Chapter 1711:

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Rowland finally nodded, conceding the argument—not because he had given up, but because marriage had been mentioned.

If it were up to him, he would clear his schedule now, marry Mia, and finally have peace of mind. He had waited long enough. And besides, Calvin was still unmarried—and still keeping an eye on Mia. That alone made Rowland all the more determined to put a ring on her finger as soon as possible.

But Mia had her own ideas. She didn’t just want a wedding—she wanted a dream honeymoon, traveling through different countries, which meant Rowland needed to carve out a significant amount of time and wrap up his work fast.

For now, though, the hospital came first. Pulling into the parking lot, Rowland shifted into park and immediately stepped out, moving around to the passenger side to open the door for Mia.

Mia had grown used to his attentiveness over the years, so she simply sat and waited, knowing he would do it.

“Are you still feeling uncomfortable?” he asked as he reached for her hand.

She shook her head. “No! I never really felt that bad to begin with. You’re the one who insisted we come to the hospital just to be sure.”

Rowland scoffed. “You’re so stubborn. Give me your hand.” Without waiting for an argument, he helped her out of the car, keeping her hand firmly in his grasp as they made their way inside.

At the VIP clinic, a familiar face was already waiting for them. The private doctor greeted them with a warm smile. “Mr. Bates, Ms. Bates—welcome.”

Rowland wasted no time. “Get her checked out. She had nausea and vomiting this morning and hasn’t looked well since.”

The doctor nodded, jotting down notes on her clipboard. “Ms. Bates, have you eaten anything spicy or had anything that might have upset your stomach?”

Mia thought for a moment. “No, just… two cups of coffee.”

The doctor glanced up, her expression turning more serious. “I see. Let me ask—are you married?”

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Mia blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in questioning. Married? She wasn’t sure why that was relevant, but she answered honestly. “No, not yet.”

The doctor’s gaze…

remained steady. “Then, can we rule out the possibility of pregnancy? Or… would you like to take a test just to be sure?”

Mia felt her lips twitch. Pregnancy? She waved her hand dismissively. “No need for that. I can’t be pregnant.”

The doctor took her response as a firm indication that pregnancy wasn’t a possibility, nodding with a small smile. “Understood. Then let’s check your gastrointestinal system first. If everything comes back normal, it could just be fatigue from waking up too early. Some people also experience mild morning queasiness—it’s not unusual.”

Mia gave a small nod. “Alright, I’ll follow your recommendations.”

Rowland, standing beside her, squeezed her hand gently. Even without words, he was letting her know—he was right there with her.

Others might not have understood Mia’s situation, but Rowland did. Children had always been a sensitive subject for her—one that people around her instinctively avoided bringing up.

Of course, he knew the doctor’s question was routine, nothing intentional. But that didn’t mean it hadn’t hurt. He could see it in the way Mia’s expression faltered, in the way her fingers curled slightly in her lap.

When the doctor stepped away to arrange the examination, Rowland leaned in and spoke softly. “Mia, try not to think about it too much.”

She lowered her gaze, pressing her lips together. “Rowan… if we could have a child, that would be amazing. Boy or girl, it wouldn’t matter. As long as we had one, I would love and protect them with everything I have.”

He reached for her hand, his thumb tracing soothing circles over her skin.

“Even without a child, you’re my treasure, Mia. And I will always cherish you.” His voice was firm, steady. “Don’t let this weigh you down, okay?”

Mia swallowed, trying to push down the lump forming in her throat. She didn’t want to keep thinking about it. She knew Rowland would worry—he always did. If she was sad, he would carry that sadness too. But sometimes… emotions weren’t so easy to control. The more she tried to suppress the thoughts, the heavier they became.

She hesitated for a long moment before finally whispering, “Rowan… or maybe you could—”

“Don’t you dare say that.” Rowland’s voice was sharp, cutting her off before she could finish. “You know it’s out of the question.”

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