His Untamed Rose novel Chapter 16

Lumina paused mid-step and turned to look at him.

Yadiel’s gaze lingered on her thin, drawn face, pain flickering in his eyes. “Who is this man you’re with? What kind of bastard treats you like this?”

Lumina’s brows drew together softly as she murmured, “It’s not like that. He’s actually been good to me.”

“Good to you? Then why are you too scared to tell him about your pregnancy? Why did he force himself on you?”

Yadiel lost his composure, stepping forward with a harsh urgency. “Why are you so careful, even with me? What are you afraid of?”

“Yadiel.” Lumina sighed, lowering her head as she gently took his wrists in her hands, her voice quiet and calm. “Before my brother left, he entrusted me to your care. But at the same time, he entrusted you to me as well.”

Yadiel stiffened, and the hands she held slowly curled into fists.

She lifted her clear, luminous eyes to meet his, sincerity shining through. “I understand why you want to protect me. I feel the same. I don’t want you to be in danger, and honestly, I care about your parents too.”

When Lumina was kicked out of her family’s home, working several jobs just to survive, it was the Sterling family who helped her through.

She’d nearly collapsed from exhaustion more than once. In all these years, genuine kindness had been rare in her life, so she cherished every bit of help she received.

“When you get home, tell your parents I’ll visit them this weekend.”

Her voice was light and bright as she finished, giving him a little wave before turning and walking away.

...

When Lumina returned to the office, lunch break had already ended twenty minutes ago.

Thankfully, she managed to slip back through the busy lobby unnoticed.

Once inside, she knelt down and stuffed the colorful stack of medical reports deep into the bottom drawer of her desk, locking it securely.

Just then, two heavy sets of footsteps entered the room, one after the other.

Through the sliver beneath her desk, Lumina could clearly see two familiar pairs of polished black shoes slowly approaching.

Hilton glanced around the office, puzzled. “Huh, where’s Ms. Jardin? She’s been at the clinic forever and still isn’t back?”

Lumina’s eyes widened, her breath catching for a moment.

How did Cedric and Hilton know she went to the clinic?

Had someone followed her?

Suddenly, she stood up from beneath the desk, startling Hilton so badly he nearly yelped.

“Jesus, Ms. Jardin, you scared the life out of me! What were you doing under the desk?”

“I’ve been back for a while, actually.”

“Just because you say something, I have to listen?”

Lumina turned, her delicate face tilted in a playful pout as she shot him a half-blaming, half-teasing look. “Then why didn’t you listen to me last night when I said to take it easy?”

Cedric blinked, caught off guard. His gaze fell from her stubborn profile to the way her pencil skirt hugged her hips. Now that he thought about it, her walk had looked a little off earlier.

“Did I hurt you last night?”

Realizing this, his tone softened. He stepped closer from behind, gently turning her to face him. “Did you put something on the bruises?”

“Of course I did!” Lumina glared at him, puffing out a huffy breath and looking away, refusing to say another word.

But inside, she finally felt a weight lift off her chest. At least now she could be sure—Cedric hadn’t bugged her or figured out she was pregnant.

Lumina’s thoughts spun quickly. She guessed someone must have seen her at the clinic and told him.

“What did the doctor say?”

Cedric, seeing how distracted she was, assumed she was genuinely upset with him. He reached out and brushed a few stray strands of hair from her cheek, trying to coax her.

Lumina decided to keep up her stubborn act, brushing him off and turning back to the coffee machine. “It’s none of your business.”

Cedric retreated a step, sighing, but then closed the distance again, placing his hand on her waist. “Let me see. How bad is it?”