37 The Hospital

Michael felt his adrenaline kick in. He grabbed Rachel and ran outside to his driver.

"Get us to the hospital, now!" Michael shouted.

He gathered her in his lap and held her to himself. She was out cold. No response. His heart slammed in his chest. She had to be alright. He couldn't live without her.

They arrived right in the doorway of the hospital and he ran in with her. He didn't stop to register but ran directly back to the triage units. Several nurses shouted at him but he ignored them.

He jerked the curtain of a room open. A doctor stocking supplies looked up in surprise.

"Hurry! You have to help her! Please!" Michael shouted.

The doctor motioned for him to place her on the bed. Michael told him what had happened. The doctor called for a nurse and they took her away for testing.

It seemed like hours had passed when finally he was instructed to sign paperwork for Rachel to be admitted. He immediately arranged a VIP room for her and went there directly.

Not long after he arrived in the room, Rachel was pushed in on a bed, a drip in her arm. The doctor followed.

"What's wrong with her?" Michael asked, holding back tears.

"She's sleeping now. We are giving her fluids and nausea medication. She is dehydrated and malnourished, but that can happen with Hyperemesis gravadarim." The doctor explained.

"Is that was she has?" Michael asked in fear.

"Yes, I'm absolutely positive." The doctor confirmed.

"Is it treatable? Will she recover?" Michael panicked.

"Oh, she'll be fine in about seven months." The doctor said.

"Why so long?" Michael asked.

"She May recover sooner, but the only sure way to cure it is for her to deliver the baby." The doctor explained patiently.

"The—The what?" Michael said in shock.

"Are you her husband?" The doctor asked in uncertainty.

"Fiancé." Michael said.

"Then congratulations. Miss Gu is right at eight weeks pregnant. Her condition is caused by her pregnancy. You'll need to be vigilant that she eats and drinks enough. However, her condition causes severe nausea and vomiting. That's why she's so weak and fainted today. She needs rest and nourishment. It's important to manage her symptoms to keep her and the baby healthy." The doctor patiently explained.

"I'm going to be a father! Rachel is having a baby!" Michael was shock. He sat down in a chair by her bed with a dazed smile. "A baby!" He whispered in wonder.

—————————

Rachel slowly opened her eyes and looked around. The room was unfamiliar. Where was she? The last thing she remembered was arriving at the restaurant and seeing—oh no. The image of Michael and the woman laughing.

"You're awake!" A man's deep voice said, holding emotion. It sounded just like...

Michael's face appeared before her suddenly.

"Oh my Love. My sweet Rachel." He whispered.

"Where am I? Why am I here?" Rachel's voice was dry and cracked.

He held a cup of water to her lips.

"Drink slowly." He said softly, ignoring her questions until she drank her fill.

"You're in the hospital because you fainted from dehydration and malnutrition. You have Hyperemesis gravadarim." Michael explained.

"What's that?" She asked.

"It's a complication some pregnant women have." He said softly.

"What?!" Her eyes widened.

"You're pregnant with our child." He said, as if it were something holy and amazing.

"No. Oh, no, I can't be!" She cried.

"You are. Eight weeks." He insisted.

"Oh! What will I do now?!" She cried to herself.

He cradled her face in his strong hands and tilted her head to face him.

"You're going to marry me and I'm going to take care of you every day. I'm going to make sure you're healthy for this pregnancy. Then we'll raise our baby together!" Michael told her.

"Ah. Is that so? But what will your new woman think?" Rachel asked bitterly.

"New woman? You're my woman, no one else." Michael insisted.

"Don't lie to me Michael. You don't have to hide it. I broke up with you. It's not like you cheated." Rachel said.

"Sweetheart, what are you talking about?" He asked.

"I saw you on a date tonight." Rachel told him.

Suddenly Michael laughed. And laughed and laughed.

"Care to share the joke?" Rachel wasn't amused.

"You silly woman! I wasn't on a date. It was a business dinner. She and her husband are planning to invest in my new company!" Michael was fighting his laughter. Rachel looked embarrassed.

"Were you jealous?" He grinned.

"Yes. But it isn't my place so it doesn't matter." Rachel said dully.

"Oh Love, you are the only one qualified to be jealous. You are my woman. And you will be my wife and the mother of our child." He smoothed her hair behind her ear.

"I won't marry just for the baby's sake." She insisted.

"You better marry for my sake, because I can't live without you. I love you. That won't change." He confessed.

"But the scandal. Your mom will tell it." Rachel insisted.

"Maybe. But that's what a good PR manager is for." Michael said with a smile.

Suddenly Rachel was tired of resisting him. She missed him so much.

"Oh Michael, will you forgive me?" She asked.

"There's nothing to forgive. You have always acted with me in mind." He said.

"But I hurt you." She said.

"You were hurt because of my family." He countered. He pulled her engagement ring out of his pocket and slid it on her finger.

"I dare you to take it off again." His voice, low and sexy, rumbled. Then he kissed her deeply. She opened her lips to welcome his tongue and melted. When they broke apart they were both gasping for breath.

"You are going to marry me." He commanded her.

"Yes, yes I will." She whispered.

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