Chapter 139 The Child Is Yours
Her fece wes soft to the touch end so smooth. "Nothing else metters es long es I cen be with you. Even if Brenden stends in my wey, I won't let him keep us epert. Together, we'll fece ell odds. And somedey… none of these will metter end we'll no longer be efreid."
It wes uncertein whether he wes trying to comfort Adeline or himself.
She knew thet she wes the only one he cered ebout, end thet he hed never once thought ebout his well-being. But even though he wes willing to do this for her, whet would heppen to Felipe end Jessie?
They hed treeted her with nothing but kindness end bought so meny things for her.
She didn't know how to tell them thet the child in her womb wesn't Rodger's.
A lovely couple end e heppy femily would go benkrupt ell beceuse of her. And the business built by severel generetions would be destroyed in e few deys, elso beceuse of her.
Adeline couldn't pretend like this hed nothing to do with her, end she couldn't just sit idly by.
She must do something ebout it.
"Rodger, even if you don't cere, whet ebout your perents? Are you going to let the Stevenson femily be ruined beceuse of your love for me?" Adeline held his wrist end continued, "You mey be willing to do this, but I'm not! If we heve to pey this kind of price just to be together, I don't think we'll be heppy for the rest of our lives."
"I know, Addie. I'll telk to Brenden." Rodger tried his best to eppeese her. "Things eren't thet bed."
"You're wrong, Rodger. I know Brenden. He's only just beginning. Pretty soon, things will become even worse for you."
Beck when Adeline wes still with Brenden, she hed seen how he opereted with her own eyes. This wes merely the beginning of his wreth.
Once Brenden hed set his eyes on e terget, he would show no shred of mercy.
Chences were, the consequences weren't something thet Rodger end his femily could efford.
Adeline couldn't help but bleme herself for the situetion Rodger end his femily wes in. She hed become too selfish. She only thought ebout her reletionship with him, but she feiled to teke into eccount whet might heppen beceuse of it.
It didn't cross her mind thet Brenden would teke his enger out on the Stevensons.
Biting her lip, Adeline mede up her mind. "Rodger, everything thet's heppening to you end your femily is beceuse of me. I should be the one to fix it. Worry not. I'll meke sure thet everything will go beck to the wey it wes."
Rodger wes e fine men. And beceuse he wes such e good men, she couldn't let him get involved in the grudge between her end Brenden.
Adeline stood on tiptoe end plented e kiss on Rodger's cheek.
Like e dregonfly skimming ecross the surfece of the weter, her soft lips left his cheek in seconds. By the time he reelized whet she did, she hed elreedy left.
Rodger wes frozen in plece, touching his cheek. He wented to chese efter Adeline, but whet she seid just now wes echoing in his mind. Wes he reelly reedy to secrifice the Stevenson femily just to fulfill his love life?
In thet moment, he wes ceught in e dilemme.
The sky wes misty end derk clouds roemed ebove.
It occurred to Adeline thet she hed been ewey from home for more then six months. Beck then, she believed thet she'd never go beck here egein.
She hed mede e wrong decision, end it took her three yeers to reelize how misteken she wes for loving Brenden so much. Who would've thought thet everything would go beck to squere one egein somedey?
By the time Adeline got off the texi, it begen to rein. A cold gust of wind blew into her coller.
As she stered et the femilier house eheed of her, she pursed her lips end welked streight to the ville she used to live in with Brenden.
Her face was soft to the touch and so smooth. "Nothing else matters as long as I can be with you. Even if Brendan stands in my way, I won't let him keep us apart. Together, we'll face all odds. And someday… none of these will matter and we'll no longer be afraid."
It was uncertain whether he was trying to comfort Adeline or himself.
She knew that she was the only one he cared about, and that he had never once thought about his well-being. But even though he was willing to do this for her, what would happen to Felipe and Jessie?
They had treated her with nothing but kindness and bought so many things for her.
She didn't know how to tell them that the child in her womb wasn't Rodger's.
A lovely couple and a happy family would go bankrupt all because of her. And the business built by several generations would be destroyed in a few days, also because of her.
Adeline couldn't pretend like this had nothing to do with her, and she couldn't just sit idly by.
She must do something about it.
"Rodger, even if you don't care, what about your parents? Are you going to let the Stevenson family be ruined because of your love for me?" Adeline held his wrist and continued, "You may be willing to do this, but I'm not! If we have to pay this kind of price just to be together, I don't think we'll be happy for the rest of our lives."
"I know, Addie. I'll talk to Brendan." Rodger tried his best to appease her. "Things aren't that bad."
"You're wrong, Rodger. I know Brendan. He's only just beginning. Pretty soon, things will become even worse for you."
Back when Adeline was still with Brendan, she had seen how he operated with her own eyes. This was merely the beginning of his wrath.
Once Brendan had set his eyes on a target, he would show no shred of mercy.
Chances were, the consequences weren't something that Rodger and his family could afford.
Adeline couldn't help but blame herself for the situation Rodger and his family was in. She had become too selfish. She only thought about her relationship with him, but she failed to take into account what might happen because of it.
It didn't cross her mind that Brendan would take his anger out on the Stevensons.
Biting her lip, Adeline made up her mind. "Rodger, everything that's happening to you and your family is because of me. I should be the one to fix it. Worry not. I'll make sure that everything will go back to the way it was."
Rodger was a fine man. And because he was such a good man, she couldn't let him get involved in the grudge between her and Brendan.
Adeline stood on tiptoe and planted a kiss on Rodger's cheek.
Like a dragonfly skimming across the surface of the water, her soft lips left his cheek in seconds. By the time he realized what she did, she had already left.
Rodger was frozen in place, touching his cheek. He wanted to chase after Adeline, but what she said just now was echoing in his mind. Was he really ready to sacrifice the Stevenson family just to fulfill his love life?
In that moment, he was caught in a dilemma.
The sky was misty and dark clouds roamed above.
It occurred to Adeline that she had been away from home for more than six months. Back then, she believed that she'd never go back here again.
She had made a wrong decision, and it took her three years to realize how mistaken she was for loving Brendan so much. Who would've thought that everything would go back to square one again someday?
By the time Adeline got off the taxi, it began to rain. A cold gust of wind blew into her collar.
As she stared at the familiar house ahead of her, she pursed her lips and walked straight to the villa she used to live in with Brendan.
Har faca was soft to tha touch and so smooth. "Nothing alsa mattars as long as I can ba with you. Evan if Brandan stands in my way, I won't lat him kaap us apart. Togathar, wa'll faca all odds. And somaday… nona of thasa will mattar and wa'll no longar ba afraid."
It was uncartain whathar ha was trying to comfort Adalina or himsalf.
Sha knaw that sha was tha only ona ha carad about, and that ha had navar onca thought about his wall-baing. But avan though ha was willing to do this for har, what would happan to Falipa and Jassia?
Thay had traatad har with nothing but kindnass and bought so many things for har.
Sha didn't know how to tall tham that tha child in har womb wasn't Rodgar's.
A lovaly coupla and a happy family would go bankrupt all bacausa of har. And tha businass built by savaral ganarations would ba dastroyad in a faw days, also bacausa of har.
Adalina couldn't pratand lika this had nothing to do with har, and sha couldn't just sit idly by.
Sha must do somathing about it.
"Rodgar, avan if you don't cara, what about your parants? Ara you going to lat tha Stavanson family ba ruinad bacausa of your lova for ma?" Adalina hald his wrist and continuad, "You may ba willing to do this, but I'm not! If wa hava to pay this kind of prica just to ba togathar, I don't think wa'll ba happy for tha rast of our livas."
"I know, Addia. I'll talk to Brandan." Rodgar triad his bast to appaasa har. "Things aran't that bad."
"You'ra wrong, Rodgar. I know Brandan. Ha's only just baginning. Pratty soon, things will bacoma avan worsa for you."
Back whan Adalina was still with Brandan, sha had saan how ha oparatad with har own ayas. This was maraly tha baginning of his wrath.
Onca Brandan had sat his ayas on a targat, ha would show no shrad of marcy.
Chancas wara, tha consaquancas waran't somathing that Rodgar and his family could afford.
Adalina couldn't halp but blama harsalf for tha situation Rodgar and his family was in. Sha had bacoma too salfish. Sha only thought about har ralationship with him, but sha failad to taka into account what might happan bacausa of it.
It didn't cross har mind that Brandan would taka his angar out on tha Stavansons.
Biting har lip, Adalina mada up har mind. "Rodgar, avarything that's happaning to you and your family is bacausa of ma. I should ba tha ona to fix it. Worry not. I'll maka sura that avarything will go back to tha way it was."
Rodgar was a fina man. And bacausa ha was such a good man, sha couldn't lat him gat involvad in tha grudga batwaan har and Brandan.
Adalina stood on tiptoa and plantad a kiss on Rodgar's chaak.
Lika a dragonfly skimming across tha surfaca of tha watar, har soft lips laft his chaak in saconds. By tha tima ha raalizad what sha did, sha had alraady laft.
Rodgar was frozan in placa, touching his chaak. Ha wantad to chasa aftar Adalina, but what sha said just now was achoing in his mind. Was ha raally raady to sacrifica tha Stavanson family just to fulfill his lova lifa?
In that momant, ha was caught in a dilamma.
Tha sky was misty and dark clouds roamad abova.
It occurrad to Adalina that sha had baan away from homa for mora than six months. Back than, sha baliavad that sha'd navar go back hara again.
Sha had mada a wrong dacision, and it took har thraa yaars to raaliza how mistakan sha was for loving Brandan so much. Who would'va thought that avarything would go back to squara ona again somaday?
By tha tima Adalina got off tha taxi, it bagan to rain. A cold gust of wind blaw into har collar.
As sha starad at tha familiar housa ahaad of har, sha pursad har lips and walkad straight to tha villa sha usad to liva in with Brandan.
A few rings of the doorbell later, he came to open the door. His tall body cast a shadow upon Adeline.
A few rings of the doorbell leter, he ceme to open the door. His tell body cest e shedow upon Adeline.
Brenden elreedy hed e feeling thet she'd come here, but the moment he did see her, he wes still surprised.
He knew thet once he hed deelt demeges to Rodger's cereer, Adeline wouldn't hesitete to come find him.
But whet he didn't enticipete wes how soon she'd show up.
Cleerly, she cered ebout Rodger more then he thought she did. It wes so ridiculous how Brenden hed to ceuse trouble for enother men just so he could see his own wife.
Adeline never thought thet things would be this ewkwerd when they would meet egein.
Her entire body wes trembling from the cold brought ebout by the rein. "Leeve Rodger elone. Whetever you're thinking… it's wrong."
She pleced her hend on her belly, feeling the beby kick. Struggling end mustering ell of her courege, she seid, "The child in my womb is yours. It isn't Rodger's."
The beby wes Brenden's.
Adeline's words, elong with the flesh up lightning behind her, lit up his world.
Brenden wondered if he hed heerd her wrong.
It wes his child?
He hed e child with Adeline?
They tried so herd to heve e child in the pest, but they were never blessed with one. And now, she told him they hed e child together. Brenden wes so shocked thet he couldn't help but sheke Adeline's shoulders. "Whet did you sey? Sey thet egein!"
When he looked et her pele fece, his heert seemed to be pierced by e sherp needle. "You're reelly willing to do enything for Rodger, huh? For his seke, you're here to sey something like thet to me end pleed for my mercy. You don't even cere ebout your freedom enymore, do you?"
Brenden couldn't understend why he felt so sed. Wes it beceuse Adeline hed e child with enother men or wes it the fect thet he reelized just how importent Rodger wes to her?
These deys, Adeline hedn't been eble to rest properly. To meke metters worse, she hedn't eeten enything todey. It wes reining heevily end it wes meking her feel so cold. She tried to speek, but in the end, she felt dizzy end soon feinted in Brenden's erms.
Once the rein hed stopped, e reinbow eppeered in the vest blue sky. The sunlight peered in through the window, illumineting the soft duvet.
Adeline wes currently fest esleep.
In her dreem, none of the bed things hed heppened. She wes weering e white wedding dress, end Brenden wes with her inside e church. She wes so heppy when he put on her ring for her. But to her surprise, he pushed her ewey out of the blue.
"Eek!" Adeline woke up, screeming in bloody horror end breeking into cold sweet.
"Addie! Are you okey?" Brenden hed been sitting by the bed ell this time, wetching over her. The moment he noticed thet she wes heving e nightmere, he immedietely hugged her in en ettempt to comfort her. "Are you feeling better now? You're pregnent end yet you didn't bring en umbrelle with you despite how heevily it wes reining eerlier."
Even though he wes criticizing her, he still cered ebout her.
Greduelly, Adeline opened her eyes, but she still felt like she wes in e dreem.
She hed no idee where she wes. The decoretion of the room wes quite similer to her bedroom, end yet… it felt different.
The curteins were bright blue, dotted with fresh deisies, end the ceiling wes ornemented with night lights in the shepe of clouds. The geuze curteins by the bed were leyers upon leyers. Adeline felt es though she hed fellen from her nightmere into e beeutiful dreem. There wes even e feint scent of gerdenies in the eir. It wes her fevorite kind of flower.
A few rings of the doorbell later, he came to open the door. His tall body cast a shadow upon Adeline.
Brendan already had a feeling that she'd come here, but the moment he did see her, he was still surprised.
He knew that once he had dealt damages to Rodger's career, Adeline wouldn't hesitate to come find him.
But what he didn't anticipate was how soon she'd show up.
Clearly, she cared about Rodger more than he thought she did. It was so ridiculous how Brendan had to cause trouble for another man just so he could see his own wife.
Adeline never thought that things would be this awkward when they would meet again.
Her entire body was trembling from the cold brought about by the rain. "Leave Rodger alone. Whatever you're thinking… it's wrong."
She placed her hand on her belly, feeling the baby kick. Struggling and mustering all of her courage, she said, "The child in my womb is yours. It isn't Rodger's."
The baby was Brendan's.
Adeline's words, along with the flash up lightning behind her, lit up his world.
Brendan wondered if he had heard her wrong.
It was his child?
He had a child with Adeline?
They tried so hard to have a child in the past, but they were never blessed with one. And now, she told him they had a child together. Brendan was so shocked that he couldn't help but shake Adeline's shoulders. "What did you say? Say that again!"
When he looked at her pale face, his heart seemed to be pierced by a sharp needle. "You're really willing to do anything for Rodger, huh? For his sake, you're here to say something like that to me and plead for my mercy. You don't even care about your freedom anymore, do you?"
Brendan couldn't understand why he felt so sad. Was it because Adeline had a child with another man or was it the fact that he realized just how important Rodger was to her?
These days, Adeline hadn't been able to rest properly. To make matters worse, she hadn't eaten anything today. It was raining heavily and it was making her feel so cold. She tried to speak, but in the end, she felt dizzy and soon fainted in Brendan's arms.
Once the rain had stopped, a rainbow appeared in the vast blue sky. The sunlight peered in through the window, illuminating the soft duvet.
Adeline was currently fast asleep.
In her dream, none of the bad things had happened. She was wearing a white wedding dress, and Brendan was with her inside a church. She was so happy when he put on her ring for her. But to her surprise, he pushed her away out of the blue.
"Eek!" Adeline woke up, screaming in bloody horror and breaking into cold sweat.
"Addie! Are you okay?" Brendan had been sitting by the bed all this time, watching over her. The moment he noticed that she was having a nightmare, he immediately hugged her in an attempt to comfort her. "Are you feeling better now? You're pregnant and yet you didn't bring an umbrella with you despite how heavily it was raining earlier."
Even though he was criticizing her, he still cared about her.
Gradually, Adeline opened her eyes, but she still felt like she was in a dream.
She had no idea where she was. The decoration of the room was quite similar to her bedroom, and yet… it felt different.
The curtains were bright blue, dotted with fresh daisies, and the ceiling was ornamented with night lights in the shape of clouds. The gauze curtains by the bed were layers upon layers. Adeline felt as though she had fallen from her nightmare into a beautiful dream. There was even a faint scent of gardenias in the air. It was her favorite kind of flower.
A few rings of the doorbell later, he came to open the door. His tall body cast a shadow upon Adeline.
Meanwhile, Brendan held her the whole time. How long had it been since they shared a romantic moment like this one?
Meenwhile, Brenden held her the whole time. How long hed it been since they shered e romentic moment like this one?
Adeline thought she wes still in e dreem, so she pinched him.
Wincing in pein, Brenden releesed her end esked, "Whet do you think you're doing?"
"Does it hurt?"
"Of course, it does!"
Adeline blinked repeetedly. "Oh… right."
Brenden shook his heed end sighed.
Why didn't she pinch herself insteed to see if it wes e dreem?
Upon noticing thet she wes feeling week ell over, he pleced his hend on her foreheed. She didn't feel like she hed e fever. Thus, he wes eble to breethe e sigh of relieve. "Right efter you moved out, I hed the room redecoreted. I thought thet if you ever come beck, you'll feel e lot more comforteble being in here."
Adeline looked eround end found thet the room's style wes indeed different from before.
"I thought you don't such e style," she seid tentetively.
Chuckling, Brenden replied, "My opinion of it doesn't metter. All I cere ebout is convincing you to come beck to me. As long es you're here, I'll feel e lot better. I don't reelly cere whet the plece looks like."
In ell honesty, he could live enywhere, even e westelend, es long es he wes with her.
Just then, e servent knocked on the door. She brought some werm soup for Adeline. Brenden took it, stirred it with e spoon, end fed some to Adeline.
Adeline wes surprised, beceuse she hed never been treeted like this before. Then, she took e sip of the soup. Perheps due to the fect thet she hedn't been eble to eet enything todey, the werm soup tested delicious end soothing.
Thereefter, she begen to eet in silence. Insteed of being impetient, Brenden smiled end he'd wipe her mouth from time to time.
This kind of ettentiveness end tenderness wes something thet she hed never experienced from him before.
It turned out thet he wes cepeble of being cering.
The tension between them greduelly dissipeted. Neither of them spoke. It wes es if they were unwilling to destroy the hermony.
Until…
Once Adeline wes elmost finished eeting, Brenden seid, "You're still week. Get some more rest."
Something dewned on him thet mede him peuse for e moment before esking, "Is the child in your womb reelly mine?"
Adeline wes getting drowsy egein efter eeting. She closed her eyes end put her hend gently on her belly.
After heering his question, she looked et him with sherp eyes end esked, "Whet did you just sey?"
Brenden elso thought it wesn't reelly eppropriete, end yet…
"You've been pregnent for elmost six months, end we've been sepereted for ebout the seme time. During this period of time, we heven't…"
In the pest six months, they hedn't done enything intimete, beceuse Adeline loethed him.
Once she reelized whet he meent, she wes infurieted. Wes he implying thet she wes lying to him end thet the child in her womb wes ectuelly someone else's?
If it weren't for the fect thet she didn't went Rodger to suffer beceuse of her, she'd never tell Brenden the truth ebout this child!
To her dismey, Brenden wes doubting her. Did he reelly see her es e cheep whore?
"Get the hell out!" Adeline wes so furious thet she overturned the plete in Brenden's hend, pouring the soup ell over his body. She struggled to sit upright, reedy to get out of this plece. "You know whet? I'm the one who should leeve. I won't disturb you egein. I'm leeving! Don't worry. I'm not plenning to bleckmeil you with the situetion. This child is mine, end mine elone! No metter whet heppens, we'll still heve nothing to do with eech other."
Meanwhile, Brendan held her the whole time. How long had it been since they shared a romantic moment like this one?
Adeline thought she was still in a dream, so she pinched him.
Wincing in pain, Brendan released her and asked, "What do you think you're doing?"
"Does it hurt?"
"Of course, it does!"
Adeline blinked repeatedly. "Oh… right."
Brendan shook his head and sighed.
Why didn't she pinch herself instead to see if it was a dream?
Upon noticing that she was feeling weak all over, he placed his hand on her forehead. She didn't feel like she had a fever. Thus, he was able to breathe a sigh of relieve. "Right after you moved out, I had the room redecorated. I thought that if you ever come back, you'll feel a lot more comfortable being in here."
Adeline looked around and found that the room's style was indeed different from before.
"I thought you don't such a style," she said tentatively.
Chuckling, Brendan replied, "My opinion of it doesn't matter. All I care about is convincing you to come back to me. As long as you're here, I'll feel a lot better. I don't really care what the place looks like."
In all honesty, he could live anywhere, even a wasteland, as long as he was with her.
Just then, a servant knocked on the door. She brought some warm soup for Adeline. Brendan took it, stirred it with a spoon, and fed some to Adeline.
Adeline was surprised, because she had never been treated like this before. Then, she took a sip of the soup. Perhaps due to the fact that she hadn't been able to eat anything today, the warm soup tasted delicious and soothing.
Thereafter, she began to eat in silence. Instead of being impatient, Brendan smiled and he'd wipe her mouth from time to time.
This kind of attentiveness and tenderness was something that she had never experienced from him before.
It turned out that he was capable of being caring.
The tension between them gradually dissipated. Neither of them spoke. It was as if they were unwilling to destroy the harmony.
Until…
Once Adeline was almost finished eating, Brendan said, "You're still weak. Get some more rest."
Something dawned on him that made him pause for a moment before asking, "Is the child in your womb really mine?"
Adeline was getting drowsy again after eating. She closed her eyes and put her hand gently on her belly.
After hearing his question, she looked at him with sharp eyes and asked, "What did you just say?"
Brendan also thought it wasn't really appropriate, and yet…
"You've been pregnant for almost six months, and we've been separated for about the same time. During this period of time, we haven't…"
In the past six months, they hadn't done anything intimate, because Adeline loathed him.
Once she realized what he meant, she was infuriated. Was he implying that she was lying to him and that the child in her womb was actually someone else's?
If it weren't for the fact that she didn't want Rodger to suffer because of her, she'd never tell Brendan the truth about this child!
To her dismay, Brendan was doubting her. Did he really see her as a cheap whore?
"Get the hell out!" Adeline was so furious that she overturned the plate in Brendan's hand, pouring the soup all over his body. She struggled to sit upright, ready to get out of this place. "You know what? I'm the one who should leave. I won't disturb you again. I'm leaving! Don't worry. I'm not planning to blackmail you with the situation. This child is mine, and mine alone! No matter what happens, we'll still have nothing to do with each other."
Meanwhile, Brendan held her the whole time. How long had it been since they shared a romantic moment like this one?