His Belated Love for the Abandoned Ex-Wife Chapter 200: The Line Drawn

"Has your period been late for a while?"

"It didn't come last month, and this month there's only been a little spotting."

"Then you need to head over to OB-GYN right away. That might not be your period, it could be a sign of a miscarriage."

Iris immediately switched her appointment and went to the OB-GYN department.

By the time Iris stepped out of the hospital, the sun had already begun to set.

She held the report in one hand and the medication in the other, but neither of them felt entirely real. It wasn't until she sat down on a bench outside that the weight of it finally started to settle in.

Two months.

She had been pregnant for over two months.

The doctor had been clear. The bleeding wasn't a normal cycle. It was a warning sign, brought on by stress and exhaustion. She needed rest, at least a month, or she risked losing the pregnancy.

Iris stared at the paper in her hands, her thoughts tangled and impossible to sort through.

Almost without thinking, she pulled out her phone.

Should I tell Julian?

The question lingered there longer than she expected. Her thumb hovered over the screen, but she didn't press anything.

Because she already knew what came next.

Julian was engaged. His life wasn't just his anymore. It was tied to his family, to the Everhart Group, to the Prescott family. This wasn't just a relationship, it was a business alliance, something far bigger than the two of them.

Telling him now wouldn't fix anything.

It would only complicate everything.

She lowered her phone and instead searched for news about the engagement.

It was everywhere.

Headlines, financial reports, market reactions. The Everhart and Prescott families joining forces had already pushed both companies higher. Analysts were calling it a strategic move, a consolidation of influence.

There was no space in that world for her.

Not even with a child.

The realization settled quietly, but firmly.

She made her decision right there. She wouldn't tell him.

She would raise the child on her own.

By the time she got off the train that night, it was already dark.

The walk from the station to her apartment felt longer than usual. The path was quiet, lined with overgrown hedges, the streetlights dim and spaced too far apart.

Halfway through, she felt it.

Someone behind her.

She didn't turn right away, but her pace picked up, her grip tightening around her bag. At the next corner, she glanced back just enough to confirm it.

A heavyset bald man was following her.

When she walked faster, he did too.

That was enough.

Her building didn't have secured entry. Anyone could walk in, take the elevator. There was no one around, no open stores, nowhere to go.

Her hands were shaking as she pulled out her phone and lifted it to her ear, forcing her voice louder than normal. "Hey, I'm almost there. Are you coming out to meet me? Yeah, I see you."

Then she started running.

Behind her, footsteps picked up.

Then suddenly, a sharp, pained grunt cut through the silence.

Iris slowed, her breathing uneven as she turned back.

The man was on the ground.

And Julian was standing over him.

The moment felt unreal for a second, but the scene in front of her was unmistakable. Julian's movements were sharp and controlled, each strike carrying a cold, restrained anger that hadn't fully surfaced until now.

"Julian," she called out quickly, her voice tightening.

He stopped.

Slowly, he straightened, then delivered one last kick before speaking, his tone low and edged with warning. "Try that again, and you won't get back up."

The man scrambled to his feet and ran without looking back.

Julian didn't move. He stood there, fists clenched, his gaze still fixed in the direction the man had disappeared.

A few steps away, Iris watched him.

Her eyes stung without warning, and her hand drifted instinctively to her abdomen.

It's been two months... is this just a coincidence? Or has he actually been closer this whole time than I realized?

The air between them felt heavy, like something unspoken had settled there and refused to move.

They weren't far apart.

But neither of them stepped forward.

Julian finally turned.

His expression was composed, but there was something darker underneath it, something unresolved that hadn't gone away.

Their eyes met.

And for a long moment, neither of them said anything.

Iris felt the ache return, sharp this time, twisting through her stomach. She took a slow breath, but it didn't help.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

She didn't wait to see if he responded. She turned and walked toward her building, her vision already starting to blur.

Upstairs, she went straight to the window and looked down. Julian was still there.

Standing in the same spot, looking up.

She pressed a hand to her stomach, took her medication, and curled into the couch, the tears coming quietly now, without resistance.

A week later, Iris returned to the lab.

The doctor had told her to rest for a month, but she couldn't afford that. A week was all she allowed herself.

She had stayed inside the entire time, ordering groceries, cooking simple meals, avoiding anything that required effort. She took her medication on schedule, stayed in bed as much as possible, and waited for her body to stabilize.

By the end of the week, the pain had eased, the bleeding had stopped, and she convinced herself it was enough.

So she went back.

But the moment she reached the entrance, she saw Lily walking straight toward her.

There was no warning.

The slap landed hard across her face, the sound sharp enough to cut through the quiet.

Iris froze where she stood, her hand flying up to her cheek as heat spread instantly across her skin. The sting was immediate, her ears ringing as the shock set in, leaving her standing there, momentarily unable to react.