Christina went home drenched.
Her clothes and long hair were wet through, but she didn't care about it.
Betty opened the door for them, and saw Christina in such a mess.
"Auntie, I'm hungry" Christina said.
Betty felt helpless.
She glanced at Patrick, who was standing beside Christina, putting away a small umbrella.
He stood straight as he always did, but now he didn't seem as cold as he used to be.
Betty sensed that there was more tenderness on his handsome face.
Strangely, Patrick was not drenched.
"Your father and grandmother went home early from the hospital.He'll definitely complain if he sees you
in such a mess."
Betty grumbled at Christina.
Actually, getting wet was not a big deal, especially for her niece who always hurt herself before.
Maybe Christina just wanted to bathe in the rain.
"Stay here."
Betty then hurried to get a clean towel.
"Okay:"
Christina stood at the door.
Water was dripping down her body, and her long black hair was sticking to her fair face.She was like
Sadako.
"Patrick, go in."
She turned to look at the man beside her.
There were beads of rain on her long eyelashes, and her clear eyes were pure and beautiful.
But Patrick did not move.
He looked at her affectionately, and gently stroked her hair sticking to her cheeks with his big palm.
"Do I look like a ghost now?" She smiled.
Patrick, who had always been cold, chuckled.
Without saying anything, he smoothed her hair back.
He looked at her quietly, his eyes focused and gentle.
Christina felt a little awkward.
She turned her face slightly and subconsciously took a step back.
However, Patrick pulled her back quickly, carried her tightly in his arms, lowered his head, and kissed
her.
His lips were hot and he kissed hard.
Christina was drenched in the rain, and her cheeks was a little cold.
Now, Patrick suddenly kissed her, and she could clearly feel his burning body.
Her mind went blank for a moment and didn’t wrench herself free until she saw Betty coming over with
a big towel.
Christina blushed and immediately pushed him away.
Oh, how embarrassing.
Betty was very surprised.
She knew that they wouldn't break off all relations when she saw Patrick went back to the Dickens
family with Christina, but he was a cold and rational man.
It was unlikely that he couldn't control his surge of love and desire like normal young people.
Being stared by her aunt with meaningful eyes, Christina really wanted to escape from home.
Her family had quite conservative views, but she and Patrick were so bold just now.
Christina reached for the big towel, wrapped it around her head, and rubbed her hair.
"I'll go back to my room first."
She gabbled and ran into the house.She went back to her room to take a hot bath and stayed there for
two hours before she dawdled downstairs.She felt an itch in her nose and sneezed.
"You're already a mother but still can't take care of yourself"
Downstairs, Donald sat in the living room, planning to teach Christina a lesson.
Other girls were obedient, quiet, and decent, but Christina was always so casual.
Donald really regretted allowing her grandfather to indulge her when she was a child.
Christina sat on the sofa opposite her father and said seriously, "Dad, it's incredible that I have two
kids-"
"Why?"
Donald snorted angrily, looked at Patrick who had been silent, and raised his tone coldly.
"Things would be easier if you were not the father" Donald said with sarcasm.
Obviously, he was still angry with Patrick.
If Patrick was not the kids' father, Donald would chase him out immediately.
Christina was confused why her father was angry, so she explained, "I mean I feel a little uneasy to be
a mother."
Women always had this kind of feeling.
Christina felt she was a student yesterday, but suddenly, she had been a mother.
"Humph, you are always imagining" Donald glared at her.
"Dinner's ready:"
Betty took out the last pot of soup from the kitchen and shouted towards the living room.
"Just grab a little to eat.We'll go out for dinner tonight."
It was a typical home-cooking meal, with three dishes and a soup.
Originally, Betty wanted to go to the market to buy more ingredients, but she delayed because she took
Patrick's shirt to the cleaner, and it was already raining heavily before she went to the market.
Besides, she received a call and was informed that Donald and Mrs.Dickens came back earlier, so she
also hurried home.
They sat at the round table, unlike the long one in the Hopkins family.
Although it was smaller, it made the family atmosphere warmer.
"Forgive me for the plain cooking.Have more."
Mrs.Dickens sat in the middle and greeted Patrick politely.
Patrick nodded at her and then started eating as gracefully as usual.
Patrick was well trained about the table etiquette by the Hopkins family, but the woman next to him was
different.
Christina stared at her bowl and did not eat.
Donald glared at her.
"What are you doing? Eat."
In contrast, Patrick was much better-mannered than her.
"Didn't you just say you were hungry?" Betty urged.
She looked up.
"After I took a hot bath, I don't feel hungry anymore"
Betty looked at her helplessly.
"Do you want some noodles? There's some beef in the fridge."
Christina was about to say yes, but her father interpreted unhappily, "Don't spoil her:"
"Can't your daughter have a good meal when she's home?"
Mrs.Dickens said and motioned for Betty to cook beef noodles.
"Cook it yourself Donald had always been strict with Christina. Betty stood up.
"Donald, do you want to destroy my kitchen? How could you let Christina cook?" She giggled.
Everyone knew very well that Christina was a bad cook.
It took Betty a lot of time to clean up the kitchen after Christina cooked.
"If you didn't indulge her, how could she fail to cook noodles at such an age?"
Christina retorted recklessly, "Dad, I can cook noodles."
But it tasted bad.
"Shut up."
Donald was furious.
Hearing them criticising Christina, Patrick remained silent.
He did not have much affection or disgust for the Dickens family, but their conversation at the dinner
table was quite harmonious, at least Patrick felt more comfortable now.
In the end, Betty cooked a bowl of beef noodle.
Though it looked good, smelled good, and tasted good, Christina had no appetite.
She drank some soup and ate a little, leaving more than half of the bowl full even with beef, and she
was inevitably taught another lesson by her father for this.
The drizzle outside had gradually stopped.
In the afternoon, Mrs.Dickens and Christina chatted in the living room, but Christina felt a little dizzy
maybe because she had a cold.She answered every question her grandmother asked.
"Christina, how are you and Patrick now?" Mrs.Dickens asked her in a low, mysterious voice.
If Christina was with any other men, she would ask him directly if there were any questions, but now
Christina was with Patrick Hopkins, who couldn't be treated casually, so Mrs.Dickens asked Christina.
Christina was in a daze.
She didn't answer Mrs.Dickens’ question, and her voice was a little weak.
"How's Patrick...Patrick is not picky about food:"
Mrs.Dickens looked at tired Christina.
"Have a nap in your room.You didn't eat much in lunch, and your aunt said that we would go out for
dinner tonight.We'll go to your favorite restaurant."
"Fine."
She looked a little dull.
Christina slowly went back to her room.She lay down, covered herself with the quilt, and quickly fell into
a deep sleep.She let Patrick stay in her room, and now Patrick went in but saw her on the big bed.
He approached slowly towards the bed, staring at her.
Half of her face was buried in the pillow, and her long hair was disheveled.She was wrapped tightly in
the quilt and stretched her legs comfortably.She didn't look like a girl born in a rich family.
It was a single bed, and Christina occupied more than half of it.
Patrick did not want to disturb her, so he sat quietly by the edge of the bed and looked at her.She
looked very obedient when she fell asleep.
At 6 pm, when Betty went upstairs to wake Christina up, she surprisedly found Patrick sitting by
Christina's bed.He did not doing anything inappropriate, but looked at her quietly.
Betty coughed and walked in.
"Christina, get up.We're going out for dinner"
"..I'm not hungry.I'm not going."
She clutched the soft bed and refused to move.
"I've already reserved a table.Hurry up"
Betty knew well that Christina always stay in bed even she had waken up, and she had to make her get
up masterfully.
Christina slept drowsily with her eyes closed.She rolled over and covered her head with the quilt, "I
don't want to..."
"Sleep after we have dinner.Or your father will be angry"
Betty complained and went to pull Christina's quilt.
Patrick stood up and said, "Stay quiet."
Betty was shocked and turned to look at him.
Patrick still looked indifferent.He glanced at her, as if he was saying, "Let Christina sleep if she wants
to."
Betty sighed, "She's always like this, sleeping late...She almost didn't eat at noon, and should eat more
in supper.She's ten pounds thinner than before."
Although Betty was only Christina's aunt, she loved Christina very much, especially when Betty saw
her suffer from postpartum depression partly because of Betty's fault.
Since that, Christina had lost a lot of weight, so Betty had always wanted her to have more.
The solution was easy.
"We can pack for her" Patrick said.
Seeing that Patrick was firm, Betty gave up waking Christina up, but felt helpless because Donald
would definitely say that they were spoiling Christina again.
"Christina, what do you want to eat? We'll pack it for you."
Betty asked softly, but Christina didn't answer as if she slept deeply, and even her breathing had
become very low.
Helplessly, Betty bent over and approached Christina.
"We'll go to your favourite restaurant.Do you want pies, pasta, or pizzas?"
"Christina? Wake up."
Betty sensed something wrong, but Patrick moved even faster.
He took a big step forward to touch Christina's forehead in a hurry.He frowned.
Christina had a fever.
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