22 Widespread (1)

Elaine took out a handkerchief from her pouch to remove the blood that was on Timothy's face. However, before she could even reach his face, a hand stopped her midway.

It was Timothy's.

Elaine who looked worried with moist eyes opened her eyes wide while looking at Timothy. She was petrified in her spot as all she could do was worry at the man in front of her. The man who is considered to be the father of her unborn child. She could only bit her lips as resentment filled her face. She took her hand away while not uttering a single sound.

Timothy saw her reaction. Now he felt he was bullying this woman who did nothing wrong. Although they were both drunk and he woke up at her place, he thought it was his fault that everything happened. Because of his drunken stupor, he was afraid that he had his way with her as she was also drunk herself.

There had been this awkwardness between them as he tried to avoid her, but at the moment he was in trouble, she was the only one who stood her ground trying to protect him. Timothy felt lost with what he was supposed to do. On one hand, he truly loved Anne and wanted to be with her. On the other, Elaine was pregnant and he had to be take up responsibility as a man.

He did not know how Elaine felt about him, but basing it on the last couple of days. He was sure that she was somewhat fine with the idea of him being the father of her child. The only problem was he was married. If it was just child support, then he was willing to support the child and even her to have a better life. However, if she decided that she must get married to him due to the baby, then it will be a difficult matter.

Anne was already furious with him just by the spreading news on the tabloids, what more if he told the truth. Timothy knew that it was one of Anne's inferiority complex, not being able to bear a child. He could not fathom what kind of reaction she will have once she knew that he got the woman in the photograph pregnant.

Timothy took a deep breath and looked at the woman in front of her with an apologetic look. He really does not know how he should deal with this. Now things are becoming complicated as Connor had shown himself. Especially with what he was asking off from him. He could still hear the last words Connor said, "If you can't take care of Anne, then don't you dare show your face to her ever again."

This made him realize that he was not really doing everything he could to help Anne, rather he was escaping from reality. He was avoiding the consequences that he needed to face.

Timothy sighed. It sounded like he wanted to dispel all the burdens in his heart, but he was unable to. He faced Elaine and said with the calmest voice he could muster. "We should talk about what arrangements we should have for the child…"

He paused for a bit before continuing.

"But not right now. This is not the place to talk. I'll go ahead to the infirmary. You should return." After Timothy said this, he slowly stood up using the walls as support as he limped away to the infirmary's direction.

He dragged his aching and bruised body. It took him every effort he could muster before taking the next step moving forward. He could only grit his teeth with the pain he was feeling. He could still taste the blood from the cut he received from the brutal punch to his face. He wanted to spit it out, but in the end, decided to swallow it as this place was nowhere appropriate to spit anything out. His brows were furrowed and sweat oozed out from every pore of his body. This was how much his body was trying to tell him that his body has reached the limit, he was exhausted.

Original novel by Chuchuwachuwa