Chapter 8 A Mistaken Truth

• Ryan was uncomfortable with someone sharing his bed. The faint scent of the woman next to him only made his irritation worse. The gentle sound of her breathing grated on his nerves, making his face darken.
• This annoying woman!
• Even with his eyes shut, his body remained tense.
• Just as he was about to drift off, an arm fell across his chest.
• His eyes snapped open, and he felt her soft body partially on top of him.
• Ryan gritted his teeth, pushing her hand aside. He wanted to kick her out of bed but held himself back.
• At that moment, a soft sob came from her. In the quiet of the night, her voice trembled.
• "Why are you doing this to me?"
• Ryan's heart softened briefly. She was pregnant, after all. His grip loosened as he tried to calm down.
• "Dominic…"
• Hearing another man's name, Ryan's rage reignited.
• Was she seriously calling out another man's name in his bed?
• Furious, Ryan shoved her again. "Clara!"
• Still half asleep, Clara mumbled, "I'm so tired. Let me sleep. I'll clean the bathroom tomorrow, okay?"
• She rubbed her head against his chest, holding him even tighter.
• Ryan had never seen a woman so clingy before. It was driving him crazy!
• After several unsuccessful attempts to push her away, Ryan, too exhausted to keep trying, finally gave in and fell asleep.
• To his surprise, they both slept soundly through the night.
• The next morning, Clara, still half asleep, reached for her phone and went into the bathroom.
• As she scrolled through her phone on the toilet, she drifted off for a moment.
• When she stood up, she spotted something red in the trash. She paused, blinking in confusion.
• Clara stepped out of the bathroom, grabbed her bag, and instinctively pulled out a sanitary pad, all without thinking. Her brain hadn't caught up yet.
• Awakened by her movements, Ryan woke up nearly at the same time as her, only to notice a faint red stain on the beige sheets where Clara had been. Still confused, he watched her actions, and his face darkened instantly.
• "You're not pregnant?"
• "Huh?"
• Clara spun around, confused and startled by the fierce look in Ryan's eyes. Her gaze followed his, and she suddenly realized what was happening.
• Wait, wasn't I supposed to be pregnant? Why was I getting my period?
• A vague memory surfaced in Clara's mind. She quickly grabbed her phone and found a missed message in her spam folder.
• "Miss 018, this is Dr. Xander from Lifecare Hospital. We're sorry to inform you that you're not pregnant but have gastroenteritis. We accidentally switched your results with Miss 013's. Please accept our sincere apologies. Since you haven't answered our calls, we're texting you. Please visit us for treatment."
• I wasn't pregnant!
• Her head spinning, Clara realized the message had been sent days ago, but it had been caught in the spam filter. If she hadn't checked today, she'd still be clueless.
• Looking up at Ryan's furious expression, Clara felt just as upset.
• "It's not my fault! The hospital made a mistake!"
• She wanted to show him the message, but Ryan, too furious to listen, stormed out, slamming the door.
• Clara shivered, equally angry. I was the victim too!
• Not being pregnant should've been good news, but now she was married to Ryan.
• What a ridiculous situation! Was the universe playing a cruel joke on me?
• She grabbed her phone and furiously dialed the hospital.
• "You've ruined everything! How could you mix up such a simple diagnosis? Do you even have a medical license? What kind of hospital is this?"
• After venting, Clara slumped down, feeling hopeless.
• What was I supposed to do now? Ryan probably thought I faked the pregnancy to trap him into marriage. How could I explain this?
• After thinking it over, there was only one solution left.
• The bathroom door opened, and Ryan emerged. Clara opened her mouth, but her voice failed her. His icy stare was enough to silence her completely.