"Does it still hurt?" In the small upstairs bedroom, Adeline half-squatted in front of Lauren, carefully applying medicine with a cotton swab.
"It hurts so much!" Lauren looked at Adeline, her eyes filled with tears. "Mommy, it hurts a lot."
"Hush!" Adeline frowned, raising her finger to cover the little one's mouth. "Don't say anything. I'm your servant, so call me Auntie."
"Oh!" Lauren wiped away her tears, her watery eyes filled with grievance. "Auntie, since I was born, this is the first time someone has hit me like this."
Her small body trembled as she sobbed.
Adeline's heart ached, feeling a pang of guilt. It was all her fault. She shouldn't have left Lauren here just to reduce Jasper's suspicion towards her.
Taking a deep breath, she held Lauren's hand, her eyes filled with self-blame.
"Don't blame yourself, it's all that wicked woman's fault," Lauren pursed her lips. "I really hate her."
"No more of this in the future, okay?" Adeline gently wiped away her tears, her eyes full of tenderness.
"What did you say?" The woman pursed her lips and spoke softly, "She is someone your father likes. If you have conflicts with her, it will only make your father very difficult. So, stay away from her in the future, understood?"
Molly was an adult, and Jasper had spoiled her over the years.
While Lauren was just a little daughter who had recently returned to Jasper's side.
If you can't handle it, then avoid it.
"Well, I understand. If I see her, I'll go around!"
"Good."
Taking a deep breath, Adeline continued to apply medicine to Lauren.
In the corridor outside the door, a tall man stood there, listening to their conversation through the slightly closed door. His eyes gradually deepened.
Back in the study, the man spoke indifferently, "Ryan, continue to find a suitable maid for Lauren."
Ryan was taken aback, "Sir, what about Adeline..."
Jasper lifted his gaze and coldly glanced at him, "A woman who came with a purpose won't stay for long."
"Yes!"
...
After taking the medicine, Lauren fell into a deep sleep on the bed.
After settling her down, Adeline returned to the maid's room arranged for her by Ryan.
The maid's room was clean and tidy. Although it was not big, it had everything she needed.
She took off her clothes, turned her back to the mirror, and checked the injuries on her back.
The kick that Molly had delivered to her was full of force, and it happened to hit the old wound on her body.
Looking at the bruised back in the mirror, Adeline sighed and squatted down, searching for medicine in the medical box.
When Jasper pushed open the door, he saw the woman in only her underwear squatting on the floor, with her back facing him.
Her fair and smooth skin, contrasting with the bruise on her waist caused by Molly's kick, caught his attention.
The man frowned, "What are you doing?"
The sudden male voice made Adeline's body freeze.
She instinctively stood up, turned to look at him, "Mr. Foster."
The woman was only wearing a white bra on her upper body, and her exquisite figure was very eye-catching.
Adeline's face was already beautifully sculpted, and coupled with her current graceful demeanor, Jasper couldn't help but tighten his throat.
"At this time, you still want to seduce me?"
He narrowed his eyes, crossed his arms, and leaned against the doorway, full of disdain.
Only then did Adeline realize that her attire was a bit inappropriate.
She hurriedly grabbed a nearby coat and draped it over herself, "Does Mr. Foster have something to discuss with me?"
The man looked at the red palm print on her face, "Does it still hurt?"
Following his gaze, Adeline raised her hand and touched her face.
She had been so focused on the injury on her waist that she forgot that she had also been slapped hard by Molly. Her face was still a bit swollen.
She smiled and responded, "It doesn't hurt anymore."
The man lifted his leg and walked into her room, sitting by the bed.
"Why were you recording just now?"
He looked at her with cold eyes, and added, "Ordinary people wouldn't think of recording anytime, anywhere."
This man's vigilance was still so high.
Adeline narrowed her eyes slightly, but still forced a humble smile on her face as she said, "Earlier, when Ryan was at my place, we were discussing salary after that. I was afraid that he would go back on some verbal promises, so I secretly recorded it. I didn't expect that later, you would receive a call from Miss Lauren about the incident, so I followed you here, and the recording was left on and I forgot to turn it off."
"Just that?" The man walked up to her, his dark eyes fixed on her, as if he could see through all her thoughts.
Adeline felt uncomfortable under his gaze. She turned her face away and dared not meet his eyes. "Of course, just that."
"I don't like women who are scheming," Jasper reached out and held her chin, forcing her to look at him. "Keep your schemes to yourself. I can make you live well in Blue Bay, or I can make it impossible for you to survive in Denver."
With that, he let go of her coldly and left in large strides.
Adeline stood in place, watching him disappear at the end of the corridor.
Cold sweat soaked her spine.
Her phone rang at that moment. Adeline snapped out of it and closed the door.
It was Violet calling.
"Bennett finished school, and I brought him back. Aren't you at home?"
"Violet!" Adeline took a deep breath. "I'll be with Lauren here tonight. Can you take care of Bennett? Take him out to eat?"
"Sure!" She hung up the phone, raising her hand to rub Bennett's small head.
"Let's go, I'll take you to eat something delicious!"
Bennett pursed his lips and evaded Violet's hand, "Mommy won't come back tonight?"
Violet nodded, "That's right."
"Tonight, come stay with me at my house!"
Bennett shrugged and sighed lightly, "I'm really pitiful."
"Buddy, it's not pitiful to live with me!"
Violet rolled her eyes and took Bennett to a nearby mall.
After buying some personal items for Bennett, Violet took him to the restaurant on the top floor of the mall to eat.
As soon as they entered the restaurant, Bennett spotted Molly sitting in the corner.
He pursed his lips and directly pulled Violet to a spot not far from Molly.
Molly was angrily talking on the phone, and from Bennett's position, he could hear her voice clearly.
"I never expected that! Not only did she not die in the car accident, she even gave birth to a daughter. Now she has sent her daughter back, just to assert her authority over me, to let me know that she is not dead, and to show off that she has a daughter!"
"Since she herself won't come back and is willing to send her daughter here, how can I let that illegitimate child live without having my way? I slapped that illegitimate child today, she got off easy!"
Bennett's hand holding the menu paused slightly, a touch of coldness flashing in his dark eyes.
Lauren got beaten today? No wonder mommy is staying with her and not coming back tonight.
The little one pursed his lips and quietly slipped his hand into his pocket. He will exact revenge for Lauren's sake!