Chapter 37 Only a Child Can Keep His Heart
Sloane's POV
She paused, her sharp gaze turning to Jared, her tone full of disappointment and mockery. "And you! What have I been teaching you since you were little? You ignore your own lawfully wedded wife and let yourself be played by this scheming little bitch who only knows how to put on an act. You're such a fool!"
Grandma's words hit the nail on the head, showing no mercy.
Jared's face turned extremely ugly. He instinctively stepped forward, shielding the tearful Keira behind him, and frowned. "Grandma, you've misunderstood. Keira is badly hurt. This has nothing to do with her."
Here we go again.
I was already numb to it.
Keira hid behind Jared, peeking out her head and looking at me timidly, though a gleam of triumph flashed in her eyes. "Sloane, I'm sorry. This is all my fault, making you and Jared fight because of me. I know you've never liked me, but you can't... you can't have someone hurt me. I'm innocent too."
She finally dropped her disguise and pointed the finger directly at me.
Watching this absurd scene unfold before me, looking at the husband who always chose to believe others, I suddenly lost all desire to defend myself.
"That's enough!" Grandma's hand came down hard on the bed frame. "I know exactly what kind of person Sloane is! Even if she couldn't stand you, she'd never pull something this low. You're the one who's twisted, always acting like some poor little victim. You make me sick!"
After speaking, Grandma began coughing violently.
I quickly stepped forward, gently patting her back to help her breathe. She gripped my hand tightly, as if holding onto her only support, looking at me with complete trust and determination in her eyes.
In that moment, all the grievances and coldness in my heart seemed to be dispelled a little by this warmth.
In this world, there was still one person who believed in me unconditionally.
Grandma's words instantly shattered Keira's carefully maintained facade.
Her tearful face immediately turned deathly pale. She looked at Grandma in disbelief, her lips trembling, unable to utter a single word.
"Grandma, how could you say this about me..." She cried breathlessly, and finally, as if unable to bear this huge blow any longer, she covered her face, turned around, and ran out crying.
"Keira!" Jared's face turned extremely ugly, and he instinctively moved to chase after her.
"You stop right there!" Grandma shouted sternly, her chest heaving violently with anger. "If you dare chase after her, don't call me your grandmother anymore!"
Jared's footsteps stopped abruptly. He looked back at Grandma trembling with anger on the bed, then glanced toward the door, his face full of struggle and anxiety.
In the end, he still said to Grandma with a grim face, "She's emotionally unstable. I'm afraid she'll do something foolish."
With that, he turned and ran after her without a backward glance. His retreating figure tore through my chest, ripping open the heart that had just begun to heal.
See, this is who he is.
No matter when, no matter where, Keira is always his first choice.
The room returned to silence. Grandma sighed and gently patted my hand, her eyes full of pity. "Silly child, you've suffered so much."
I shook my head and forced out a smile that looked worse than crying.
"Sloane," Grandma looked at me and suddenly lowered her voice, speaking earnestly, "Listen to Grandma's advice. A man's heart can wander, you need to find a way to tie it down. You and Jared should have a child. Only with a child will this big tree truly take root with you."
A child...
My heart clenched suddenly, and I instinctively covered my still-flat belly with my left hand.
There was already a child here, but I had never thought of using him to tie down anyone.
I never wanted to hold onto a man I couldn't keep.
Moreover, I couldn't use an innocent life to gamble on a moment's attention from a man who didn't love me.
Seeing me silent, Grandma thought I hadn't listened and continued, "Don't look at how he's blinded by that Keira now. Actually, he has you in his heart. Grandma watched him grow up. I know exactly what he's like. The way he treats you is different from how he treats others."
I pulled at the corner of my mouth, showing a bitter smile, without explaining.
Yes, it was different.
With others, he might just be cold.
But with me, it was mixed with possession, suspicion, hurt, and a trace of care he himself hadn't even noticed.
This "difference" was too heavy. I couldn't afford it.
After keeping Grandma company while she ate something and watching her fall asleep, I tiptoed out of the room.
At the end of the corridor, Jared was leaning against the wall, a half-burned cigarette between his fingers, smoke swirling around his handsome but tired face. Seeing me come out, he stubbed out the cigarette and walked toward me.
"Is Grandma asleep?" he asked, his voice hoarse.
I hummed in response.
"About the divorce," he looked at me, complex emotions in his eyes, "can we put it on hold for now? Grandma's health can't take any shocks."
"Whatever you want." I spoke lightly, my tone revealing no emotion.
After all, he had already torn up the agreement, and I had no leverage to fight him. Whether to delay or not, the decision was never in my hands.
He seemed surprised that I agreed so readily. He paused, his dark eyes looking at me for a long moment before finally uttering two words, "Let's go."
On the drive back, we didn't speak the whole way.
The cramped silence in the car made it hard for me to breathe. I leaned my head against the window, watching the night scenery fly past outside, feeling exhausted in body and mind.
Just then, an untimely sound broke the suffocating quiet.
My stomach growled.
The sound wasn't loud, but it was clearly audible in the silent car.
My face immediately turned red, wishing I could find a hole to crawl into.
That dinner at the group home—I had been too busy being angry with him and barely ate anything.
A very soft chuckle came from beside me.
I whipped my head around and met Jared's eyes, which held a teasing smile.
"You're hungry and don't even know to say so," he spoke lazily, his tone carrying a hint of mockery. "Is Mrs. Montclair too embarrassed to speak up to me?"
"Can't compare to Mr. Montclair," I was quite annoyed by him and immediately retorted, "who can feel full without eating."
He was momentarily speechless, but instead of getting angry, he let out a low laugh. The laugh was deep and magnetic, resonating from his chest, making my heartbeat skip.
When we got back to the villa, I headed straight upstairs, but he grabbed my wrist.
"Wait in the dining room." He dropped this line, released me, and walked straight into the kitchen.
I stood there stunned, not knowing what he was up to now.
Soon, I heard the clatter of pots and pans from the kitchen.
As if in a trance, I found myself following the sounds and leaning against the doorframe. There stood the man who commanded boardrooms with ruthless precision, now wearing an apron that matched my pink bear pajamas, awkwardly chopping vegetables as though he'd never held a knife before.