Chapter 37
My whole body stiffened as I held my breath.
Jonathan’s calloused hand rested lightly on my waist, gently tracing along it.
“Don’t be so tense. Relax,” he murmured right next to my ear.
1 shut my eyes and pretended to be asleep.
Moments later, I felt pressure around my waist as Jonathan pulled me into his arms.
He sighed and huskily asked, “Faking it?”
I stayed silent.
He brushed the hair back from my ear and pressed a soft kiss there, but did nothing more.
The next morning, I opened my eyes to see Jonathan sitting on the edge of the bed, buttoning up his shirt
with his back turned toward me. An idea popped into my head.
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“My stomach hurts…” I suddenly said, putting on a pained expression as I stared silently at him. “When
Gabrielle comes later, tell her to take me straight to the hospital…”
Jonathan paused, frowning as he looked at me. He reached over and placed a hand on my forehead.
“How come your stomach suddenly hurts?”
“I don’t know. I probably ate something bad,” I said.
His expression darkened. “I’ll have the kitchen staff replaced.”
I quickly grabbed his arm. “No, no, that’s not necessary!”
If my lie cost someone their job, that would be too much.
“It’s probably just me. Maybe it’s some mild food intolerance…” I stammered.
Jonathan frowned. “Food intolerance? You’ve been staying here for days. Why would that suddenly be a problem now?”
He sounded suspicious. I pulled my hand away and turned my back to him, sulking. “Fine, then let me
suffer alone.”
Jonathan placed a hand on my shoulder, gently trying to turn me over. I jerked my shoulder and pushed his hand away.
“Elise, stop making a scene,” he hoarsely said.
I shouted, “I’m not making a scene! Just go to work!”
I faced the wall, refusing to look at him once. “It’s just a stomachache. I can bear it.
Time passed in silence.
Just as I thought he had really left, I turned around and met his dark, probing eyes. There was a restran worry in them.
“I’m calling the family doctor,” he said.
I hesitated, then shook my head quickly.
“No! I feel terrible! I want to go to the hospital for a checkup!”
“Get dressed. I’ll take you there,” he said.
I didn’t want him to take me. I was already planning to meet Frederick, and if Jonathan found out, he might not let me leave at all.
“Aren’t you supposed to go to work?” I asked.
“It’s on the way,” he replied. “I’ll have Bob reschedule the meeting.”
I quickly waved my hands. “No! It’s nothing serious. I can go on my own!”
Suddenly, Jonathan braced his arms on either side of me, trapping me beneath him with that heavy stare.
“You just said you were in so much pain you could die, and now it’s no big deal?”
My eyes darted nervously, and I pushed at his chest, trying to get him to back off.
Jonathan leaned in. “Or are you lying to me?”
My face went pale. I flopped to the side, burying my face in the pillow. “I’m embarrassed! I feel like I’m about to have diarrhea and don’t want you to see it! Can you not look at me and let me go to the hospital myself?”
He rested his hand on my back, and as if believing me, he chuckled softly. “We’ve been married for so long. What’s there to be embarrassed about?”
He flipped me over and pressed his warm palm against my stomach, gently rubbing in slow circles.
“I’ve seen every inch of you,” he murmured.
Then, he suddenly paused, as if hesitating to move his hand from my stomach downward.
Ch
