Chapter 289 Slander
Harriet felt her mouth go completely dry from all the talking.
She walked out of the room to the water bar, poured herself a glass of water, and turned to look at Ulysses who had followed her. "Mr. Clifford, thank you for your affection, but I love my husband very much, and he loves me too. We could never be apart."
"If you keep insisting, you're not trying to thank me—you're trying to hurt me."
Ulysses frowned. "Do you really love him?"
"Of course." Harriet answered without hesitation. "I love him very much, only him."
Ulysses looked disappointed. "Then forget it. I just thought you were forced to marry him against your will, and I wanted to rescue you from a terrible situation."
Harriet breathed a sigh of relief. "If I were really in a terrible situation, I'd save myself."
"That's good then." Ulysses spread his hands. "Looks like I'm destined to be single for life."
"That can't be true." Harriet teased. "You're Everglade City's Prince Charming. The women who want to marry you could probably circle the globe."
"Everglade City's Prince Charming has an arranged marriage with the Romanov family. I was supposed to marry Caspian's sister, but she died."
"I finally met you again and thought I'd repay you for saving my life by marrying you, which would also cancel the marriage arrangement with the Romanov family. But I didn't expect you to refuse."
Harriet smiled. "You're so kind, you'll meet the right girl for you."
"If it's not you, then it doesn't matter."
That evening, after Harriet put Sloane to bed, she went downstairs.
Before she could get back to her room, Tristan grabbed her and pulled her outside.
"Tristan, where are you taking me?"
"For a drive."
Tristan drove toward the city's center. Though the Romanov Manor was incredibly beautiful, Harriet hadn't been out for several days, and her mood immediately lifted.
But she soon noticed that Tristan's expression wasn't great.
"What's wrong?" Harriet asked curiously. "Something on your mind? Or missing our daughter?"
"What's going on between you and Ulysses?"
"How did you know?"
"The surveillance Caspian installed syncs to my phone."
Harriet tried to hold back her laughter. "So you're jealous. Since you can see the surveillance, isn't it clear? I saved him."
"He wants to marry you."
"Let him want to. Wanting isn't against the law." Harriet laughed. "If you're going to be jealous about this, you'll never stop being jealous. Look, there are plenty of women who want to marry you, but I'm not jealous."
Tristan hit the brakes and pulled over to the side.
He turned, his deep eyes fixed on her. "Mrs. Lancaster, not being jealous isn't necessarily a good thing."
Harriet smiled and pinched his tense face. "If I got jealous every time a woman came along, I'd spend my whole life doing nothing but being jealous."
"So Mr. Lancaster, as long as you're the only one in my heart, it doesn't matter who wants to marry me, because I can only belong to you."
These words pleased Tristan greatly, and his gloomy expression eased considerably.
He raised an eyebrow. "Then prove it to me."
"Prove what?"
"That you belong only to me."
"How do I prove that?"
Tristan smiled and leaned in to kiss her lips, Harriet suddenly realized what was happening.
So he brought her out for a drive late at night for this!
He didn't want to make love at the Romanov Manor, so he was doing it in the car.
This was a car Tristan had bought—a new car that just arrived yesterday. Its special feature was a spacious back seat.
Harriet had wondered why he bought such a roomy car. Now she understood his purpose.
Harriet hadn't planned to keep putting him off anyway. She just didn't want to make love in someone else's house. Now that they were outside and alone, she naturally wouldn't refuse.
This was a suburban area with no passing vehicles, so Harriet didn't feel inhibited.
After making love once in the front seat, Tristan wasn't satisfied and moved to the back seat, making full use of the car's special feature.
Their breathing and heartbeats intertwined in the cramped car, composing the most wonderful notes of the night.
Harriet felt like she was thrown up to the clouds countless times, then pressed down to the ocean floor countless times.
She had no control over herself and could only follow Tristan's rhythm, sinking deeper and deeper each time.
The weather had been great these past few days. Harriet would take Sloane to play in the greenhouse every day.
"Mrs. Romanov, do you think these flowers are pretty?"
"Pretty."
"There are even more beautiful flowers in the garden downstairs. Would you like to see them?"
"No!" Sloane shook her head hard. "There are bad people outside who will take my baby away!"
"No, they won't." Harriet comforted her with a smile. "With you there, the baby won't be taken away. Let's go look at the pretty flowers, okay?"
Sloane hesitated, then asked, "Really?"
"Of course, I promise."
"Then... let's go."
Harriet helped Sloane downstairs, but still carefully watched her expression.
If anything seemed wrong, she would immediately take her back inside.
Outside, the sky was clear and bright, unlike that dark and terrifying night.
Though Sloane wasn't as frightened as she had been that night, she still looked very anxious.
Harriet held her cold hand tightly. "Look, the flowers outside are blooming so beautifully. Let's go pick some to make flower cakes, okay?"
After a moment's hesitation, Sloane followed Harriet out the door.
Harriet was thrilled. "Mrs. Romanov, you're doing great. Come on, let's go pick flowers."
Sloane followed Harriet, walking step by step toward the garden.
There wasn't a single person in the garden, and she immediately relaxed quite a bit.
Once in the garden, Sloane was immediately drawn to the large expanse of flowers. With her attention diverted, she was no longer nervous.
Harriet brought a small basket and taught her how to pick flowers.
She didn't let Sloane stay too long. After picking enough flowers, she took her back inside to start making flower cakes.
That evening, when Caspian came home, Sloane immediately brought him a flower cake. "Eat!"
Caspian was delighted. "For me?"
"Yes!"
Tears welled up in Caspian's eyes. "Thank you, Mom."
Harriet stepped forward. "We picked flowers in the garden this morning and made these."
Caspian froze. "She left the villa?"
"Yes, you can check the surveillance."
Caspian quickly pulled out his phone, and after watching the video, he was too moved to speak.
"Ms. Getty, thank you..."
"Mrs. Romanov has made great progress. She even said she wants to go to the garden again tomorrow."
"Good... good! I'll have people plant more flowers overnight so she can see as many as she wants."
"Okay."
Apart from missing Della, Harriet's life was fairly stable and peaceful now.
Every day, besides treating Mason, she spent her other time either with Sloane or with Tristan.
She and Tristan had been apart for three years, and she wanted to spend more time with him.
Sloane was making great progress. Within a few days, she could go to the main residence with Harriet.
Mason felt very sorry for his daughter-in-law, so even though Sloane wasn't in her right mind, the younger family members and servants all respected her and didn't dare neglect her.
In the evening, with a cool breeze blowing, Harriet took Sloane to play on the swing in the garden.
"Higher, higher." Sloane sat on the swing, having a great time.
Harriet pushed her. "Then hold on tight."
"Okay!"
After playing for a while, Sloane suddenly said, "Thirsty, I want juice."
"Then let's go back inside."
"No, I still want to play!"
Harriet said, "Then sit here and don't wander off. I'll go get you some juice."
"Okay!"
Harriet went inside to pour some juice. Just as she reached the doorway with the glass, she heard a scream from the garden!
Harriet was startled and rushed outside. From a distance, she saw Sloane fallen on the ground!
"Mrs. Romanov!"
Harriet rushed over to help her up and saw her bleeding forehead!
"How did you fall so badly!" Harriet said anxiously. "Quick, let's go inside. I'll treat your wound!"
"Harriet, how dare you hurt my aunt!"
A rather familiar voice suddenly came from nearby.
Harriet turned and saw Yvonne walking out from a corner.
Harriet frowned slightly and quickly understood. "What did you just say? I hurt her?"
"Yes, I saw with my own eyes that you pushed my aunt!" Yvonne said indignantly. "I knew it—you hate Lark so much, how could you possibly be so nice to her mother? You were waiting for an opportunity."
"If I hadn't happened to pass by, you would have found a way to kill my aunt just now!"
Harriet smiled. "Not bad. Keep going."
Yvonne: "You've been caught red-handed and have nothing to say, right?"
"Since you're done talking, we'll be going now." Harriet was about to help Sloane leave when Yvonne blocked her way. "Where are you taking my aunt!"
"Move, or don't blame me for not being polite!"
Yvonne grabbed the front of her clothes, about to curse, when suddenly, as if seeing something, her pupils constricted sharply and she froze on the spot!
"Let go!" Harriet pushed her away, her eyes turning cold. "Yvonne, while I still don't want to deal with you, I'm giving you three seconds to get lost."
Yvonne stood there stunned. It wasn't until they went inside that she suddenly snapped out of it and ran straight toward the main residence.
Sloane's injuries weren't serious—just scrapes of varying degrees on her forehead and palms.
Harriet got the medicine kit and helped Sloane treat her wounds.
When Caspian came home, he saw this scene and his eyelid twitched. "Ms. Getty, what happened to my mom?"
"She fell. It's not serious, don't worry."
Caspian was about to ask for details when voices came from the doorway.
Yvonne came in pushing Mason in his wheelchair, looking aggressive.
Behind them were Ollie and the carefree Ulysses.
Caspian stepped forward. "Grandpa, why are you here?"
Sloane was afraid of strangers, so Mason rarely came here.
Mason looked at Harriet suspiciously, then answered Caspian's question. "Yvonne brought me. She said there's something important to discuss."
Caspian looked at Yvonne. "What's going on? Don't you know you can't just come here?"
"Caspian, I brought Grandpa here because it's a serious matter." Yvonne lifted her chin. "Harriet tried to hurt Aunt Sloane. I asked Grandpa to come and get justice for Aunt Sloane."
Caspian immediately said, "Nonsense. How could Ms. Getty hurt my mom?"
"I'm telling the truth." Yvonne pointed at Harriet. "I saw with my own eyes that she pushed Aunt Sloane off the swing, causing her to get hurt like this!"
Caspian frowned. "Yvonne, are you sure you saw Ms. Getty push my mom with your own eyes?"
"Caspian, how could I lie to you?" Yvonne said with certainty. "I saw it with my own eyes. Harriet even threatened me not to interfere!"
"She's taking advantage of the fact that Grandpa needs her medical treatment and Aunt Sloane depends on her, so she's acting recklessly."
"Actually, she hates the Romanov's family and is just waiting for a chance to kill us all!"