What Cannot Be Consoled

In their four years of marriage, Ethan Sterling had always refused to visit any romantic couple destinations with his wife, Pearl Whitmore. He said she was shallow and just chasing trends. However, when his first love came back from overseas, he could not wait to take her up the legendary mountain where it was said couples who climbed it successfully would grow old together. Pearl divorced him and moved abroad. However, Ethan followed her to the new country, sobbing as he searched for her in the ruins... Chapter 1 "I want a divorce." In the fourth year of her marriage, Pearl Whitmore decided to end it. However, the lawyer across from her seemed to think she was wasting his time. He raised an eyebrow. "Young lady, divorce isn't a one-person decision." Pearl understood why the lawyer was not taking her seriously. She had come straight from teaching at the school, still in her hoodie and jeans. She did not look like someone filing for divorce. However, she had prepared thoroughly before coming. She said methodically, "I just need you to draft a professional divorce agreement. I'll get my husband to sign it." She and Ethan Sterling had no children, and she wanted none of the assets. The agreement was simple enough to fit on two pages. When she got home and opened the door, a pungent smell hit her nose. Pearl looked over. Vivian Shaw and Ethan were eating takeout, with half a slice of blue cheese sitting on the dining table. They were talking about something, laughing so hard that they were practically leaning into each other. When Ethan noticed Pearl standing in the doorway, he immediately straightened up and asked in a measured tone, "Pearl, I didn't know you were coming back. I only ordered two portions. What do you want to eat? I'll order something for you." "No need. I already ate at the school." Pearl glanced at the food and lowered her eyes. For years, she had never dared eat anything with a strong smell, all because Ethan had rhinitis. He said he hated it when there were weird odors at home. Pearl pulled out the divorce agreement from her bag. She handed Ethan a pen. "The school has a liability waiver that requires a family member's signature. Could you sign it for me?" Pearl was an orphan, and Ethan was her husband, making him her only family. "Let me take a look." Ethan frowned slightly and reached for the document. Pearl had not expected him to actually want to read it carefully. He had never paid much attention to her affairs. Ever since Vivian returned to the country a month ago after her divorce, he had been even less attentive. Pearl's fingers tightened around the divorce agreement, and her body went rigid. She did not know whether she should let him see it right now. "Ethan, what's gotten into you?" Vivian's red lips parted, and she teasingly swatted Ethan. "Why are you being so rigid with Pearl? You look like you're about to bite someone's head off. You're scaring poor Pearl." "Am I?" The furrow in Ethan's brows instantly smoothed. His eyes crinkled with a smile as he took the document from Pearl. With a flourish, he signed his elegant name where she pointed. Pearl felt relief wash through her, followed immediately by a flash of self-mockery. Ethan was only cautious and formal around her. When Vivian was by his side, his vigilance disappeared, and he became completely relaxed. If he had just looked a little closer, he would have realized this was not a liability waiver but a divorce agreement. Nevertheless, he was too busy responding to Vivian's teasing. "Deep down, I still see Pearl as a little sister. Gotta keep up the big brother act." Only as a sister? Pearl's movements froze. She thought about how he used to pin her beneath him every night, panting as he pulled her into his chest. That was not what he had said then. Pearl's parents died when she was young. After Oliver Sterling learned about her family situation, he often invited her to his home for dinner under the pretense of having her help organize research materials. Through these visits, Pearl came to know Oliver's son, Ethan. Oliver was a clinical medicine giant, but his only son had not followed him into medicine. Instead, Ethan had founded his own gaming studio in college. Even before he turned 30, he had become a regular fixture in financial magazines as one of the new elites. With his superior looks and the halo of wealth, he was the dream boyfriend of countless young women. Pearl was no exception. After a few encounters with Ethan, her heart started racing whenever she saw him. However, she knew their statuses were worlds apart. She kept her admiration buried in her heart. Even when sitting at the same table with Ethan for meals, she never dared look at him openly. Four years ago, when Oliver and his wife, Yolanda Brooks, went on a business trip together, they asked Pearl to go to their house to mail a document for them. That night, Pearl had just sent out the envelope and was about to leave when a completely drunk Ethan stumbled in from outside and collapsed into her arms. Ethan had gone at her forcefully. Pearl half resisted, half yielded. The two of them eventually made their way to the bed, where Ethan roughly left a bite mark on her shoulder. His voice, thick with alcohol, carried a hint of resentment. "You know perfectly well that I like you!" Pearl only learned later that Vivian had a shotgun wedding with a foreigner that very day. Before that, she did not even know about Vivian's existence. When Ethan had approached her, Pearl had been overjoyed, thinking her secret crush was finally reciprocated. In the darkness, she gave herself completely to him, body and soul. The next day, Yolanda came home and discovered their reckless behavior. She made Ethan promise on the spot to take responsibility. Hence, they registered their marriage. Over the past four years, the couple spent little time together because Ethan was busy with work and Pearl lived on campus. When Ethan acted cold toward her, she always assumed it was just his natural personality. She willingly gave everything, never expecting anything in return. A month ago, she used her scholarship money to book a high-end restaurant to celebrate their fourth wedding anniversary, which was also her 24th birthday. She had booked Ethan's time with him half a month in advance, even repeatedly confirming it with his secretary. Ethan had also promised her that he would definitely be there. However, that evening, she waited until the restaurant closed. Ethan's phone remained unreachable. After being asked to leave by the staff, she saw the news on her phone about a sudden car accident nearby. Her heart immediately clenched with worry. Within two hours, she ran to every hospital in the area but found no trace of Ethan. Finally, she managed to get through to Connor Ford on the phone. Connor was one of the few people close to Ethan who knew about their relationship. He sounded surprised. "Ethan didn't tell you? Vivian Shaw came back to the country today. He's at the hotel throwing a welcome party for her." Pearl had never heard Ethan mention Vivian's name. When she arrived at the hotel and saw for herself, she discovered that the only travel blogger Ethan followed, Vivi, was actually Vivian. When she reached the door to the private room, a large group of their old classmates was playing a drinking game. Amid the raucous cheering, Ethan swept Vivian up in a princess carry and downed a full glass of liquor in one gulp. Pearl had never seen Ethan so happy. She burst into the room, hoping Ethan would give her a reasonable explanation. However, when Ethan saw her, his face showed only embarrassment. He introduced her to everyone around them, saying, "She's my relative's younger sister." With that, Pearl finally understood. She had never been part of Ethan's life. At this moment, watching Ethan and Vivian naturally swap food from each other's plates, Pearl quietly tightened her grip on the divorce agreement in her hand. Once the mandatory cooling-off period ended, she would get the divorce certificate and leave Ethan, who had never truly been hers. Chapter 2 Vivian rented an apartment upstairs from Ethan and Pearl, and she came down to visit almost every day. Ethan, who used to work overtime constantly and rarely came home, suddenly seemed to have all the time in the world. He would wait at home every day. After dinner, they would watch TV in the living room. This time, Vivian invited Pearl to join them. "I haven't finished my thesis yet. You two go ahead and watch." After Pearl replied, she returned to the bedroom. Vivian's cheerful laughter drifted in from outside. "Pearl's such a good student—not like me. Back then, I was always making you help me with my homework, Ethan." Pearl stayed busy with her laptop until 11:00 pm. She did not notice Ethan shuffling in wearing slippers. He reached for the document folder on the desk, and Pearl's heart lurched. She tried to stop him, but it was too late. The signed divorce agreement was inside. "What's this?" Ethan frowned as he pulled out a sheet of paper from the folder and tossed it on the desk. "You're applying to go to Arcanum for aid work?" Pearl looked closely. The application form for the school's Arcanum aid program was on top. "That's not mine. I printed it for my roommate. She doesn't have a printer in the dorm." Pearl's expression did not change, and Ethan believed her. He then lost interest in her folder. Pearl breathed a sigh of relief. She did not want Ethan to know about the divorce yet. This marriage had been built on her one-sided wishful thinking from the start. Hence, she wanted to leave this marriage with dignity and composure. "I heard the Arcanum aid program requires spending three years in the poorest parts of Arcanum. It's pretty tough." Ethan's long fingers tapped the table intermittently as he said slowly, "You don't need to join in on that. My dad's old connections are enough to get you a good job at a hospital in the capital." His words sounded caring, but Pearl smiled bitterly inside. She was first in her major every year. During her time in graduate school, she had published over a dozen papers. With her own abilities, she could easily stay in the capital and pick any position she wanted. She had no need for connections. Ethan did not even know these things. In their past four years together, he had never tried to understand her. In contrast, Pearl even knew Ethan's favorite air conditioning temperature. When they slept, she would lower the temperature in advance, only to end up shivering and sneezing in the middle of the night. Today, she refused to force herself anymore. Sure enough, as soon as they lay down, Ethan tossed and turned. "Why is it so hot today?" "It's not hot. I'm cold," Pearl said this flatly, then turned over with her back to Ethan and pulled most of the blanket toward herself. She thought Ethan would adjust the temperature himself. Unexpectedly, Ethan's long arm reached out and pulled her close from behind. His warm breath brushed against Pearl's neck, carrying a hint of desire. Ethan worked out regularly. With one forceful pull, he flipped Pearl around into his embrace, and overwhelming kisses rained down on her. Pearl struggled, but it was useless. Ethan was always dominant in bed, completely unlike his usual refined and calm demeanor. She frowned and turned her head. She looked at the digital clock on the nightstand. It was Friday today. Over the past four years, they spent every Friday night like this. Before, she thought it was because they had not seen each other all week, which was why Ethan was so insatiable. Then, a few nights ago, she was unable to sleep and kept scrolling through Vivian's social media account. That was when she discovered that Vivian would post new videos every Friday. Vivian was a travel blogger. Every video showed her traveling around the world with her foreign husband. Aside from scenery shots, nearly every frame was of them showing off their relationship. The thought that Ethan had only spent all those intimate nights with her because of Vivian's posts made Pearl feel sick. She dry heaved, and Ethan's movements finally stopped. "What's wrong?" Ethan turned on the wall lamp. The dim yellow light illuminated his chiseled profile. "I'm not feeling well today... Ugh..." Pearl had only meant to stop Ethan from continuing, but her stomach churned violently, as if her insides wanted to come out. "Let me take you to the hospital. Could you be..." "No!" Pearl knew what Ethan was suggesting, but they always used protection. It was impossible. "Let's go to the hospital anyway. Whether you are or not, you look pretty miserable right now." As he spoke, Ethan had already gotten dressed and picked up his car keys from the nightstand. He was about to help Pearl up when his phone rang. Ethan glanced at the caller ID and immediately answered. Whatever the person on the other end said made Ethan frown slightly before he let out a helpless laugh. After ending the call, he turned to Pearl. "Vivian's watching a horror movie alone, and she's terrified..." Under the lamplight, Ethan's expression showed hesitation. Pearl understood what he wanted to say. "Go keep her company. I'm fine." As she spoke, Ethan's phone rang again. The urgent ringtone seemed to press him forward. He glanced at it and quickly stood up. After walking a few steps toward the door, he seemed to suddenly remember something. His face showed a trace of guilt. "I'll take you to the hospital when I get back." Watching the door close, Pearl smiled bitterly. When he got back? That was the most useless phrase. She did not like waiting. The nausea made it impossible to sleep. Pearl simply sat up and pulled out the Arcanum aid program application form from the document folder. She had been hesitant about going abroad. However, given the circumstances, she would inevitably run into Ethan after the divorce if she stayed in the capital after graduation. It was better to go abroad and gain some experience for a few years. When she reached the marital status section of the form, she decisively wrote down 'single'. Chapter 3 Ethan did not come home all night. Early the next morning, Pearl saw a new post on Vivian's social media account. "Going through a rough patch, but lucky to have someone willing to say 'let's go' and join me for a spontaneous midnight hike up Fishtail Mountain!" Though the photo was primarily a selfie of Vivian, the tall male figure in the background was unmistakably Ethan. Her followers in the comments were already gossiping. "Free-spirited girls really are irresistible. The line of guys chasing Vivian probably stretches across the ocean." "I knew Vivian wouldn't stay down after that cheating scumbag ex-husband. What an inspiration!" "The mystery man in the background looks so tall. When are you going to show us his face?" Pearl laughed softly. If these fans knew this 'mystery man' was married, what would they think? Vivian had also left a comment. "Does anyone know the legend about Fishtail Mountain?" According to legends, couples who climbed to the summit together would be soulmates for life. When Fishtail Mountain went viral online last year, Pearl had wanted Ethan to go with her. She had begged him several times, but Ethan had only replied with a straight face, "Pearl, I thought you weren't the type to blindly follow trends?" She had been speechless at the time and had to give up. It was the same activity. However, when she proposed it, he said she had no mind of her own. When Vivian did it, she was carefree and independent. That was the difference between love and indifference. Pearl simply could not understand men. How could desire still function without love? To avoid a repeat of last night, she decided to pack up her belongings and take everything with her. She would not return here until she had the divorce certificate in hand. Pearl lived on campus most of the time anyway. She had very few things here. All her clothes fit in a single suitcase. Finally, she opened the nightstand drawer and took out a thick album of instant photos. Every single photo was of Ethan, but each one was a candid shot of his profile. It was because Ethan never cooperated when she wanted to take photos, much less pose for her. Unlike the photo Vivian posted, where even though Ethan only showed his back, you could tell he had deliberately angled himself for the shot. When she left, Pearl took the album downstairs and threw it in the trash. It was worth less than trash now. As graduation approached, Pearl became so busy she barely had time to breathe. For two straight weeks, she hardly thought about Ethan at all. After her Friday group meeting ended, Pearl looked at the missed calls from Ethan on her phone, somewhat confused. In the last four years, no matter what happened, she had always been the one to contact Ethan first. Sometimes, she even had to make appointments through his secretary. "Phone calls are the most inefficient form of communication. It's a waste of time." Remembering what Ethan had told her before, she deleted the notifications, intending to ignore his calls. Unexpectedly, Ethan called several more times in succession. Then, text messages followed. "My dad wants us to visit him together." Ever since Yolanda passed away two years ago, Oliver had never recovered. His health deteriorated almost overnight. He resigned from all his positions and voluntarily moved into a care facility. Before, Pearl used to organize visits every ten days or so. Since last month's upheaval, she really had not been to see him in a long time. Pearl felt a pang of guilt. Even though she and Ethan could not remain husband and wife, both Oliver and Yolanda had genuinely cared for her. While she was still in the capital, she really should visit Oliver more. Ethan drove to pick her up. As soon as they met, he asked, "Why haven't you been coming home lately?" "Busy with school." "That's good. Vivian thought you were angry that she and I were getting too close." Ethan lightly tapped the steering wheel. "I told her you're not that petty, but she didn't believe me. She says she's moving out next month to avoid any awkwardness." "Tell her there's no need. I don't mind at all." Pearl's voice was languid. Ethan frowned slightly. This was exactly the answer he had wanted, but hearing Pearl say it so casually made him feel something was off. At the red light, he wanted to look at Pearl's expression more carefully. However, she had already fallen asleep in the passenger seat. Chapter 4 After more than a month of not seeing him, Oliver looked much older. His hands trembled as he opened a box and pulled out an emerald bracelet, pressing it into Pearl's hand. "Pearl, this was Yolanda's. It's the Sterling family's heirloom meant to be passed down to daughters-in-law. She passed so suddenly that she never had the chance to give it to you. Today, I'm putting it on you myself, in case I pass away one of these days too..." "Oliver, please don't talk like that." Seeing her once vigorous mentor now frail and elderly, Pearl's eyes grew moist. However, she knew clearly that she and Ethan were about to divorce. She could not accept this heirloom meant for a Sterling daughter-in-law. However, Oliver insisted on slipping it around her wrist. He continued, "You were still in school before, and you and Ethan didn't have a proper wedding. Now that you're graduating soon, you should make time for a ceremony. That was Yolanda's dying wish." Neither Pearl nor Ethan responded. Oliver went on about the wedding for quite a while, then pulled out two tickets and handed them to Ethan. "These are from Peter for you two. His son is directing this musical. It's happening tonight." "Peter?" Ethan frowned. Oliver immediately smiled. "Pearl knows him. He's my friend at the care facility. Last time Pearl visited, she happened to run into Peter, who collapsed on the roadside after having a heart attack." Oliver looked at Pearl with pride. "Thanks to Pearl's quick emergency care, Peter survived. He's always remembered Pearl since then. He even said he wants to attend your wedding ceremony and congratulate you both." "That happened? Why didn't you tell me?" Ethan looked at Pearl. He had known nothing about it. Pearl did not expose him in front of Oliver. After she saved that man, she sent Ethan several voice messages. He had not replied to any of them at the time. Now, she understood. He had never bothered to listen to her voice messages at all. After leaving the care facility, Pearl wanted to take a cab straight back to school. However, Ethan waved the tickets in his hand. "Someone went out of their way to save these for you. It would be rude not to go." Thinking of Oliver and Peter's thoughtfulness, Pearl took the ticket and decided to go. On the way, Ethan said he needed to swing by home to get his work phone. Pearl thought to herself that when he had spontaneously gone up that mountain with Vivian, his work phone had rung all night in the study, yet he had been fine with that. When he was with her, however, work suddenly became so important. With that thought, Pearl took off the bracelet from her wrist. The things that did not belong to her should be returned to their rightful owner sooner rather than later. She had just removed the bracelet when she looked up and saw Vivian stepping out of the elevator. "Ethan! No wonder you weren't home when I went looking for you. Where were you?" Vivian completely ignored Pearl and bounced over to Ethan like a rabbit. Pearl consciously took a step back. "You were looking for me? What for?" "To get you to join the competition, of course! Look, I already got the bikes ready for you..." Only then did Pearl notice there were three bicycles in the elevator along with a lady with blonde hair. Pearl recognized the lady as an influencer named Joy Walker who had appeared in Vivian's videos before. Joy greeted them cheerfully, then teased Vivian with a knowing look, "So, this is the mystery man from your photo! He really is gorgeous!" Her gaze landed on Pearl standing behind them, puzzled. "And who's this?" Both Vivian and Ethan looked embarrassed. Pearl simply pointed at Ethan. "I'm his sister." Chapter 5 Ethan and Vivian said nothing, tacitly confirming it. Ethan cleared his throat, steering the conversation back. He asked Vivian, "What competition?" Vivian stuck out her tongue. "A night cycling race around the lake. I signed you up. You're not mad, are you?" Ethan fell silent again, his gaze shifting to Pearl. Pearl shrugged. "You two go ahead. I need to get back to school to work on my thesis anyway." Joy, unable to read the dynamics between them, extended a friendly invitation to Pearl. "You should come along too!" "Pearl probably wouldn't enjoy something as tomboyish as cycling." Before Pearl could respond, Vivian had already declined for her. Ethan chimed in, "Right. Pearl's kind of timid and not really athletic." Pearl did not argue. She thought about how she had been captain of the kickboxing club for three years and was unbeatable in her entire department. If her junior club members heard what Ethan just said, they would probably be furious enough to clock him on the spot. She did not want to waste more time arguing. She pulled out the bracelet she had removed earlier and handed it to Ethan. "This..." She wanted to remind Ethan to keep it safe, but Joy saw the bracelet and immediately snatched it up with gleaming eyes. "Oh my God! What a flawless piece of emerald!" She looked at Vivian enviously. "You mentioned a few days ago that you wanted to find a quality bracelet, and your Mr. Sterling got you this! Why don't I have such thoughtful old classmates..." Vivian lowered her head somewhat shyly. Joy continued to egg them on, saying, "Vivian, put it on and let's see! I've never seen an emerald of this quality before! It must be worth at least several hundred thousand dollars..." Under Vivian's expectant gaze, Ethan hesitantly took the bracelet and handed it to Vivian. However, he kept watching Pearl's expression the entire time. When Pearl saw Vivian slip on the bracelet, she breathed a long sigh of relief. This Sterling family heirloom had been a hot potato in her hands. It would end up with Vivian sooner or later anyway. It was better to hand it over now and be done with it. "You guys have fun. I'm getting a cab." Pearl walked into the elevator without looking back. Behind her, Ethan, who had always been the one she watched, found himself watching her retreating figure for the first time. Ethan stared as the elevator doors slowly closed. Seeing Pearl leave so decisively stirred an indescribable feeling in his chest. Afterward, Pearl went to see the musical alone. The tragic story made her cry through most of it. On the cab ride back to school, she saw Vivian's latest social media post. The bracelet was on Vivian's wrist, and her caption read, "Wearing emerald while cycling around the lake. Living my best life!" In the photo, Ethan's shadow clung closely to hers. Pearl then quietly opened Vivian's profile, unfollowed her, and muted her posts. When Vivian first burst into her life, Pearl had combed through every post on her feed. Now, however, she no longer cared. For the past few years, she had merely been a spectator in Ethan's life. She had laughed and cried, but now, the show was over. It was time to extract herself from this tragedy. As the departure date for the Arcanum project drew closer, several of Pearl's close classmates took leave to go home, saying they wanted to spend a few more days with their families. Pearl, who stayed at school, took on all the team's logistics work. She ran around preparing supplies and stayed busy for several more days. Ten days before departure, she needed to stock up on medicine from the pharmacy. When she saw pregnancy tests on the shelf, she grabbed one on impulse. She had been nauseous and vomiting every day lately, and her period was late. What she feared most came true. When she saw the two lines on the pregnancy test, Pearl nearly cursed out loud. She forced herself to calm down. Pregnancy tests could give false positives. She immediately made an appointment online and went straight to the obstetrics department for a blood test first thing the next morning. An hour later, she was clutching a report that read 'two months pregnant'. She stood in the hospital lobby, feeling her head buzz. Two months. That would be right before Vivian returned to the country, the last time she and Ethan had slept together. What terrible timing! In just a few days, she would have her divorce certificate and be on her way to Arcanum. Pearl could not help but pull up Ethan's number. No matter how strong she was, she was still just a 24-year-old graduate student. After hesitating for a moment, she tapped the dial button. The next second, a phone rang not far from where she stood. Pearl followed the sound. Ethan, in his trench coat, stood with Vivian, who had perfect, smooth skin and red lips. They looked like the perfect match. Hearing the ringtone, Ethan frowned and pulled out his phone. Pearl quickly ended the call before it was answered and ducked into the shadows. Chapter 6 "...The fetus isn't very stable right now, so the mother-to-be can't engage in any strenuous activities. Also, regarding intimacy, you should avoid it for these two months..." Seeing Ethan and Vivian walk into the examination room she had just exited, Pearl held back her tears and tried to leave. As she passed the doorway, she overheard the doctor's instructions to them. "Okay. Thank you, doctor. I'll make sure she's careful," Ethan responded in a gentle voice. Even without looking, Pearl could easily imagine him protectively hovering over Vivian. Pearl quickened her pace but collided with someone in the corridor. Ethan, who was coming out of the examination room, spotted her anyway. "Pearl?" Ethan frowned and called out to her. "What are you doing at the hospital?" "I... My stomach was hurting, so I came for a checkup." Pearl clutched the pregnancy test results in her hand. "Stomach pain?" Vivian emerged from behind Ethan and spoke in a rather intimate tone. "I heard from Ethan that you skip meals all the time. That's probably why you have this problem now." Pearl only nodded without responding. When she noticed Pearl's gaze fall on the ultrasound report in Vivian's hand, Ethan's expression grew flustered. He quickly spoke up, "Pearl, don't misunderstand. I'm not..." "Ethan!" Vivian tugged on Ethan's sleeve in a coquettish manner. Ethan stopped talking, though his expression remained conflicted. Not wanting to continue this awkward situation, Pearl made up an excuse and left. Behind her, Ethan wanted to reach out and grab her hand, but Vivian pulled at him with a pleading look on her face. "Ethan, you promised you'd keep this secret for me for now!" He immediately stopped himself from chasing after Pearl. … Pearl walked out of the hospital alone. She did not have a single relative in this world. After wandering the streets for a long while, she eventually found herself at the entrance to the care facility. Oliver was delighted to see her and kept trying to get her to eat. His mind was already a bit muddled, yet he still remembered to ask about Pearl's job search after graduation, saying he would make arrangements for her. Pearl declined. In the end, she still did not tell him about the pregnancy. Even so, being there gave her a reason to keep the child. She desperately needed a relative, someone who shared her blood… Someone who would be on her side. However, if she was going to have this baby, she most likely could not go to Arcanum. Pearl looked at the team leader's number on her phone. As she debated whether to call, a message from Ethan popped up. [Pearl, are you free tomorrow evening? I made a reservation at Cloud Restaurant. There's something I need to tell you.] That restaurant was the one Pearl had booked for their anniversary, the day he had left her waiting. Recalling that painful memory, Pearl felt like it was a lifetime ago. She typed in the chat box: [Okay. I'll be there on time.] Perfect. She needed to confess to Ethan about the divorce anyway. She had already consulted a lawyer. If she wanted to have the baby without telling Ethan, she could not hide the divorce from him. Otherwise, Ethan might use it as grounds to fight her for custody later. … "Didn't you want to come to this restaurant before? Today, we're making up for it." After parking across from the restaurant, Ethan spoke with a hint of guilt. As he finished speaking, he reached out and clasped Pearl's hand in his. Pearl stiffened. This was the first time in four years that Ethan had voluntarily held her hand. She was not used to it and instinctively tried to pull away. Just then, Ethan's phone chimed. He let go of her hand to check his phone. Whatever he saw made his handsome brows furrow immediately. Right there in the middle of the street, he stopped and frantically opened a livestreaming app. Pearl looked over. On the screen, Vivian was livestreaming herself about to slit her wrists. "Watch out!" A car came speeding around the corner. Ethan, whose attention was on his phone, stood frozen in place. Pearl forcefully yanked him backward. Her own body got clipped by the speeding vehicle, and she fell to the ground. "Pearl!" Ethan finally snapped back to reality. He glanced at Pearl on the ground, then at the live stream on his phone... After only a moment's hesitation, he brushed off his sleeves. "Pearl, Vivian's situation is urgent. I need to go to her first!" At that moment, Pearl lay on the roadside. Amid the bustling cars and crowds, she watched Ethan leave in a panic. She tried hard to get up, but a sharp pain shot through her lower body. She looked down. Bright red blood had already soaked through her pants. Chapter 7 "The patient is miscarrying with severe hemorrhaging. She needs a blood transfusion immediately." "There's no type A blood left in the blood bank!" "If we don't do a transfusion soon, the patient will be in critical condition!" Pearl had lost too much blood. Her consciousness was already fading. She could only feel her body being moved around, with fragments of emergency care instructions reaching her ears. "Take mine! I'm type A." A clear, bright voice broke through to Pearl's ears. She used all her strength to open her eyes and saw the owner of the voice. The face looked familiar, but she could not recall the name at that moment. She remembered now... Pearl wanted to thank the person, but she lost all her strength and passed out. When she woke again, it was already the next day. Pearl stared at the IV drip for a long while before gradually regaining awareness of her body temperature. She could clearly feel that something inside her had been hollowed out. Two nurses came in to swap out her IV bag. They had not noticed Pearl was awake and were chatting cheerfully. "Did you know? All the VIP wards upstairs have been booked by Mr. Sterling." "I heard about that ages ago. The woman's a travel blogger. She's pretty, but I heard she's divorced." "So what? Mr. Sterling is clearly crazy about her. She threw a fit and livestreamed a suicide attempt. The broadcast hadn't even run for ten minutes, and she had only made a tiny cut on her wrist when Mr. Sterling came rushing over." "So, that viral video going around online is of Mr. Sterling?" "Exactly... He burst into the scene and swept her right into his arms. They're both gorgeous. It was like something out of a TV show." The nurse lowered her voice. "Here's some inside information—the woman's already pregnant." The other nurse gasped. "No wonder I saw Mr. Sterling this morning carrying up more than a dozen different breakfast options for her to choose from..." Pearl's hand moved to her own abdomen. The heartbeat there was gone. The baby must have known, just like her, that their biological father did not want them. That was why the baby left. "Hey, why are you crying?" The nurse finally noticed that Pearl was awake. She wiped the tears from Pearl's eyes and consoled her, saying, "Don't be sad. You're still young. The most important thing right now is to rest and recover. Should I contact your family for you?" Pearl slowly shook her head and asked, "What about the person who donated blood for me yesterday?" "Him? He's an intern at our hospital. Yesterday, he insisted on donating 800 milliliters of blood to save you. He'll probably be resting at home the next few days." The other nurse chimed in, "I've never seen anyone so determined to save a life. What a reckless kid! When you're discharged, you should definitely send him a thank-you card." Pearl was not discharged until nine days later. During those days, she kept hearing about the legendary love story between Ethan and Vivian from various people. She tried her best not to leave her ward during her hospital stay to avoid running into Ethan. However, she still had to handle the discharge paperwork herself. "Pearl Whitmore!" "Coming..." As soon as she heard her name called, Pearl hurried to the front desk to pay. In the corridor, Ethan, who was waiting for the elevator with Vivian, seemed momentarily dazed. "I think I just heard Pearl's name." "How could that be..." Vivian patted his shoulder. "This is a hospital. Pearl's in school. Why would she be admitted here?" "That's true," Ethan said, stepping into the elevator. The moment the elevator doors closed, Pearl finished paying and came out carrying a bag of medicine. Seeing that the elevator had just gone up, she did not want to wait and turned toward the stairwell instead. The lawyer was waiting for her downstairs with her newly issued divorce certificate. Pearl only took the copy that was hers. She transferred a small amount for courier fees to the lawyer via mobile payment. "Please courier the other copy to him for me." Her and Ethan's child was gone. Now that they were officially divorced, they no longer had anything to do with each other. Pearl only felt relieved. The team leader of the Arcanum aid project had approved letting Pearl stay in the country to recover before joining them, but Pearl refused. "I'm young. My health is great. I can't hold the team back." However, on the day of their departure, her teammates still took care of her thoughtfully, carrying all her luggage and even paying extra to get her priority boarding. "These are the local SIM cards. We'll use these numbers to contact each other once the plane lands." The team leader handed Pearl a SIM card and was about to remind her that she could keep both cards, but Pearl had already thrown her old SIM card in the trash. "Aren't you going to stay in touch with your friends and family back home?" Pearl shook her head and looked back at the floor-to-ceiling window that overlooked the capital city. She and Ethan would never see each other again in this lifetime.