Trapped By His Silent Love

In the brightly lit operating room, Ariana Edwards lay on the cold table.

Her face was pale as she watched the doctor prepare the anesthesia, instinctively recoiling. Her desire to escape was evident.

"Don't worry, dear," the doctor said soothingly, noticing her fear. "It'll all be over quickly. There's nothing to fear from this procedure. Soon, you'll have your own baby."

Ariana could hardly muster a reply to the doctor's reassurances, a pained and sorrowful smile crossing her face.

How could she not be saddened?

She was still a virgin and yet, she was about to have a baby for a man she had never met.

Even if that man was Theodore Anderson, the heir to the prestigious Anderson family.

Ariana couldn't shake off the events from three days ago.

Only a month after her father's unexpected death, her stepmother, having seized the entire inheritance, suddenly produced her mother's possessions to lure Ariana back to the Edwards residence.

Upon her arrival, her stepmother had her phone confiscated by the maids and locked her away, hypocritically presenting her with consent forms for artificial insemination, a confidentiality agreement, and a marriage agreement.

"Ariana, we are family, after all. Don't hold my harshness against me. Your choices are to marry Theodore Anderson and become a surrogate mother or to marry a 60-year-old wealthy businessman. It's your decision."

Both choices felt like dead ends, and Ariana was determined not to agree.

She was already in love with her boyfriend, Jasper Anderson, and either option would mean betraying both herself and Jasper.

Yet in the end, she couldn't withstand her stepmother's merciless tactics and was forced into making a decision.

"Fine, I'll sign the consent for the insemination and the confidentiality agreement, but only if you return my mother's belongings."

Ariana set her terms through clenched teeth.

Once her stepmother agreed, Ariana signed the papers and was then taken to the hospital.

As the anesthesia began to take effect, Ariana felt her consciousness fading.

She suffered three days of torment, yet no one came to rescue her.

As she closed her eyes, thoughts of Jasper, her betrayed boyfriend, filled her with guilt.

Yet she felt she had no other option.

She resolved to make amends later.

With these thoughts, Ariana resigned herself to her fate.

When she woke up, the surgery was already complete. Opening her eyes, she saw Theodore's father, Darian Anderson, at her bedside.

"How did the surgery go?" Darian asked the doctor anxiously.

"Mr. Anderson, please be at ease, the operation was successful," the doctor responded respectfully. "However, we will need to wait a month to confirm if conception has occurred."

"Very well." Darian nodded with satisfaction, his eyes never meeting Ariana's, effectively treating her as nothing more than a tool.

Ariana despised being used as a tool, yet she felt utterly helpless.

What she wanted most was to get out of there as soon as possible and confess everything to Jasper.

Whether Jasper scolded her or even lashed out, she was prepared to accept it.

This was the consequence she had to face for her betrayal.

Suddenly, a familiar male voice reached her from outside the room.

"Dad, how did the surgery go?"

Why did that voice sound so familiar? It was like Jasper's...

Ariana was completely awake now, and she turned her head abruptly to look towards the door, hoping to see the figure she had been yearning for day and night.

In the next instant, Jasper actually stepped through the doorway.

A spark of joy lit up Ariana's eyes, her heart leaping, only to crash down immediately.

Because there, holding Jasper's hand, was her stepmother's daughter, her so-called younger sister, Brielle Edwards!

They entered together, closely, looking just like a loving couple.

Ariana was dumbfounded.

Why was Jasper with Brielle?

Didn't he realize that Brielle was one of the people she despised the most?

"Let me introduce you." Darian gestured towards Jasper and Brielle, introducing them to Ariana. "This is Jasper, Theodore's younger brother, and Brielle, his fiancée."

Younger brother? Fiancée?

Ariana's mind reeled in confusion.

She wanted to confront Jasper and Brielle loudly, demanding explanations, but the two of them simply looked at her, their expressions showing no surprise.

"Ariana." Brielle spoke first, her eyes gleaming with malice but her face painted with an innocent smile. "Congratulations."

Ariana suddenly felt dizzy, as if the whole world had turned upside down.

She felt betrayed, not just by the man she loved the most but also by the woman she despised the most, together.

"Jasper, please escort her back to look after Theodore first." Darian glanced at the frail Ariana on the bed, his face showing no emotion. "There's still work to be done at the company. I need to go now."

"Dad, I understand. Go ahead. I've got this," Jasper quickly responded.

After Darian and the doctor exited, only Ariana, Jasper, and Brielle remained in the hospital room.

Despite being nearly consumed by intense emotions, Ariana held onto a sliver of hope. She gazed at Jasper intently and questioned, "Jasper, what's happening? We've been together for three years, and I never knew you were the youngest son of the Anderson family head. Have you been deceiving me all this time?"

"Or what else?" Before Jasper could respond, Brielle interjected with a scoff. "Ariana, you're still so naive. Isn't it obvious? Jasper loves me. As for you, you were merely a convenient tool for artificial insemination."

She didn't wait for Ariana to respond. Spinning around, she embraced Jasper, planting a passionate kiss on his lips.

Ariana seethed with anger at their shameless display, her whole body shaking as she came to accept the harsh reality that she had been manipulated.

Feeling utterly defeated, Ariana wanted to rush forward and tear them apart.

"Bastards! Burn in hell!"

Unable to contain her anger, Ariana threw the glass of water at them. Although it missed them, it soaked them thoroughly.

The sound of the glass shattering echoed through the hospital room, mercifully interrupting the disgusting sight of their kissing.

"What on earth are you doing?"

Enraged by Ariana's actions, Jasper stormed over. His face contorted with anger as he reached out and grabbed her by the throat, squeezing so hard that it seemed he might choke the life out of her.

Ariana, feeling uncomfortable from being choked, struggled and threatened, "Jasper, I'm carrying Theodore's child. Aren't you worried about what might happen to the baby? Don't you care about the consequences?"

"Worried?"

Hearing this, Jasper's grip didn't relax; if anything, it tightened as he sneered, "Theodore is practically a dead man already. What should I be afraid of?"

A surge of panic flashed through Ariana at his words.

But she quickly calmed down, coldly smiling. "Not afraid? Are you really sure he's on his deathbed?"

Truthfully, Ariana wasn't sure herself.

But fortunately, she guessed correctly.

Jasper's face turned red, and he unconsciously relaxed his hold.

Theodore had always been a looming figure in his life, and despite knowing Theodore's days were numbered, he still didn't dare to offend him.

While Jasper was distracted, Ariana managed to free herself from his hold and started coughing wildly.

She touched her neck with a look of disgust and shouted, "Jasper, you're such a coward."

"Ariana!"

Brielle, hearing this, exploded in anger and was about to teach Ariana a lesson, but was stopped by Jasper.

"Why are you stopping me?" Brielle asked Jasper, visibly angry.

"We're in a hospital. It's not the right place to cause a commotion." He gently held her hand, soothing her with patience, saying, "Brielle, please go ahead. I'll handle everything here."

Hearing this, Brielle was still dissatisfied. She retorted, "Jasper, why do you still protect Ariana at this point? Tell me! Do you still have feelings for her?"

"Babe, how could I still have feelings for her?" Jasper laughed softly, playfully squeezing Brielle's cheek. "I even arranged for you and your mom to bring her here. Isn't that proof enough of my commitment? Doesn't it show my love for you?"

Finally, Brielle smiled, satisfied. She shot Ariana a scornful look as she left, taunting, "Ariana, after your unconscious husband dies, you'll be a widow. No one will want you, and you'll be forever alone with the title of Mrs. Anderson!"

Ariana was too weak to respond. She simply closed her eyes, overwhelmed by a wave of deep-seated hatred.

Then, she let Jasper lead her calmly back to the Anderson mansion.

Upon arrival, the servants recognized her immediately and led her directly to Theodore's room.

The thought of seeing her husband in name alone made Ariana's heart race.

She was once told by Jasper that he had an older brother who used to bully him, yet she never expected that brother to be Theodore.

Jasper's harsh words described Theodore as a bad-tempered, strange man who tormented him since childhood...

So, Ariana had never imagined that Theodore would be exceptionally handsome, with a face that seemed blessed by the heavens. Even though he was now unconscious and lying in bed, his presence still commanded awe.

Looking at Theodore sleeping there, it was hard for Ariana to believe that this was the same formidable eldest son of the Anderson family head.

Three months ago, Theodore had been left in a vegetative state from a car accident, and doctors said he wouldn't survive more than six months.

Yet this was the harsh reality. Otherwise, Darian wouldn't have been so desperate to use Theodore's stored sperm to have Ariana act as a surrogate mother.

As she thought about this, an unusual idea took root in Ariana's mind.

Theodore might be incapacitated, unable to affect any decisions, but Ariana was alive and well. Why should she allow herself to be manipulated by others?

She wanted revenge!

Several thoughts raced through her mind, and without thinking, she gently stroked Theodore's face.

A daring plan for vengeance began to form in her mind.

With the unborn child in her womb and her ties to the Anderson family...

It was late into the night.

This evening was meant to be Ariana's wedding night, yet her husband, Theodore, was in a coma, teetering on the brink of death.

"From today onwards, you will be responsible for bathing Mr. Theodore Anderson. He values cleanliness greatly. Make sure he is cleaned thoroughly."

A servant instructed Ariana on how to wash Theodore meticulously before leaving without any expression, leaving her with a wet towel in her hands.

Clutching the towel, Ariana stared at Theodore's exposed form, feeling unsure of what to do next.

She was painfully aware that she was alone in this, with no one in the household to support her.

Was she Theodore's wife? No, she felt more like a mere instrument for childbearing.

After mentally bracing herself, Ariana hesitantly moved closer to the bed.

Despite being in a comatose state for a long time, Theodore's physique remained strong and well-defined; his muscles did not show the typical wasting seen in long-term coma patients. Even a gentle touch with the towel left his skin with pink marks.

As Ariana continued to wipe down his body, her cheeks flushed deeper with every stroke.

She couldn't shake the feeling that the body she tended to was as vibrant as that of any healthy man.

Just as she nervously began to clean Theodore's lower body, the door suddenly burst open, and Jasper stormed in.

Ariana quickly covered Theodore with a blanket, turning to face Jasper with a sharp glare. "What are you doing here?"

Jasper didn't reply directly, his eyes locked on Theodore's naked upper body, a look of anger crossing his face. "Ariana, do you find this exciting? Do you even want to be intimate with a man in a vegetative state?"

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

Ariana caught on to Jasper's insinuations and, in a fury, threw the towel at him, pointing sternly towards the door. "Leave this room immediately! I am your sister-in-law now!"

At her words, Jasper's face twisted into a sneer, and said, "You think you'd be here without my help? How dare you act so arrogant with me?"

Ariana's face was flush with anger. To Jasper, however, she seemed all the more alluring. Recalling the three years they spent together without intimacy, he grew agitated.

"Theodore is nothing more than a shell now. How could he possibly satisfy you?" Jasper made no effort to hide his desire and said, "You've been around me for years. Today, I'll take Theodore's place and show you what a real man is like."

Ariana had never thought Jasper would be even more despicable than she had imagined.

They had shared three years together, yet his true nature had been well hidden!

Before Ariana could react, Jasper locked the door and dimmed the lights, closing in on her with each step.

Ariana backed up to the bedside, on high alert, but before she could defend herself, Jasper was upon her, pinning her to the bed and sliding his hand up her skirt.

"Jasper!" Ariana fought back, exclaiming, "Don't you remember I'm pregnant?"

Jasper paused, taken aback, then scoffed, "You just jogged my memory. The procedure might not work, but if you sleep with me tonight and you get pregnant, whose child will it be? If the baby is mine, that would be perfect. He could inherit the Anderson fortune as well."

"You're despicable!"

Ariana felt a mix of terror and disgust at Jasper's vile words, struggling even harder.

However, the strength difference between a man and a woman was too significant, and having just undergone surgery, she was too weak to resist.

Just as despair set in, Ariana noticed Jasper freeze, then quickly pull his hand back from beneath her skirt.

"Theo-Theodore..."

Jasper hastily got off her, his expression one of sheer terror as he looked behind Ariana, and he hurried out of the room.

Ariana was left in utter confusion. She turned her head quickly, but all was quiet behind her.

Tensely, she switched on the light and saw Theodore lying there, seemingly unconscious as ever, except that one of his hands had moved out from the blanket, likely during her scuffle with Jasper.

"Mr. Theodore Anderson?"

Ariana called out tentatively a few times, then gently placed Theodore's hand back under the blanket.

There was no response from Theodore, and Ariana let out a sigh of relief.

It appeared that Jasper's sudden retreat was sparked by a hallucination from his guilt and excessive alcohol consumption.

Regardless, it had driven him off and preserved her virginity for the moment.

After pondering her next steps, Ariana decided she would wait and watch for two days before acting.

It was late, and Ariana thought it best to get some rest and prepare for what was ahead.

The room had only one bed, clearly indicating the Anderson family's expectations for her to share it with Theodore.

However, after the night's events, Ariana was too scared to climb into the bed, so she settled down beside Theodore's bed to spend the night.

The following morning, Ariana woke up still beside the bed, right where she had fallen asleep.

So much had happened, and she hadn't even managed to cover Theodore properly, so she sleepily rubbed her eyes and prepared to dress him.

As she got up, however, her wrist was suddenly grabbed, and she trembled with fright, instinctively lowering her head to meet a pair of piercing eyes.

Theodore had woken up!