My sudden appearance surprised her. She appeared chagrined as she looked at me. “Sienna, don’t you think you’re overreacting? I just thought her expression was adorable when she was choosing desserts, so I wanted to take some photos. I don’t have any ulterior motives. You can’t possibly think that of me.”
“I can and I will!” I replied coldly as I walked towards Summer. Pulling Summer towards me, I looked at Kristina. “For your own safety, please stay away from my daughter!”
Her smile was chilling as she kept her phone. “If she was really your child, I’d understand the extent of your concern. She’s not really yours though. And yet, you’re devoted to her. Don’t tell me the rumors are actually true? Is Mr. Featherstone barren? And that’s why you’re treating someone else’s child like the apple of your eye?”
My expression darkened. My tone was simmering with anger as I replied, “If you don’t use your mouth for anything else, I’d suggest sewing it up so you can’t spew any more nonsense.”
“So? Are the rumors actually true? Anthony can’t have any children of his own?” she sneered.
She’d come closer to me and whispered this last bit into my ear. No one else around us would’ve been able to hear her.
I lowered my gaze. Raising my hand, I slapped her without a hint of hesitation. It wasn’t a hard slap, but it was good enough to teach her a lesson.
She held her cheek as she glared at me. “What? Is no one else allowed to mention it?”
“Try again if you dare,” I said calmly.
Slapping someone in a restaurant would inevitably invite attention. Anthony and Jared soon showed up.
At the sight of the two men, Kristina immediately switched on the waterworks.
“Jared, I only brought Summer here to pick out desserts, but Ms. Stanhope didn’t want me to touch her child. She even slapped me! That’s too much!”
I pursed my lips and stared at her coldly. My anger hadn’t subsided. “Kristina, if you’re going to be this pretentious, I won’t mind sending another slap your way. Don’t think you’re untouchable just because you’re pregnant. If you like to act the victim, I can play along and be the villain.”
Jared frowned as he looked at me. “We can talk things out calmly. There’s no need to get physical.”
He’d uttered these words nonchalantly before turning towards Summer. “Summer, is there anything else you’d like to eat?”
Summer lifted her head to look at me before she turned to stare at a weeping Kristina. She apparently knew what was going on. “She made mommy angry. That’s why mommy hit her.”
Jared was stunned by her answer. He smiled meekly and nodded. “I know. I’m not blaming your mommy.”
Nodding, Summer passed the desserts she’d picked out to Anthony and said softly, “Mr. Featherstone, let’s go home. Mommy’s upset.”
Anthony’s knowing gaze had never left me though he had yet to utter a single word.
Jared, on the other hand, appeared unconcerned over Kristina’s feelings. His whole attention was on Summer. He had been trying to start a conversation with her even until we had already exited the restaurant.
Indifferently, we bid them farewell as we boarded the car. Summer fell asleep soon after.
When we stopped at a red light, Anthony reached out and held my hand. “Are you feeling better now?”
Slightly surprised, I shrugged. “I felt better a long time ago.”
He smiled gently. “So, what did Kristina say to piss you off?”
He lowered his gaze and stared at my hand. He appeared to be suppressing his laughter as he asked, “Does it hurt?”
“I’m the one who slapped her. Why would I be hurt?” I removed my hand from his hold as I recalled Kristina’s words. I couldn’t help my gaze as it traveled towards Anthony’s lower body.
Apparently, I wasn’t as subtle as I thought. Anthony narrowed his eyes as he asked doubtfully, “What’s going on?”
Aware that my staring was inappropriate, I quickly turned my gaze away. After some thought, I asked, “Did y-you take it out yet?”
He appeared shocked at the question, and it took him a moment before he was able to compose himself. The light turned green, and he began to drive forward. “Yes?” he answered confusedly.
Four years ago he had a vasectomy. I haven’t been with him for four years; I wouldn’t know if he’d reversed it or not.
Based on Kristina’s words, maybe he hadn’t reversed the vasectomy. This then became fodder for the rumors that were swirling around.
“Take what out again?” He looked at me out of the corner of his eye, a questioning gaze in his eyes.
Blushing, I said, “The vasectomy clips. Did y-you take them out?”
His shock soon morphed into laughter. He looked at me with his brows raised. “If you want to have kids, I’d be happy to remove them.”
My brain stuttered as I pouted. So, did he take them out or not?
“You’ll become infertile if you keep the clips on for too long!” Four years was a long time. I didn’t know if his fertility was already affected.
He laughed lightly. “Don’t worry. Your husband is a healthy man. If you really want to have kids, I’ll be up for it too. Any number is good.”
I didn’t want to continue bantering with him over this. Adopting a serious tone, I said, “Let’s make an appointment tomorrow and get the clips removed.”
Even if we’re destined to leave each other in the end, I don’t want him to ruin his chances of ever having kids in the future.
He looked at me and laughed. “We’re not in a rush to have kids.”
In the end, we didn’t manage to arrange for an appointment to reverse Anthony’s vasectomy due to his busy schedule.
But little did I expect that I was the first person to be notified about Nancy’s death.
It was the end of September when the autumn rains came frequently. I rarely left the house as I was busy preparing for my exams.
When I received the text, I was surprised. It was a short one: Turn on the TV. Wait for her death.
The message seemed like nothing more than a horrid prank.
I frowned and switched off my phone, turning my attention back to my revision.
Suddenly Stacey called, stumbling over her words. “Was it Mr. Featherstone?”
I knitted my brows in confusion. What does she mean by that?
“What happened?”
As if sensing my confusion, she replied, “Nancy was apparently murdered in her own home. The police are investigating now. I heard that it was an ugly scene.”
I was paralyzed with shock. My hands, however, seemed to move on their own accord as they closed my books and switched on the TV.
News of Nancy’s death was being reported on every channel.
“Isn’t Mr. Featherstone with you?” Stacey asked.
I frowned and recalled the first thing she’d blurted to me when I answered her call. I answered coolly, “Anthony wouldn’t stoop to such a level.”
She probably heard the anger in my tone and quickly apologized.
People change. She’d spent so much time in the murky waters of the business world that she’d become a ruthless woman.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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