Chapter 5

"Are you sure? Did you take her to the hospital to get checked up?" Martha refused to drop the topic.

That was when Lexi exited the bathroom. Only she knew how unnerved and panicked she was in that instant.

"Lex, are you pregnant?" Martha asked with delight while gazing at the former's stomach.

Lexi flashed a faint smile while shaking her head. "Grandma, I've already gone for a check-up at the hospital. I just have an upset stomach, is all."

Martha was a little disappointed, but she knew one couldn't force another person to get pregnant. "You must take care of your health. Pay more attention to your recent eating habits."

Lexi nodded.

Zachary left the room to answer a phone call while Lexi fed Martha some sliced apples. Lexi also chatted with Martha and tried to lift her spirits.

After chatting for a while, Lexi left the ward with the empty fruit bowl. As she passed the private lounge area, she heard Mary's voice. It sounded like Mary was mocking her.

"Zach, I was outside the ward earlier. I overheard Grandma nagging at you to give her a great-grandchild." Mary sounded annoyed as she continued, "Grandma's probably lost her mind now that she's old. How's Lexi worthy of birthing our family's great-grandchild?"

Zachary's dead-eyed stare flickered toward her. He was warning her not to continue. He didn't mind it if Mary insulted Lexi, but he refused to let Mary show any disrespect to Martha.

Mary cowered before sticking her tongue out playfully. "Sorry, Zach. I was only venting about how unfair it is for you."

"She won't get pregnant," said Zachary, his voice bland.

"I knew you'd be sensible." Mary merrily left once she got the response she wanted.

She opened the door and saw Lexi standing outside. One of her brows arched almost immediately. "A woman Zachary bought for 100 million doesn't deserve to give birth to our family's children. You'd best know your place, Lexi. Got it?"

Mary loved mocking Lexi for being the bride that cost 100 million dollars.

That was when Lexi lowered her voice and spoke with a gentle, soothing tone. "Oh, sweet Mare, your brother is infertile. Of course, he and I won't have any children. Do you understand?"

"Why, you!" Mary scowled at Lexi. "Quit spewing lies, you vile bitch!"

Lexi's lips curved into a smirk. "I'm not lying, dear sister-in-law. I'm speaking based on my experience."

Mary's face grew harder when she heard that. "You shameless bitch! You're unworthy of being my sister-in-law and can never match up to Yvonne!"

"Indeed, you're right. I'll never compare to your precious Yvonne, but the undeniable truth is I'm Zachary's wife." A smug grin spread across Lexi's face.

"How dare you?" Mary raised her hand and wanted to slap Lexi's face, which she felt was unnecessarily charming. She believed Lexi's beauty was what allowed Lexi to seduce men everywhere.

Lexi lifted the empty bowl in her hand and promptly blocked the incoming slap.

Mary's delicate hand slammed against the bowl, causing her to shriek in pain.

That was when the private lounge door opened, and Zachary appeared at the doorway.

"Zach, she hit me with her bowl! Look! My hand's all red now!" Mary pouted pitifully while lying. She claimed that Lexi had attacked her first.

"She's the one who hit the bowl," Lexi calmly explained.

Zachary's indifferent gaze swept toward Lexi. "Be aware of your place."

"What is my place?" Lexi asked.

"Mary is a Jenkins family member—"

Zachary had just started speaking, but Lexi reached up and slapped her right cheek hard. It was a resounding slap.

Lexi's face reddened in seconds, proving how merciless she was to herself.

Zachary was baffled for a split second. He never imagined that Lexi would slap herself.

A triumphant smirk smeared all over Mary's face as she peered at Lexi. She then snickered and said, "I'm heading off now, Zach."

Her heels clicked as she strolled off pridefully.

Not a trace of emotion showed on Lexi's face as she was about to leave to wash the empty bowl.

"Wait," Zachary called out. His eyes narrowed to pinpricks as he studied her.

Lexi took one step back as a sense of foreboding filled her chest. She watched as Zachary took out his phone and made a call. Her heart sank with dread once she heard what he said on the phone.

Zachary later hung up and told Lexi, "Let's go to the gynecology department now to perform a check-up on your body. Are you okay with that, Ms. Loyle?"

Lexi's mind went blank just then.

She felt Zachary would undoubtedly blame her for getting pregnant and say she was trying to secure her position as his wife forever.

The irony was she had planned to get an abortion.

At that point, Lexi had no clue what to do. All her senses had shut down, save for the uneasy, tingly sensation she felt on her scalp.

Zachary first entered the elevator but noticed Lexi wasn't moving. So, he snapped, "Ms. Loyle?"

Lexi lied. She said she needed to use the washroom because her stomach was hurting. She did so, hoping to stall for time. Lexi placed a hand on her abdomen, ran to the toilet, and thought about how to resolve this situation.

The dire circumstances left Lexi with no choice. She texted Yvonne. "Ms. Xenos, Zachary is accompanying me to the gynecologist for a body check-up now. We're planning to conceive a baby through IVF treatments."

Lexi sent that text before emotionlessly putting away her phone. She refused to believe Yvonne could remain unbothered by that text. She waited in the stall for about 15 minutes.

During that time, she received a call from Zachary, who rushed her.

Lexi clutched her stomach. Her breathing sounded weaker as she spoke. "I've been having stomach issues lately. Everything I eat won't stay in my stomach for long."

She pretended to awkwardly describe her "diarrhea" in a less jarring way.

"You'd better not be up to something, Lexi." Zachary frowned. His gaze sharpened.

Lexi figured it was time to head outside, so she washed her hands and left the washroom. Following that, she took the elevator to the gynecology department.

Zachary was already waiting outside for her. "Let's head in."

Yvonne didn't show up.

That left Lexi nervous but helpless. She gradually calmed her emotions and convinced herself everything would work out. If the truth about her pregnancy had to be revealed now, then so be it.

They were about to open the door to the gynecology department when Zachary's phone rang.

"Slow down, Yvonne. What's happening? Okay, I'll be right over." Zachary snuck a grim glance at Lexi as he answered the phone. He froze when he noticed her still swollen cheek, but it didn't last long. He soon walked off without hesitation.

Lexi interpreted Zachary's grim look as him warning her not to pull any tricks.

Only after she exited the hospital and saw the entertainment news online did she learn Yvonne had encountered a psychotically obsessive fan.

The male fan had pushed Yvonne over and broken Yvonne's hand. It was no wonder Zachary went to her in such a hurry.

…

Once Lexi returned to the hotel, she encountered the man she had bumped into at the elevator last night.

He was also holding a coffee cup today.

Lexi could sense the man was staring at her swollen right cheek. It didn't seem like he would take his eyes off her anytime.

Although she felt flustered, she didn't avoid his stare. Instead, she maintained a stoic expression and spoke sarcastically. "I know I'm so pretty that people can't help but gawk at me."

Claude's lips curved up. As he sipped his coffee, his Adam's apple bobbed attractively. Eventually, he said, "You look very familiar."

Lexi's eyes remained on the climbing numbers on the elevator's digital display. "That's a tacky way to hit on someone."

"I've never needed to hit on anyone." Claude flashed a reticent smile. "I'm only stating the truth.

There was a laziness and silkiness to his voice.

Lexi looked ahead at the elevator's mirrored walls and took in Claude, who stood to her left. She didn't recall ever interacting with him, much less meeting him.

To her surprise, Claude suddenly approached her. His intimidating presence overwhelmed her so much that she took a few steps back.

"Can I help you?" she questioned with a stiff voice. At the same time, she met Claude's intense gaze.

Claude stared into her eyes as he removed the mask and revealed his dashing face.

Lexi held her breath. They were so close to each other that she could smell the faint pine scent from his body.

"Do you really not recognize me?" Claude asked.

"I don't."

Claude straightened his back and peered down at her. When the elevator door opened on the tenth floor, he stepped aside.

Lexi left right away. Doubt gnawed at her heart. She could have sworn she didn't know the man, but why did he seem to know her?

…

Lexi had just finished showering when someone rang the doorbell to her room.

It was the hotel's employee. He said, "A gentleman on the 12th floor instructed us to pass this facial cream to you, Ms. Loyle."

"Thank you." Lexi accepted the tube of cream but was even more perplexed by the situation. She didn't end up using the facial cream, of course. Claude was a stranger, after all.

That night, Lexi had a dream.

She dreamt of the night from two months ago. However, the air-conditioning in that hotel suite didn't seem to be on, so she felt warm.

The sex left her all sweaty. Zachary held her waist and tried out several positions with her. He even rammed hard into her every time.

It left Lexi limp with barely any energy left. Not to mention, she was so drunk that she was in a daze.

When Lexi woke, she massaged her forehead. The dream she had turned out to be a tad frightening. The man she slept with two months ago was Zachary. Yet, for some reason, he got replaced by the man from the elevator in her dream.