Chapter 223: Baby, I’m Sorry
Considering Sophie Shaw’s pregnancy, her preliminary tests after admission were a complete blood count and a peripheral blood smear—non-invasive screenings for leukemia. The results showed an abnormally high white blood cell count, low platelets, and symptoms of anemia.
Due to the highly abnormal blood count, doctors from hematology and obstetrics gathered to jointly assess whether a further bone marrow aspiration was necessary. Since she was in the early stages of pregnancy, it would very likely affect the fetus.
The result of their assessment was that the bone marrow aspiration was mandatory. If she were diagnosed with leukemia, the pregnancy would need to be terminated to prioritize controlling the progression of the disease.
Although the doctors hadn’t said with one hundred percent certainty that it was leukemia, based on the preliminary test results and the grim expressions on everyone’s faces, there was a ninety percent chance it was.
Alaric Blackwood had likely already considered this outcome. No matter what, he would always prioritize Sophie Shaw.
That night, he didn’t return to Maplewood Estate, staying instead to watch over Sophie Shaw’s bedside.
Before the bone marrow aspiration was done and the results came in, he didn’t alarm anyone, shouldering the burden all by himself.
He sat by the bed with red-rimmed eyes. He raised a trembling hand to gently caress Sophie Shaw’s flat stomach.
He and Sophie Shaw had mostly used protection after getting married, so the pregnancy was a bit of a surprise—a pleasant one that delighted him. But along with the delight came a shock.
’I can’t believe it. Our first child doesn’t even have a chance to come into this world before it’s snuffed out.’
Alaric Blackwood’s heart ached for the baby, but he had no choice.
He pressed his face against Sophie Shaw’s abdomen as suppressed tears slid from the corners of his eyes. A storm of emotions churned within him, and a tearing pain gripped his chest.
"Baby, I’m sorry."
"Don’t hate your daddy."
His forcefully suppressed sobs startled the woman, who was sleeping fitfully with a high fever.
In a daze, Sophie Shaw saw Alaric Blackwood hunched over her stomach, tears streaming down his handsome face. The man’s eyes were bloodshot and red, and his sorrow was tinged with exhaustion.
This was the first time she had ever seen Alaric Blackwood cry, and her heart instantly clenched.
She raised a hand to touch the man’s face. "Why are you crying?"
Alaric Blackwood wanted to control his emotions, but the grief surged up, impossible to suppress.
His complete loss of composure threw Sophie Shaw into a panic.
She propped up her feverish, weak body and sat up, wrapping her arms around Alaric Blackwood’s head and pulling him into her embrace.
"What happened?"
"Why am I in the hospital?"
...
She couldn’t really remember what happened that afternoon. Her last memory was of Alaric Blackwood getting her from the police station.
The man said nothing, merely pressing his face tightly against her abdomen. His long fingers covered it, stroking it gently as if caressing a precious treasure.
Her fever was severe, and an IV needle was still in the back of her hand. After comforting Alaric Blackwood for a while, she unknowingly fell asleep against his shoulder.
The next time she woke up, it was the following day.
Her head wasn’t as groggy, and her temperature had dropped considerably.
Inside the hospital room, Alaric Blackwood was still watching over her. After just one night, a dark stubble had appeared on his chin. He was wearing the same clothes as yesterday, looking even more haggard than when he had been crying the night before.
She looked at him in confusion. "What’s going on?"
"I think I saw you crying last night."
"When did I get to the hospital?"
She had so many questions, and for a moment, Alaric Blackwood didn’t know which to answer first.
He sat silently by the bed, holding one of her hands. After a long while spent choosing his words, he spoke slowly. "Sophie, you’re pregnant."
Sophie Shaw froze.
’Pregnant?’
"You fainted suddenly yesterday. I brought you to the hospital for a check-up. They found out you’re pregnant, and... you might have leukemia, just like your mother."
It was as if a bomb had gone off in Sophie Shaw’s mind. She stared blankly at Alaric Blackwood, processing his words.
Thinking back to how Alaric Blackwood had caressed her stomach last night, crying in front of her without any regard for his image, she took several deep breaths, forcing herself to stay calm.
Alaric Blackwood watched her, expecting her to lose control and break down. He was ready to press the call button at any moment. However, Sophie Shaw was much calmer than he had imagined.
It was as if she had already accepted the sad truth.
"The baby... can we keep it?"
Alaric Blackwood shook his head.
Seeing the redness at the corners of the man’s eyes and his exceptionally weary face, Sophie Shaw forced a smile. "Is it confirmed?"
"Not yet. You need a bone marrow aspiration."
"So that means it’s not certain, right? What if it’s not leukemia?"
Alaric Blackwood fell silent for a moment, but he quickly curved his lips into a faint smile for Sophie. "Yeah. It’s possible it’s not."
He ruffled her hair. "Once your fever breaks completely, the doctors will schedule the aspiration. Don’t overthink it."
Sophie Shaw nodded, trying to reassure herself. "It definitely isn’t. This disease isn’t hereditary."
"Whatever my wife says is right."
They looked at each other and smiled, but the atmosphere suddenly grew heavy and silent.
The oppressive air in the hospital room made it hard for Sophie Shaw to breathe.
Seeing that she was extremely tense and struggling to breathe, Alaric Blackwood got up and opened the sealed window a crack, letting some fresh air flow in.
Then he sat back down by the bed and kissed Sophie Shaw’s forehead. "Relax. The test hasn’t been done yet. You don’t need to put so much pressure on yourself."
"But what if it is leukemia? The baby..."
"We can’t."
Alaric Blackwood’s response was resolute.
A bitter pang shot through Sophie Shaw’s heart, and her eyes immediately reddened.
"If it’s confirmed, we have to terminate the pregnancy. To me, you’re the most important thing."
Alaric Blackwood soothed her, but even though the test hadn’t been done yet, he had to tell her the worst-case scenario beforehand to give Sophie Shaw some time to mentally prepare.
That day, Alaric Blackwood stayed by her side at the hospital, not leaving for a moment. He composed himself as quickly as he could, not wanting to break down again while Sophie Shaw was sick.
The next day, Sophie Shaw’s temperature was normal and her condition was stable, so the doctors immediately scheduled the bone marrow aspiration.
Although she was given an anesthetic, Sophie Shaw was in so much pain that she spent the day lying on her stomach in bed, barely able to straighten her back.
Alaric Blackwood ignored his company’s affairs, taking an extended leave of absence to care for her in the hospital room. Lawson prepared all three meals at home and brought them over each day.
The test results came back the following day. Sophie Shaw was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia—the same disease her mother had had.
Seeing the result, Alaric Blackwood was mentally prepared, but he was still somewhat stunned.
"She had a physical before we got married. How come it wasn’t detected then?"
That had only been a short while ago.
The doctor explained, "Acute leukemia is a sudden-onset disease. It progresses very rapidly and can develop in just a few weeks. Fortunately, Mrs. Blackwood’s condition was discovered early, so it can be controlled very well."
"Can it be cured?"
"It’s generally curable with chemotherapy and a hematopoietic stem cell transplant. Clinically, 80-90% of cases are cured with targeted drug therapy. Mr. Blackwood, you don’t need to worry too much. Please notify her family members to come in for tissue typing as soon as possible."
"And the baby..."
"When leukemia is diagnosed in the first trimester, keeping the baby is generally not recommended. Chemotherapy can cause fetal abnormalities."
Alaric Blackwood nodded.
After finishing his conversation with the doctor, he immediately dialed Joseph Shaw’s number.