Chapter 209: She Cannot Give Birth
They were just about to get down to business when a phone suddenly rang.
Harriet dodged Tristan's kiss and pushed against his chest, "Your phone."
"Ignore it!"
"What if it's something urgent?" Harriet said softly, "Answer it first."
Tristan buried his face in her neck, breathing heavily.
The ringing stopped, but soon started again.
Tristan had no choice but to get up and pick up the phone from the floor. He answered, "What is it... I'm busy... Got it, I'll come over in a bit."
Harriet pulled the blanket around herself and said, "If you have something to do, go ahead. I'll be fine at home by myself."
Tristan touched her face, "I'll be back soon."
"Okay."
Half an hour later, the Rolls-Royce arrived at the hospital.
When Tristan walked into the hospital room, Uma was helping Gemma take her medicine.
"Mr. Tristan Lancaster, you're finally here." Uma spoke respectfully, "Mrs. Gemma Lancaster was quite upset by Mrs. Harriet Lancaster. She just recovered a moment ago."
Tristan's brows furrowed slightly, "Harriet was here? What did you tell her?"
Gemma's expression turned cold, "I asked her to come. You can't be without children. If she can't have them, of course I need to find a way for another woman to give you children."
Tristan's face darkened immediately, "So you called her here to tell her you want Quinlan to have my children? So this whole thing was your idea."
"Harriet complained to you, didn't she?"
"She didn't say a word. After all, something so outrageous is hard to talk about."
"I don't see anything wrong with it." Gemma said matter-of-factly, "Quinlan has no blood relation to you. She's not really part of the Stewart family, so even if she married you, there'd be no problem."
Tristan let out a cold laugh, "You really have gone crazy lying in that bed, coming up with all kinds of ideas. And not only that, you actually dared to tell Harriet?"
"Tristan, when you blocked that knife for her and told us you couldn't have sex anymore, do you know how sad I was?" Gemma said with pain, "Thankfully your body recovered, but then Harriet turned out to be useless."
"A woman who can't have children doesn't deserve to be Mrs. Lancaster. But since you like her so much, I'll reluctantly accept her. I'm making a compromise—as long as Quinlan gives you two children, the position of Mrs. Lancaster can be Harriet's forever."
Tristan sat down on the sofa nearby and lit a cigarette, "You've said all the nice things. If I really had children with another woman, would Harriet still want me?"
"Looks like I've let you have it too easy these past two years." Tristan blew out a smoke ring, "The power struggle between Griffin and me has reached a critical stage. If you stay in Emberfall, who knows when he might come after you if he's in a bad mood."
"I'll make arrangements for you to leave the country as soon as possible and go to my private island. I'll arrange for people to ensure your safety. You can stay there and recover."
Gemma couldn't believe it, "Tristan, you're sending me away?"
"You're staying here causing problems between my wife and me, affecting my life. Of course you have to go."
Gemma's lips trembled with anger, "I'm the mother who gave birth to you and raised you! You're sending me away for a woman?"
Tristan looked up at her, "Harriet is my wife. I won't allow anyone to bully her, including you."
Uma immediately knelt down before Tristan, "Mr. Tristan Lancaster, it's my fault! I was the one who suggested and encouraged this. If you want to punish someone, punish me, don't be angry with Mrs. Gemma Lancaster!"
Uma cried, "Mrs. Gemma Lancaster is already lying in bed, she's pitiful enough. You say she's gone crazy from lying there—how could she not go crazy? Anyone would go crazy in her situation!"
"Mr. Tristan Lancaster, I've never asked you for anything, but this time I'm begging you, don't send Mrs. Gemma Lancaster away. She's already lost her husband's love. All she wants for the rest of her life is to be close to you and Mr. Xavier Lancaster, and have a few grandchildren. That's all."
Gemma couldn't help but cry.
Tristan took a drag of his cigarette, "Does Quinlan know about this?"
"She doesn't know." Gemma said, "She's been abroad for years. She just came back and only visited me once, stayed less than ten minutes saying she was busy with work, then left. I haven't had a chance to tell her about this yet."
"But she's always cared about me the most and been the most devoted. As long as I tell her, she'll definitely agree."
Tristan sneered, "Did you ever think about whether I would agree?"
Gemma closed her eyes and said, "Tristan, I'll make another compromise. Since Harriet is so unreasonable, you and Quinlan can have a child through artificial insemination. That way there's no sex involved, so Harriet shouldn't mind, right?"
Tristan blew out a smoke ring, "How did you find out that Harriet can't have children?"
"You don't need to know that."
"Looks like you don't know the full story." Tristan said, "It's not that Harriet can't have children, it's that having children would affect her health, so I won't let her. I personally terminated that pregnancy."
"If we really wanted artificial insemination, we could do it ourselves. Why would we need another woman to make my wife uncomfortable?"
"You actually terminated your own child for her?" Gemma was shocked and said with frustration, "Tristan, women are like clothes, you can change them anytime, but children are different. How could you give up a child for a woman?"
Tristan stubbed out his cigarette, "I have to say, you and Owen really are a matched pair. You two are actually the same kind of people. It's a shame you're paralyzed from that fall, otherwise, you and he would definitely each be playing around, and you might even be worse than him."
Gemma's face turned pale with anger, "You... what are you saying? I've been completely devoted to your father, I've never thought about betraying him!"
"I was wrong, you're actually worse than him." Tristan stood up and looked at her coldly, "He just likes to play around with women, but you, you look down on women from the bottom of your heart. But don't forget, you're a woman too."
"So Owen having mistresses outside and countless illegitimate children—you don't deserve any sympathy. Isn't that exactly what you want to turn Harriet into? A second you?"
Gemma was so angry she saw stars.
"Don't cause trouble for Harriet again." Tristan said coldly, "If there's a next time, you might not be able to handle the consequences."
After Tristan finished speaking, he strode out.
"Mrs. Gemma Lancaster, are you alright?" Uma quickly got up and helped Gemma calm down.
"I'm fine." Gemma breathed heavily, "I can't die. If I die, the Stewart family will lose Tristan's protection completely and really fall into ruin."
"Mrs. Gemma Lancaster, you're in this condition yourself, how can you still worry about the Stewart family?"
"No, my brother has helped me so much, and he's put so much effort into training Quinlan. I can't let his efforts go to waste!"
"But Mr. Tristan Lancaster has no feelings for Ms. Quinlan Stewart!"
A determined look flashed in Gemma's eyes, "There will be a way. There must be a way."
When Tristan got home, Harriet was taking her medicine.
Tristan could smell the medicine before he even got close.
Tristan walked over, frowning, "If the medicine doesn't taste good, you don't have to drink it. We can go without children, but I don't want you to suffer."
Harriet drank the warm medicine in one go. "I'm not drinking medicine to have children. Getting my condition treated is good for my health. At least my period won't be so painful."
Tristan pulled her into his arms, feeling deeply sorry for her.
"Tristan, I'm fine." Harriet comforted him, "I've been drinking medicine since I was little. I'm used to it. I don't think it's bitter."
Tristan said nothing and just kissed her lips.