?Chapter 681:

    She sensed every tangled feeling inside him. In ten days, she would need to give him the third injection, and there was a real chance he would lose all memory of their life together. Every day, he lived as if it might be hisst, pouring his heart into everything and trying to make up for past regrets.

    Watching his strength return should have filled her with happiness, but his sadness cast a shadow over any celebration.

    Cole wrapped his arms around her and pressed her face to his chest, hiding his tears. He truly lived each day as if it were hisst. If the next injection erased all memory of her, even if fate brought them back together, nothing could truly return to how it was.

    He might seem the same, but in his mind, he imagined his future self without any memory of her as apletely different person. Forgetting her terrified him, and the thought of her loving someone else was unbearable. Still, he continued the treatment to make her happy. It felt as if he was preparing to leave her behind, handing her over to someone else—someone living inside his own skin.

    His healing would bring relief and happiness to everyone around him, but he alone would feel cut off from it all.

    Tears slipped from his eyes, soaking into her hair as he remained silent, eyes tightly shut for a long moment. Eventually, he gathered himself and opened his eyes, making sure no trace of sorrow was visible to her.

    He shifted her gently, ced his broad palm over her stomach, and smiled softly. “Elliana, are you pregnant?”

    Just after he asked, Elliana suddenly doubled over, retching.

    Nausea twisting in her stomach, Elliana hurried into the bathroom and leaned over the sink, sshing cool water on her face.

    Behind her, Cole entered, eyes bright with worry and a flicker of hope.

    “Elliana, is it true? Are you really pregnant?”

    She shook her head. “No, I’m not.”

    Puzzlement clouded Cole’s expression. “If you’re not pregnant, then why are you throwing up?”

    Giving him a look equal parts amused and exasperated, Elliana replied, “Who says throwing up automatically means pregnancy? I went overboard on ice creamst night. My stomach hasn’t forgiven me yet.”

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    Cole tried to hide his disappointment. “Still, I think we should get a doctor’s opinion, just in case.”

    Elliana broke intoughter. “You haven’t forgotten I’m a doctor, right? Not just any doctor, but the famous Milena. I know my own body better than anyone else.”

    Cole stood there for a moment, speechless. Even though he wanted nothing more than for her to be expecting, he knew it simply wasn’t the case. These things took time and a bit of luck. Some couples waited years for good news, and he and Elliana had only just begun sharing a bed ten days ago. There was no way it could happen so fast.

    After a brief pause, Cole pushed aside his disappointment. “Elliana, if your stomach’s bothering you, how about you lie down for a bit?”

    The afternoon sun left Elliana feeling sleepy, so she took his advice and stretched out on the bed, drifting into sleep soon after.

    Sleep did note for Cole. Once Elliana’s breathing settled, he eased himself off the bed as quietly as possible.

    He had spent the day preparing to finally celebrate both her missed birthday and their wedding anniversary, wanting to make up for lost time.

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