Chapter 304 The Person He Missed
Leopold placed a glass of water on the table. "Mom, don't be upset. I came here to ask you to convince Caroline to rest more. As for everything else, I'm doing it willingly. I have no complaints, I..."
He was at a loss for words! Leopold was actually at a loss for words for the first time.
"Leopold, I've raised Caroline since she was little. I know her temperament too well. You must be accommodating her in every way. You don't need to speak up for her."
Leopold looked at Caroline with a resentful gaze.
Caroline stood in the middle of the living room like a child being punished.
Elysia asked, "From now on, when Leopold says something reasonable, you have to listen. Can you do that?"
Caroline closed her eyes. Fine! She had to make promises now?
Elysia asked again, "Can you or can't you?"
Caroline replied hoarsely, "I can."
Elysia said, "Also, no more bullying Leopold. Got it?"
Caroline looked at Leopold irritably. Elysia said, "Are you glaring at him?"
"I'm not glaring at him." Caroline tucked her hair back.
"No more bullying Leopold." Elysia emphasized.
Caroline, with nowhere to vent her frustration, turned directly to Leopold, "Say something!"
Leopold's heart skipped a beat. He quickly pleaded for Caroline, "Mom, she's not bullying me. She treats me well."
Elysia looked at Leopold and shook her head. "You're a good kid, don't be like her. If she bullies you again, tell me and I'll stand up for you."
Leopold could feel a gaze almost piercing through him. "Mom, Caroline is still sick. I'll take her to the hospital."
Elysia said, "You're reliable. Go ahead."
Leopold went to help Caroline. "Honey, let's go."
Caroline said to him quietly, "You really know how to find backup!"
Leopold smiled. "Thanks for the compliment."
Caroline was so angry she wanted to hit him right then. "You're shameless!"
"You can't blame this all on me, right?"
"Blame me then?"
"I'm scared of you, I give up, okay?" Leopold turned back to Elysia. "Mom, go home."
Elysia reminded Caroline, "Caroline, your body is your own. Don't be like your dad, sick all over when you're old."
Caroline said, "I know, Mom."
After the door closed, Caroline raised her eyebrows at Leopold. "Just wait until my voice gets better."
Leopold quickly grabbed her hand. "Husband and wife should be harmonious."
Caroline snorted.
They still went to the hospital. If it was just a hoarse voice, she wouldn't need to go to the hospital, but now her throat felt like it was being cut by razor blades—it hurt even to drink water.
After the tests, the doctor prescribed some medicine. Leopold went to the pharmacy window to get the medicine while Caroline sat on a bench waiting.
Suddenly, Briar passed by, and by some strange coincidence, their eyes met.
Both were startled.
But what surprised Caroline was the change in Briar's figure—her slightly protruding belly clearly showed she was pregnant.
Briar walked over, and Caroline stood up.
"What a coincidence, Ms. Tudor." Briar smiled, her hand instinctively pulling her coat tighter to cover her belly.
Caroline said, "Ms. Astor, quite a coincidence. You're...?"
Briar lowered her eyes and smiled gently. "I'm pregnant... It's his child."
Caroline said, "Congratulations to you both."
Briar's long hair covered her face, hiding the bitter smile at the corner of her mouth. "Thank you."
Caroline asked, "How many months along are you?"
Briar said, "Four months."
Caroline nodded. "The hospital is crowded. Did you come alone?"
Briar said, "He went to the restroom."
Caroline didn't want to see Nash, so she gave up her seat to her. "You sit and wait for him. I'll go get the medicine."
"Ms. Tudor." Briar called out to her.
Caroline stopped. Briar gripped the strap of her handbag tightly and said, "I've had something on my mind that I've wanted to tell you, but haven't had the chance. Now that we've run into each other, can I take a moment of your time?"
"What is it?" Caroline pressed her lips together. "Go ahead, what's the matter?"
Briar also noticed her hoarse voice, but right now she wanted more to say what was on her mind. "I really admire you. You're the only one who could walk away from Mr. Hearst unscathed. I wish I had half your courage and persistence back then."
Caroline said, "Aren't you doing pretty well now? You have a home, a child, a career—so many people would envy that."
Indeed, car, house, savings—Briar lacked nothing. But it seemed these things were just the price tag on her.
She traded her body for them; Nash bought them with money.
But ever since Nash had that dinner with Leopold, he seemed like a different person. When he found out she was pregnant, he didn't make her abort the child this time. He even agreed to marry her and take responsibility.
For some reason, Nash seemed to be taking responsibility only for the child, not out of love or even liking for her.
Until one night, Briar secretly unlocked Nash's phone. All the women he'd been involved with had been deleted. Except for business entertainment, he no longer went to those pleasure-seeking places. But in his photo album, he had hidden a photo of Caroline, taken secretly in her office.
Briar suddenly understood—men keep a sacred place in their hearts for that special person they missed out on.
"Ms. Tudor." Briar looked at her. "I want to thank you on his behalf."
Caroline found this baffling. "Thank me for what?"
Briar said, "If it weren't for you, he wouldn't have gone south to build the factory, and our company wouldn't have found new opportunities."
Caroline smiled. "If your company can break through and develop, that's a good thing. I wish you success!"
Briar's heart softened. "You're really wonderful. If I were a man, I'd like you too."
Caroline didn't know how to respond to that awkwardly. She smiled and said, "You sit and wait."
"Caroline." Leopold walked over quickly. When he saw Briar, his expression darkened abruptly. Caroline beside him said, "Ms. Astor is pregnant, four months along."
The sharp edge that had just emerged instantly retracted, but Leopold's face still showed no smile, though it had less hostility.
He said, "Congratulations."
Briar seemed quite wary of Leopold and didn't dare meet his eyes. "Thank you for your blessing, Mr. Wipere."
Leopold saw Nash appear in the corridor. He gripped Caroline's shoulder and said goodbye to Briar. "We have things to do, we'll be going."
Briar stood up. "You go ahead. Goodbye, Mr. Wipere, Ms. Tudor."
Caroline nodded at her and left.
When they had walked a bit farther, Leopold asked, "What did you two talk about just now?"
Caroline said hoarsely, "Nothing special. I just asked how many months along she was and things like that. She also thanked me out of the blue."
Her throat hurt, so Leopold didn't ask more questions.
Nash seemed to see a familiar figure in the crowd, but when he looked more carefully, it all seemed like an illusion.
Maybe it really was an illusion.
Nash came to the bench and said to Briar, "Tired of waiting?"
Briar smiled and shook her head. "No, I've been sitting here the whole time. I'm not tired."
He asked in a gentle voice, "Rest a bit more, or leave now?"
Leaving now would likely mean running into them in the elevator.
"I'll rest a bit more. My legs hurt a little."
Nash said, "Okay."