Chapter 4

"What's wrong?" Jerald swiftly turned around, causing the soup bowl in his hand to crash onto the table. The scalding soup splashed out on Clara's hand and forearm.

The burning pain exploded instantly, and Clara instinctively withdrew her hand. Her skin turned red at a visible pace.

She winced in pain with cold sweat forming on her brow.

Yet Jerald didn't even look at her.

He pushed the chair aside and knelt beside Cecilia, then said with a panicked voice while holding her, "Cecilia, are you hurt? Is it serious? I'll call the doctor right away. no, I'll take you to the hospital now!"

As soon as he touched her arm, Cecilia winced in pain, tears streaming down her face. "I... I don't know... My stomach is cramping... Could it be the baby... "

"Don't say that!" Jerald interrupted her, carefully helping her up. "Everything will be fine, let's go to the hospital."

"It's definitely that wicked woman! " Ella beside them stood up, pointing at Clara. "I saw her staring at the fish and smiling earlier! She must have given Cecilia something harmful! She can't stand the fact that Cecilia is carrying Mr. Lucas' child!"

Clara looked at her blistered and reddened arm which was still burning with pain.

She glanced at Jerald, who was helping Cecilia out. His face was tense and full of worry. He didn't spare Clara a glance, as if she was invisible and not injured.

When the soup bowl shattered, he hadn't even turned back to check if she was hurt.

Those seven years of their marriage now was just a cruel joke.

He once said her hands were meant for playing the piano that they should be protected. She was not even allowed to touch ice water. Yet he didn't even care if she was splashed over by scalding hot soup.

Clara slowly withdrew her gaze and focused on her arm.

A nearby servant, startled, quickly offered her burn ointment, "I'll call the personal doctor for you!"

"No. It's just a minor injury, it's fine."

She looked towards the doorway and found that Jerald's figure had disappeared. Ella was left standing there, triumphantly glaring at her.

Clara forced a smile, "Your sister better keep that baby safe."

Ella retorted defiantly, "Of course! She's carrying Mr. Lucas' child, you should leave!"

Clara ignored her.

When the clock in the mansion struck ten, a sound came from the entrance.

Clara was sitting in the living room applying burn ointment, without lifting her gaze.

Jerald entered with Cecilia in his arms. Cecilia still looked pale and was leaning weakly against him.

Later that night, when they were back in the room, Jerald spoke with barely contained anger, "Clara, what were you trying to do today? Cecilia's pregnant. Can't you just be considerate to her? Did you have to confront her and give her something inedible?"

Clara looked at his blaming eyes and suddenly found it amusing.

"What did I do to her?" Clara's voice turned cold, "Jerald, take a good look. I'm the one got burned today. Did I force-feed her?"

"That was just an accident!" Jerald raised his voice, sounding more confrontational. "Cecilia didn't do it on purpose. She's just craving because she's pregnant! Can't you be more understanding?"

Clara stared at him and suddenly didn't want to argue anymore.

Jerald's voice was weary, "Forget it, let's calm down. I'll go check on Cecilia."

An hour passed.

Clara didn't know what she was thinking. Perhaps she was still holding onto some faint hope that she didn't even believe. She pushed open the door, quietly heading towards the guest room.

The door of the guest room was ajar, leaving a gap.

As she approached, she heard Cecilia's coy, flirting voice, "Jerald... I want you... I heard having sex during pregnancy is good for the baby... "

Clara's steps halted.

She peered through the gap and saw Cecilia lying on Jerald with her arm around his neck. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes hazy, like she was tipsy.

Jerald sat on the edge of the bed, looking at Cecilia, not with fervor, but without pushing her away either.

When Cecilia leaned in, he lowered his head slightly and kissed her lips.