Chapter 49
James said in a displeased low voice, "Amelia, you're tired. Go back and rest."
Amelia almost couldn't maintain the gentle expression on her face, her eyes full of unwillingness. "Then I'll head back. I'll come again tomorrow."
With her back to James, she glared at me fiercely, as if warning me not to get any ideas I shouldn't have.
I rolled my eyes.
If I weren't worried about James saying something crazy in front of Indigo, I would've left ages ago.
And Amelia was so guarded against me, acting like she was James's wife.
If she were so capable, she should get James to hurry up and process our divorce papers so she could make it official!
Amelia walked out of the ward like a snail, bit by bit, as if expecting something.
Too bad, even after she left, James never spoke up.
I was tired just watching. I yawned.
"Are you sleepy? Do you want to rest for a bit? I'll watch Isabella," James said.
I looked at him expressionlessly. "If you know I'm tired, why did you make me stay here to take care of her with you?"
James got straight to the point. "I have something to tell you."
I raised an eyebrow. "Since when did you become so wishy-washy? Can't you just say what you need to say?"
"Sophia, do you really have to get divorced?"
My face turned cold. "You think I'm joking?"
James shook his head. "No."
"You saw it yourself. Grandma's current condition can't handle any shocks. If she finds out we're getting divorced, she'll definitely have another episode."
I said irritably, "Then just don't let Grandma know."
"With her condition, she might not get better for a long time. Are we supposed to keep pretending forever?"
I argued back, "Grandma looks pretty much recovered."
James questioned, "You're not a doctor. How do you know she's almost better?"
"I didn't know that besides coding, you now know medicine too." There was a teasing tone in his voice.
I was momentarily speechless.
"Instead of constantly acting, why don't we just not get divorced?" I laughed coldly and said bitterly, "James, there's a life between us. How can you have the nerve to say that?"
Thinking of that unborn child, the rage in my chest almost burst through, ready to consume everything.
My body trembled uncontrollably. My whole body felt like it was being pricked by needles, throbbing with pain. Even breathing became difficult.
James was silent for a moment. "As long as we're together, we can have another child."
"James, I will never have a child with you again in this lifetime." I tried hard to suppress my voice, trying to make myself sound normal.
What made him think that after hurting me so badly, I could still have children for him?
I would never forget the way he didn't believe I was pregnant.
And I would never forget the feeling of the child leaving my body.
"You don't deserve it either!"
James's face looked terrible at my words. He opened his mouth, seeming to want to say something, but finally his expression turned to guilt. "About that incident..."
"I don't want to argue with you. Please don't bring up that incident again." I was really afraid I couldn't control myself and would make a scene with him at the hospital. That would be too embarrassing.
Besides, Isabella was still here. If we scared her, Amelia would give me trouble again.
I was here on a business trip. My time was precious. I didn't want to waste any of it on them.
Isabella blinked, clutching the blanket high in her hands. "Are you going to fight?"
James didn't want to argue with me in front of the child either. He took a deep breath. "Isabella, we're not fighting. We're just talking about something."
Isabella nodded. "Dad, I'm sleepy."
James cleared the table, helped her lie down, and tucked in her blanket.
"Dad, will you stay with me the whole time?" Isabella's little hand grabbed James's index finger.
"I'll stay here with you the whole time."
Isabella closed her eyes with relief and fell asleep in no time.
I walked over to the sofa nearby, leaned back, and played with my phone.
Andrew sent me a message asking when I'd be back at the hotel.
I told him I couldn't go back and had to sleep at the hospital tonight.
Andrew asked if he should come keep me company. I refused.
If he came, James would probably go crazy again.
Faced with Andrew's concern, I replied with a few perfunctory responses.
I knew what he was thinking, but I couldn't respond.
And I shouldn't give him hope.
As we chatted, I got sleepy. I closed my phone and just lay down on the sofa and fell asleep.
The next day when I woke up, I was lying in bed with Isabella in my arms.
I remembered falling asleep on the sofa last night. How did I end up in the bed?
"Why are you in my bed?" Isabella glared at me unhappily.
I told the truth. "I don't know either."
Isabella pushed me. "Get off. I don't want to lie in the same bed with you."
"Isabella, what are you fussing about?" James had woken up at some point.
Isabella pouted. "Dad, this woman stole my bed in the middle of the night while I was sleeping. She was trying to push me off."
James sounded a bit helpless. "I was the one who carried her up."
Isabella pursed her lips. "Dad, why did you make her sleep with me?"
"She's tired from taking care of you. You won't even give her half the bed?"
Isabella said in a small voice, "I'm not the one who asked her to be here."
James got angry, his tone a bit harsh. "Isabella, what kind of way is that to talk?"
Isabella flinched and grabbed my clothes to cover her face, as if this way James couldn't see her and wouldn't scold her.
I silently pulled my clothes back, thinking that little brat just needed discipline.
"You bad woman!" Isabella didn't dare talk back to James, so she could only take it out on me.
I wasn't a punching bag either. I scolded her with a stern face. "If you curse at me one more time, I'll pull out your tongue."
Isabella was about to cry. I glared at her and she immediately shut up, pitifully reaching out to James for a hug.
"Looks like I came at a bad time." Amelia walked in carrying a lunch box with a fake smile.
She shot me a look. "You all get along so well, you look like a family. Sophia, when are you and James going to have one? That way Isabella would have company too."
My eyes turned cold. I squinted and stared hard at Amelia.
Bringing up the very thing that shouldn't be mentioned—Amelia did it on purpose.
Amelia seemed to realize something and quickly apologized. "Sophia, did I say something wrong? I'm sorry."
I exposed her. "Amelia, you did it on purpose. Stop pretending it was unintentional."
Amelia's eyes turned red. "Sophia, I really meant well for you two. With a child, you'd have a bond, and naturally your relationship would improve. How can you twist my good intentions?"
"Bad woman, don't bully my mom!" Isabella kicked at me, hitting me right in the stomach.
I clutched my stomach and sucked in a sharp breath.