Calla thought that Mercer's excuse was far-fetched. He drove all the way here at night just because the air was fresh? Did he feel that way because of her presence?Even though she felt she might be flattering herself too much, she couldn't help but think this way.The night was quiet, and neither of them spoke again. Calla began to feel drowsy, but she was aware of something soft and furry brushing against the back of her neck.Instinctively, she shifted her position. Although she hadn't experienced significant pregnancy symptoms yet, she couldn't endure his demands for two consecutive nights.Calla squirmed a bit and couldn't help but say, "I-I can't.""Can't what?" Mercer asked with a smirk. His voice carried a captivating allure."I-I'm pregnant. I can't handle your… nightly demands," Calla stammered. Her face was burning.As soon as she spoke, Mercer cleared his throat and said, "I spent eight hours negotiating with the head of a company this afternoon. I drove straight to
What? Back to Riverford again? Calla couldn't quite process the information."Mrs. Garland, if there's nothing else, I'll hang up now," Ally said before disconnecting the call.Calla was taken aback. He had driven back at 2:00 am, only to leave again at 6:30 am. Since he knew that he had work in the morning, why did he spend over four hours driving back and forth? Was it really just to see her?At this thought, her heart began to race.The breakfast today was sumptuous, with milk, risotto, sandwiches, and croissants. As Calla enjoyed her meal, she found herself missing Mercer. She realized she was starting to like him more and more.The morning's activities included a boat ride, flower viewing, and tea drinking in the resort. Calla was distracted the entire time, her mind filled with thoughts of Mercer.During lunch, she barely touched her food.Alicia glanced at Calla and chuckled. "Why are you so listless today? Is it because you haven't seen the scrooge?"Only then did Calla
"Do you think he would mind if I used him to win a bet?" Calla asked Alicia nervously. Alicia shook her head. "You can only blame your bad luck. Winning 400 dollars in exchange for offending the scrooge isn't worth it.""What should I do?" Calla wanted to pull all her hair out. "You could always sweet-talk him. That might just placate him," Alicia said with a smile.Calla frowned, looking troubled. "I don't think that's a good idea."Alicia pressed, "Why not? You two are legally married, after all.""I'll think about it." Calla pouted, feeling a little regretful. Wasn't he supposed to be at some sort of grand opening? Why did he come back at noon? And why did he have to overhear her conversation?After lunch, everyone was packing up and getting ready to return. Calla was no exception. She went to the VIP wing to pack her luggage. As soon as she entered the villa, she saw Ally standing in the living room with her suitcase in hand.Seeing Calla, Ally approached her with a smile
Simon looked at the puzzled Calla. He was a little embarrassed to say it but still told her, "Mrs. Garland, Ms. Horn is inside. Hearing that, Calla stared at Simon in shock. She then looked at the door in front of her, dazed for a moment. There seemed to be a bit of reluctance in Simon's eyes, but there was nothing he could do. Calla didn't understand why Mercer had brought Peggy here at this time—but she had a feeling that it wasn't for anything good. Then, Calla took a step forward and gently pushed the door open.As soon as the door opened, Calla saw Mercer and Peggy sitting shoulder to shoulder. Mercer was wearing a white shirt. His face was slightly flushed—likely from drinking a bit of alcohol. Peggy was sitting in front of him in a V-neck blouse. The neckline was plunging as low as it could go. She looked radiant, constantly placing food onto Mercer's plate. Their postures and the strange atmosphere around them clearly indicated an unusual relationship.At that moment, C
Mercer pushed Peggy's hand away and said coldly, "Excuse me." Then, he turned and walked out of the room."Mercer…" Peggy was very angry, but she had no way to deal with the sudden coldness Mercer exhibited.Mercer and Simon walked into the elevator one after the other. Mercer asked, "What was her reaction?""She asked me to tell you that she'll be having lunch on her own from now on," Simon replied. Hearing this, Mercer frowned. Simon caught sight of this and gathered his courage, saying, "Mr. Garland, why are you doing this? You clearly care about Mrs. Garland. Seeing her upset must make you feel bad too.""You're talking too much today," Mercer said as his cold eyes glanced at Simon, who dared not say another word.The elevator sounded, indicating they'd arrived on the first floor. Before stepping out, Mercer instructed, "Order a meal from Sunny Café under your name and have it delivered. Make sure to include a freshly baked cream bun. As for the rest, you decide.""Yes, s
From that day on, Calla started experiencing morning sickness. They were quite severe. She almost couldn't eat anything without throwing up. Any pungent or strong smell would make her vomit violently. Within a few days. She was listless and had lost a lot of weight. One morning, Derek handed Calla a document and instructed, "This is last month's financial report. Mr. Garland is waiting for it. Deliver it immediately."Calla frowned after hearing that she had to deliver the report to Mercer. She was reluctant to see him at the moment. Seeing Calla hesitate, Derek frowned and said, "The task is easy. I've been trying to accommodate you. I don't make you work overtime or force you to spend too much time on the computer. But you need to understand my position as well. I can't manage everyone if there's no order.""No problem. I was just wondering if there were any issues with the report. It would be bad if Mr. Garland sends it back." Calla quickly found an excuse. After all, work
"What are you laughing at?" Seeing Calla's reaction, Peggy couldn't contain herself."I'm laughing because you're so naive. What you just said is the funniest joke I've heard this year." Calla said, stifling her laughter.Peggy was furious and retorted sharply, "Calla, are you jealous of me? Look at you, you're just like an old hag. What man would like you? "By the way, you're pregnant, aren't you? Where's the man who got you pregnant? Why haven't we seen him come to marry you in a grand ceremony? I bet he's either already married, or some poor loser with no house or car!""Me? Jealous of you? Oh…" Calla scoffed, but then felt a wave of nausea. Unable to continue arguing, she covered her mouth and ran toward the bathroom.Peggy felt more energized as she saw Calla flee. She continued to jab in Calla's direction. "Looks like I hit the nail on the head. She's so embarrassed she's running away."The exchange happened to be witnessed by Mercer from behind the partially open door. He
Over the following week, Calla felt like she was living in hell. Her pregnancy symptoms were severe, and she couldn't keep anything down. Despite her sallow complexion and poor condition, she continued to go to work every day. She still had a family to support, after all.During lunch break, her colleagues would go out to eat while Calla rested in the office. She used this time every day to recuperate a little, and Alicia would bring her something to eat. Calla had little appetite anyway.One day, she heard the sound of light footsteps. When she raised her head, she saw Mercer in a black suit walking in. He stopped in front of her desk, glanced at her sallow face, and frowned. "Your pregnancy symptoms are severe. If it gets too much, you should take leave and rest at home."It was a kind suggestion, but Calla's pent-up resentment toward Mercer exploded at that moment. After all, she had barely seen him these past few days. Unable to hold back, Calla raised her voice. "I'm not a