Forced to Marry an Infertile Billionaire, Yet I Got Pregnant

The atmosphere turned icy.

Carys pressed a hand against her racing heart and cautiously shifted where she sat.

"Y... you're awake?"

The man's eyes remained open, but he neither moved nor made a sound.

Tentatively, Carys reached out and covered his eyes with her hand. His eyelashes brushed lightly against her palm.

Evren slowly closed his eyes.

She immediately rolled off him and sat at the bedside, drenched in cold sweat. Then she used her sleeve to carefully wipe away every trace of lipstick from his face before guiltily pulling the blanket up to cover him completely.

He still did not wake up.

Only then did Carys convince herself that she must have imagined it.

And that sound she heard earlier was probably just a hallucination from exhaustion.

She sat beside the bed for a long time.

The night deepened.

In the second half of the night, she covered her mouth and yawned repeatedly before eventually falling asleep.

That night, she once again dreamed of the chaotic events from many years ago.

She turned over in her sleep, completely missing the moment when the man opened his eyes again.

By morning, the room was bright.

Carys was awakened by a burst of commotion. She blinked groggily.

India stood beside the bed holding a basin.

"Young Madam, please help the Young Master wash up and wipe down his body."

"I have to do it?"

"Of course."

"Then who was doing it before? He's been unconscious for a month."

"The caregiver, naturally. But no outsider can compare to his own wife."

Her tone left no room for discussion.

Still dressed in her bright red wedding attire, Carys pursed her lips helplessly and accepted the towel from India. After wringing out the water, she gently wiped the man's handsome face.

His eyes remained closed.

Not even his eyelashes moved.

So last night's incident really had been an illusion.

Unable to ignore his striking features, Carys's cheeks turned bright red.

Standing beside her, India supervised as she carefully wiped his brows, eyes, lips, neck, and chest.

Inch by inch.

The towel passed over every part of him, her fingertips brushing along as well.

"The Young Master likes cleanliness. Make sure you do a thorough job. Afterward, you'll need to massage his entire body to prevent muscle atrophy. Taking care of him requires attention to detail."

India's sharp gaze made it impossible for Carys to cut corners.

She could only remind herself that Evren was simply another patient.

Just like those she had treated before.

Once she thought of it that way, her movements became much more professional.

India nodded in approval.

Holding his wrist, Carys carefully spread apart his fingers and wiped them one by one. Evren's hands were pale and elegant, with long fingers and distinct knuckles.

They were beautiful.

"Hm?"

The pulse beneath her fingertips beat with surprising strength.

Carys let out a puzzled sound.

"What's wrong?" India asked.

Carys shook her head.

India calmly glanced at her.

"You and the Young Master are legally married now. I've been through this myself. Be a little more natural."

She wrung out another towel and handed it over.

"There's still the lower half."

The lower half?

The redness on Carys's face spread like a blazing sunset.

He's a patient.

Just a patient.

Gideon had once told her that a great physician treats illness with a calm mind and a pure heart, free from desire or distraction.

She had to view every patient as nothing more than wood and stone.

Taking a deep breath, she exhaled slowly.

Clutching the towel, she cautiously slid her hand beneath the blanket and moved downward from the man's abdomen. Even through the thin fabric, she could feel the contours of firm muscle.

Dazed, she found herself thinking that this man's appearance and physique were truly exceptional.

Perfect for practicing acupuncture.

Suddenly—

A cool hand grabbed her wrist.

A faint but firm male voice sounded beside her ear, carrying a trace of annoyance.

"No need... no need... to wash below."

Crash!

The basin slipped from India's hands and crashed to the floor.

After standing frozen for a moment, she screamed and ran out of the room.

"Madam! The Young Master is awake!"

Evren...

Awake?

Carys's heartbeat sped up.

She stood and turned toward the man on the bed.

Those obsidian-like eyes held both coldness and embarrassment as they stared directly at her.

Still clutching the towel, her voice grew weaker.

"I... I was only following India's instructions and helping you wash up."

"Last night."

Evren's voice was hoarse.

His gaze remained cold.

Word by word, he accused her.

"You secretly kissed me. Many times."

Carys froze.

At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to find a wall and bang her head against it.

...

Chaotic footsteps echoed through the corridor.

The entire villa erupted into activity.

Soon, the bedroom was crowded with doctors in white coats, and everyone else was pushed outside.

Carys let out a slow breath and stood in a corner, staring at the closed bedroom door.

At last.

She no longer had to face Evren alone.

"Madam has arrived."

"Madam."

The crowd in the hallway parted.

A graceful woman dressed in a simple qipao approached.

She looked at Carys.

This was Evren's biological mother, Jane Arledge, the Second Madam of the Arledge Family.

Instinctively, Carys straightened her back.

She felt nervous.

"You're wonderful."

Jane grabbed her hands and said repeatedly,

"Evren waking up is entirely thanks to you."

Who would have thought desperate measures could actually work?

Removing the luxurious diamond bracelet from her wrist, Jane slipped it onto Carys's arm.

"Madam, this is far too valuable!"

"Enough, no more refusing."

Jane patted her hand.

"Consider it a gift from me."

Carys pressed her dry lips together and forced out a smile.

"Mrs. Arledge, I'm not really from the Norwood Family..."

"I know."

Jane's expression remained calm.

"Malcolm Norwood sent over a stepdaughter because he thinks our branch of the family has fallen from power. But a starving camel is still bigger than a horse. Evren still controls several major projects. He'll have his chance to rise again."

She paused before continuing.

"Regardless, from today onward, you are the only daughter-in-law I acknowledge."

Jane studied her beautiful face and found her increasingly pleasing.

"Our Evren will need your care. You're someone blessed with good fortune, so let him share some of that luck. His younger sister has gone to church to pray, and his father is busy cleaning up the mess. We'll have a proper family meal another day."

Seeing the sincerity in Jane's eyes, Carys felt her own eyes grow moist.

So not every mother in the world was selfish.

Back in the countryside, people called her a jinx.

A bringer of bad luck.

A lone star doomed to bring misfortune.

Her father had died, and her mother had run away with a wealthy man.

This was the first time anyone had ever called her fortunate.

Click.

The master bedroom door suddenly opened.

The lead doctor removed his stethoscope and mask.

"Evren's bodily functions are gradually recovering, and there appears to be no neurological damage. However, there are multiple areas of blood stagnation within the bone marrow of both legs, and he has no sensation whatsoever. Surgery would be extremely risky."

"Then there's no way to treat him?"

Jane asked in disbelief.

The doctor shook his head.

"His legs are permanently disabled. It will also affect his fertility."

His words were brutally direct.

"I'm sorry. Unless..."

He adjusted his glasses.

"Unless you can find Dr. Gideon Mercerrow. He has successfully treated similar cases before. But he's retired and disappeared years ago. No one knows where he is. The chances are extremely slim."

Mrs. Arledge's face fell.

Who in the world could possibly find the legendary physician Cheng Han?

A trace of confusion flashed through Carys's eyes.

But Evren's legs clearly...

She hesitated, wondering whether she should say something.

Just then, the phone hidden inside her inner pocket began to vibrate.