Due to the earlier car incident, both of them remained silent until they reached the upstairs landing and approached Rowan's apartment door.As Rowan retrieved her keys from her bag, the closed door was met with eager barks and the rhythmic sound of claws scratching against it. The noise wasn't deafening, but it resonated clearly down the corridor.Almost instinctively, Rowan considered grabbing an extra key to free Bingo and let it spend some time with her. Over time, Bingo had grown fond of Rowan, and now, every time it heard her opening the door, it yearned to dash in her direction.She had secured half of her keys when it suddenly occurred to her that someone was standing beside her.Rolland gazed curiously at the door opposite, locking eyes with Rowan, and asked inquisitively, "Is it that clever? Does it actually know when you're back?"Rowan momentarily halted, her key-laden hand, before smoothly switching to the other key with a nonchalant expression. She slid it into her own d
Rowan picked up the phone."Hello?""Rowan, did you have dinner yet?" James asked, his voice gentle.It seemed like James called just to check if Rowan had eaten.Rowan, hearing James' normal tone, instantly relaxed. He walked back into the room from the porch and replied, "No, I was just about to invite you for dinner, but I noticed you haven't returned home yet"She had another question she wanted to ask: why was he so anxious that he had to handle it at night?However, upon reflection, she felt that her timing wasn't appropriate.She chose different words, "Carry on with your tasks, don't worry about Bingo! Just let it stay at my place tonight, and I'll take care of it."James wasn't overly polite in his response, simply saying, "Okay."After a pause, he inquired again, "Aren't you curious about my pressing matter?"Rowan answered honestly, "A little bit."James smiled softly and remarked, "But I don't want to ask. I wouldn't want to misunderstand your concern for me."Rowan felt a
The following morning, James arrived to walk the dog as usual. Rowan anticipated that he might want to discuss the lingering issue from the previous night, but to her surprise, he simply glanced at her sleepy dog, Rolland, who was trotting behind her, and offered a light smile along with a heartfelt "Thank you."If James didn't initiate the conversation, Rowan suspected she wouldn't have the courage to bring up the topic herself. Thus, the day passed, time stretching on until the approaching evening.As the day drew to a close, Rowan organized for Rolland to be dropped off at home. She inserted the key into her front door's lock, and as she did so, the door swung open from behind. There stood James, a warm smile gracing his features."Hey, do you have a moment to chat?" he inquired.Rowan's heart quickened, her curiosity piqued. "Of course, I'm free."With the key still in her hand, she turned and stepped across the threshold into James's house. However, what greeted her was far from
Jessica moved in just two days ago. James intentionally gave Rowan a day off and didn't go to work himself. The mother and son had many possessions, filling up an entire truckload. Upon inspection, Rowan noticed that most of the items were children's toys and small furniture, like cradles. Jessica had very few personal belongings of her own. Even though items like the small wooden bed took up space, fortunately, Rowan's belongings were similar to Jessica's. She didn't have many essential possessions herself. The house remained as empty as she had described, with enough room to arrange everything. Furthermore, since these small things were tightly packed, the space seemed more vibrant and lively. Ryan was an exceptionally quiet child. He rarely cried or laughed. When playfully interacting with him, he would gaze at you with large, round eyes filled with curiosity, resembling a little adult. This always brought a smile to Rowan's face. . At times, he doesn't feel well, and inste
They were slightly delayed before departing. By the time James's car was parked in the hospital's underground parking lot, their appointment time was nearly upon them.Rowan was someone who disliked arriving late. Observing her watch, with only a couple of small divisions separating the minute hand from pointing at 12, anxiety began to bubble within her. She was ready to quickly exit the car.However, it was James who gently held her hand and comforted her with a soft voice. "Two minutes late won't be a problem. The doctor won't take in other patients during your appointment slot. Relax, take your time getting out of the car."His words carried the soothing effect of a gentle spring breeze. Rowan took a deep breath and gradually found her composure.James sensed her growing relaxation, noticing her grip on his hand was less tense than before. He lightly patted the back of her hand and said, "Let's go, we can take our time going up."Rowan nodded in agreement.The elevator area on the u
After a brief moment of consideration, she opted to provide more context. "Just to be clear, the child isn't his."The doctor's movement of removing his plastic gloves seemed to halt, frozen in place like a martial arts master's paralyzing technique. After a pause, he managed a somewhat awkward "Oh."He went on to explain, his embarrassment palpable, "I observed how close you two are, and I assumed you were heading towards marriage... Clearly, I made a mistaken assumption. I apologize.""It's alright," Rowan reassured him. She didn't hold any offense, as her intention was to ensure that James wasn't inadvertently perceived as the father.For Rowan, the matter was settled.When James entered the room to hear the results, the doctor regarded him with a mixture of sympathy and warmth.An unusual combination of emotions, given the situation.Seeing James appear slightly uncomfortable, Rowan couldn't fathom what might have caused this misunderstanding.Rowan's health was determined to be
Before Rowan could respond, James interjected."I think you'd better direct that message to the lady next to you. Why did she suddenly change her schedule to come for a checkup here today, only to conveniently appear and intercept us?"Flora widened her eyes, looking at David's mother with a mix of feigned distress and innocence."Aunt... I clearly told you about this a while back, right? Someone recommended this hospital to me, saying the doctors here are more skilled. So, I thought I'd give it a try..."David's mother hastily reached out, patting the back of Flora's hand reassuringly. "Absolutely, I can vouch for that!"Turning her gaze to James, her eyes sharpened suddenly. "Don't try to manipulate the situation! I know very well what kind of person Rowan is. You might seem kind and talented, but don't let her deceive you with a few words. Don't let yourself be misled!""Mom!" David intervened, his voice calm yet firm. "There's no point in continuing this discussion. Let's go."Dav
The dull sound of the ceramic hitting the wooden tabletop reverberated through the room, creating a slightly tense atmosphere. Flora's once-smiling expression froze, her eyes widening in surprise.David's father's gaze was laser-focused on David's face, his eyes sharp and searching.With a composed demeanor, he inquired in a deep voice, "Rowan is pregnant?"David continued eating his meal with a detached demeanor, his response to his father's question minimal.David's mother, however, was quite vocal and didn't hide her desire to see David and Flora married soon. The Thompson family had been embroiled in disputes about this matter, with David's father consistently opposing the marriage for reasons known only to him. In contrast, David's mother was a staunch supporter of Flora and the marriage.Flora, adept at reading the room, quickly chimed in to appease David's mother. Her call of "Auntie" was filled with just the right amount of respect and enthusiasm.David's father, however, rema