He Chose His Ex Over Me, So I Left With His Child

"The blood test results won't be ready until tomorrow, Mrs. Grant. You should go home and rest."

In the examination room, the doctor told Aria Hall.

Aria had been feeling nauseous lately, so she decided to come to the hospital for a checkup.

She was about to say something when her phone rang.

"Where are you?" Arthur Grant's voice came through the phone. "We're short-handed for the company anniversary party. Come over."

Aria hesitated for a moment, wanting to say she wasn't feeling well.

But then she heard cheering on Arthur's end, as if they were celebrating something.

"Everyone's working overtime to set up. You shouldn't miss it." Arthur hung up right after saying that.

Aria gripped her medical record, her fingertips turning cold.

She knew Arthur never attended these employee events. Why was he so invested today?

But she still went.

For the past three years, she had carefully played the role of Mrs. Grant, never daring to slack off.

When Aria arrived, several young girls from the administrative department were covering their mouths and giggling.

"See, I told you she'd come."

"One phone call from Mr. Grant works better than anything."

"Too bad Mr. Grant only treats her as a wife in name only..."

Aria had long grown used to such gossip. She pretended not to hear and walked straight toward Arthur.

Arthur was on the phone by the floor-to-ceiling window.

He wore a dark gray suit, tall and broad-shouldered with chiseled features.

Seeing Aria approach, he raised his hand to signal her to wait.

Maybe Aria was reading too much into it, but from Arthur's serious expression, the person on the other end seemed very important to him.

Aria waited for a while, but Arthur showed no sign of ending the call.

So she could only go to the main hall to see if there was anywhere she could help.

As soon as she left, she heard two administrative staff behind her gossiping.

"Mr. Grant really cares about Sophie. Even the balloon colors have to match her preferences."

"Of course. I heard Sophie came back early, and Arthur personally came to the company to set up, just to surprise Sophie."

"Oh my god, I'm so jealous of Sophie."

Sophie Smith?

Aria's heart suddenly ached, her fingers unconsciously clenching.

So this party wasn't for the company, but to celebrate Arthur's ex-girlfriend's return from studying abroad three years ago.

"Aria, what are you doing here?"

A colleague walked over, a hint of teasing in their eyes.

"Arthur asked me to come."

As soon as Aria finished speaking, Arthur ended his call.

Seeing her, he said coolly, "We don't need you here anymore. You can go home."

Aria was confused, but Arthur's attitude was firm.

She could only comply. "Okay."

The gossip behind her became even clearer.

"Mr. Grant probably doesn't want Sophie to feel awkward seeing Aria when she comes to the company, right?"

"I heard that if her father hadn't helped the Grant family back then, Arthur would never have married her."

"Now that Sophie's back, her position as Mrs. Grant probably won't last."

Aria remained composed on the surface, but her heart felt like it was being stabbed, a dense, spreading pain.

Since their marriage, Arthur had always been cold toward her.

She thought that as long as she was obedient enough, Arthur would eventually like her.

But the news of his ex-girlfriend's return had made her a laughingstock again.

Walking out of the building, the weather had turned quite cool.

Aria wrapped her coat tighter around herself, and that nauseous feeling surged up again.

Just then, her phone rang. It was the hospital calling.

"Mrs. Grant, your blood test results came back early."

The doctor's voice carried joy. "Congratulations, you're pregnant. Eight weeks along. You need to rest well, especially during the first three months—be extra careful."

Aria couldn't hear the rest clearly.

Her head was buzzing, as if she were dreaming.

She was actually pregnant? With her and Arthur's child.

Aria instinctively covered her lower abdomen, tears welling up without her realizing it.

Was God playing a joke on her?

Sophie had just returned, and now she was pregnant.

But would Arthur accept this child?

On the way home, Aria's mood was anxious.

How should she tell Arthur this news?

She began imagining Arthur's reaction when he found out.

Would he be happy?

At eleven o'clock at night, Arthur finally came home.

The living room lights were off. He took off his coat and saw a figure curled up on the sofa.

Aria was huddled in the corner of the sofa, hands pressed tightly against her abdomen, forehead covered in cold sweat.

Arthur's heart tightened, and he quickly walked over. "Aria, what's wrong?"

Aria didn't respond, just trembled slightly from the pain.

"Where don't you feel well?"

Arthur crouched down, reaching to feel her forehead, and found it burning hot.

"I'm taking you to the hospital."

"No... no need."

Aria finally opened her eyes, her voice weak. "It's just a stomachache. There's medicine in the drawer..."

Arthur immediately went to search the medicine box, found the stomach medicine, and poured warm water.

He helped her sit up, watched her swallow the pills, his brow furrowed.

"Why did you go to the party if you weren't feeling well?"

His tone was unclear—whether it was reproach or concern. "Didn't I say there were enough people and you could leave early?!"

Aria closed her eyes, her face pale. "Didn't you want me to go?"

Arthur's brow tightened, his gaze shifting away from her. "As Mrs. Grant, you should indeed be present."

"To welcome Sophie, I as Mrs. Grant had to show up and perform being gracious?"

As soon as the words left her mouth, Aria regretted them.

She hadn't wanted to seem so petty, but she couldn't hold it in.

But she was pregnant now, and the child's father was organizing a welcome party for another woman.

How could she not care?

Arthur's expression darkened. "How did you find out about this?"

Aria smiled bitterly. "I shouldn't know, should I?"

The medicine began to take effect, and the pain eased somewhat.

Perhaps even Arthur felt guilty, as he placed his hand on her back, gently stroking.

"Alright, stop being upset."

He was rarely this gentle with her, and this rare tenderness left Aria somewhat dazed.

Because of the pregnancy, she had become especially fragile, even her voice sounding weak.

But in Arthur's eyes, it had a different kind of appeal.

"Arthur," she said softly, "actually today I..."

Before she could finish, Arthur's hand began sliding downward, from her shoulder to her back, finally stopping at her waist.

His breathing was close to her ear, mixed with a faint smell of alcohol.

"Does your stomach still hurt?" he asked in a low voice, his fingertips caressing her waist.

Aria's body stiffened.

The baby! She had a baby in her belly! The doctor had said to be especially careful in early pregnancy.

"No! We can't!" Aria pressed down on his hand.