Then, I took Summer from her arms and called out to the kitchen, “Mrs. Eriksen, please come out here for a while.”
In no time, she came out.
“Mrs. Eriksen, we will follow the usual schedule this morning. You will watch Summer and let the other servants handle your chores.”
“Yes, Mrs. Featherstone.”
Emery was confused, “Why aren’t you bringing Summer? I can watch her.”
Summer stood between us as she spoke, looking up at us quietly with her large, bright eyes.
Sometimes, she was very much like me. The moment she understood what was going on, she would acquiesce to the circumstances.
Last night as I tucked her into bed, I told her that Mommy would be busy in the following mornings, so she would have to stay at home with Mrs. Eriksen in the meantime.
She did not understand why I had to leave her behind again, thinking that I was going to abandon her like the time I left her with Cameron and Zachary. After a crying fit, she calmed down when I read her a few fairytales. Finally, she agreed as I patiently explained everything again.
Sighing, I asked Mrs. Eriksen to bring Summer to the backyard. After they left the room, I finally replied to Emery’s question, “Summer had just completed the bone marrow operation last year, and she had a kidney transplant too. She is recovering well, so I don’t want her to go to the hospital yet. I don’t want anything bad to happen to her again.”
Emery nodded in understanding and did not say anything else.
We walked out of the house after picking up our bags. At this moment, Anthony walked in through the entrance. Looking worn out with visible stubble on his chin, he seemed as though he had just rushed here from the office.
Emery teased him, “Hey, isn’t this Mr. Fu? Did you just come back from a mining trip or something?”
I patted her shoulder to stop her from talking before telling Anthony, “You’ve worked for a whole night. Emery can go with me today. Just go upstairs and take a nap.”
Anthony looked at me before turning his gaze to Emery, saying adamantly, “Wait for me in the car for five minutes. I’ll just do a quick shave.”
Having said that, he headed to the bathroom immediately. I could faintly hear him telling the maid to get his electric shaver for him.
He still preferred to use the shaver I chose for him.
We waited around for a while before Emery dragged me into Anthony’s car.
After five minutes, Anthony sat in the driver’s seat punctually and drove toward the hospital.
I observed Anthony quietly through the rearview mirror. After shaving, his charming, good looks were restored with no sign of having gone through an all-nighter at all.
Being the extrovert she was, Emery started talking not long after the car sped off, “I know it is not good to compare, but look at you, Mr. Featherstone. You are so busy, and yet, you still make time to bring Scar to the hospital, unlike Hunter. When we finally get a long-awaited holiday, he spends it on some random academic seminar. Tsk tsk…”
I just sat there, feeling awkward. While it was perfectly acceptable to complain to girlfriends, it was quite embarrassing for a wife to complain about her husband in front of another man. Emery seemed to be losing her filters after having her child. At that thought, I reminded myself to talk to her about it later on.
Anthony focused on driving and did not respond right away. I thought he didn’t hear it and was about to heave a sigh of relief when I heard his low voice pipe up.
“I did not manage to protect her properly the last two times. If I don’t make up for it this time around, I will have no comparative advantage over Professor Zane.”
It was a perfect response. Anthony did not deny that he was a good husband, but he did not run down Hunter either. This was the best way to protect the dignity of both men. I let out a laugh upon hearing that. Meanwhile, Emery was dumbstruck as she had not expected that the joke would be on her.
Since Anthony had raised Hunter to such a high pedestal, it would be too much of her to keep complaining about him.
With that, silence ensued in the car and soon, we reached the hospital.
Professor Zidd did a routine examination on me and beckoned Anthony and Emery back into the room with a rather serious look, which worried me. I had the feeling that we would get some bad news today.
After a long silence, Professor Zidd finally looked up and stared at Anthony solemnly. “Mr. Featherstone, don’t you even know your responsibility as a husband?”
All three of us were taken aback by this strange question.
Then, his expression changed, and he sighed a little before saying, “I thought that when you looked for me, you would have done your research. Didn’t you know that both of you’re not supposed to get intimate throughout this treatment?”
His tone was grim with a hint of anger. Both Anthony and I were flabbergasted at the same time before blushing rather bashfully.
Always up for a good show, Emery attempted to stifle a laugh and commented, “Cough, cough, Doctor, do try to empathize with them. It has been a difficult journey for them, and now that they have finally gotten together, it is difficult for them to hold back their passion.” My face blushed even more furiously after Emery said that. I then pursed my lips and turned to shoot a warning glare at her.
However, she was clearly not threatened by me at all. Emery was still laughing heartily and only stopped out of respect for Professor Zidd. “Fine, fine, I’ll stop talking now. You guys continue. Just pretend that I’m invisible.”
Professor Zidd’s face remained grim for quite a long time before he looked at Anthony and me solemnly. “I did not remind you yesterday, so I’m at fault too. However, I really hope that you will remember this from now onwards. You are both still young and passionate, and yes, some things tend to happen naturally. But you need to make your objectives clear. The whole in vitro fertilization process takes about two to three months, and together with the pregnancy, it’s only about a year. If you can’t even keep your hands off each other throughout this one year, I think we can all stop wasting each other’s time.”
At the end of the day, he may have sounded rather harsh, but it was all for our own good.
Feeling guilty, I looked down and was about to apologize when I heard Anthony’s almost hoarse voice. “It’s my fault for not being able to suppress myself. Don’t worry, Professor Zidd, I guarantee that this situation will not happen again.”
Hearing that, Emery coughed out loud a few times which embarrassed me greatly. I did not even dare to look at her then.
When Anthony saw that Professor Zidd’s solemn expression remained, he fell silent and reached out to hold me by my shoulders as he looked at Professor Zidd sincerely. With a heartfelt voice, he said, “Professor Zidd, we have already experienced the excruciating pain of losing a child twice.”
Then, he choked on his voice slightly before looking at me with affection. “My wife has suffered greatly because of these two miscarriages. Trust me. I really want this in-vitro fertilization process to go smoothly more than anyone else. As her husband, it was negligence on my part, and I will not seek excuses for myself, but I still hope that you will empathize with our desire to be parents and give us another chance. We will definitely not disappoint you again.”
I was actually quite moved by what Anthony said, and at that very moment, I wanted nothing more than to be by his side.
I reached out to put my hand on his and smiled as I looked up at him. Then, I turned to look at Professor Zidd earnestly and said, “Professor Zidd, I was the one who seduced him last night, so you can’t blame him!”
I spoke loudly, thinking that I was being righteous.
However, the moment I finished speaking, it was as if every single molecule in the air had frozen on the spot!
In an instant, Emery burst out laughing.
I was stunned for a while before I saw the weird look on Professor Zidd’s face. As if taken aback by what I had said, he stretched his neck. Averting his gaze, he pushed up his glasses before he found his voice again. “Women at this age do have a stronger desire. Please try to hold back for the sake of the treatment. If you really can’t do so, just remember not to go too deep…”
Despite his hesitation, I understood what he was trying to say. He was willing to forgive our mistake and continue with our treatment. I nodded away happily like a woodpecker and said, “Don’t worry, Professor Zidd. I will remember that. Not too deep…”
It was only then that I realized how crude I sounded!
When I looked at Professor Zidd again, he was frowning while pretending to look through my file instead of continuing the conversation. I was so embarrassed that I was beet red as I looked at Anthony, who was holding back his laughter. When he realized that I was looking at him, he quickly stopped and reached out to pat my head.
But what use could that be of?
Meanwhile, Emery was the terrible friend who completely reveled in this awkward situation I was caught in. Even when I was too embarrassed to turn around, I could imagine her reaction as I heard her trying to hold back her laughter.
She will have no more respect for me from now on.
Professor Zidd then arranged for me to get my estrogen and progesterone injections at the nurse’s station. I was told that I could leave once that was done.
When I left the doctor’s office, Professor Zidd pulled me aside to have a quick word. “Mrs. Featherstone, I know that it is difficult for you to practice abstinence with Mr. Featherstone’s good looks. If you have problems doing so, please have a discussion with Mr. Featherstone to make temporary separate sleeping arrangements.”
Embarrassed, I was rendered speechless, and my face reddened instantly. After mumbling a response, I immediately ran out of the room.
Anthony had been waiting by the door. When he saw me looking rather upset, he came up to me and asked in a low voice, “Did Professor Zidd lecture you again?”
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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