From His Fake Wife to Billionaire Heiress Chapter 47: The Hospital Ruse

He didn't even glance back. With those five words hanging in the air, he strode out of the office and disappeared down the hall.

Sophia stood frozen in place.

Something had happened to Riley?

A strange, uneasy feeling began to creep into her chest.

*****

Inside the VIP suite at St. Mary's Medical Center, Riley leaned weakly against the propped-up hospital bed, watching the female physician end the call.

"All done," the doctor said, walking over. "I delivered the script exactly as we discussed. From the sound of his voice, he's probably on his way here now."

"Riley, isn't this too extreme?" Lydia asked from the sofa nearby, her brows knitted tightly, face etched with concern. "Even if you want to teach Lucas and Sophia—those two lying cheaters—a lesson, did you really have to take something that induced heavy bleeding? What if there are long-term effects? What then?"

Riley turned her head slowly, meeting her friend's worried eyes.

"The Ashfords aren't fools," she said, her voice faint but clear. "If we don't make it convincing, how will they ever believe it?"

She paused, her gaze drifting toward the tightly shut door of the suite.

"Besides," she added, the corner of her mouth lifting slightly, "without this... performance, I'd be constantly on edge wondering if Lucas would suddenly decide to fulfill his 'husbandly duties'. The thought alone makes my skin crawl."

She would rather endure this charade than let Lucas touch her again—not after he'd been with Sophia, carrying the traces of another woman onto her.

Lydia studied her pale profile, sighed deeply, and didn't press further.

After another quiet moment, Riley spoke softly, "You should go now. If he arrives and sees you here, it might complicate things."

"Alright," Lydia said, rising from the sofa. She turned to the physician and added earnestly, "I'm leaving everything in your hands."

"Don't worry," the doctor replied with a reassuring nod. "I've got it covered."

Havenbrook had no shortage of discreet private medical practices catering to the wealthy.

This one happened to be run by Isolde Evans, a close friend and former medical school classmate of Lydia's.

Every staff member—from doctors to nurses—was thoroughly trustworthy, ensuring the entire act would go off without a hitch.

Once Lydia had left, Isolde approached the bedside and said gently, "Try to rest now. I'll handle the rest."

Then she slipped out of the room, leaving Riley alone in the quiet suite.

Riley closed her eyes, steadying her breathing, and fully immersed herself in the role of a gravely ill, unconscious patient.

*****

About half an hour later, the door to the suite swung open.

Lucas appeared in the doorway, his usually crisp suit disheveled from rushing.

When his eyes landed on Riley lying motionless in the bed, a sharp, sudden ache pierced through his chest.

Her eyes were shut, her face pale as parchment.

Draped over a nearby chair was a dress—one he recognized. They'd bought it together just last month.

She had smiled and twirled in front of the mirror, asking if it looked nice, and he'd only given an absent-minded reply.

Now, the hem of that same dress was stained with a patch of dried, dark blood.

Something thick and heavy lodged in Lucas' throat.

He moved stiffly toward the bedside, each step weighed down by an unfamiliar sense of dread and panic.

Right on cue, Isolde reentered the room.

She glanced at Riley, then at Lucas' strained expression. "Mr. Ashford, if you could join me in my office, I'd like to discuss Ms. Harper's condition with you in detail."

Lucas snapped to attention and followed her down the hall.

Once inside the office, he didn't wait to sit before asking urgently, "Doctor, what happened to my wife? Why the sudden hemorrhaging?"

Isolde didn't answer immediately. Instead, she retrieved a medical file from the cabinet and gestured for him to take a seat.

Adjusting her gold-framed glasses, she let out a low, regretful sigh.

"Mr. Ashford, I need you to try to remain calm.

"Based on the lab work, the bleeding was triggered by a significant overdose of a strong uterine-stimulant medication."

"A uterine stimulant?" Lucas repeated, stunned.

"Yes. This type of drug aggressively thins and sheds the endometrial lining. So... I'm afraid you and your family should prepare yourselves."

Lucas' stomach dropped.

Isolde continued, shaking her head slightly, "The damage to her uterus this time is quite severe. After discharge, not only must she avoid intercourse for at least a month, but more critically... it's very likely she will have considerable difficulty conceiving in the future."

It felt like something had detonated inside Lucas' head. A ringing filled his ears, and his vision dimmed for a second.

Riley... might never be able to have children?

He stared at Isolde, struggling to process the words. "How could it be this serious?"

Isolde passed him the report, pointing calmly to several highlighted values.

"The numbers speak for themselves, Mr. Ashford."