Mina Sherwood saw Evelyn Ross.

Her taut nerves finally relaxed.

She took a deep breath.

Without asking, she would never know the truth.

She turned to Marcus Valentine, her tone firm.

"I'm not sick. I'm pregnant."

The hallway fell into dead silence.

Speaking those words, the heavy stone in Mina's heart suddenly vanished.

Evelyn was right.

This child wasn't hers alone.

She gazed calmly at Marcus.

Marcus stood frozen in place.

His eyes dropped to her abdomen.

The indoor heating was strong. Mina only wore a fitted sweater.

Her waist was slender, showing no signs of pregnancy.

His gaze returned to her face.

The concern on his face faded, replaced by coldness.

After a long moment, he sneered.

"So?"

Mina was stunned, about to explain, when Marcus mocked her.

"You're not going to say this child is mine, are you?"

Her heart sank.

She knew her past actions had caused misunderstanding.

She had to clarify now.

"That night was my first time. Marcus, there's been no one else."

Her eyes burned with intensity, her tone serious.

Marcus's sneered grew colder.

"Mina, you think I'd believe that?"

Her jaw tightened.

"I'm telling the truth. This child—"

"Shut up!"

Marcus cut her off sharply.

Evelyn frowned and stepped forward.

Marcus was usually carefree but reliable.

Now his face was dark, radiating cold anger.

Evelyn shielded Mina.

"Marcus, what do you mean? You don't want to take responsibility?"

Marcus remained somewhat polite to Evelyn.

"It's not my seed. Why should I take responsibility?

Looking for a backup plan? Think I'm a fool?"

Mina's pupils contracted.

She stared at Marcus in disbelief.

Those angry words before, she thought explaining would clear the misunderstanding.

She never expected him to think of her this way.

In his eyes, was she really so despicable?

Her fists clenched, her whole body trembling.

Despair welled in her eyes.

She shouldn't have held any hope for Marcus.

But Evelyn sensed something wrong.

Marcus had rushed over urgently, clearly worried about Mina.

Why the sudden change in attitude?

She asked abruptly, "Why are you at a maternity hospital?"

Marcus's face turned grim.

He remained silent.

Evelyn pressed closer.

"Why are you so sure the child isn't yours?"

Marcus sneered.

"Because it's impossible for me to have children!"

Evelyn and Mina froze simultaneously.

Their eyes instinctively drifted downward.

Marcus turned away, annoyed and embarrassed.

"What are you looking at?

Whether I'm capable or not, shouldn't Mina know?"

Mina's cheeks flushed.

That night, he was certainly capable.

He nearly broke her.

Evelyn pressed further.

"Then why say it's impossible to have children?"

Marcus's face turned red.

He glanced at Mina and took a deep breath.

"You know I love horseback riding."

Evelyn nodded.

Marcus coughed.

"I rode too much. It damaged... the foundation.

The doctor said my sperm survival rate is extremely low."

Evelyn understood.

Marcus functioned normally but had oligospermia.

No wonder he, a grown man, was at a maternity hospital.

She asked directly, "Low survival rate doesn't mean zero.

Did the doctor say you absolutely cannot have children?"

Marcus sneered.

"Of course not."

If there was no hope at all, why would he keep seeking treatment?

Marcus was twenty-eight.

He remained unmarried, and his family didn't pressure him, because of this.

He took it in stride.

In families like theirs, having children wasn't essential.

His third uncle had no children and lived just fine.

Wait, no.

Third uncle had children. Two of them.

Marcus suddenly felt irritated.

He looked at Mina,讥讽道.

"Don't try to pin this on me!

I know you're desperate to marry.

Find the real father. Don't stick to me!"

He felt inexplicably annoyed.

Hearing from Alexander that Mina was unwell, he worried.

He feared his roughness that night caused lasting harm.

He rushed over to see her.

And now Mina wanted him to be the convenient father?

All his good impressions of her were wasted.

Mina's face turned pale as paper.

"But you're the only man I've ever been with.

The child is really yours.

Even with low probability, it's possible, isn't it?"

Marcus mocked her.

"Right.

Maybe one pregnancy out of a hundred tries.

And it happened on the first try?

Then I must be really something!"

His words dripped with distrust and sarcasm.

Mina trembled with anger.

She stared at Marcus, her eyes reddening.

Words failed her.

Evelyn frowned.

"Marcus, if that's the case, you should be more careful.

Your child is a one percent chance.

If Mina gives up this child, you lose one chance to be a father!"

Marcus sneered.

"Trying to scare me?

I'm so scared!

Mina, I never thought you were this kind of person!

If you really believe it's mine, then get a DNA test!"

Mina shook with rage.

"Fine! We'll do the test! Don't you regret it!"