Chapter 4 Two Lines

Carson, with a sense of urgency, accelerated towards the hospital.

Upon their arrival, a doctor quickly approached with forms in hand, urgency in his voice. "The patient's condition is deteriorating rapidly. We must proceed with surgery immediately. Please, sign here without delay."

Still reeling from the night's events, Johanna complied mechanically, signing the documents as instructed, her mind a whirlwind of worry and confusion.

In a voice barely above a whisper, she sought reassurance. "Doctor, will my mother be okay?"

The doctor's response was pragmatic, yet cold. "Your primary concern right now should be the financial aspect of her treatment."

Johanna stood there in a daze for a while.

The prospect of an expensive emergency operation loomed over Johanna, a familiar sense of financial dread that had shadowed her for years.

Exhausted and seeking a moment's respite, she retreated to the hospital bathroom.

There, amidst attempts to gather herself, a wave of nausea overtook her, leading to several bouts of retching over the sink.

It was during this vulnerable moment that a horrifying realization struck her- the absence of her period since her last encounter with Carson.

Panic set in, and instinctively, her hands found her stomach.

With her mind racing, Johanna navigated her way out of the bathroom, driven by a sudden urgency.

Before she could witness the outcome of her mother's surgery, she found herself darting to a nearby drugstore.

Without allowing herself to entertain any guesses or hopes, she purchased a pregnancy test and hurried back to the hospital.

Emerging from the elevator, she spotted Carson at a distance.

He was turned away, engrossed in a phone conversation.

Johanna could only observe his posture, noting the furrows in his brow and the tension in his stance- an unusual display of dilemma and discontent she had never seen in him before.

He appeared troubled, caught in a moment of decision-making.

Witnessing this, Johanna felt like her heart had been squeezed by an invisible hand.

Throughout their three-year tumultuous relationship, Carson had shown many facets to Johanna-good and bad.

Yet, the depth of emotion he displayed now was unfamiliar to her, suggesting that only someone he deeply loved and couldn't forget could elicit such a reaction.

Johanna couldn't help but wonder if it was his fiancee on the phone- the woman who held the most significant place in his heart.

As Carson ended his call and turned his gaze towards her, Johanna snapped out of her reverie, instinctively concealing the pregnancy test behind her back.

She stood there, frozen, as he approached with an air of indifference that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"How is your mother doing now?"

His question about her mother was delivered with a detached curiosity, to which Johanna diverted her gaze and replied with a grateful, yet distant, "She's good. Thank you."

The turmoil inside her began to settle, giving way to a newfound resolve.

She bravely offered to continue with their professional engagement, "Send me the details when you find the time. I'm sure I'll be able to meet your requirements."

Carson acknowledged her statement, his gaze inscrutable, "Okay."

As Johanna turned to leave, Carson, observing her pallor, voiced his concern again. "Are you really okay?"

Her silence was her only reply as she moved away, creating distance with each step, leaving unanswered questions.

In the solitude of the bathroom, Johanna clutched the pregnancy test, her gaze fixed on it as she held her breath.

The appearance of two lines brought a heavy sigh, her body going limp with the realization.

She was really pregnant.

Her thoughts spiraled into chaos, dominated by the conviction that Carson must never discover the baby's existence.

His disdain for marriage, children, and any form of commitment that might tether him was well-known to her.

Her train of thought was abruptly interrupted by the ring of her phone, sending a jolt of nervousness through her.

Expecting the worst, she was surprised to find a message from the hospital instead.

A wave of disbelief washed over her as she learned that her mother's medical bills had been settled, courtesy of Carson's subsidiary card- a gesture of generosity and thoughtfulness characteristic of the Carson she once knew, who had always ensured she never had to ask for money.

Yet, those days were behind her.

The struggle to leave him, the countless sleepless nights before she had made up her mind, haunted her.

Now, confronted with his unexpected kindness, she wrestled with the dilemma: should she let his financial aid sway her decision, repeating past mistakes for the sake of four hundred thousand?

Johanna wracked her brain for a solution, but it all seemed to lead to a labyrinth of complications.

The money, already paid, was irreversible. After some time to gather her thoughts, she reached out to Carson, whose response came in a languid tone, as though he had been anticipating her call all along.

"What's wrong, Johanna?"