over, cold sweat breaking out across her pale forehead. The lifeless waiting room, with its white walls and the sharp scent of disinfectant—only deepened the sense of unease and suffocation. Each passing moment felt like torture, filled with a whirlwind of questions and a vague fear of a miraculous yet bewildering possibility that kept burrowing deeper into her mind.

"Patient Cartherine, please come for your test results." A nurse called loudly from the hallway.

Both Catherine and Emily stood up quickly to receive them. As soon as Emily read the contents, she exclaimed, "Pregnant? But wasn’t your uterus damaged? How could..."

Catherine collapsed onto the waiting bench, gasping for air, her head spinning even more than before. The piece of paper in Emily’s hand now felt like some alien object, it carried a truth so shattering that it overturned every belief she had held until now.

The news that she couldn't conceive had come from the Sterling family's doctor. They were adamant she would never have children, so no matter how much her in-laws tormented her, she had endured it, even believing that it was her fault.

But now, this hospital doctor had confirmed that she was pregnant!

So that’s it, she thought. It was all a lie. Those people had conspired together to deceive her!

The Sterling family and even those doctors who were hailed as second parents! They were all lying to her.

"Bastards, such bastards!"

Catherine screamed before fainting. Her scream was the outburst of all the hurt, betrayal, and pain she had endured for so long, now erupting in a single moment of lost control. Beside her, Emily panicked and called for help to rush her to the emergency room.

...

She didn’t know how long had passed, but Catherine felt utterly exhausted. She knew she was dreaming again. In her dream, she was back at the Sterling family home, where she was never accepted by the elders and constantly scolded and criticized. Yet, every time, Gabriel would tell her to endure it, saying, "Catherine, you are the eldest daughter-in-law. Don’t be so selfish and petty. You should know how to respect your elders. I understand that your upbringing has affected your character, but can’t you change for my sake?"

Catherine could only laugh bitterly. Why did she only feel the shame of his words when she was dreaming? So, he had always looked down on her, thinking she was unworthy of him.

But if she wasn’t worthy, then how was someone like Juliet, who had come from the gutter, deserving? In the end, it was all because of a child.

"Catherine, Catherine."

Who was calling her?

Catherine was lost in a sorrowful dream when she felt someone calling her. She struggled to open her eyes, finally seeing Emily's worried face.

"I'm fine, thank you for being here with me during times like this."

Catherine gave Emily a faint smile.

"I just had a dream... the doctor said I was pregnant. Hah, I’m so pitiful that I can only be pregnant in my dreams."

Emily, unable to hold back her tears, touched her stomach and choked out:

"That’s not a dream, there’s really a baby in your belly."

Catherine moved her hand to her stomach, her pale lips beginning to tremble. In that moment, a strange surge of emotion - both sacred and overwhelming - rushed through her body, sweeping away all the darkness and pain that had weighed on her before. The presence of a tiny life growing inside her was no longer a dream, but a powerful truth, a living testament to the maternal possibility she had once lost faith in.

"That's wonderful, Emily... I'm going to be a mother."

"Yes. Congratulations."

"That’s truly wonderful."

The two girls hugged each other, crying until they were exhausted. The tears that fell now were no longer of pain or resentment, but of release, gratitude, and a happiness she had once thought forever beyond her reach. After a couple of days in the hospital, Emily handled the discharge procedures for Catherine.

As they stepped out of the hospital gates, Catherine held her belly, thinking to herself that regardless of why the Sterling family had deceived her about her damaged uterus, she would now nurture this child with all her heart and never have anything to do with Gabriel again. That resolve burned fiercely within her, carrying the strength of a mother, driving her to protect and love her child with all the best she had to give, as if to make every hardship she had endured finally worth something.

However, life seldom goes as planned. Just as Catherine made her resolution, a familiar female voice shattered her improving mood.

"Sister Catherine, why are you here? Are you feeling unwell?"

Catherine turned to see Gabriel walking towards her with his arm around Juliet. Not wanting to engage with them, she signaled for Emily to leave, but Juliet wouldn’t let her be. She blocked her path, pouting:

"I'm just worried about you. Why are you ignoring me?"

Catherine, furious, thought that this pest wouldn’t go away.

"I'm not your sister. Please stay away from me."

Catherine, still weak and looking pale, felt a bit light-headed after snapping at Juliet. All she wanted now was to find a bench and rest.

But Juliet wouldn’t stop. She clung to Gabriel’s arm and, with a pitiful expression, said: "Brother Gabriel, Sister Catherine just chased me away. Did I do something wrong again?"

Gabriel noticed that Catherine didn’t look well, but recalling her sharp tone from earlier, whatever concern he had quickly vanished. He turned to Juliet and softly said:

"Ignore her."

He then pulled Juliet towards the hospital, but she wasn’t ready to let Catherine off so easily and said:

"I guess you’re here for IVF, right? But that method doesn’t work for someone with a damaged uterus. I know things must be tough for you after divorcing Brother Gabriel, but why not spend some money on tests and adopt a child from an orphanage? That way, someone will care for you in your old age."

Emily, unable to bear it anymore, shouted: "Will you stop it? You’ve already stolen Catherine’s husband, and now you’re here lecturing her? You should spend more time at the temple or else you’ll end up childless in the future."

"Shut up," Gabriel growled.

Frightened by him, Emily fell silent, though her eyes still burned with fury towards Juliet.

Catherine gently patted the back of Emily's hand and softly said: "Let’s not waste our time with these shameless people anymore. Let's go."

After calming Emily down, Catherine turned to Juliet, her expression calm as she said, "You’ve already gotten what you wanted, so stop putting on this disgusting act."

"Catherine, watch your words," Gabriel hissed.