Evelyn Turner let out a sigh. “The problem is, even if you’re willing now, who’s going to do the surgery for you?” He paused and added, “Who in the country would dare to perform such a surgery?”

No one had ever done it before, so no one felt confident. Nobody dared to risk their career and Eric Bennett’s life on a gamble.

“If we could get the surgery video, maybe we could find someone,” Eric Bennett said.

“That depends on how much that doctor in Country M is willing to share,” Evelyn Turner replied. “After all, right now, he’s the only one in the world who’s ever done this kind of surgery.”

“Actually, there is someone else.” Eric Bennett suddenly spoke, but didn’t continue.

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Author’s note:

Thank you to reader “久” for throwing a landmine ×1, super, super grateful for your support! Bowing and sending love~

Let me explain to my cuties: I’ve been saving up collections to get on the rankings, so I need to control the word count, which means updates will be a bit slower for now. Once I’m on the list, I’ll update along with the rankings, and if the VIP entry goes smoothly, there will be extra updates! Thank you all for sticking with the updates during this time, I’m really, really grateful for your support. Bowing!

Chapter 10 Secret

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Evelyn Turner glanced at him, understanding the implication.

If such a surgery succeeded, once published, it would definitely cause a sensation in the entire scientific community. But if it failed, it would quietly fade away among countless unnoticed papers.

Eric Bennett must have looked up quite a few papers recently.

Facing Evelyn Turner’s probing gaze, Eric Bennett said bluntly, “There have been three cases. In one, the adult died; in another, the child died; and in the last, neither survived.”

That’s why even surgery videos couldn’t be found online, and related literature was extremely scarce.

The few that could be found only briefly mentioned unexplained massive bleeding, multiple organ failure, hypovolemic shock… just a few words to sum up the deaths.

Evelyn Turner hadn’t thought of this before. Hearing Eric Bennett say it now, he belatedly realized the risk might be even greater than he’d imagined. The atmosphere grew a bit heavy, and Evelyn Turner didn’t know what to say. After thinking for a moment, he finally said, “Well, I guess it’s a blessing in disguise that there’s a successful case in Country M.”

Eric Bennett was silent for a moment, his gaze falling on the thick stack of test results. “The fetus’s condition… is better than I expected.”

It was a light statement, with little emotion detectable.

That wild night with Brian Sullivan, they’d both drunk a lot of fake alcohol. In the months since, he’d downed huge amounts of coffee, pulled countless all-nighters, and even had a real fight with Brian Sullivan in the hospital gym.

He’d thought the child’s condition wouldn’t be good.

“You heard the fetal heartbeat yourself, and you’ve seen all the test results,” Evelyn Turner said. “Your kid’s just like you—tough as nails.”

An unexpected child, yet with such tenacious vitality.

“I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing,” Eric Bennett commented.

The pale blue curtains swayed gently in the breeze. Evelyn Turner looked at Eric Bennett; time hadn’t left many marks on this man. Aside from a steadier demeanor, Eric Bennett looked almost the same as he had in college.

Back in school, because of that face, Eric Bennett had never lacked admirers. When he started working, many people just assumed that a guy who looked like him must have a partner. But as Eric Bennett’s longtime friend, Evelyn Turner knew that Eric Bennett had never even held a girl’s hand.

He’d always thought that someone as academically driven as Eric Bennett had long since left behind the ordinary pleasures of romance, and never expected something like this to happen. He mused, “How did I never notice before that you liked men?”

He switched to a teasing tone, trying to lighten the mood. “No wonder you were so indifferent to all those girls chasing you back then. I thought you were going to devote your life to medicine.”

Eric Bennett twitched the corner of his mouth. “I don’t like men.”

Evelyn Turner was surprised. “Then why’d you sleep with a guy—and as the bottom, no less?”

Eric Bennett: “……”

The sperm had obviously entered his body and traveled through the soft catheter; even if he wanted to deny it, there was no way.

From Eric Bennett’s evasiveness, Evelyn Turner seemed to understand something. Coupled with the fact that Eric Bennett always came to checkups alone and was determined not to keep the child, he instantly imagined a tragic, unrequited love: “Is the kid’s dad a jerk?”

Eric Bennett’s gaze pierced through his thin glasses, landing on Evelyn Turner’s face. “For your own safety, I advise you not to ask.”

Evelyn Turner knew Eric Bennett well—he was sharp-tongued but soft-hearted, especially with friends, always sincere. So he wasn’t afraid of Eric Bennett; in fact, he was even more curious. “Did you ask him if he wants the child?”

Eric Bennett irritably tugged at his hair. “He doesn’t know.”

“Then you should tell him,” Evelyn Turner said. “Your situation isn’t like a normal pregnancy—the risk is so high. What if something happens? You two should talk it over and make a decision, so you both know where you stand.”

Eric Bennett bit his lower lip. “I can’t bring myself to say it.”

“It’s fine,” Evelyn Turner thought Eric Bennett was worried the other party couldn’t accept a man being pregnant. “You’re a doctor yourself—just explain it to him. In the end, it’s just a rare condition. The world is full of strange things. If he can’t accept it, let him come to me. I’ll talk to him.”