Chapter 2 The Insemination Surgery

Jasper was scared witless and bolted out of the room.

Did Theodore come to?!

Ariana turned around, but there was only eerie silence behind her.

Shaking with fear, she flicked on the light and glanced at the bed. Theodore lay there, still as a statue, his breath as steady as usual.

But one of his hands had somehow moved out from under the covers.

Ariana cocked her head, looking at the hand, thinking it could have been accidentally nudged during her struggle with Jasper.

"Theodore?" Ariana tentatively called, but no response came.

She raised her voice. "Hey, Theodore?"

Again, she got nothing.

Ariana swallowed nervously, inching closer to the bed. She carefully tucked Theodore's hand back under the covers. He stayed as still as a log, as if he wouldn't wake up even if she shook him.

Whatever happened earlier must have been Jasper's guilty conscience playing tricks.

With her heart hammering, Ariana breathed a sigh of relief, noticing the liquor bottle Jasper had dropped. She tossed it away and locked the door, finally settling the room into peace. Even in the quiet, Ariana couldn't shake off the unease, half-expecting Theodore to pop his eyes open any moment.

She perched on the edge of the bed, keeping an eye out, but the overwhelming fatigue took over. Unknowingly, she slumped against the headboard and drifted into sleep.

The next day.

Ariana woke up, finding herself lying on the edge of the bed, startled.

Thankfully, Theodore on the bed remained just as before, not a hair out of place.

Ariana breathed a sigh of relief.

It looked like last night's commotion had been nothing more than a mix-up.

Ariana made her way to the bathroom to freshen up, but as she glanced into the mirror, she noticed a red mark on her neck, as though it had been pinched by fingers.

She deduced that it was likely a mark left by Jasper during their struggle the previous night.

Disgust washed over Ariana at the sight.

Feeling dejected, she set down her toothbrush and changed into a high-necked shirt to hide the mark on her neck.

After getting ready, Ariana descended the stairs for breakfast.

As soon as she reached the bottom of the staircase, Jasper pulled her into a small room.

"Has that useless waste awakened?" Jasper whispered anxiously, leaning in close to avoid being overheard.

Ariana stepped back, feeling uncomfortable, and kept a blank expression. "Not yet."

"That's good. I must have imbibed too much last night. I thought I saw that piece of shit opening his eyes and glaring at me." Jasper let out a sigh of relief, his gloomy countenance suddenly brightening as he returned to his usual gentle and happy demeanor.

Ariana kept her head bowed, afraid that Jasper could see the hatred in her eyes.

Thinking that Ariana was upset about the incident from the previous night, Jasper softly apologized, "I'm sorry. I had too much to drink last night and acted impulsively."

Ariana attempted to calm the storm of emotions raging within her heart and replied patiently, "It's alright."

She then found an excuse to extricate herself from Jasper and left the room.

In the dining room, Darian sat at the head of the table, his face like stone, not a hint of a smile or much conversation. When Ariana entered, he barely acknowledged her with a nod, his demeanor chilly.

Contrary to Darian's frostiness, Sharon Anderson, Theodore's stepmother, welcomed Ariana warmly. She was Jasper's birth mother, likely complicit in his schemes. Otherwise, she wouldn't have treated Ariana so kindly.

Throughout the meal, Ariana felt like a fish out of water, uncomfortable and eager to escape.

After breakfast, Darian escorted Ariana to the private hospital owned by the Anderson family for the surgery, with Jasper tagging along.

Before Ariana went into the operating room, Jasper kept shooting her worried looks, clearly reminding her of the plan.

Ariana knew what Jasper meant and flashed him a reassuring smile before stepping into the operating room with a cold expression.

Even though fear gnawed at her, Ariana pressed on, fueled by revenge and the desire to reclaim what was rightfully hers!

After the surgery, Ariana emerged from the operating room looking pale. The doctor removed his mask and informed Darian, "Everything went smoothly, but we'll need to wait a month for a follow-up to confirm if the pregnancy took."

Jasper's face darkened at this news.

On the other hand, Darian, rarely one to smile, showed a hint of satisfaction. His gaze softened slightly as he looked at Ariana. He then arranged for a driver to take her and Jasper back to the Anderson mansion.

During the journey, Jasper remained silent, his face flushed with anger.

Ariana ignored him, staring out the window and looking lost in her own mind.

When they arrived, Jasper exploded, dragging Ariana to the garden to confront her.

"Why didn't you sabotage the surgery like we agreed?" Jasper growled in frustration.

The surgery was done, and Ariana didn't want to argue with Jasper anymore. She shook off his hand and said coldly, "Mind your stupid manners! I'm your sister-in-law now!"

Jasper laughed mockingly, kicking a nearby tree in frustration. "Sister-in-law? Are you kidding me?"

Ariana was taken aback but turned to leave, but Jasper grabbed her wrist again.

"Where do you think you're going? We're not finished here!" Jasper said meanly, his eyes burning with anger.

Ariana didn't want to engage. She glared at him. "Let me go."

Jasper snorted, getting closer to Ariana with a threatening tone, "You think you can just swoop in and take Theodore and rid me off in that process? It's not happening. Not in this life! Even if you're pregnant, Theodore won't be able to protect you and your baby!"

"So what? Theodore's still alive, isn't he?" Ariana shot back defiantly. "And even if he's not, I'll still be his wife, your sister-in-law!"

Jasper was provoked and almost snapped.

Fortunately, a maid rushed out of the mansion at that moment and saw Ariana. "Mrs. Anderson! Mr. Anderson is awake and asking for you!" she exclaimed excitedly from a distance.