Chapter 48

Latisha stared at her empty suitcase. All that was left were two sets of undergarments. She managed a weak, bitter smile and said nothing.

The woman had no idea that the clothes in her hands were probably worth more than the down payment on her entire apartment.

Right now, Latisha couldn't bring herself to care about clothes. She was far more worried about the baby in her womb.

Once everyone was gone, she pushed herself up to find the doctor.

The clinic was small, with just two floors-outpatient services downstairs and a few beds for infusions or short stays upstairs. There were only five doctors on staff, working in shifts.

She went to the consultation room and, seeing it was empty, knocked before entering.

The doctor looked up and recognized her. Latisha's arrival the night before had required all of them to come in. They had wanted to transfer her to a major hospital, but with no family present, they'd had to treat her there.

"How are you feeling?" The doctor pushed a pen and paper toward her.

Latisha picked up the pen and wrote: *Doctor, how is my baby?*

The doctor read her note and paused. "How should I put this... While the baby is resilient, the pregnancy is very weak right now. Even if you manage to carry it to term, there could be a host of developmental issues later on. There's also a high risk that the fetus will simply stop growing."

He paused again. "My professional advice is to terminate the pregnancy. It would be better for both you and the fetus."

Latisha didn't know whether to be relieved that her baby was still alive or devastated by the doctor's words.

*Why?* she wrote.

"The fetus isn't developing properly,"

the doctor explained patiently. "It could be related to your diet, your lifestyle, or any number of things And with the trauma you just experienced... listen, young lady, it's better to do it now. If you wait, it will be much harder on your body later."

Latisha bit her lip, not answering immediately. She had done everything for this child. This baby was her only hope. If she were going to give up, she wouldn't have smashed that window last night. She would have chosen to die right there, with her baby.

The doctor was still trying to persuade her, but she wrote firmly on the paper: *I want to keep it.*

He frowned. "You're not listening to reason, are you? If you keep it, you're the one who will suffer."

Latisha nodded and wrote: *I know. Thank you, Doctor. I'm prepared to accept any outcome.*

Seeing her resolve, the doctor

sighed. "Alright. If you're that determined, I won't try to change your mind. Rest for a bit and then you can be discharged You'll need to go to a proper hospital

this.

We aren't equipped to handle high-risk pregnancies here."

He looked at her. "Do you have the money for that?"

Latisha froze. She had no money. She was penniless. Her phone was still locked away in that storeroom at the villa.

She left the clinic, pulling her empty suitcase behind her. After standing at the entrance for a long time, wrestling with her thoughts, she made a decision. She had to go back for her phone.

She started the long walk back, a dull ache pulsing in her lower abdomen. She couldn't walk too fast, taking frequent breaks along the way. It was already four in the afternoon by the time she reached the villa.

Clifford shouldn't be home at this hour. She confidently entered the password, pushed the door open, and went straight to the storeroom. She found her phone buried under a pile of old books.

Phone in hand, she went upstairs to find a charger. But as she pushed open the bedroom door, she heard the sound of running water from the bathroom.