As soon as Angela mentioned with great distress that Olivia was dying, Ethan walked off the altar as he paced and it caused even more distinct chatter.
As his heart raced faster, he felt the sweat coming on as Angela couldn't stop crying as she described how awful Olivia's state was. It already sounded like a matter of life and death for Olivia and his baby and he wasn't going to let anything happen to them.
The moment he ended the call, he paced quicker than before as he fought hard to make a decision but he couldn't think clearly as Natalie was right in front of him, whispering to him to find out what was going on and he should return to the altar.
It was as if he couldn't see or hear her as he panicked about how worse Olivia's condition would get the longer he would take to get to her.
With so many possible horrible outcomes on his mind, he paid attention to none of those who stood before him.
It was only when his mother got closer to him and placed her hand on his shoulder that he looked at her. With rage written all over her face, she asked what was going on. Before he could even respond, even though he was too conflicted to do so, she ordered him to continue with the wedding ceremony.
"I.....I.... Olivia-"
"I don't want to hear it," Ms Hudson whispered to him. "I said get back there, right this instant!"
Natalie had been waiting for her big day with so many expectations and knew the embarrassment she would face if anything was to go wrong. She could already feel it and every time she glanced at the audience, she panicked more. It only got worse when she looked over at her father who shook his head as he approached them.
When Natalie heard Ms Hudson order Ethan to carry on with the ceremony, she let out a stuttered breath of relief as she was certain he would never disobey her.
For a moment, it seemed that it was all under control because as soon as Ms Hudson had intervened, Ethan and Natalie both returned to their standing positions from before and the chatter in the audience slowly faded. Natalie even looked over at her father who was also relieved and took a seat.
Ethan's mind had wandered off and with every passing second, he feared Olivia would only get worse. With a heavy heart, he looked over at his mother who was everything to him.
When they were meant to continue with the wedding ceremony, he could only stare at his mother for a few seconds and didn't care to look at Natalie when she called out his name.
After contemplating what his actions might cause, he now had a clear mind and once again, he got off the altar but this time, took off running as fast as he could.
Ms Hudson was so infuriated that she placed a hand on her chest to control herself in fear of having a heart attack.
Angered by the turn of events, Natalie held onto her wedding dress and was ready to after him with tears trickling down her cheeks. She looked around and everyone was already deep in talks about how the groom had just ran away from his bride. Not wanting to lose him, she took off her heels and went after him.
Her father rushed out as well and clenched his fist at the embarrassment his family had just experienced.
~
Right outside, Ethan was already by the car door, desperately trying to get inside but Natalie just wouldn't let him go as she begged him to stay.
With only Olivia and the baby on his mind, he held onto her hands and pulled them off of him without saying a word to her and opened the door so he could get in but just then, his mother called out to him. When he saw her with Mr Philip right behind her, he waited but the sweat from his forehead was almost dripping down the sides of his face.
"Mom, I'm sorry but I have to g-"
"Shut up and listen to me." She gritted her teeth. "Whatever this is, go afterwards.
"But Olivia needs me a-"
"If you don't get back inside and decide to drive out of here, I'll never forgive you."
Ms Hudson was certain that he would go back inside since they had recently patched things up and the last thing he wanted was to be on bad terms with her again. Confident he would obey, she turned around to head back inside to calm the situation.
Suddenly, the revving engine and Natalie's screaming caught her attention and when she looked behind her, her eyes widened as she saw Ethan fasten his seatbelt.
Regardless of the consequences, he had made his choice to go to Olivia.
As he reversed the car, Natalie constantly banged on the windows as she begged for him not to leave her but it was all for nothing and when he drove off, she dropped to the ground with her teary eyes shut.
Her father placed his hand on her shoulder to comfort her. Even if it wasn't in the way he had imagined it, his worst fear came true about Ethan.
~
When Ethan arrived at the apartment, the tires screeched when he hit the brakes since he drove into the yard as fast as he could.
He had even received countless calls but ignored them every time he looked at the caller ID and it was his mother, Natalie or her father. He only planned to answer when he would see one specific caller ID and hoped it would be soon.
As soon as he stepped out, he loosened his necktie and rushed inside. Just in the living room, he called out to Olivia as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.
Angela then came down the stairs and when he saw how her face was smeared in her own tears, he felt his stomach turn.
"How..... how is she?" he asked as he walked up the stairs.
"I'm so glad you're her-"
"Just tell me how she is for crying out loud!" He yelled as he rushed past her, desperate to see Olivia.
Once he got to the door, he barged in and breathed faster when he saw Olivia laying in bed and loosely holding onto what covered her. Her shivers had gotten worse and he placed his hand over his mouth with worry.
He instantly rushed to her side, sat on the bed and placed his hand on her forehead to wipe off the sweat.
"Hey," he said softly.
"Ethan?" said Olivia, barely audible.
"Yes, I'm here."
"It ......hurts everywhere," she said quietly, her voice trembling.
He held onto her hand and gently squeezed it. "You'll be alright. I'm here now."
As soon as he spoke to Olivia softly, he made Angela flinch when he suddenly yelled, "Why hasn't the doctor arrived yet?"
Angela held onto the wall to keep her balance. "Wh-what doctor?"
"The family doctor! I spoke to her on the phone and....." he trailed off when he realized Angela knew nothing about it and he was so stressed out that he took it out on the wrong person.
He then took out his phone and as he dialed the doctor's number, his hand couldn't stop shaking. When the doctor picked up, he impatiently asked how much longer it would take for her to get there. To his relief, she had just arrived so he instructed Angela to bring her inside.
Angela had been standing still with her hands covering her mouth as she was in tears. She was so worried about Olivia that she was scared of leaving the room. It took Ethan a few times to order her to go outside before she listened to him.
Once he was alone with Olivia, his phone rang again and it was his mother but he still planned not to pick up so he shut it down.
When he wanted to get another blanket for Olivia and started to walk away, he couldn't move any further than he already did. He looked back at Olivia's hand which still held onto his. He instantly took a few steps back and crouched down to run his hands through her hair.
"I'm right here," he said.
"Don't leave me."
He lightly shook his head. "I won't."
When the doctor came in, he wanted to step aside so she could examine Olivia but she wouldn't let go of his hand. Instead, he held onto it.
Once the doctor examined her, Ethan placed his other hand on Olivia's forehead.
"What's wrong with her? Will she be alright? And my baby?"
The desperation in his tone was so obvious that when Olivia heard him, she squeezed his hand with the little energy she had.
When he felt that, he looked down at their hands and held onto hers tighter.
His attention only shifted when the doctor assured him that Olivia would be alright after the injection and only needed to be kept warm. She also took out some tablets Olivia needed to take. After giving instructions, she packed her bag to leave and it had Ethan's full attention.
"Where do you think you're going?" he asked.
"My work here is done," said the doctor.
"No, it's not."
"I have other things to atten-"
"They can wait. You're spending the whole day here until I'm sure Olivia and my baby aren't in any type of danger."
"But y-"
"I'll pay you for every second of your time. Stay here for now."
When the doctor heard that, she knew he meant it so she nodded in agreement.
Ethan then instructed Angela to take the doctor to one of the bedrooms and as she nodded, she had a hand on her chest as the other one wiped her tears. She was so glad that Olivia wasn't dying.
When he was alone with Olivia, they still held hands but he told her he needed to bring a warm towel for her forehead and she let him go.
When he returned with it, he placed it on her forehead then brought a chair closer so he could sit. He then reached for her hand and enveloped it in both of his as he thought about the events that led up to that moment.
"You know.... when Angela called, nothing else mattered but coming to you. I didn't even get married."
"Good," said Olivia softly as she drifted off to sleep.
~
Still at the wedding venue and on the verge of having an outburst, Ms Hudson wrapped her fingers around her phone tightly as she called Ethan once again but his number was now unreachable.
With Natalie constantly nagging her about it as she cried, she could only tolerate so much and ended up yelling in her face for her to shut up.
When Natalie dropped to the floor in tears once again, her father got closer to comfort her and helped her up as he told Ms Hudson not to treat her daughter-in-law in such a manner.
Ms Hudson scoffed as she looked back and forth between the two of them. "She's not yet my daughter-in-law, not until they're married, but it seems that won't happen."
"No!" said Natalie as she wiped her tears, darkening the area around her eyes more with her smudged makeup. "He has to marry me. You'll make sure he does, right?"
Ms Hudson sighed as she had a lot on her mind and it didn't help that Natalie wouldn't stop asking if Ethan would still marry her.
"Enough with your useless questions! Can't you see I'm trying to think?" yelled Ms Hudson.
Natalie's jaw dropped and she and her father took a few steps forward to get closer to Ms Hudson as they expressed their disappointment.
"You don't seem too concerned about the wedding anymore," said Mr Philip.
"What do you think?" Ms Hudson gritted her teeth, then stormed out so she could head home.
Mr Philip was too shocked and disappointed to follow her and express how hurt he was so he only watched as Natalie ran after her.
When Natalie caught up with her outside, she looked around before speaking to make sure no one else was around to hear her.
"It really seems like you care more about something else than the fact that Ethan left me. No matter what happens, you better make sure he marries me."
Ms Hudson stopped in her tracks. "I don't have time for this nonsense."
"Now it's become nonsense?" Her eyes grew wide with a sinister chuckle. "If you don't make sure he marries me, I'll expose your secret!"
Ms Hudson furrowed her eyebrows and wondered what Natalie was talking about. She then held her breath in shock when Natalie explained to her how she had arrived at the mansion one day but before she could announce her presence, she saw another woman with her and they seemed suspicious when they went up to the study.
"I heard it all. You'll make sure he marries me...or else."
"Or else what?" asked Ms Hudson, getting in Natalie's face with a blank expression even when she panicked inside.
"He'll find out the truth about Martha a-"
Before Natalie could even get to the end of it, Ms Hudson slapped her across the face so hard that she fell to the ground.
As Natalie rubbed her cheek, she looked up at Ms Hudson with fear, regretting her decision instantly.
Ms Hudson pointed down at Natalie with a glare so intimidating that she gulped. She then held onto Natalie's chin with her other hand. "Because of this, I'll make sure my son never marries you. Keep your mouth shut about Martha or you'll regret it. Do you understand?"
Natalie nodded several times, scared Ms Hudson might hurt her.
"Good for nothing!" yelled Ms Hudson, then pushed Natalie to the side as she released her chin so she could head home.
~
When Ms Hudson arrived at her residence, she saw Helena waiting at the gate and it only added to how much she had on her mind.
She rolled down the window and told Helena to leave but Helena crossed her arms and said she would yell out the secret for all the workers to hear.
Not wanting that to happen, Ms Hudson cleared her throat then told her they could talk inside.
When they were in the study again, Helena sighed with disappointment as she sat down on one side of the table. "I waited for three days but heard nothing from you."
"That should've been a clear indication of what it meant." Ms Hudson crossed her arms, looking away from her as she leaned back in her seat
"Now that the three days are up, I've come back for you."
"Oh really? That was actually yesterday and I was expecting you. I wondered why you didn't show up."
"Have you decided on whether or not to allow the DNA test?"
"Over my dead body."
"I told you that if you didn't agree to it, I would use my own methods."
Ms Hudson inched forward with a glare. "I also told you I would send you to your grave before you even tried it."
"Please, this isn't like the last time I was here." Helena uncrossed her arms and brought her hands together on the table as her tone turned vulnerable. "Ethan needs to know his real mother before it's too late."
"Too late?"
"The reason I didn't show up yesterday was because the doctors have been running some tests on Martha. She doesn't have that long to live."
Ms Hudson's eyes grew wide as her lips curved into a smile of relief and she brought her hands together to clap when she leaned back and exclaimed, "Good riddance!"