Chapter 400

Chapter 400

It was late, and Levi still wasn't home.

Natalia and Faye had already gone to bed. I waited alone in the living room.

Indigo came over and draped a blanket around my shoulders.

"Mrs. Morgan, it's really late. You should get some rest. Stop waiting for Mr. Morgan."

"I can't sleep anyway. I'll wait a little longer."

"Mrs. Morgan, you need to take care of yourself. The further along you are, the more careful you need to be. I worry about you constantly."

"Don't worry, I'm fine."

I nodded at her. "Go get some rest. There's a lot to do around the house tomorrow."

"Alright, but please don't wait too much longer before going to bed."

"Okay."

I curled up alone on the couch. My stomach felt a little uncomfortable, but I still preferred curling up like this—it made me feel safe.

Levi had been gone for so long. I didn't know if he'd gone to see Cleo.

On top of that, he'd just learned his father was sick. He must be hurting so much right now.

Even though I could empathize, no one in this world could truly understand someone else's pain. Levi's father had always been good to me, but he wasn't my own father—there was still a difference in how it felt.

I opened my phone. Several times I almost called him, but I stopped myself each time.

Maybe he needed an outlet to let it all out. All I could do was wait for him to come home.

In the quiet of the night, I texted Henry: [Everything okay over there? Are you asleep? Did you remember to lock the door?]

He replied quickly: [All good. Door's locked. I can finally get a good night's sleep.]

Seeing that message brought me some relief. This bit of good news gave me a moment of comfort.

I closed my phone again. The living room was pitch black.

I didn't like keeping the lights on—just a little bit of light was enough for me.

Maybe it was because when I was kicked out of my home, I was afraid of people mocking my mother and me. I just wanted to hide. If no one could see me, it felt like the pain wasn't as bad.

All these years later, I still felt moved remembering that afternoon when Aiden picked me up. He'd helped me arrange my mother's funeral. I had no one left, and he took my hand and brought me to the Morgan family.

That same afternoon, Levi came home from playing ball, drenched in sweat. It soaked through his jersey. Aiden urged him to shower, and after a while he came out wearing a white shirt...

That moment—one glance, and it lasted forever.

I lost myself in memories of the past. This journey hadn't been easy, but I was lucky to have met Levi. He'd always been a light in my heart. With him, there was always dawn.

Footsteps grew closer. He was home.

I threw off the blanket, ready to turn on the light.

"Why aren't you asleep yet?"

His voice was hoarse, heavy with exhaustion.

"I was waiting for you."

Levi didn't turn on the light. Instead, he sat down beside me.

"You already have trouble sleeping. Staying up late like this is going to wreck your body."

"I'm not as fragile as you think. Not knowing when you'd come home would've driven me crazy."

He pulled me into a tight embrace, his chin resting on my shoulder. I heard a faint sound—a sob. My shoulder felt cool and damp.

He was crying...

I gently patted his back. "It didn't go well?"

"No."

He let out a soft sound.

I placed my hands on his shoulders and slowly guided him upright so he faced me.

Even in the dim light, I could see tears glistening in his eyes. This was the first time I'd ever seen him cry.

"Cleo's stubborn. Didn't you show her the evidence you found?"

"I did."

"And she wasn't moved?"

"She's pregnant."

A ringing filled my ears...

I'd thought it was just Cleo's stubbornness that had broken him down. I never expected this—she was pregnant, and with Michael's child!

This bombshell instantly stripped away any room for anger. There was no point in reasoning with her now. A child was the ultimate bargaining chip, tugging at everyone's heartstrings.

"She's being so foolish..."

Levi let out a sigh of frustration and disappointment.

"Maybe she's just in too deep. Cleo really is head over heels for him. And he's truly a scumbag, using this kind of tactic to trap her—and control our family at the same time."

Everyone except Cleo could see this was Michael's scheme. The Morgan family would never do anything to harm a child. Once this baby existed, no one would have the heart to convince Cleo to give it up.

He sniffled, then took hold of my arm.

"Let's get some rest."

"I'm not tired yet. I can stay up and talk with you."

Levi pulled me to my feet. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

"But what about this whole situation..."

"Don't tell them yet."

"Okay."

We went back to the bedroom. Levi helped me lie down, then went into the bathroom.

I heard the sound of running water and couldn't help thinking about Cleo's pregnancy.

Her idea of remarrying probably came from having no better options. She wanted to gamble one more time for the sake of the child in her belly.

It's always the people in the situation who can't see clearly. Those of us watching from the outside rarely have our advice taken.

I closed my eyes but couldn't fall asleep.

Levi came out of the shower and quietly lay down beside me, trying not to disturb my rest.

I turned over and wrapped my arms around him.

His body still carried the coolness of the cold water he'd showered with. He must have been forcing himself to stay alert, hoping it would help him think of the best solution.

My body warmth transferred to him, and he gradually warmed up.

"Go to sleep."

He patted my back gently, trying to soothe me to sleep.

But my heart ached for him. Seeing his vulnerability made me want to protect him even more.

I wanted to shelter him, to be a safe harbor he could turn to when things felt impossible.

"I could go try to talk to her."

"No need. Just stay home and take care of yourself."

He rejected my suggestion. He knew Cleo. If we met face-to-face, her emotions would only get more intense. She might even lash out at me to vent her frustration.

I slowly closed my eyes. There was no point in overthinking it now. Better to rest and figure something out tomorrow.

Levi's hand kept patting me gently. He didn't find the repetitive motion tedious. He coaxed me to sleep, accommodating me, comforting me.

But he was the one who needed comfort too. The problems his parents couldn't solve, he had to carry all by himself. Not only that, but he also had to pour even more energy into running the company.

The decisive, commanding Levi that everyone else saw was also being crushed by the weight of everyday troubles. Looking back on everything we'd been through together, I felt a deep ache for him in my heart.

Levi tried to understand me, accept me, protect me, take care of me, stay by my side. And I still threw tantrums when I felt insecure, always ready to give up when I lost confidence...

Why hadn't I given Levi more patience?

I took his hand and placed it over my heart, then held onto his arm. A smile tugged at my lips. From now on, I would only love him more.