Chapter 168: The Imperial Prince Arrives!

North lay alone in the room, unable to call for help. She watched her blood soak the bedsheets. The silence was terrifying; the only sound was the slow tick-tock of a clock, punctuated by the drip, drip, drip of blood onto the floor. She felt a searing pain, both physical—as if a strong hand gripped her internal organs—and emotional. The physical pain was insignificant compared to the agony in her heart. Raven, after ten years of pretending to love her, had destroyed her world.

Raven emerged from the shower, a warm towel in hand. He approached the bed and began wiping her body. North kept her eyes closed. Raven gently brushed her hair back, his lips briefly touching her forehead.

"Rest. I'll make you something to eat."

He left the room and went downstairs to cook. Soon, a weak voice called out:

"I want a contraceptive pill."

Raven turned, displeasure evident on his face. "What medicine? I haven't touched you, and I was careful last time. Pregnancy is impossible."

North, her eyes pale, stubbornly insisted, "You don't understand. Get it now. I need it."

Raven scoffed. "North, what's wrong with you? You barely reacted to my touch, lying there like a log. You're as pale as a ghost, pretending to be strong, yet you still want a contraceptive pill? Do you think I'll go easy on you like before?"

"I'll get it myself," North said, starting to leave.

Raven grabbed her slender wrist, its icy smoothness surprising him. He suppressed his anger. "You want to go to a pharmacy this late? Do you want to be photographed by reporters, or attract unwanted attention? Fine, I'll get it."

He grabbed his car keys and left.

14:27

The Substitute Bride: Doted by My Billionaire Husband

Raven parked his car and entered the pharmacy. The attendant was on her phone. Raven slammed his car keys on the counter twice. The attendant looked up, her eyes widening.

"Wow, what a handsome man," she murmured. "Mr. Handsome, what can I get for you?"

Raven pointed to a contraceptive pill. The attendant quickly packaged it.

He returned to his villa, but North was gone. He searched everywhere, panic rising. Had she left? He regretted his harsh words, wishing he'd comforted her.

Then, he spotted her pink slippers near the window. Peeking through the curtain, he saw North curled up on the floor, her face buried in her knees.

His heart ached. He gently touched her head.

North looked up. Her face was dry.

"I got the medicine," Raven said, his voice tight. North nodded silently. Raven picked up her slipper and put it on her foot.

North pursed her lips. "I've changed my mind. Throw it away."

Alone, North remembered her miscarriage. The police had taken her to the hospital, where a doctor had scorned her: "How could you be so selfish? The miscarriage severely damaged your uterus. You'll never get pregnant again."

The memories of Raven's cruelty flooded back. She closed her eyes.

Although Mrs. Robert had allowed the media into her ward, they could only whisper. Suddenly, footsteps echoed in the hallway. A group of bodyguards in black stormed in. Their leader, a man in a black coat, exuded a sinister aura. The reporters watched, dumbfounded, as he entered.

Director Hudson's expression changed. "Mr. Rodriguez, why are you here?"

Young Master Rodriguez? The reporters whispered the name. There was no wealthy Rodriguez family in LA. They soon learned that Rodriguez was a powerful family in Imperial City, and this man was the crown prince. The Robert and Rodriguez families were connected through marriage. Their son, Derrick Rodriguez, was the crown prince.

(Note: The following sections repeat and are inconsistent with the chapter number. There seems to be a significant gap in the text provided, perhaps due to a numbering error or missing chapters. The text below is included for completeness, but requires editing to align it appropriately with the narrative.)

Chapter 163: The Imperial Prince Arrives!

(This section repeats information already stated, about the Robert family wealth and the crown prince, Derrick Rodriguez.)

Derrick removed his gloves and approached Mrs. Robert. "Grandma, why are you in LA? You look pale. Were you not cared for properly?"

He glared at Director Hudson. "It seems the Ivory Council is no longer needed. I can have it demolished."

A gasp rippled through the room. Everyone realized he wasn't joking. Director Hudson frantically appealed to Mrs. Robert.

Mrs. Robert slapped Derrick's hand.

Derrick muttered, "Grandma, don't humiliate me."

Olive, observing, identified the young man as Mrs. Robert's grandson. She attempted to redirect attention to the candy she'd given Mrs. Robert.

Derrick eyed the candy and reached for it. Mrs. Robert stopped him.

"You brat, be polite! Olive is my angel!"

Derrick looked at his reddened hand. "Grandma, are you sure she's an angel, or an ugly girl hiding behind a mask?"

Mrs. Robert glared, silencing him. She doted on Olive, promising to protect her from Derrick.

Derrick was speechless; he'd never seen his grandmother so enamored with a girl. Olive ignored him, focusing on Mrs. Robert.

Mrs. Robert tasted the candy, then a bitter taste spread. "Angel, you tricked me!"

Olive quickly injected Mrs. Robert.

Derrick panicked. "You dared to give my grandma medicine! Grandma, spit it out!"

Olive explained that the needle prevented movement. She coaxed Mrs. Robert into swallowing the medicine.

Derrick was astonished. He'd never seen his grandmother take medicine so willingly.

(The final lines seem incomplete and contain non-textual characters.)

The Substitute Urida Millionaira Husband. Chapter 168: The Imperial Prince is here! (This repeats again.)

The text needs a thorough review to resolve the chapter inconsistencies and remove redundant passages. After that, a final polish for clarity and flow will be possible.