Chapter 35 – Second Chance Love of the Missing Groom Novel

Those words left Whitney’s smile stiffening. “What? Why?” “It’s a simple issue. I just want the child,” Diarmuid said flatly with the last ounce of his patience.

Whitney started to lose her composure right then. “Well, where are you taking me?”

“To the hospital,” Stan answered from the driver’s seat, and turned to glance at her for a moment. “You’ll give birth to that child, but you won’t be the mother.”

This time, Whitney was scared witless. “W-Why the hospital?”

“For a checkup, of course,” Stan replied. Whitney turned pale from terror. Her idea was for Diarmuid to do a DNA test of the cell samples she had given him to convince him that she was pregnant with his child. From there, he would take responsibility by divorcing Abigail and marrying her. And after they got married, she could just stage a scenario where she had a miscarriage. By that point, she would already be Diarmuid’s legitimate wife, and it would not be difficult for her to actually get pregnant with his child. But what was she supposed to do if he was checking her now? There would be no child in her belly!

“Diarmuid…”

“Do not call me that.” Diarmuid cut her short coldly, and he was certainly able to see her panicking. Even without the DNA test, he knew that if there was anyone pregnant with her child, it would be Whitney-she was the only woman he had.

By logic, he had no reason to doubt her… But he doubted her regardless! He simply could not believe that this woman was pregnant with his child! Therefore, he would consult a doctor he trusted and personally oversee the process to believe what she had said.

And judging from her reaction right now, there really was something fishy going on.

On the other hand, Whitney was so nervous that she was looking everywhere except at Diarmuid. Still, she tried to force an excuse, “I can’t… I have work to do.”

“That’s not up to you,” Diarmuid said, leaning further back into his seat, folding his legs as his expression turned colder. “And your reaction makes me wonder if you’re lying.”

If she really was up to deceit, she could not blame him for being merciless!

Whitney almost fainted right then.

Right now, she wanted the car to crash so much… and lose her ‘child’ right then! Amid her unease and desperation to find an escape, she noticed a sticky sensation between her legs. Someone up there might still be watching out for her-her period had just arrived! Clutching her belly, she groaned. “My stomach hurts…” At the same time, she acted as if she was going through a miscarriage, allowing blood to flow down her legs. Diarmuid frowned-could she really be pregnant? Could he have pressured her too much?

Although he hated her, he was not cruel enough to give up on his own child either. “Drive faster, Stan,” he growled.

Just as Stan floored the gas pedal, however, a white SUV streaked toward them at top speed from the opposite road, its engine thundering in its wake as it bounded through the crossroads ahead!

Stan was petrified, but he did not even have the time to dodge.

There was a dull crash, and what was left of the car was barely recognizable.

The white SUV was knocked backward, skidding over sixty feet away. Diarmuid’s car did not fare any better-the car was totaled, though the airbags deployed at the instant of the collision.

Stan was out unconscious and bleeding freely from the head. Diarmuid felt like his head was splitting, but managed to spot the person in the white SUV before fainting

When Diarmuid woke up, his nostrils were stung by the pungent scent of medicine. As he slowly sat up, his secretary came by to help. “Mr. Althoff.” Diarmuid waved her off.

“I’m fine,” he said, taking a moment to compose herself before asking, “How’s Stan?”

“He’s unconscious, but the doctor already operated on him, so his life isn’t in danger,” the secretary replied. “The doctor has also advised you to rest since you had a minor concussion. Why don’t you rest a little?”

Diarmuid remembered the blood on Whitney’s legs just then. Pursing his lips in silence for a while, he eventually ended up asking, “How’s Whitney Cox?”

“The doctor said that she had a miscarriage. She’s fine otherwise apart from minor lacerations. She woke up when I arrived-she’s in the next ward.”

Then, hesitating for a moment, the secretary asked, “Should I call for her?”

Diarmuid raised a hand to stop her.

He was feeling mixed emotions just then-despite his disgust toward Whitney, and his reluctance to let her be the mother of her child, he had never thought about giving up on his child.

Now, however, the child was gone, and he naturally felt a little sad as a father.

He must at least do something to get even, or he would have to live aggrieved.

“Are the cops involved?” he asked. “They are,” his secretary replied. “They haven’t found out who the driver was.”

Diarmuid remembered that it was a young man who was relatively unscathed. He clearly saw him climbing out of his car before running away, and he was most likely afraid, possibly because he should not be driving, “Start a search, and reach the culprit before the cops do,” he growled. “No killing, but make sure it’s a lesson to be remembered. Also, summon the doctor who operated on Whitney Cox. I want to meet them.” When he saw Whitney bleeding, he was basically convinced that she was pregnant with his child

And yet, her behavior just before that was exceedingly suspicious. That was why he wanted the absolute truth, for he would never allow anyone to mess with him on this matter!

“Understood, sir,” the secretary replied. Diarmuid closed his eyes. “Go.”

After the secretary closed the door behind her, Diarmuid kept sitting on the bed for a while, feeling mysteriously relieved that he did not have to maintain a messy relationship with Whitney because of their child.

Lying down, he closed his eyes to rest.

Abigail left the hospital early. Her instructor for the day was taking part in an academic conference and left earlier than she did, while giving her permission to end the day early. She was going to get a taxi after stepping out of the hospital when she spotted Diarmuid’s chauffeur driving up to her. “You never left?” she exclaimed in surprise.

“Mr. Althoff told me to drive you to and from work,” the chauffeur replied as he opened the door for her. “I will be around from now on.”

Abigail pursed her lips, unsure what Diarmuid was up to. Why mess around with other women when Whitney was pregnant with his child? Still, she got in and thanked the chauffeur.

After he closed the door for her and jogged to the driver’s seat, he asked, “Are we heading home, Mrs. Althoff?” Abigail hung her head when he said ‘home.’ Was that mansion really her home? Shaking her head, she said, “Take me to Althoff Manor.”

“Of course, Mrs. Althoff.”

They arrived at Althoff Manor after twenty minutes, but Henry Althoff was not home, and his butler Moneypenny had left with him.

Abigail had come to tell Henry about Whitney’s pregnancy. She was sure that if the old man knew that Diarmuid was a father now and had a woman he loved, she would be freed from their agreement.

That way, she was not breaking a promise. Still, Henry was not around, and she had to go home instead. Halfway through her journey, however, she asked the chauffeur to stop. “We’re not that far from the mansion now,” she said. “Go on ahead-I wanted to take a stroll alone.”

“But…”

“But what?” Abigail asked.

“But Mr. Althoff insisted that I drive you anywhere we go,” the chauffeur replied.” And we’re not home yet.”

Abigail chuckled. “You don’t have to go that far.”

Soon, the chauffeur stopped, and she alighted.

Alone, she strolled along the road. There were not many cars, since the area around the mansion district had always been quiet.

At the same time, she was stroking her own belly. She had certainly taken Zachary’s advice very seriously-she was still in her early pregnancy and could therefore keep it a secret, but she could not do the same in a few months.

The smart choice to do here was to divorce Diarmuid as soon as possible, since he had both a lover and a child now.

Abigail decided that she would be out online if she kept her place as Mrs. Althoff.

Nearby, the leaves on a tree were rustling from the touch of a slightly chill breeze. It was the early days of autumn, and the sun was much milder.

Tightening her clothes, she hurried along, having planned to cook dinner for Diarmuid tonight before asking for a divorce.

That was when a car suddenly screeched to a halt, blocking her path while several men quickly alighted. Without saying a word, one of them pulled a black sack over her head while another clasped a hand over her mouth, dragging her into the car before speeding off.

“Oof-” Abigail was immobile and completely under their control. There was no telling how long had passed when she was finally dragged out of the car. Although the black sack still kept her blind, no one was keeping her from talking. “Who are you people? Why did you kidnap me?” “CLOUD B, 778VQ-that’s your car, isn’t it?” “Yes,” Abigail replied. Her mother had spent all her savings to buy her that SUV when she got a job, saying that it was to make going to work convenient. She had always been driving it as well, but left it at Bernstein Mansion ever since she married Diarmuid.

“What’s the-”

Before she could finish her question, however, one of the men kicked her viciously, and she curled into herself while trembling in pain.

“What are you… Argh!” In no time at all, she was being hit in the back, her feet, and her hip. She was being clobbered, and she arched her back to shield her belly even as she groaned in pain! “Who are you people…?” She was trembling and sweating bullets, barely having the strength to speak. “Why are you doing this…?” “It’s your own fault for not keeping your eyes on the road and for running away after that car crash.”

Abigail was dumbstruck. “I haven’t driven that car in two months…”

“Don’t lie. We’ve checked-that SUV was registered under your name.”

A foot then launched toward her belly twice.

Abigail tried her best to shield her stomach, but she did not manage to protect her child. She could feel the dull pain in her belly already. “Don’t you know who you’ve hit? That was Mr. Althoff’s car! You must have a death

wish!”

Sweat as large as beads was trickling out from her forehead, and she felt no pain even though her nails were digging into her own skin. There was hate and despair in her eyes, even as she murmured through her pale lips, “You mean… Diarmuid Althoff?” “Who do you think you are, saying his name?!” Nonetheless, the man stopped when they saw her bleeding between her legs-their orders were to give the culprit a lesson to remember, and to cause no deaths.

With that, they left her in the middle of nowhere.

Abigail was unable to move as every inch of her body hurts terribly. It was with much difficulty that she finally reached her phone and called Zachary’s number. The call was soon answered, and she sobbed, “Save me… You have to save my children.” “Where are you?!” Zachary asked urgently. Abigail feebly pulled the black sack off her face and looked around it was a wasteland, so she had no idea. “Send me your location.” Abigail quickly did so, and as she waited for Zachary, she tried her best to keep herself stable, but she was already bleeding down her legs. Knowing that nothing could be done, she slowly closed her eyes, her tears trickling off her cheeks and falling to the dirt below.

When Zachary arrived, she found Abigail lying on the dirt and appeared in a bad shape. He scooped her up in his arms, striding forward while assuring her, “You’ll be fine. I’m going to save you.” “Can you save my children?” Abigail groaned hoarsely,

Zachary then noticed that her pants were dyed crimson.

He turned silent–nothing could be done now, because a miscarriage was almost assured.

Even so, he told her, “I’ll do whatever I can.”

Gently laying her in his car, he drove off at top speed.

Sheryl arrived at Bernstein Mansion.

She did not tell Abigail that she was getting discharged, because she wanted to resolve her own issues. After all, she had been a burden to her own daughter for too long, and she must not keep burdening her.

She has returned to the mansion to pick up her daughter’s belongings and to discuss a divorce with Lionel.

She had the keys to the mansion, but just as she was about to enter, she heard the cries of panic within.

---