Chapter 361
Anastasiaâs joyous smile was a sight Herman couldnât bear to tarnish with the harshness of reality.
Herman sat down beside the bed. His hand was resting gently on Anastasiaâs belly. The thought of a tiny life growing inside her softened his heart.
Neither of them had ever anticipated such a surprise.
Anastasia even considered about IVF, never expecting that their child was already growing inside her. She held Hermanâs hand. Her voice was soft. âWhy do you look unhappy? Whatâs wrong?â Sheâd noticed the change in Hermanâs mood.
âN-no, Iâm happy.â Herman managed to squeeze out a smile. âYouâre going to be a mom.â
Anastasia glanced at his face. Her voice was even softer. âDonât lie to me. Youâre worried about something. Did the doctor say my body isnât suitable for carrying a baby? Did he give you a choice, to keep the baby orâ¦?â
Anastasia knew her own body well. Todayâs signs of a potential miscarriage only heightened the difficulty of a safe pregnancy.
Suddenly, Herman pulled Anastasia into a tight hug. His voice was hoarse. âAnastasia, whether we have a child or not doesnât matter. All I want is you.â
He had made his decision.
Anastasia couldnât blame him for his decision. She knew it must have been a painful one, a struggle for him. She wrapped her arms around Hermanâs waist. Her voice was tender. âHoney, our baby chose us to be his parents. Letâs not give up on him. Letâs try our best to ensure heâs born safely. Iâll follow the doctorâs orders. Iâll do everything to keep this baby. Letâs not give up on him just yet. Can we just try?â
The pleading in her voice was unmistakable. She was begging him to hold onto their child.
Tears welled up in Hermanâs eyes. He couldnât bear the thought of Anastasia suffering. He didnât have the courage to let her risk her life. But he also couldnât deny her plea.
He knew how much Anastasia longed for this child. So did he.
This was his first child. Maybe his only child. What kind of father could willingly give up his own flesh and blood?
He was torn. Anastasia lifted her face to look at him. Her hands were cupping his face. âSmile, honey. Weâre going to be parents. This is a joyous occasion. Our baby can sense our emotions. If he senses weâre not welcoming him, heâll be upset. Weâve been able to save him this time. It means heâs meant to be with us. Trust me. Iâll be fine.â
âOh baby,â Herman reached out to wipe away her tears. His gaze was softening as he looked at her belly. âAlright.â
As he agreed, Anastasiaâs face lit up with a smile.
He understood her meaning. Even if it meant risking her own life, she was willing to carry their child. If Anastasia disagreed, he couldnât force her to end the pregnancy. That would break her heart.
âLay down and rest for a bit. Iâll call mom and ask her to pick up Pattie. Youâll need to stay in the hospital for observation. Donât worry about anything. Leave it all to me, Herman reassured her. âWe need to ensure proper nutrition, but not overdo it. We have to control the babyâs weight.â
Anastasia smiled. âAlright, Iâll listen to you.â
As Herman left the room to make a call, he saw Grannie Anita approaching. Upon seeing Herman, she asked, âWhatâs wrong with that woman? Is she faking it? Iâve always said sheâs cunning, not as pure-hearted as Julie. She canât even give birth to a child.â
Hermanâs face darkened at Grannie Anitaâs words. âGrandma, I expect you to respect Anastasia. Sheâs pregnant and weak, so she canât handle stress. If you want to see your great-grandchild, watch your words.â
âAnastasia is pregnant?â Grannie Anita was incredulous. âBut I heard sheâs infertile. Are you two trying to deceive me, Herman?â