Chapter 22 Showing Affection for Whom
Matthew Moore?
Him again?
Alex narrowed his eyes, his tongue pressing against the inside of his cheek, then let out a cold laugh.
An invisible sense of danger filled the office.
The assistant stood in front of the desk, trembling. Mr. Baker's presence was just too intimidating.
Emily had just rushed into the hospital room when she saw Margaret leaning against the headboard, looking displeased.
Several nurses stood nearby, holding trays with nutritional supplements, but the old lady refused to eat a single bite.
Emily caught her breath and walked forward. "Grandma, you're making things difficult for them again."
Seeing her enter, the old lady's eyes lit up and she sat up immediately. "Emmie, you're finally here."
"Quick, help Grandma up. This hospital bed is so hard it's hurting my bones. If I stay any longer, I'll fall apart."
Emily laughed and quickly helped her sit up, grabbing a jacket to drape over her shoulders. "Grandma, the doctor said you need to stay under observation for two more days. What if your condition gets worse when you go back?"
"What could happen?" Margaret patted her chest confidently. But then her tone changed as she tugged at Emily's arm. "Emmie, I'm old now. I just want to be somewhere I know. Those roses you planted in the garden years ago - they're blooming. I want to see them again. When I'm happy, I feel fine. When I'm not... everything hurts."
The old lady was a master at acting pitiful, and Emily couldn't resist. She could only agree. "Alright, I'll have someone pack your things."
Hearing this, Margaret became even happier and got out of bed. "Good, good, good! You'll come stay with me, and I'll get better in no time."
Emily looked at the old lady's hopeful eyes and felt her heart soften.
Grandma's body was still weak, and she really couldn't bear to refuse.
"Okay." Emily nodded. "I'll stay with you, but you have to promise me you'll rest properly and take your medicine on time."
"Yes! Okay, Emmie, Grandma will do whatever you say!" Margaret beamed, holding her hand and refusing to let go.
While handling the discharge paperwork, Margaret kept chattering away.
Suddenly, the old lady paused. "Emmie, Alex doesn't know any better, but he does care about you in his heart. When he figures things out, he'll treat you well. Could you... for Grandma's sake, give him one more chance?"
By the end, her voice even carried a hint of choking emotion.
She gripped Emily's hand tightly, afraid of being rejected.
Emily felt a dull pain in her chest and unconsciously bit her lip.
She really wanted to tell Grandma that there was no possibility left between her and Alex.
But the words stuck in her throat.
The old lady truly cared for her, and she couldn't break her heart.
Besides, Grandma's health wasn't what it used to be, and she couldn't handle any shocks.
Emily took a deep breath, her voice carrying a touch of warmth. "Grandma, the most important thing is for you to get better. Even if Alex and I divorce, I'll still come visit you often."
The old lady's eyes welled up with tears as she held her hand. "Emmie, Grandma knows you've made up your mind, but could you stay a little longer?"
"One month, just one month! After your birthday, if you still want to leave... Grandma won't stop you, okay?"
Hearing this, Emily paused, looked down in thought for a moment, and finally nodded.
This was the biggest compromise she could make.
Hearing this, Margaret's face immediately showed a relieved smile, tears glistening in her eyes. "Good, that's good."
When they returned to the old mansion, Susan, the housekeeper, had already tidied everything up.
In the mansion's garden, the roses were indeed in full bloom.
Emily looked at those flowers and, in a daze, thought back over the past three years.
Although Alex had been cold to her, the old lady had treated her like her own granddaughter.
Those times were the warmest moments she'd had in the Baker family.
At dinner.
Alex came home too.
As soon as he walked into the dining room, he saw Margaret holding Emily's hand, chatting and laughing.
Margaret glanced at him and glared. "What are you standing there for? Come eat!"
Alex raised an eyebrow and walked straight to Emily, who froze and stiffened instinctively.
The table was so big, yet he had to sit right next to her?
In the past, hadn't he always wanted to stay as far away as possible? Was he putting on this act for Grandma?
Alex casually looked up and picked out some lobster meat for her. "Try this, it's fresh right now."
Emily instinctively wanted to throw it back at him, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw the old lady watching with a smile.
She had no choice but to play along.
Damn Alex, she didn't even like seafood!
Emily frowned slightly but still took a bite.
The shrimp was tender and fresh, but she found it tasteless.
Alex watched her, a ripple stirring in his eyes.
He'd only meant to appease the old lady and Susan, but when Emily actually ate what he'd served her, his heartbeat inexplicably skipped a beat.
The feeling was strange.
"You've been working hard, eat more." Emily very considerately served Alex some sweet soup, smiling warmly.
What goes around comes around.
Looking at the sweet, syrupy soup, Alex's face twitched.
She was doing this on purpose, wasn't she?
Susan stood to the side, unable to help but tease with a smile. "You two are so sweet together, it's wonderful to see."
Margaret beamed. "Of course! Our Emmie is so wonderful, anyone who doesn't like her must be blind!"
Alex was momentarily speechless.
Was Grandma calling him out?
Emily, on the other hand, showed no reaction.
It was all an act anyway. If Alex was willing to cooperate, that was even better.
As long as he didn't cross the line, she didn't care.
After dinner.
Emily went to the second-floor bedroom.
She still had to send her design drafts across time zones and couldn't delay.
Maybe it was the pregnancy, but lately she'd been feeling her lower back aching. She simply grabbed her tablet and stylus and got onto the bed.
At that moment.
Alex was just coming upstairs when his gaze was suddenly drawn to the scene inside.
Emily was lying on the bed, focused intently on drawing, her expression concentrated and serious.
Under the lamplight, her profile was beautiful, each stroke drawn with extreme precision. Her thick, slightly wavy long hair draped over her shoulders, making her oval face look even more delicate and radiant.
He just stood there quietly watching her, and before he knew it, his sharp, chiseled face actually showed a hint of gentleness.
Then his steps, which had just been about to leave the room, stopped again. Tonight they would inevitably have to share the room.
But given the current situation... how should he face Emily?
Alex's usually stern face showed rare hesitation.
If he didn't go in, he'd have no way to explain to Grandma.
Alex's brow furrowed as he actually stood frozen at the doorway.
Susan came forward at that moment, suppressing a smile. "Mr. Baker, doesn't Mrs. Baker look beautiful when she's drawing? I told you she's talented. You never appreciated it before, but now you finally see it."
Alex snapped back to reality, a flash of awkwardness crossing his face as he frowned. "Who was looking at her? I was just thinking about something."