The Mafia Lord's Secret Lover-Chapter 341: You’re Allowed To Grieve

"You should," Stella agreed softly. "You scared everyone. I almost fainted when I heard about your—" She stopped. The word caught in her throat.

Evelyn noticed immediately. Stella, who could lecture a room full of senior doctors without blinking, now looked like someone who had just accidentally broken a priceless vase and was debating whether to run or stay.

"About what?" Evelyn asked, genuinely confused. She tilted her head slightly, wincing at the pull in her chest. "Why do you look like you stole someone’s boyfriend?"

Stella let out a weak, breathless laugh that didn’t quite land.

She lowered her gaze instead of answering, her fingers fidgeting before finally reaching for Evelyn’s hand. She held it tightly, as if letting go would make everything worse.

"Little sis..." Evelyn said gently, concern threading through her voice despite the ache in her body. "What’s wrong? Are you in trouble? Tell me, what is it?"

Evelyn shifted instinctively, then hissed quietly when the bandages pulled. Her body felt like it belonged to someone else, restrained and fragile.

Stella slowly lifted her head.

Her eyes were red.

"Why are you crying?" Evelyn asked, worriedly.

"Sis... I’m sorry," Stella said, her voice trembling. She swallowed hard, clearly choosing each word with care. "Did you... Did you know about your pregnancy?" 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

The world seemed to pause around them.

Evelyn’s breath was sharp and shallow, as if the air had suddenly grown heavier.

Her fingers curled weakly against the sheets, and the faint warmth that had settled in her chest moments ago shattered.

Of course, she knew.

The pain she had carefully locked away surged forward, cruel and relentless.

It felt like a thousand tiny nails piercing straight through her heart, each one whispering the same truth she had been trying not to face.

She had known.

She had carried it quietly.

She had loved that child before she ever got the chance to protect it.

Since she knew about it, she had forced herself to be strong. For Axel. For Oliver.

She had smiled, reassured, and pretended the loss was manageable. But it wasn’t. It had never been.

Her head bowed, her gaze fixed on the blanket as if it could shield her from the memory.

She told herself not to cry.

She told herself she was fine.

However, she wasn’t.

The tears came anyway, hot and relentless, sliding down her cheeks before she could stop them.

Her shoulders trembled, small at first, then harder, the sound of her quiet sobs breaking the fragile calm of the room.

Stella panicked instantly.

"S-Sister... Eve... no, no, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have to ask you about it. I’m sorry, sis..."

Evelyn shook her head weakly, finally lifting her face. Tears clung to her lashes, her eyes red and raw.

"I lost my baby," she whispered, her voice cracking completely. "I didn’t even get to say hello."

Stella’s heart broke.

"I tried so hard to stay calm," Evelyn continued, her words spilling out now that the dam had cracked. "I didn’t want Axel to see me fall apart. He’s already hurting. Everyone is. I thought if I stayed strong, it would hurt less."

Evelyn let out a broken laugh that carried no humor at all. "But, it doesn’t... It hurt. A lot..."

Stella leaned forward, careful not to touch any bandages, and rested her forehead against Evelyn’s hand.

"Sis, you don’t have to be strong all the time," she said softly. "You’re allowed to grieve."

Evelyn squeezed her sister’s hand as tightly as she could manage.

"I wanted that baby, Stella," she sobbed. "I already imagined everything."

Stella’s tears finally fell. "I know, sis... I know..."

They stayed like that for a while, hands clasped, grief shared in silence.

The laughter from earlier felt distant now, replaced by something heavier but real.

But soon after, their tears vanished completely when little Doctor Oliver entered the room.

"Aunt Stella?"

Oliver’s small, worried voice echoed from the doorway. His brows were knitted together, and his tiny fists were clenched at his sides.

"Why are you making my mommy cry?"

The question hit Stella so unexpectedly that she nearly choked on her own breath. She froze, staring at him for half a second before laughter burst out of her despite herself. He looked far too serious for someone barely taller than the bed.

"Oh my goodness," she said between laughs. "Look at his face."

Evelyn stifled a laugh, too, though the sound softened quickly when a dull ache rippled through her chest.

Still, her eyes warmed as she watched her son march toward her like a tiny knight ready to defend his queen. Somehow, just seeing him there loosened the heaviness in her heart.

Stella immediately stood and scooped Oliver up, careful as she settled him on the edge of the bed.

"Little Oli," she said quickly, "I didn’t make your mommy cry."

Oliver crossed his arms, clearly unconvinced. "Really?" he asked, turning to Evelyn with suspicious eyes.

Evelyn smiled gently and nodded. "Really. Aunt Stella was just talking to me."

"But I saw mommy cry," he insisted, reaching up to wipe away the faint traces of tears still clinging to her cheeks. His movements were clumsy but earnest.

Stella’s expression softened. "Your mommy was hurting a little, so I was comforting her. Doctors do that, you know. We help people feel better."

Evelyn nodded again. "She was helping me, sweetheart. I’m okay now."

Oliver studied their faces seriously, as if weighing the truth.

After a long second, he finally relaxed.

"Okay," he said, satisfied. "But if Mommy cries again, I will scold you, Auntie..."

Stella gasped. "Scold me? Oh, No! Now I’m terrified." She said, doing her best to look truly afraid while she held back her laughter.

Oliver smiles.

Then Evelyn sniffed the air. "Oliver... why do you smell like chocolate?"

Stella leaned closer, squinting. "And why," she added slowly, "is there chocolate on your lips?"

Oliver’s eyes widened. He immediately rubbed his mouth with the back of his hand. "It’s not chocolate," he said too quickly.

"Oh?" Stella raised a brow. "Then what is it?"

He hesitated, then sighed heavily, like someone burdened by great secrets. "I ate four donuts," he admitted.

"Four?" Evelyn repeated, stunned.

"But..." Oliver quickly added, "I didn’t eat all of them. I saved one for Mommy and one for Aunt Stella."

Stella burst out laughing. "Wow, how generous."

Evelyn laughed too, her chest aching slightly, but her heart felt lighter than it had in hours. She reached out and pressed a kiss to Oliver’s hair. "Thank you, sweetheart."

Oliver beamed proudly. "Because you’re unwell. And people need donuts to get well."

Stella nodded solemnly. "Seconded. It’s an undeniable medical fact. Guarantee!"

The room filled with laughter again, warm and real, and for the moment, Evelyn felt the pain fade into the background.