Chapter 2 Artificial Insemination Operation

Jasper immediately took to his heels.

Ariana was confused. What was wrong with him? Did Theodore wake up?

She quickly turned around, but she didn't notice anything odd. Theodore was still lying on the bed, and his breath was as steady and quiet as before.

The only difference was that one of his hands was out of the quilt.

Ariana tilted her head and studied the hand for a while. It looked limp, so she felt that it probably fell out when she bumped into the bedframe while trying to dodge Jasper.

"Theodore?" Ariana called tentatively.

There was no response.

She leaned forward and called out more firmly, "Hey, Theodore!"

Still, she got no response.

Ariana swallowed hard and slowly walked to the bedside. She carefully took hold of his hand and put it back under the quilt. Theodore still didn't move a muscle during the process. This eased her mind greatly. It turned out he was still in a deep coma.

Perhaps Jasper had hallucinated in his drunken state.

Ariana patted her chest as she breathed a sigh of relief.

The room returned to its usual quietness again. Ariana's heart was still beating fast. For some unknown reason, she feared that Theodore would suddenly open his eyes. She sat on the edge of the bed and stared at him closely. A while later, she dozed off due to tiredness.

The next day, Ariana woke up to find herself lying on the edge of the bed. She quickly turned her head to look at Theodore. To her relief, he didn't seem to have moved an inch the whole night. Ariana felt the weight of uncertainty drop off her shoulders now.

She finally ruled out the possibility that Jasper had really seen Theodore move last night. It appeared the drunk man was only hallucinating.

Ariana went to the bathroom to wash up. While she was brushing her teeth, her eyes fell on a red mark on her neck. It wasn't there before. It looked like someone had pinched her there recently.

When Ariana remembered the struggle with Jasper last night, she reasoned that the red mark was his doing.

Disgust surged inside her at the thought of that betrayer.

Ariana set down her toothbrush and went back into the bedroom. She put on a turtleneck top to cover the mark.

When she was all dressed up, she went downstairs.

She had just gotten to the bottom stair when Jasper appeared out of nowhere and pulled her into a cubicle nearby.

"Did Theodore wake up last night?" he whispered into her ear, fearing that someone would hear them.

Ariana felt sick to her stomach at the sight of Jasper. She took two steps back and replied expressionlessly, "No, he didn't."

"That's good to know. I had too much to drink last night. My eyes tricked me. For a second, I thought Theodore opened his eyes and stared daggers at me. Thank goodness it was just an illusion." Jasper took a deep breath, feeling relieved. He flashed his usual sunny smile.

This smile used to send excitement through Ariana's body in the past. But now, she hated it. She lowered her eyes so he wouldn't see the resentment in her eyes.

Oblivious to the real reason, Jasper felt that she was unhappy because of what happened last night. He apologized softly. "I'm sorry about what happened, Aria. The wine intoxicated me. I didn't mean to be rough with you."

Ariana forced a smile. "Okay, it's fine."

She then made up an excuse so she could leave the cubicle immediately.

When she got to the dining room, she saw that Darian was already seated at the table. He was a stern man who rarely smiled. After Ariana greeted him, he only nodded slightly. He exuded a cold and uncaring aura.

On the other hand, Sharon, Theodore's stepmother, was enthusiastic. She was Jasper's biological mother, so she probably knew about his plan. It was the only logical explanation for her excessive warmth and friendliness.

Ariana felt uncomfortable throughout breakfast.

Once they were done eating, Darian took her to the private hospital owned by the Anderson family.

Jasper came along. When Ariana was being ushered into the operating room, he gave her a knowing look.

Ariana took the hint.

She smiled to assure him that she hadn't forgotten the plan. But the moment she turned around, her smile vanished. She walked into the operating room with a cold face.

Fear slowly crept into her heart at this time. But when she remembered how Jasper was making love to her stepsister and how he had betrayed her, she gritted her teeth and balled her fists. She was hell-bent on getting revenge and taking back what rightfully belonged to her.

The insemination took about an hour. Ariana, whose face was pale, was wheeled out in a wheelchair. The doctor took off his mask and said to Darian, "Everything went well, Mr. Anderson. Now, we have to wait for about a month to confirm if it is successful."

Jasper's face darkened as soon as he heard this.

In contrast, Darian's usually cold face lit up with a smile. Even a blind man could see that he was pleased with the news. He looked at Ariana with an expression of satisfaction. Afterward, he ordered one of his drivers to drive her and Jasper back home.

On the way, Jasper's face was red with anger. Several green veins became visible on his forehead and temples, but he didn't utter a word.

Ariana didn't bother speaking to him. She looked out of the window, lost in thought.

Once they got out of the car, Jasper flipped out. He grabbed her arm and pulled her to the garden to give her a piece of his mind.

"What the hell, Ariana! I thought we agreed that you would ruin the operation. Why didn't you do so?" Jasper growled.

As far as Ariana was concerned, she didn't owe this backstabber an explanation. He disgusted her. She shook off his hand and said coldly, "Mind the way you speak to me, Jasper. I'm your sister-in-law now!"

Jasper held his head and let out an angry laugh. He kicked the tree nearby. "What did you just say? Are you fucking kidding me?"

Ariana's heart skipped a beat when she saw his bloodshot eyes. She spun on her heels, but Jasper pulled her back.

"Did I tell you to leave? Don't even dare walk out on me, Ariana! I'm not done speaking to you!" Sparks of fury burned in Jasper's eyes.

Ariana was both scared and annoyed. She tried to break free while glaring at him. "Let go of me!"

"Bitch!" Jasper grabbed her with both hands and leaned over. "This wasn't what we agreed on. Are you trying to pull a fast one on me now that you are married to Theodore? Just so you know, you can't get rid of me. There's no telling that you would get pregnant. Even if you do, Theodore won't be able to protect you and that little bastard."

"Bah! How are you so sure about that? Theodore is still alive, isn't he?" Ariana sneered. "No matter what happens, I'm still your sister-in-law. You better come to terms with it now!"

This comment drove Jasper nuts. He raised his hand to slap her.

But before that could happen, a servant rushed out of the house and shouted, "Ma'am! Mr. Theodore Anderson just woke up. He wants to see you!"