"What do you mean?"
Joanna was confused.
"According to your HCG levels, it seems that you're carrying twins. And it's very likely a baby boy and girl…"
The doctor sounded full of pity. "Forget about regular twins, do you know how low are the chances of conceiving fraternal twins? It's a miracle that they were conceived in the first place. Are you really sure you want to abort them?"
"F… Fraternal twins?" Joanna felt another wave of mixed emotions rising within her chest as she looked at the report.
"Besides that, due to your physical condition, you aren't one to get pregnant easily. Should you proceed with the surgery, it'd be pretty difficult to conceive a second time. I'd advise you to think it over once more."
After that, the doctor adjusted her mask and turned to the door. "Next patient, please."
A nurse approached Joanna and said, "If you have made up your mind, please follow me to the changing room."
Sometime later, the red light in front of the surgery room was switched on. Joanna walked over to the operating table with an expressionless face, wearing a surgery gown…
The night was freezing cold, as Joanna headed to the very same restaurant from yesterday after her trip to the clinic.
She was in distress and wanted to drink her frustrations away. Despite that, she still ended up ordering a glass of warm water, along with a chicken salad.
In the end, she decided against the procedure. She was already conflicted knowing that she'd be ending a life before it even started. The fact that there were two meant she couldn't bring herself to do it.
Hence, before the doctor could insert the surgical tools inside her, the woman hopped off the table and bolted out the door.
"My silly babies, out of all the couples in this world, why did you choose us as your parents?"
"Here's to your new lives then, a life without fatherly love."
Joanna decided to give birth to the twins in secret. She wasn't afraid of the pain, she was merely feeling sad for her children.
With water in place of alcohol, she downed the entire shot as a toast to her children.
Just then, a group of men appeared out of nowhere, dashing toward Joanna with malicious intent.
"Mr. Joe, look! She's that b*tch who nearly killed Bryan yesterday!"
Joanna calmly swiped a look at the group. She recognized the man speaking to be one of the underlings she encountered last night.
It was obvious that they were here for revenge.
"Her?" Joe questioned.
The well-built man was an infamous gangster who ran the area. He never expected that the person who sent his right-hand man into the ICU would be a weak little woman.
"Yeah, I did that." Joanna put down her glass and glared at the men surrounding her. "You're blocking my view. Keep standing there and I'll make sure you'll suffer a worse fate than that pervert!"
"Hoho, you talk big, little lady!" Joe scowled as he grabbed Joanna by the collar. "Let me show you the rules around these parts then!"
"Oh? Really now?" Joanna raised an eyebrow, thanking the gods for being so generous as to hand her a punching bag after a long, stressful day.
Cracking her knuckles loudly, the woman was ready to rumble.
Suddenly, all she heard were Joe's screams, as he was sent flying back. A tall figure stood before her, as if he were a large wall, shielding her from danger.
"Which one of you tried attacking her? Come forth, or else." Ace spoke, his voice cold as ice
Joanna was completely dumbfounded as she stared at the man's dashing figure from behind.
She wondered. 'Out of all the places, why is here here, and at this moment? Was he stalking me?'
The gangsters were stunned by Ace's intimidating aura. All of them got into their fighting stance and yelled nervously. "Who… Who are you?! Stay out of this if you value your life!"
"It doesn't matter who I am. The only thing that matters is that you pay since you've decided to go against someone you shouldn't have." Ace's voice was stern, and that was enough to strike fear into their hearts.
"Another brat with a death wish!" Joe crawled back up to his feet, gritting his teeth and rubbing his backside gently to ease the pain.
"Do you know who I am? Why don't you ask around the area? You two must be dying for a beating, huh?!"
"What are you guys standing there for? Get them!" yelled Joe.
The ten gangsters immediately charged at Ace and Joanna with their metal bats.
The people in the vicinity fled out of fear for their lives.
Ace was alarmed but he continued shielding Joanna with his body. As he tugged on his tie, he turned slightly to comfort Joanna. "Don't be scared. Just close your eyes for now, I'll be done with them soon."
While speaking, he kicked over one of the thugs who tried ambushing them from the side.
'Oh ho? How strong!' Joanna thought, pretending to be a harmless little damsel as she hid behind the man.
'Huh, I didn't expect this cold gentleman would have such agility.'
'Even if he did compete in a cockpit, he'd come out as one of the top fighters!'
However, this wasn't exactly all that surprising, since the Moran family was ranked first amongst the Great Eight of the City.
As the esteemed young master Moran, Ace had been trained in every field throughout his life. Horse riding, chess, boxing… You name it, he had likely mastered it.
"Ah! Please have mercy, good sir!"
The entire group was defeated within the first few minutes, as cries of pain echoed through the air.
"Take this lesson to heart, and stay away from her!" Ace warned the fallen thugs, before gently brushing the dust off his tuxedo.
Joanna, on the other hand, had her arms crossed. It was as if she was merely a spectator, here for a good show.
If this was before, she would've been entranced by his act.
Yet now, she felt numb inside. In fact, she found it to be quite ridiculous.
'Hah, he ignored me for four whole years, and now he wants to act like he's Prince Charming saving the damsel in distress? What the hell is he on?'
Suddenly, Joe picked up a beer bottle and lunged at Ace from behind.
"Damn you, I'll kill you if it's the last thing I do!"
"Look out, behind you!" Joanna warned nervously.
However, it was too late, the bottle crashed right into Ace's head.
Blood flowed down Ace's hair as he winced in pain while pressing against his wound with his fingers.
He could feel his hand soaking in warm liquid.
"Sh*t!" he cursed.
Seeing the blood on his palm, Ace felt nauseous and he began to stagger.
Joanna instinctively noticed that something was wrong. Hesitatingly, she went ahead to give him a hand. "Are you okay, Moran?"
"No…" The man's face started turning pale. It no longer radiated the powerful aura he once showed. He seemed extremely weak, as he grunted. "I can't protect you anymore, run!"
"No way… Can't you stand anymore?" Joanna was confused, as she later pondered to herself.
'It's just a beer bottle to the head though, he's not that weak, is he? He was doing great fighting those guys a while ago!'
"I can't stand the sight of blood!" said Ace before fainting in Joanna's arms.