淑女的欲望

Fortunately, Scarlett did not need to wait, as the doctor had arrived an hour early to attend to her.

As Scarlett waits for the nurse to prepare the examination room, she engages in conversation with Doctor Tiffany.

Zara, sitting beside her, could sense Scarlett's nervousness. She placed her hand on Scarlett's to offer comfort. Scarlett, surprised, offered a nod with a smile directed at Zara; finding Zara present has made her somewhat more at ease, even in Xander's absence.

Before long, Scarlett stepped into the examination room accompanied by Doctor Tiffany and a nurse. As she lay on the examination bed, she felt extremely nervous. A few times, she takes a deep sigh to calm herself. 

Soon, the nurse applied a cool, wet gel to her lower abdomen. Suddenly, a strange sensation began to stir up in her heart, immense anticipation to catch a glimpse of her baby on the screen taped to the wall in front of her.

This marked her first encounter with an ultrasound, leaving her with little knowledge of what to anticipate. The screen displayed only a black-and-white image, one she struggled to understand. 

While curiosity gnawed at her, she held back her questions, opting instead to await Doctor Tiffany to explain to her. Her gaze shifted back to Doctor Tiffany, scrubbing the USG probe up and down her abdomen, checking her pregnancy condition.

"Is everything all right, Doctor?" Scarlett finally asked, growing concerned as she observed no apparent activity on the screen and now sound could be heard—she should be hearing the baby's heartbeat.

"We'll find out later, dear," Tiffany responded calmly.

Another minute passed, and Scarlett noticed Doctor Tiffany stop what she was doing; at that point, her heart began to feel increasingly uneasy.

"D-Doctor, have you finished? Can I see the baby?" Scarlett asks. 

Yet, Doctor Tiffany offered no immediate response; instead, she simply smiled before requesting the nurse's assistance to help Scarlett clean up. She didn't ask again, only glancing at the nurse, diligently removing the remaining gel and tidying her clothing. 

After adjusting her clothing, Scarlett settled on the edge of the examination bed, her eyes fixed on Doctor Tiffany. She braced herself for whatever news the doctor was about to deliver.

"Scarlett, before I discuss your ultrasound results, could Xander also be present?" Doctor Tiffany's tone remained composed, yet Scarlett detected a glimmer of concern in her eyes.

'Could there be a problem with my pregnancy?' Scarlett's inner thoughts raced anxiously. 'Why would Doctor Tiffany want Xander here?'

"Doctor, Xander can't be here; he's currently in W country," Scarlett explained. "You can talk to me. Please don't withhold anything..." Despite her wavering voice, a faint smile graced the corners of Scarlett's lips, aiming to reassure Doctor Tiffany that she was prepared to hear whatever news she wanted to say.

Confusion flickered in Doctor Tiffany's gaze, though she eventually nodded in agreement after a brief pause.

"Very well, but let's sit down first," Tiffany suggested, guiding Scarlett out of the examination room. They returned to the doctor's office. 

Scarlett asked Zara to wait outside; she sensed that whatever Doctor Tiffany had to share might not be good news.

With only the two of them in the room, Doctor Tiffany finally brings up the subject, "Would you like to have a video call with your husband so he can be a part of our conversation?"

Scarlett shook her head, saying, "There's no need to disturb him; I'll inform him later..." She maintained a calm expression though anxiety almost swallowed her.

Doctor Tiffany could do nothing but proceed with explaining the sad news to Scarlett. She turned her desktop screen to ensure Scarlett could see it clearly.

"Scarlett, you should be at your 10-week pregnancy now. Here's an image of your gestational sac. However, if you observe this area," she pointed to a specific area on the monitor, "...your gestational sac appears empty. Regrettably, this indicates that the fetus has not developed as expected. This is a blighted ovum," Tiffany clarified. 

Scarlett found herself utterly bewildered by Doctor Tiffany's explanation. The medical term sounded like a foreign language to her—empty gestational sac? Blighted ovum? 

She opened her mouth a few times, wanting to voice her thoughts, but the words seemed to betray her. At this moment, her emotions were chaotic; It mixed confusion and fear, leaving her in an inexplicable daze.

Despite Doctor Tiffany's continued explanation, Scarlett struggled to absorb any of it. It was as if her soul had left her. She just stared at Doctor Tiffany, who continued to speak.

"A blighted ovum eventually results in miscarriage—" Doctor Tiffany's words trailed off as she noticed Scarlett lost in her thoughts.

'Oh dear, this is exactly why I wished Xander were here with you,' Tiffany thought to herself. 

"Scarlett..." Tiffany called softly, giving a gentle pat on Scarlett's shoulder. When their eyes meet, Tiffany continues, "Can you understand what I explained earlier?"

Scarlett snapped back to the present moment as she felt Doctor Tiffany's warm hand pat her shoulder. She shook her head, blinking a few times as she refocused her gaze on Doctor Tiffany.

"Doc, I—" Scarlett's voice trembled, her words coming out in a struggle. "Y-You... Y-You're saying I lost my baby? Why? Last month, when we had the check-up, you confirmed my pregnancy. Why are you saying now that there's nothing inside me?" Her expression was a mix of confusion and distress.

Tiffany couldn't help but try to explain it one more time, her tone patient and empathetic.

"This is a blighted ovum, also called an anembryonic pregnancy when the embryo stops growing. Unfortunately, the reasons behind this can often be elusive. It might be due to chromosomal abnormalities in the fertilized egg or factors like infections or medication side effects..." She offered her explanation, hoping to provide clarity.

Even though Scarlett struggled to fully grasp the medical details, she nodded along as Doctor Tiffany spoke, trying to absorb the information.

As Scarlett's hands grew cold and began to tremble, the reality of the situation sank in—there was no baby. Disappointment and fear crept in, especially not knowing how to tell the news to Xander.