The Illegitimate Flame: Bride of Ashes-Chapter 46- pregnant

"I never expected to run into you here. What, all alone? Seems like he doesn’t care about you that much after all!" Elvira’s sharp, piercing voice rang out behind Janet. Janet frowned, feeling a wave of irritation at the harsh tone.

Elvira held a glass of champagne in one hand, dressed in a striking white evening gown that screamed luxury. Against Janet’s simple, elegant presence, Elvira seemed almost vulgar.

Her eyes darted toward the radiant man in the hall from time to time, her expression tinged with excitement. Janet was just his secretary, wasn’t she? That’s what he said earlier.

"Instead of wasting your energy putting me down, maybe you should focus more on him! Whether he cares about me or not isn’t important. What really matters is—do you care about yourself?" Janet’s voice sharpened, no longer the meek woman who swallowed insults silently. From the moment she left the Louis family’s home, she swore she wouldn’t let them bully her again.

Janet’s fierce comeback caught Elvira off guard for a moment—then jealousy flashed in her eyes. She envied Janet’s beauty.

Janet turned to leave, wanting to escape Elvira’s presence. But Elvira’s narrowed eyes glinted with malice. Watching the shimmering pool nearby, as Janet passed her, Elvira suddenly kicked out in front of her.

Instinctively, Janet reached out to steady herself—but Elvira grabbed her shoulders and shoved her backward—

With a loud splash, Janet plunged into the pool, waves crashing everywhere. She caught the victorious smirk curling Elvira’s lips.

But before Elvira could fully savor her triumph, two loud thuds echoed. Before anyone could react, two tall figures leapt swiftly into the water, their hands reaching for the struggling woman...

Cold. Janet shivered, flailing on the water’s surface. Her legs felt tangled as if wrapped by vines—she couldn’t move. A chilling numbness spread from her feet all the way to her head.

Then, through the haze, she heard a familiar voice calling out—

"Janet..."

"Janet..."

The pool water wasn’t deep, but for Janet—who had some knowledge of swimming but no real experience—it was dangerous. Charles heard her painful murmurs and quickly swam over. His warm hand cupped her waist, gently guiding her toward the shore. The moment they reached land, others rushed over, but Charles didn’t release her. Holding her close, he lifted her onto his lap.

He watched as the rosy glow in her cheeks faded to a frightening pale. His heart clenched painfully.

"Janet, Janet, wake up..." Charles shook her cold body with urgency, pressing his hand against her chest, trying to squeeze the water from her lungs. But her eyes remained shut. Her translucent face was terrifyingly white.

A fear unlike any he had ever felt overwhelmed him. He cupped her face, calling her name again and again, ignoring the gathering crowd. Throwing caution aside, he pressed his lips to hers, performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Her icy lips nearly froze his heart.

"Janet, don’t scare me... please wake up..." His voice cracked with desperation.

Then, a sticky warmth oozed between his fingers as he gripped her slender waist. Looking down, Charles’s eyes widened in horror—bright red blood stained her white dress.

In that instant, a furious, earth-shattering rage surged through him, a desire to tear the world apart in his fury...

Elvira had only intended to give Janet a simple punishment—she never expected it to lead to bleeding. When she saw the wild, sinister look in Charles’s eyes, she stumbled backward in panic, her lips trembling.

"You’d better pray she’s alright, or I won’t let you off," Charles’s murderous gaze shot at the terrified Elvira like a sharp arrow piercing her heart. The single look sent chills coursing through her, making her shrink back desperately, trying to escape as far as possible.

"Janet, hold on!" Charles’s once black suit was soaked through, its color indistinguishable. Though known for his cold cruelty and having witnessed countless shocking scenes, seeing her bleeding uncontrollably made his hands tremble. Holding the only treasure in his world, he was terrified that if he let go, he would lose her forever.

Clutching Janet tightly to his chest, Charles’s formidable presence cleared a path through the crowd. He rushed out swiftly, while another striking figure remained in the pool—Manfred. With sharp, enchanting eyes, Manfred wiped water off his face carelessly and smiled faintly as he watched Charles disappear from sight.

From the moment Janet arrived, Manfred’s gaze hadn’t left her. The instant she was pushed into the pool, he clearly felt his heartbeat accelerate. For the second time in his life, a woman had reignited his long-dead heart.

Elvira, now sprawled on the ground in disgrace, stared fearfully at the darkly handsome man climbing out of the pool. Manfred narrowed his eyes, crouched before her, grabbed her smooth chin, then with a swift motion lifted her like a butterfly and flicked his arm, throwing her into the cool water behind him.

Water splashed everywhere, eliciting gasps from onlookers. Manfred’s narrow eyes gleamed with an eerie aura that sent shivers down the spine.

This man was as terrifying as Charles...

Charles had just carried Janet out of the venue when August, dressed in a white suit, was already waiting in his car. He gave Charles a knowing glance and then ordered, "Get in."

For the first time, Charles yielded before this man, but inside, his heart was restless. He knew this feeling came from the woman in his arms—she consumed too much of his energy, even clouding his thoughts. Without refusal, he carried Janet into the car.

August’s sleek black sedan roared off like a gale, racing toward the hospital at top speed.

Panting and tense, when the operating room lights finally went out, Charles’s trembling heart still couldn’t calm down. He had never been afraid of anything in his life—yet now, he was terrified she might not make it.

"How is she?" When he finally spoke, his voice was hoarse beyond belief, as if he had crossed countless mountains and deserts before finding a glimmer of hope, unable to suppress his anxiety.

The doctor in a white coat pulled off her mask, exhaled deeply, and professionally said, "She was brought in just in time. It looks like a threatened miscarriage, but her fetus is in the wrong position, so there’s still a risk of miscarriage. Has she experienced any trauma before this?"

Charles stared at the doctor’s moving lips, dumbfounded, repeating the words in disbelief—wrong fetal position, threatened miscarriage?

"She’s pregnant?" The coldness on Charles’s handsome face deepened, turning icy and forbidding.

"Don’t you know? She’s nearly seven weeks along. Her body caught a chill and she’s experiencing slight bleeding. To save this child, she must stay on bed rest. Her body cannot endure any more trauma."

Charles listened patiently to every word the doctor said, and at last, all the confusion and fear condensed into two simple words: joy.

Janet was pregnant! The baby was still there!

Seven weeks... It was that night—she was actually carrying his child!

Charles hadn’t even noticed August had already left. When Janet was transferred to the intensive care unit, he stared at her pale face, and recalling the doctor’s words, he muttered curses in frustration.

Stepping out of the room, he punched the white wall opposite him. How could he have been rough with her before? That day, when he saw her with Manfred, he had lost control and tried to force himself on her. Later, when she fell from the table and cried out in pain, why hadn’t he insisted on taking her to the hospital immediately?

The thought gnawed at him, and guilt overwhelmed him. If only he had known she was pregnant sooner, he would have been gentler—not only because the child was his, but because she was Janet.

Thankfully, it wasn’t too late. Knowing there was a little life growing inside her—an undeniable bond between them—he couldn’t stop smiling. He was going to be a father.

This time, he had to stand firm. All the obstacles between them must be removed one by one.

Neither Philip nor Derrick would be able to stop his decision.