Zachariah’s heart melted, and he softened his voice. "Cora, I know you’ve become oversensitive since
you got pregnant, but I promise I’ll marry you. It’s just that Ophelia is also pregnant, and my mom
definitely won’t allow me to divorce her now, so I have to wait until she gives birth to the baby. Be
good."
Cora decided to push further. "Zach, I don’t want my baby to be a bastard when it’s born. If you didn’t
have feelings for me anymore, you shouldn’t have seduced me back then. It’s just been months and
you’ve become so indifferent to me. Just tell me if you no longer love me, and I’ll leave you
immediately, but meanwhile, I’ll also have an abortion."
Fretful, Zachariah scratched his head and said, "Cora, please! Even if I divorced Ophelia now, I
couldn’t marry you for the time being. You should have expected what would be happening back when
you ran away from the wedding. The more my mom used to adore you, the more she doesn’t want you
to marry into the Chambers family now. Without her permission, even though you gave birth to the
baby, it would be a bastard. If you really want to have an abortion, go ahead. I don’t like a pushy
woman."
Cora went silent on the other end of the line, and then came her wrenching sobs, making Zachariah a
little annoyed and sorry at the same time.
After all, Cora was the woman Zachariah had loved for years. Although his love for her now was not so
intense as he imagined, Cora was his woman and pregnant with his baby, and he couldn’t bear to hear
her crying.
"Cora, my good girl, don’t cry."
"Zach, I just want you to care about me, but you keep me at an arm’s length. Don’t you love me
anymore? I was simply joking by saying I would have an abortion just now, because I wanted to draw
your attention. Couldn’t you tell that I said that in a fit of anger?" said Cora between her sobs on the
other end of the line.
Meanwhile, Zachariah just listened to her silently.
"Zach, can you come to me? I’m so afraid right now. I’m afraid that you’ll ditch me, that our baby can’t
be delivered safe and well. I’m so scared! Can you come to me? I beg of you," pleaded Cora in a
piteous tone.
Zachariah pondered for a moment and replied, "I’ll be there in a while."
"OK, I’ll be waiting for you. Zach, don’t stand me up this time."
Zachariah simply hung up quietly.
His phone in hand, Zachariah stood outside the ward for a long time before he pushed the door open
reluctantly and went in. He walked up to the bed, only to find that Ophelia was lying under the covers
with her eyes closed. Zachariah reached out and shook her gently, but she didn’t wake up.
Zachariah leaned over to whisper in Ophelia’s ear, "Ophelia, wake up."
It was then that Ophelia opened her eyes. Staring at Zachariah’s face before her, she asked in a flat
tone, "You’ve finished your call?"
Zachariah patted Ophelia gently on the head and said, "Go back to sleep. I’ll be by your side."
"If you have something to attend to, please go ahead. I’ll be fine on my own."
Zachariah thought a moment before saying, "Alright, I’m going out now, and I’ll be back in two hours."
Ophelia closed her eyes and said, "If you’re busy, don’t bother coming back. I’ll go straight to the
company after I’m discharged from the hospital tomorrow."
"Are you mad at me?"
Ophelia shook her head and said with an air of nonchalance, "President Zachariah, go ahead with your
business. Don’t waste your time on the way."
"You’re really mad at me."
Ophelia threw his hand off a little fretfully and said, "President Zachariah, do I have the right to be
mad? Yes, our marriage is indeed a contract one, but have you ever shown any respect for me, the
party B?"
Zachariah stared at her, wondering, "What’s wrong with you? You were alright a moment ago."
Ophelia shook her head and replied, "President Zachariah, please go ahead with your business. I’ll go
straight to the company and hand in my resignation to Tassach when I’m discharged from the hospital
tomorrow. Since I signed the contract with you, I’ll obey the rules. I know you don’t like me getting
involved in relationships with other men. Fine, I’ll keep a distance from them."
Zachariah stared at Ophelia with his deep eyes and said after a dozen seconds, "Are you mad at me
because of the call I answered just now?"
Suddenly, Ophelia got annoyed. Was there any point for them to struggle with this issue now?
"President Zachariah, if you don’t leave now, your lover will get mad for real," said Ophelia in a
sarcastic tone.
Staring at her, Zachariah reached out all of a sudden and cupped Ophelia’s head. He pressed his lips
against hers and the two were lost in the passionate kiss.
When he released his hands, Ophelia was blushing furiously in a daze.
"Are you still mad at me?" Zachariah rested his forehead against hers and asked.
Ophelia stared at him with bleary eyes and said, "President Zachariah, what’s your point in doing this?
Are you taking me as your pet? You stroke me when you’re happy, while you leave me alone when
you’re upset."
Zachariah simply patted her on the forehead. "Go back to sleep. I’m going out now, and I’ll be back in
two hours."
Ophelia lay down and pulled the covers over her head, silent.
Zachariah watched her for a long while. Finally, seeing that she didn’t intend to get out of the covers, he
got up and left.
It was when the door was closed that Ophelia got out of her covers and muttered with disappointment,
staring at the ceiling, "Zachariah, so it would never have worked between us, right?"
Unfortunately, silence hung heavily in the ward, and no one answered her.
"Are you still mad at me?" Zachariah rested his forehead against hers and asked.
Ophelia stared at him with bleary eyes and said, "President Zachariah, what’s your point in doing this?
Are you taking me as your pet? You stroke me when you're happy, while you leave me alone when
you're upset."
Zachariah simply patted her on the forehead. "Go back to sleep. I’m going out now, and I'll be back in
two hours."
Ophelia lay down and pulled the covers over her head, silent.
Zachariah watched her for a long while. Finally, seeing that she didn't intend to get out of the covers, he
got up and left.
It was when the door was closed that Ophelia got out of her covers and muttered with disappointment,
staring at the ceiling, "Zachariah, so it would never have worked between us, right?"
Unfortunately, silence hung heavily in the ward, and no one answered her.
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