Stewart watched as Briony''s face grew paler by the minute. Cold sweat beaded on her forehead, herplexion turning ashen. His own expression darkened. "Carl, step on it! Faster!"


    "Hold on tight, sir!"


    Carl pressed harder on the elerator, and the ck Mercedes tore down the winding road leading off the mountain.


    Inside the car, Stewart quickly realized something was very wrong.


    Briony was clutching her stomach with both hands, her lips moving in a barely audible whisper-"It hurts, it hurts..."


    Stewart''s breath caught.


    Could Briony be pregnant?


    The suspicion barely formed before his whole body went rigid. He fished out his phone and immediately dialed Dr. Cedric rke.


    "Briony''s copsed with severe abdominal pain. Grab your top OB specialist and meet us at the ER entrance-now!"


    At the hospital, Cedric rke hung up the phone, his face set in grim lines.


    Briony... pregnant?


    There was no time to waste on forensics or paperwork now.


    Cedric dialed the number for Director Grant-the head of their hospital''s OB-GYN department. If Briony was really pregnant, this kind of pain could mean a threatened miscarriage; there was no one more qualified than Director Grant to handle her case.


    What Cedric didn''t expect was for Ste to show up alongside Director Grant.


    The moment Ste spotted Cedric, she pulled him aside, her voice urgent and trembling. "What''s going on? Tell me everything, right now!"


    But Cedric only studied her with a grave expression. “First, I need you to answer me honestly-Is Briony really pregnant?"


    Ste hadn''t expected things to spiral this way.


    But now, with Briony showing signs of miscarriage-and Stewart of all people witnessing it—she had no choice but to keep Cedric on their side.


    "Dr. rke, can I trust you?"


    Cedric hesitated, seeing the desperation in her reddened eyes. He cleared his throat. "I know right from wrong, Ste."


    "Then listen to me. Bryn really is pregnant. She actually tried to have an abortion before-three times, but each attempt failed. Eventually she decided to keep the baby. Dr. rke, I know you and Stewart are close, but ever since Ms. Hudson passed, the only family Bryn has left is the child she''s carrying..."


    Ste paused, then continued, her tone firm. "There''s nothing left between her and Stewart. Too much has happened Ms. Hudson''s death, everything with Rosita and Irwin. Bryn just wants a clean break. She''ll divorce Stewart, take her baby, and start over somewhere far away."


    Cedric listened, his brow furrowing deeper with every word.


    Seeing his silence, Ste''s anxiety red.


    "Cedric, I''m beingpletely honest with you. Will you help us or not?" Ste looked him dead in the eye, her voice unwavering.


    "I... I can help, but-" Cedric scrubbed a hand over his face, sighing heavily. "Stewart''s no fool. He may not be a doctor, but he''s not clueless either. If he starts to suspect something... even if I want to help, I don''t know how long we can keep him in the dark."


    "I know it won''t be easy," Ste replied, her tone resolute. "But we have to try. Once they get here, you keep Stewart distracted. Professor Grant and I will handle the rest."