Nathaniel Gallagher’s Adam’s apple moved sharply; he avoided Josephine Thompson’s probing gaze, "Henny... is still in the special sterile ward. The doctor said his immune system is very low, easily susceptible to bacterial and viral infections, so it’s not convenient for him to see people right now."
He lied effortlessly.
He didn’t want to deceive her.
But now, he wanted her to have the child. He could only lie, engaging in moral and emotional manipulation.
Josephine Thompson looked at his evasive eyes, her eyebrows slightly furrowed.
She felt sothing was amiss.
Nathaniel Gallagher was tight-lipped about Henny’s "condition," not even allowing her to see a single photo.
"So how exactly is he?"
She pursued, with a trace of undetectable caution in her tone, "Has his condition worsened?"
Nathaniel Gallagher furrowed his brow, "The doctors currently can only adopt conservative treatnt, using dication to prevent the condition from spreading."
"Once he improves, I’ll take you to see him imdiately, okay?"
He tried to soothe her with a gentle tone.
Josephine Thompson watched him warily, trying to discern any sche from his expression.
Unfortunately...
Nathaniel Gallagher’s deanor was full of grief, without a hint of a flaw,
"Nathaniel Gallagher, is there sothing else you’re hiding from ?"
Nathaniel Gallagher’s brows knitted tightly, "There you go again, why are you always so suspicious of ?"
"If you don’t believe , I’ll call the attending doctor here so you can ask him about Henny’s condition yourself."
"...That’ll do."
Nathaniel Gallagher showed no hesitation or panic, imdiately instructing the nurse to call the pediatric attending doctor over.
Anyway.
The doctor had already been bought off.
He would use the most professional pathological knowledge to convince her that Henny indeed had leukemia. And, currently, only the umbilical cord blood of the fetus she was carrying held hope for a cure.
...
A short while later.
The nurse had fetched the doctor.
Dr. Carter entered, carrying a large stack of test reports.
"President Gallagher, President Thompson!"
Josephine Thompson’s expression tensed, "Doctor, how is Henny’s current situation?"
Dr. Carter listened, instinctively glanced at Nathaniel Gallagher.
Nathaniel Gallagher’s expression was unreadable, rely nodding slightly at him.
Dr. Carter understood, imdiately handing the test report to Josephine Thompson, "President Thompson, please take a look, this is the young master’s examination report."
Josephine Thompson took the test report, her eyes scanning over the dical terms densely packed, her frown grew deeper.
Although not a doctor, she could understand the word "abnormal" marked next to key data.
"These indicators..."
She looked up at Dr. Carter, her voice carrying a faint, imperceptible tremor, "Is it really confird leukemia?"
Dr. Carter adjusted his glasses, displaying a professionally grave expression: "Yes, President Thompson. The young master has acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and it is high-risk."
"Currently, the effects of chemotherapy are not promising; his body is highly resistant to the drugs. Also, given his young age, chemotherapy is not recomnded."
He paused.
His gaze fell on Josephine Thompson’s abdon, his tone softened a bit: "We’ve compared genetic sequences and found that the compatibility rate of the umbilical cord blood of the fetus you’re carrying with the young master is extrely high. It’s currently the most hopeful treatnt option. Missing this opportunity, the young master’s condition will be very dangerous."
"..." Josephine Thompson’s heart skipped a beat, she subconsciously touched her abdon.
Even though Henny wasn’t genetically her child.
But the two children shared the sa father.
Naturally, the probability of a successful match was high.
Adding to that, the doctor’s words were coherent, the data detailed, and even the regret in his tone was just right, leaving no room for doubt.
She couldn’t help but believe it.
Josephine Thompson clutched the test report, a chill spreading through her heart.
She looked at Nathaniel Gallagher.
He was gazing at her with an ’I didn’t deceive you’ look, his eyes full of endless pleading and sorrow.
"Is the child okay now?" Josephine Thompson asked softly, her voice tinged with sadness and reluctance.
People are not plants; who can be emotionless?
Moreover, this was the child she’d carried for ten months and given birth to.
Even if it was not her genes, there was still deep maternal love in there.
Dr. Carter sighed: "Due to drug intervention, the condition’s spread has been temporarily controlled."
"However, the side effects of the drugs are significant. The young master has lost a lot of weight and can’t eat..."
Josephine Thompson heard this, her heart suddenly tightened, as if being pricked by sothing.
"Henny, my poor child."
Nathaniel Gallagher tily held her hand, his palm warm: "Josephine, I know it’s unfair for you to bear all this. But Henny is innocent, he’s only three years old..."
His voice was low and hoarse, filled with deep fatigue and pleading: "Once the child is born and saves Henny, you can do whatever you want. I promise, I will never entangle you."
Josephine Thompson pulled her hand back, placed the test report on the bedside table, and remained silent for a long ti.
The ward was so quiet you could hear the ticking of instrunts, Dr. Carter tactfully retreated.
Leaving only the two of them.
"I understand."
She finally spoke, her voice as calm as a still pond, "I will give birth to this child."
Hearing this, Nathaniel Gallagher’s eyes lit up instantly, as if he’d seen light in the dark: "Josephine, thank you, thank you for saving the lives of both children..."
"But I have conditions."
Josephine Thompson interrupted him, her eyes clear, "First, once the child is born, you must imdiately take Henny for treatnt, without any delay. Second, apart from the umbilical cord blood, I and the child will have no further relation with the Gallagher Family, including you, Nathaniel Gallagher, and you must never appear in our lives again."
"Third..."
She paused, her tone growing colder, "For those antiques you helped recover, I will pay you at market price. As for the remaining collection, I will handle it myself. I don’t need your interference."
The joy on Nathaniel Gallagher’s face froze for a mont.
But he knew that he couldn’t argue now.
"Alright, I agree to all your terms." He nodded with difficulty, his voice sowhat hoarse.
As long as she would give birth to the child, as long as she wouldn’t leave for now, he was willing to agree to everything.
As for later...
He had ways to make her change her mind.
Soon after.
Josephine Thompson took out an agreent from the bedside drawer.
"Since you agree, please sign here."
Nathaniel Gallagher looked at the neatly printed agreent, a fleeting hint of amusent in his eyes.
He didn’t expect she would have the agreent printed so quickly.
It seed like she really wanted to get rid of him.
Yet...
She should dream on.
She would never escape his Five Finger Mountain.
She belonged to him.
Do not move, do not take away.
"Uh~, what’s this?" he nonchalantly reached out to take it.
Josephine’s eyes were cold, without any warmth, "It’s clearly written above that after the child is born, the umbilical cord blood rights belong to Henny, and the child and I would have nothing to do with The Gallagher Family. You cannot visit for any reason, nor interfere with our lives."
The terms on the agreent were clear and concise.
Even details like "prohibiting Nathaniel Gallagher and his relatives from approaching Josephine Thompson’s residence within a three-kiloter radius" were clearly spelled out.
If the agreent was violated.
He would automatically forfeit custody and visitation rights of the two children. At the sa ti, he would need to pay exorbitant child support, ntal damage fees, and breach of contract penalties.
Nathaniel Gallagher’s Adam’s apple bobbed, "Heh~, such a high penalty, truly ruthless."
Josephine: "You can also choose not to sign."
Nathaniel: "Josephine, do we really need to reach this point?"
His voice carried a subtle probe, "After the child is born, it will still be my flesh and blood..."
"From the mont you decided to keep through deception, you should have known this day would co," Josephine interrupted him, her gaze unwavering, "You want the umbilical cord blood, I’ll give it to you. But don’t think you can use the child to tie down, Nathaniel Gallagher, I am not Eleanor. I won’t tolerate you without limits like she did."
ntioning Eleanor.
Nathaniel’s expression stiffened slightly.
He looked at the terms on the agreent that ntioned "voluntarily giving up child custody and visitation rights," his fingertips turning white from the grip.
"What if I don’t sign?"
Josephine smirked, with a hint of mockery in her smile, "You can choose not to sign. Then I’ll go find a doctor right now to terminate the pregnancy. After all, Henny’s condition..."
She paused, her gaze sweeping over the lab report, "You can always find another way, can’t you?"
Nathaniel looked at her with determination in her eyes, knowing she wasn’t joking.
He was silent for a few seconds.
Pretending to be extrely conflicted, he picked up a pen and signed his na with feigned reluctance.
Actually.
He was almost bursting into laughter inside.
Paying money?
That’s great, money is the least of his worries.
This is how easy it is to fool won.
He even found himself a bit detestable.
"Here you go, signed it, are you satisfied?"
Josephine took the agreent, carefully checking the signature.
After confirming it was correct.
She folded one copy and placed it in the bedside drawer, locking it. The other copy, she handed to the lawyer who had been waiting nearby.
She had expected Nathaniel to play tricks, so she specially invited a lawyer to witness the signing.
"Lawyer Linton, please keep it safe."
Lawyer Linton took the agreent, nodding solemnly, "Don’t worry, President Thompson, I will keep it in good hands."
Nathaniel looked at the setup, the amusent in his eyes deepening.
For him, as long as she was willing to have the child.
Nothing else mattered.
"You can leave now." Josephine issued the command to leave, her tone as cold as ice.
Nathaniel didn’t move, his gaze lingering on her slender back, his Adam’s apple bobbed, "Josephine, I know you’re still angry with . But for the sake of the child, can you..."
Josephine coldly interrupted him, "Don’t ntion the child to ."
"I don’t want to say another word to you now, nor do I want to see you. Please disappear from my sight imdiately."
"And before I give birth, please don’t disturb again."
"..." Nathaniel listened, feeling a pang of discomfort in his heart.
"Alright, I will continue to track down the antiques. Once the results are out, I’ll have soone inform you."
"You should be able to handle everything else on your own. If you can’t, feel free to co find ."
"However, I’m getting married to Eleanor next week, so I might be busy. Josephine, do you have anything else to say to ?"
Josephine’s chest tightened, coldly saying, "There’s nothing more to say, please leave!"
Nathaniel sighed, taking long strides forward, "...Josephine, I only have one last request, may I hug you one last ti?"
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