From how gently I spoke, I probably sounded like a thoughtful wife.
Ashton’s gaze on me darkened for a moment before he began to introduce the man briefly.
This man so happened to be Henry Lowell, the owner of this courtyard and heir of a prominent family of doctors. He was so passionate about medicinal herbs and ingredients that he decided to cultivate them here.
The beautiful woman with him was his wife, and the one-year-old child was his son.
After a brief exchange of greetings, I felt unsettled. I had been trying too hard to keep my pregnancy a secret from Ashton all this while; what if Henry were to reveal it?
Feeling worried, I couldn’t help but glance at Jared, hoping he would think of a way to help me.
At this moment, Mrs. Lowell returned with the freshly cooked cuttlefish stew and beamed at me. “Try some of this, Mrs. Fuller. I loved this when I was pregnant. It may taste a little strange, but my husband added some nourishing herbs into it, so they’re especially good for you. How many weeks old is your child?”
Suddenly feeling panicky, I returned a smile. “It was six weeks old, but Ashton and I hadn’t planned for the child. That’s why we decided to get an abortion.”
The woman was dumbfounded and stared at me, looking rather doubtful. “You don’t look like—”
“These are just some symptoms of false pregnancy, Mrs. Lowell. She’ll be fine as time passes. I can’t help but admire you and your husband, though. You’re both so experienced that you could tell she was pregnant just by observing her.” Jared, who was sipping some tea, finally spoke up.
Henry squinted for a moment before smiling and saying nothing more. Mrs. Lowell, on the other hand, still couldn’t seem to believe I was merely exhibiting false pregnancy symptoms.
After our meal, Henry whispered something into his wife’s ear, causing her to glance at me in surprise before nodding and leaving the room.
Then, Henry turned to Ashton. “Since you’ve come all the way here, I’ve prepared some herbs for Mrs. Fuller. If she takes them diligently, it won’t be difficult for you both to have another child.”
Ashton nodded and gazed at me emotionlessly. I couldn’t tell what he was up to.
But somehow, it felt as though he had specifically brought me over to have Henry take a look at me. As for his reasons, I truly had no idea.
Feeling perplexed, I remained silent the whole time until we left.
It was already evening by the time we got into the car. Joe couldn’t stand the sight of me, so he pestered Ashton to send me home.
Knowing they probably still had other matters to take care of, I got down and said I would take a cab.
Ashton didn’t say much. He merely told me to be careful before leaving with the other two men.
My mind was filled with all sorts of worrying thoughts that I was unable to sleep at all. I considered approaching Jared, but couldn’t as he was surely with Ashton now. With nowhere else in mind, I headed to Hour Bar.
The sky had gotten dark and the bar was fairly packed.
Macy was utterly shocked to see me. “What are you doing here instead of resting at home?” she demanded, looking like she wanted to beat me up.
“Relieving my boredom,” I spat out before finding myself a seat.
Macy clutched her forehead, seemingly about to explode. “You’ve just had an abortion a few days ago, Ms. Stovall. Can you please take better care of yourself and stay home?”
Knowing she was worried about me, I turned to her. “Give me a glass of orange juice. Let’s have a chat.”
“I’m not here to relieve my boredom,” she replied before heading to the counter.
Despite keeping my eyes on the bar’s patrons, I couldn’t help but wonder why Ashton had brought me to Herb Garden. Did he possibly suspect that I had kept the child?
“What are you spacing out about? Didn’t you say you were bored to death? Let’s go. I’ll take you somewhere nice.” Macy tapped me on the shoulder and began to drag me outside.
I followed her out of the bar in confusion. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll find out when we get there!”
The entire street was filled with bars, and I thought she was just taking me out for a stroll. “Don’t you feel bored taking me out like this instead of watching over your own place?”
“What are you talking about?” She pointed at a glamorous-looking nightclub nearby. “There are other people looking after my bar. Didn’t you say you were bored? Well, I’m about to show you a whole new world!”
I hardly frequented anywhere else apart from Macy’s bar, so my ears instantly felt like they were about to burst from the blaring music playing in the dazzling nightclub.
Macy seemed to know this place like the back of her hand. She found a nice spot on the second floor and called the manager over. “I want two of your men.”
The manager immediately nodded. “Sure. I’ll have a selection sent over to you.”
I turned to Macy in despair. “What are you getting male hosts for?”
“To keep us company, of course!” she answered matter-of-factly before placing a glass of juice in front of me. “Have a look at them and pick anyone you like. They’re much more skillful and gentle than Ashton. Don’t waste your time thinking about him all day. You should put on an attitude too!”
