Chapter 605 Serafina, Come Live with Me in Evergreen City 2
Jacob and Chloe had come so close to becoming husband and wife.
Not wanting Serafina to overthink things, he stepped out of the hospital room with his phone before answering the call.
The moment the line connected, Chloe's choked voice came through, "Jacob, when are you coming back? I've been understanding about you abandoning me and our wedding to go see the child, but now that you're done, shouldn't you come back to continue our wedding?"
The truth was, there would be no wedding anymore.
But Jacob didn't want to hurt Chloe.
He spoke softly, trying to soothe her, saying he'd return in a few days. Chloe finally broke down crying. "Jacob, I'm supposed to be your future wife! Are you really going to stay by her side forever because of that child? Do you know what the Evergreen City media wrote about you during the night you were away? And Serafina—she's the other woman in our relationship."
"She's not."
Jacob's tone was resolute, leaving Chloe shocked and heartbroken. She wasn't stupid—she could hear what Jacob really meant.
He was starting to care about Serafina, or perhaps he had always cared for her but had been too proud to admit it.
One child had rewritten their ending, but what about Chloe?
The night was deep and quiet.
Jacob stood in the corridor, the night breeze ruffling his hair and helping clear his mind slightly. He wondered why he wasn't returning to Evergreen City when there were so many matters requiring his attention there.
He was afraid something might happen to Serafina, afraid she might suffer postpartum hemorrhaging like Nicole had, so he had to stay in Crystal City.
On the other end of the phone, Chloe was still crying.
She asked directly: "Jacob, will we still have our wedding?"
Jacob didn't lie to her, his voice hoarse in the darkness, "Chloe, I'll give you an explanation."
Before he could finish, Chloe abruptly ended the call.
She didn't dare listen any further.
She refused to believe that after all these months, he hadn't fallen for her even a little. If he had, he would have hesitated, but he didn't. His promised "explanation" was probably just financial compensation.
But what did she need money for?
The phone buzzed with a dial tone.
Jacob stared at his phone silently for a moment, then slipped it back into his pocket and returned to the VIP room. Most of the lights had been dimmed, casting a soft, warm glow.
Serafina had already finished feeding Abigail, who remained nestled in her arms, sleeping peacefully.
The scene was so tender!
Jacob quietly closed the door behind him, his voice incredibly gentle, like an ordinary husband speaking to his wife, "Is Abigail asleep?"
Serafina didn't know how to respond—any answer would make their relationship seem too intimate.
She leaned back against her pillow, thinking for a moment before speaking to Jacob, "I know I can't fight the Windsor family. I won't stop you from seeing Abigail. When you want to see her, just let me know in advance and you can come. But Jacob, I won't get back together with you just because of a child."
Jacob remained by the door without approaching, but his voice stayed gentle, "Is it because you don't care anymore?"
"Care?" Serafina laughed softly. "Jacob, I admit I used to care about you, but that was a long time ago. When we were married, neither of us treasured the other. Now we've been apart for so long, and you already have someone you're supposed to marry. Asking if I still care is rather ridiculous. You haven't forgotten about sending me that wedding invitation half a month ago, have you? Jacob, if this child were really Floyd's, would you still be here, reluctant to leave?"
No matter what she said, she refused to accept him, refused to change her mind.
Jacob walked toward the hospital bed, standing before it and looking down at Serafina. With his back to the light, she couldn't make out his expression, only sensing that his eyes were deep and unfathomable.
After a long moment, he crouched down and gently placed his hand on Abigail, patting her softly, his tone even more tender than before, "Don't you want to give Abigail a complete family, Serafina? Haven't you thought about it at all?"
Serafina's eyes grew moist.
She was, after all, a woman, and what woman would want her child to grow up in a single-parent home? But Jacob had already broken her heart, and now he was going to become someone else's husband.
Thinking of all this, Serafina closed her eyes gently.
"I haven't thought about it," she said weakly.
Jacob had wanted to say more, but considering her weakened condition, he gently took her hand and whispered, "Let's not talk about this now. You should rest. I'll watch over Abigail."
Serafina didn't have the strength to send him away.
Besides, the difficult birth had truly exhausted her. She closed her eyes and soon fell into a deep sleep.
Even after she fell asleep, Jacob remained by their side, alternating between watching the tender newborn Abigail and gazing at Serafina. After ten months of pregnancy, her body hadn't filled out at all, and her face was more gaunt and pointed than when he'd seen her in the snow that time.
Jacob's fingers gently caressed her face. When he touched her skin, he realized how much he'd missed her. The past months of separation—he hadn't stopped thinking about her, he'd just been suppressing those feelings. The flutter in his heart and the physical longing were still there.
Jacob was a mature man and understood exactly what this meant.
He cared for Serafina!
In the dim light, his gaze grew even more tender. His fingers traced her brow, sliding down to her elegant nose, then to her perfectly shaped but pale lips. He caressed every inch of Serafina's face, feeling not just longing but heartache.
After a long while, Jacob leaned down and gently embraced Serafina.
The next day, Serafina had regained some strength.
Early that morning, Oliver and Sarah arrived. They had rented an apartment across from the hospital to make it convenient for preparing soup, so Oliver came carrying chicken broth he'd specially made to help Serafina recover.
Serafina felt uncomfortable.
Although she and Jacob had been married and she had once called Oliver and Sarah Mom and Dad, they weren't family anymore. How could she feel right about accepting their care? She looked toward Isadora.
With just one glance, Isadora understood perfectly.
While Serafina drank her soup, Isadora tactfully mentioned how inappropriate this was. After all, the Windsor family's future in-laws were the Everharts, and having Oliver and Sarah stay in Crystal City to care for their former daughter-in-law was really quite unseemly.
Isadora cleared her throat lightly. "The Windsor Group's stock has already dropped significantly this morning."
Oliver waved his hand dismissively. "Let it drop! What's stock compared to my granddaughter?"
Sarah nudged his arm. Though it was the truth, he shouldn't say it so bluntly.
United in purpose, Oliver immediately understood Sarah's meaning.
He ladled another bowl of soup for Serafina, speaking warmly, "There's a mountain of business to handle back in Evergreen City. Sarah and I need to return, but Jacob will take care of things here in Crystal City. He can't shirk this responsibility—he's the child's father. If he doesn't take care of her, who will?"
With those words, Isadora understood——the Windsor family had thrown propriety to the wind.
They were determined to keep Jacob there, determined to make Jacob and Serafina reconcile. If Serafina refused, they'd simply wear her down with persistence. Isadora sneered inwardly—truly like father, like son!
Isadora was about to make some cutting remarks, but the words died on her lips. Watching Jacob's tender gaze, she couldn't help wondering: what if this time it was real? What if Serafina could find love? What if Abigail could have a happy childhood?
Jacob chose that moment to declare， "Serafina, once you're discharged, I'll return to Evergreen City."
What could Isadora say to that?
That afternoon, Oliver and Sarah left with the others.
Before departing, they filled Abigail's crib with gold, silver, and precious jewels, even including property deeds for several villas—all tokens of Oliver and Sarah's love and security for their granddaughter. Abigail had been born with a silver spoon in her mouth.
On the third day, Isadora also returned to Evergreen City.
Jacob, the new father, took on all responsibilities. Fortunately, with a nanny helping, he managed without too much chaos.
Late at night, Crystal City was lashed by torrential rain.
The VIP room had the finest soundproof glass, maintaining perfect tranquility. Jacob sat on the sofa with a parenting manual in one hand while his other hand gently rocked Abigail's crib, coaxing her to sleep.
Serafina disapproved. "If you keep rocking her like that, she won't sleep without being rocked in the future."
"Then I'll rock her to sleep every night." As he spoke, Jacob looked up, gazing directly at Serafina.