Dead at Heart (Ariel and Jayson) novel Chapter 653

After completing the first round of testing, Ariel carefully stored the classified data. On the way back to base, her mind wandered.

So, Jayson had finally decided to be honest and share his true thoughts?

The absurdity of it all still left her unsettled.

She never imagined Jayson had kept those questions bottled up for so long, never once asking her directly. Instead, they had spent the past few years locked in a strained, awkward relationship.

On her laptop, Ariel had saved countless things over the years. She had developed an interest in astronomy during her adolescence. She also loved photography, saving money bit by bit to buy equipment. She would capture fleeting moments of her life and store them away.

In time, even she had forgotten much of what was on that laptop.

Yet those very files had fueled Jayson's misunderstandings, leaving behind invisible scars in their relationship.

Ariel closed her eyes and drew a long breath.

Maybe all of this was a sign. Perhaps she and Jayson simply weren't meant to be—fated to misread and misunderstand each other.

Even though certain discoveries had bothered him, Jayson had never asked her about them, likely because his pride would not allow it. And so, those issues lingered. Left unresolved, they only grew heavier with time.

But Ariel couldn't change the past, nor did she intend to waste her energy dwelling on it.

After some thought, she checked the time. She decided that it was time to make an appointment at the hospital—time to settle the matter of the child she was carrying.

She also needed Liam to run an assessment of her condition.

After submitting the data at the base, Ariel went straight to the top private hospital in Eldoria, hoping to secure an appointment with an OB-GYN specialist quickly.

She collected her number and headed upstairs. To her surprise, she ran into Lucas, who was holding a bill in one hand and discharge papers in the other.

The sight immediately reminded her of Wendy.

Lucas stared at her intently. "Are you feeling unwell?"

Ariel ignored him, walking past without a word.

Inside, an elderly specialist with gray hair examined Ariel. "A healthy, high-quality embryo tends to grow stably. The mother will also experience fewer symptoms of morning sickness.

"From what I see, your husband should be in good health as well—no heavy smoking or drinking habits."

Ariel clenched her fists, her fingers icy cold. "I've decided… to have an abortion."

The doctor looked up sharply. "Are you certain? Have you informed your husband?"

Ariel lowered her gaze to her abdomen, her eyes burning. She shook her head. "That won't be necessary. We'll be divorcing soon. The decision about this child is mine to make."

Outside, Wendy heard everything. Her shock deepened into horror.

She had just undergone an abortion, only for Lucas to refuse to marry her. Yet Ariel, who carried Jayson's child, was choosing to end the pregnancy in secret. And she wasn't even telling him.

As Wendy pieced everything together, realization struck—she understood exactly what Ariel was trying to do.