Chapter 320: Pack Your Things and Leave Our Family
The bed in Altruist Hospital’s ward was small, and I found myself pinned beneath Carter in the confined space. The force of our movements made me almost want to bite the blanket, afraid a noise might escape. Carter must have sensed my hesitation and swiftly pressed his lips to mine, saying, “Don’t bite the blanket, darling. It’s dirty.”
“Carter…” I clung to his solid back with all my strength. “Bite me.”
Outside the door, a nurse’s voice could be heard, but Damian believed we were still involved in some sort of ritual and refused to let anyone interrupt us. If someone saw a spirit, wouldn’t it be on every headline tomorrow? They had no idea that Carter and I were merely participating in “physical exercises.”
When I was a spirit, I would often look at Luke and Anna in inappropriate ways, filled with contempt. Back then, I was disgusted by them. Now that it was happening to me, I finally understood how quickly the slap of reality could come.
The sound of footsteps echoed from outside, while the bed swayed gently, adding to the dangerous thrill of the moment. We were both drenched in sweat, nearly losing our sanity. Once everything had settled, Carter remained on top of me, still for a long time.
It suddenly hit me that, though we were usually cautious at home, in the heat of the moment, we had completely forgotten about protection. He had let himself go just then, and I understood how such things could happen in the spur of the moment.
“Carter, when you leave, don’t forget to buy a contraceptive pill. It’s not the right time for a pregnancy.”
He caressed my face softly and reassured me, “You’re in your safe period; pregnancy isn’t a concern. Emergency contraceptives can cause side effects, so avoid relying on them too often.”
“But what if I end up pregnant?”
“We’ll keep the baby,” he responded calmly. He stroked my cheek gently, offering comfort. At that moment, I realized how deep my feelings for him ran. Resting my head against his chest, I listened to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, letting the sound calm me as I gradually eased into relaxation.
Even though I’m aware of the risks ahead, having you here with me makes me fearless. Carter, will you stay by my side forever?
“Always,” he murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to my damp forehead and wrapping me in a firm embrace.
“Carter, we should go out soon, or people might start wondering,” I whispered, noticing he wasn’t letting go.
He laughed softly. “It’s fine. Everyone out there is our people. It doesn’t matter if they figure it out. Come on, let me carry you to freshen up.”
I stuck out my tongue playfully, realizing we had managed to turn the hospital room into something that resembled a romantic suite. It wasn’t a bad experience, though, was it?
Carter carefully helped me clean up, his patience making my cheeks flush. He was clearly getting more skilled with time.
“Carter, enough…” I protested softly.
He pinned me gently against the cool tile wall, the cascading shower water blending with his low voice. “Just one more time, darling.”
When I finally stepped out of the ward, all I wanted was to disappear into the floor and hide my face forever. It was utterly humiliating. Damian ended up having to replace the sheets for us before we could leave. Meanwhile, Carter’s shameless grin returned, a playful smile spreading across his fair face.
“Darling, we’re married. This is completely natural,” he teased.
“Enough! You’re not allowed to bring that up again!” I snapped, my face burning with embarrassment.
“Alright, I’ll keep quiet,” he said with a soft laugh. “Let’s take a look at Sheila.”
His words steered us back to the main thread of events. Oh, that’s right. Sheila had been acting on the terrace when a sudden breakthrough in her performance made her lose her balance and tumble.
As we stepped inside, Adam was carefully feeding her some soup. Nearby, Luke stood watch. His face lit up the moment his eyes landed on me, though he quickly reined in his excitement and greeted politely, “Uncle Carter, Aunt Zoey.”
Sheila’s fall was my fault, and Adam’s expression made that painfully clear. He said coldly, “Perfect timing. I was just about to hunt you down. Carter, you’ve really picked a fine wife, one who managed to push Sheila to the edge, literally.”
Pretending to be worried, I asked, “Adam, is Sheila alright?”
He snapped, “Don’t pretend to care! If it weren’t for you, she wouldn’t have ended up crippled!”
I forced a look of surprise onto my face. “How could this happen? Sheila, you should really know better. Why act out with tears and threats like that? And now, look at the mess you’ve made.”
At those words, the frail and pale Sheila grabbed the bowl from Adam’s hands and hurled it at me. “Shut up! It’s you. It’s all because of you! How dare you spout such nonsense!”
I sidestepped the flying bowl, keeping my tone light. “Sheila, that’s not fair. There were plenty of witnesses at that moment. All I did was point out you couldn’t handle Anna, and you decided to threaten everyone by jumping. I’m not shouldering the blame for your choices.”
Adam’s expression turned icy. “Zoey, ever since you set foot in this house, it’s been nothing but chaos. We should never have brought a curse like you into our family!”
“Adam,” Carter’s voice was icy, his usual indifference replaced by a sharp edge when it came to me. “Watch your words. What has Zoey done wrong? Did she create the issue with Anna? Or force Sheila to climb up onto that terrace?”
But Carter’s defense fell on deaf ears. Adam shot back, his tone bitter. “You were doing just fine abroad, staying away for years. Now you suddenly return, trying to compete with Luke for the Bolton Group and bring this woman into our home to turn it upside down. If not for her manipulations, how could my wife have fallen? I want answers for this, and if I don’t get them, I won’t let it go!”
Carter’s cold smile sent a chill through the room. “And what sort of answer are you expecting?”
Adam’s finger jabbed in my direction. “Either throw her out, or the two of you pack your things and leave our family for good!”