Love's Redemption

Redmption 5

My hand was grabbed so tightly it hurt. It was clear Chris was angry.

Was he jealous?

As soon as the thought crossed my mind, Chris let go of my hand. His gaze was cold when he warned, "Madeline, is this how you're taking revenge on me just because of one thing I said?"

I was a bit stunned. I didn't expect him to think that way.

"I didn't, I—"

Before I could finish explaining, I was interrupted.

"Where did you touch him? Did you really touch him there?" Chris' jaw was tense, and his eyes were filled with a fierce light as if he wanted to devour someone.

Such a reaction from him was rare; he was jealous after all.

In an instant, a lot of the unhappiness in my heart dissipated.

It seemed he still cared about me. If he only saw me as a sister or a friend, he wouldn't care if I touched another man.

"No," I denied it again.

As soon as I finished speaking, Yerick came out from inside and whistled at me. "Hooligan, why are you seducing my brother-in-law this time?"

It was true that a filthy mouth could never utter decent words.

Seeing the way Yerick looked at me with that annoying expression, I couldn't help but wonder if we had unresolved karma from a past lifetime.

As I watched Yerick walking toward me, especially seeing Jewel's fake innocent look, I thought of the scene where she touched Chris. I reached out and took Chris' arm.

However, I could feel his muscles stiffen.

"You're talking nonsense again." Jewel pinched Yerick as she came over.

She had an apologetic look on her face when she stood in front of Chris and me. "Madeline, I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault." Chris looked at Yerick. "No one will save you next time if you cause trouble again."

"Hmph." Yerick glared at Chris defiantly. "Who do you think you are? What gives you the right to say that? I'll listen to you if you become my new brother-in-law."

"Yerick!" Jewel scolded him and hit him again.

Yerick dodged her punch. "He likes you, Jewel. Why else would he spend all his time with you to take care of you day and night?"

My grip on Chris' hand tightened. He was hardly ever home these days, and he often left the office for most of the day without notice. So, he was spending all that time with the woman in front of me.

She was his best friend's wife. It was understandable for him to take care of her after his friend died in a car accident.

But did he need to take care of her every day? To the point where others might misunderstand his feelings?

"What are you talking about?" Jewel's face flushed, and she hit Yerick harder.

The 17-year-old boy, rebellious as he was, instinctively raised his hand when hit, causing Jewel to stagger and fall to one side.

I felt myself being pushed. I stumbled a few steps and almost fell.

When I regained my balance, I saw that Chris had already run to Jewel's side, kneeling on one knee and holding her. "Jewel, are you okay? Where does it hurt?"

"M-My stomach hurts, Chris." Jewel's voice was weak and pitiful as she clutched Chris' arm tightly.

"Don't be scared. I'll take you to the hospital. Don't be scared." Chris' voice was trembling with panic.

I stood there like a block of wood. I had seen Chris in countless situations before, but I had never seen him this anxious and flustered.

And it was all for another woman.

Chris carried Jewel into the car and shouted at me, "Madeline, you drive!"

I was still frozen in the same spot.

"Hurry up! If anything happens to my sister, you'll be sorry!" Yerick came over and angrily pulled at me.

I didn't know what came over me, but the moment he touched me, I raised my hand and slapped him hard.

"Don't touch me," I said coldly.

Five clear finger marks appeared on Yerick's fair face instantly. The two people in the car were stunned, and Yerick was even more so.

He probably didn't expect me to slap him, but after a brief moment, he became angry and tried to hit me back. "You bitch—"

"Yerick!" Chris snapped. "If you touch her, I'll make sure that you'll go back inside."

His threat worked as Yerick retracted his hand and glared angrily at me and Chris before stomping away.

"Yerick!" Jewel called after him, but then she clutched her stomach in pain. "It hurts, Chris. Take me to the hospital."

"Madeline!" Chris called out to me again.

Seeing Jewel in such pain, I didn't have time to think or feel anything else. I quickly got into the car and drove straight to the hospital.

When we saw the doctor, Chris urgently explained, "Doctor, she's pregnant and just fell. Her belly is hurting a lot."

Pregnant?

My steps felt like they were filled with lead, making it hard to move. My heart sank.

Jewel's husband was dead; how could Jewel be pregnant?

My gaze fell on Chris' face, which was filled with panic. Was he so anxious because...

After Jewel was taken into the emergency room, Chris and I waited outside. I wasn't close to Jewel, so I didn't feel particularly anxious.

However, Chris was distressed. I watched him for a while, but he kept his eyes on the emergency room door, seemingly forgetting that I, his fiancée, was even there.

A bitter feeling rose within me, and I swallowed several times before finally speaking.

"Is it… your child?" I asked directly as I didn't want to jump to conclusions.

When Chris turned around, there was a flash of shock in his eyes followed by a deeper, more serious look. "What are you talking about? Of course not. It's Ian's."

I let out a sigh of relief.

Ian Goodwin was Jewel's husband and Chris' close friend for many years. He passed away in a car accident a month ago. The car had been completely destroyed, and Ian had lost his life.

"I'm taking care of Jewel at Ian's request," Chris explained to me.

I recalled Chris' appearance when he returned home after handling the aftermath of Ian's accident. With disheveled hair and a beard covering his chin, he looked like someone who had escaped from the mountains.

Their brotherly bond was deep. Now that Ian was gone, it was only natural for Chris to take care of Ian's widow.

At that moment, I felt a pang of guilt for my earlier thoughts.

I gently reached out and grabbed Chris' arm, explaining tonight's events. "I didn't touch that kid; he deliberately put the blame on me."

Chris looked at me, and his lips moved. After a moment, he reached out and pinched my cheek. "No more drinking from now on."

I was about to say I only had a little to drink when the door to the emergency room swung open.

A doctor came out and approached Chris right away. "Family member of the pregnant patient, please sign here."

Chris glanced at me but still took the doctor's pen. Before signing, he asked, "Doctor, how is she now?"

"Your wife has signs of miscarriage. We need to try to prevent it, but there's a chance it might not succeed, hence the need for your signature," the doctor explained.

"Doctor, please do everything you can to save the child," Chris urged.

"Of course. Please sign quickly."

Prompted by the doctor, Chris signed his name in the family member section of Jewel's medical records.

I knew signing a piece of paper didn't change anything. Still, I never expected my fiancé to become someone else's family member before becoming my family.