Chapter 643: Time May Dilute All

The delivery room door opened. Little Bunny was wheeled out, looking tired but well. She was surprised to see a crowd waiting, having expected to be alone, perhaps even without Theodore.

She looked at him. He approached, asking, "Feeling better after giving birth?"

Little Bunny nodded. "I feel better now."

"Does it feel like you finally pooped a big shit?" Theodore blurted out.

Little Bunny was speechless, as were the others.

"I read it online," Theodore explained, noticing her expression. "I was nervous, so I read birth stories. Someone said it felt exactly like that."

Little Bunny was embarrassed, though his description was accurate. The pain before the birth was intense, but afterward, she felt a profound relief, as if cured of chronic constipation. She felt utterly relaxed.

"I also read that women who opt for natural childbirth love their husbands deeply," Theodore continued, "that true love is the power to endure such pain for him." His usually reserved nature was gone, much to Little Bunny's embarrassment. She hadn't chosen natural childbirth for him; she simply wanted to avoid a stomach scar that could jeopardize her acting career.

"I didn't know you loved me so much!" Theodore sighed.

Little Bunny remained silent, her discomfort palpable. Others found his words distasteful.

"I'll never treat you badly," Theodore promised.

Little Bunny nodded, unwilling to embarrass him further. Her shy silence only solidified Theodore's belief in her deep affection.

"Mr. Wold, we'll take her to her ward now," the nurse announced. "We'll bring the baby later."

Theodore nodded and swaggered ahead of his wife and the nurse, surprising her; she expected him to assist with the wheelchair. This, after professing his love. Little Bunny, however, was used to his unpredictable behavior; she only felt fear when he was kind.

Hannah watched, speechless. She approached Little Bunny but hesitated to help with the wheelchair, fearing Oscar's anger—a fear confirmed by his glare.

"I saw your baby," Hannah said. "He's very cute."

"Yeah," Little Bunny smiled, the radiant smile of a new mother.

"You were so brave," Hannah said. "Many opt for C-sections."

"It wasn't as painful as I expected," Little Bunny replied. "It wasn't painless, but the moment the baby was born, everything was fine. I feel great now. You have to insist on natural birth when your time comes!"

Hannah swallowed back a comment.

"You're pregnant, aren't you?" Little Bunny whispered.

Hannah stared.

"I won't tell anyone," Little Bunny added, "I know you shouldn't announce it for the first three months."

"How did you know?" Hannah asked, surprised. I don't look pregnant, she thought.

"Theodore told me," Little Bunny replied.

Hannah was even more shocked. Oscar was discreet; he wouldn't have revealed this to Theodore.

"Theodore guessed," Little Bunny clarified, reading her thoughts. "He saw how Oscar was protecting you at the hospital today."

Hannah felt a surge of triumph, realizing Oscar's secrecy was pointless. Theodore already knew.

They returned to the ward. The baby, who had cried during his vaccinations, was now asleep in his cot. Little Bunny soon fell asleep as well.

After settling the baby, Laird pulled Oscar aside for a private conversation. Theodore remained by the cot, excitedly gazing at his unexpected son, even declaring him ugly. Hannah and Manuel observed his unusual behavior.

"I didn't know Theodore liked kids," Hannah remarked.

Manuel agreed. "He was the least likely of us three to marry and have children, and yet he's the first to become a father. Unbelievable."

Hannah nodded, her thoughts drifting to Manuel's potential child, lost due to Susan's carelessness. A silence fell between them, a shared understanding of unspoken grief.

Oscar and Laird returned, Oscar with a grim expression.

"It's late," he said to Hannah. "Let's go."

Hannah nodded.

"Let's go together," Oscar said to Manuel.

"Right," Manuel replied.

Theodore looked up, unwilling to let them go. Hannah noted his dependence on Oscar, realizing their bond, forged in shared hardship, had made them each other's anchor.

"Take care of your wife and baby," Oscar instructed.

"Okay," Theodore replied, a sense of loss in his voice.

Oscar took Hannah's hand and left, followed by Manuel. In the car park, Oscar stopped Manuel.

"Don't put all your eggs in one basket," he advised, urging him not to invest too much emotion in Susan.

Manuel nodded, understanding.

Hannah had always perceived Manuel and Theodore as submissive to Oscar. Oscar drove Hannah home, Manuel followed, a faint smile playing on his lips as he drove away. The sight of Theodore's son had stirred complex emotions, a bittersweet reflection on what might have been.

Time, Manuel knew, would heal all. It would all pass.