Too Burdensome
"What about the baby?"
Camille was lost in her thoughts about the information she had gained after analyzing the previous owner's memories when she heard this question coming from the side.
Therefore, she glanced in the direction of her brother who had just spoken, looking at him with a layer of confusion forming over her eyes.
By taking a look at his face, she could tell that he no longer treated her side of the story as a fictional episode she made up.
She was right in assuming so because he now believed that she was speaking the truth and thus had moved to another crucial question that would decide the fate of the young lady seated before him.
Regardless of how difficult it was for him to accept that his baby sister had someone she liked and did not hesitate to spend the night with him, he could not ignore what the truth was.
Therefore, he had given up his stubborn rejection of this matter and was now trying to find more answers.
Thus when he saw the muddled look on her face, he knew that he needed to be direct with his words.
At the same time, he was worried that she might be affected by what he was about to say so he held her hand and gently caressed it to ease some of the tension built up within her.
Camille blushed when she saw his careful actions because no one had treated her so gently before.
'Having an elder brother isn't all that bad.' She remarked in a playful tone.
"You are still too young and taking care of this child might be burdensome for you." The brother's words filled with concern worked wonders in dissipating that playful mood entirely.
However, not noticing this shift in her demeanor, he continued what he wished to state before her.
"I spoke to the doctors, it isn't too late for you. You can still…" He muttered in hopes of getting his message through to her.
If his first sentence wasn't too shocking then his second surely made her flinch.
Since he was still holding her hand, he could sense as it trembled for a second which succeeded in halting what he wished to say next.
However, he displayed no signs of taking back the words he had uttered and instead, silently observed what her response would be.
He knew that he was being cruel by asking her to give up on the unborn child but everything he had just said was exactly what he believed in.
She was just twenty-three this year and had a long life ahead of her.
They now lived in modern times so it did not matter whether the girl was a virgin or not before her marriage.
However, having children before marriage was most definitely a matter of concern.
She was still too young so even after this debacle, she could go ahead and marry some guy in the future with whom she might have a happy life later on.
Though that would be unlikely to happen if she already had a child with someone else.
Not to mention that her reputation would also take a hit if she gave birth when there was no man to come forward and take responsibility for them.
Keeping these perfectly logical reasons in mind, he was worried for her sake and did not want her to go ahead with this pregnancy.
His sincere intentions were placed before her and now it was her turn to decide what she wished to do with it.
When Camille finally comprehended what her elder brother wanted from her, a startled look appeared on her face.
She had thought that he would be anxious and furious for her sake but never had she guessed that he would ask this of her.
Therefore, her flabbergasted expression was evident to the man who had been observing her all along.
In the next second, she pulled her hand out of his grasp and for the first time this evening, narrowed her eyes and glared at her elder brother for even thinking of such a thing.
"If Elder brother thinks my child is too burdensome then I can raise it alone." She announced without another second's delay while also continuing to glare at him.
A rare look of astonishment and surprise formed on the older man's face but he did not have the time to defend himself.
"I already stay in my apartment so you can just ignore me and my child from now." She added in a firm tone, displaying her resolute nature when it came to this matter.
Ever since she had woken up in this body and received the memories belonging to it, not once had she thought of getting rid of the child.
She was an orphan in her previous life so she knew what it felt like to be unwanted.
Those who gave birth to her had discarded her without caring for her feelings.
Therefore, she never wanted anyone else to feel the same way she had in the past.
This sentiment of hers coincided with what the original owner of this body desired as she too wished to keep the child as it belonged to the one whom she liked the most.
Though the original Camille was surprised and worried when she first heard the news of her pregnancy, not once had the thought of aborting the child come to her mind.
After the initial fear and anxiety faded, she had done her best to care for the child and never thought of it to be a bad thing.
She admitted that her reputation might be stained if she gave birth before marriage but she neither cared nor gave importance to such matters.
To her, this child was the remembrance of the love she had for that man.
Since she never could stand by his side due to her lacking nature, she would be satisfied by having this child by her side.
She would give all of her love to it and never let anything wrong happen to it.
These were the sincere feelings of the original owner of this body which were so strong that even Camille felt the same protectiveness towards the child though she had no feelings for its father.
The unborn child was innocent so she found no reason to agree with what her brother had stated as valid excuses to get rid of it.
Hence, she had made her stance known to him and was even willing to stay away from him and their family if keeping the baby meant going against them.
The elder brother who was left speechless for a few moments now could not believe the fierce glare that he had just been awarded.
His baby sister, Chansey, was always the meek and kind young girl who obeyed him at all times.
Therefore, facing this new side of her left him stunned, not knowing how to react to what she had just announced without much thought.
However, when he saw the stubborn glint in her eyes which proved that she wouldn't hesitate to cut all ties with him, he finally felt fear creeping into his heart.
'Will she really leave us for the child?' He wondered and it appeared that the correct answer was already right before him.