Jonathan gently hugged her shoulders. "The doctor said everything's fine."
But his voice was a bit dry because he kept thinking about me.
"That's good … " Wendy leaned on his shoulder. "You've been so distracted since this morning. I thought something had happened to the baby."
Wendy's mother, who came to care for her, said indignantly. "I said Daphne was a jinx. Ever since she showed up, nothing good has happened to Wendy!"
Her words stabbed Jonathan right in the chest.
In a daze, he saw again the look in Daphne's eyes on the day of the earthquake.
So calm, as if she had already foreseen his choice.
He unlocked his phone. Still no messages.
Daphne used to respond instantly, even if he messaged her at 3 a.m.
Since when did she learn how to play hard-to-get and go full-on silent treatment?
"Mr. Zander?"
His assistant's voice pulled him back to reality. "The chairman flew back early. He's calling for an emergency board meeting."
Jonathan rubbed his temples. "Got it. I'm on my way."
The assistant waited, but Jonathan didn't hang up right away.
After a pause, he spoke in a low voice. "Go buy the latest Cartier necklace."
"Yes, sir. For Miss Stevens, right? I'll … "
"Wrap it nicely," Jonathan cut him off. "And put it in my wife's room. The sapphire one."
He remembered that it was my favorite color.
That man still believed I would soon return to admit my mistake.
At eleven o'clock at night, Jonathan pushed open the house door.
Under the dim light, a slender figure was curled up on the sofa.
"Daphne, I knew you couldn't hold out for long. See? You've obediently come back … "
His words stopped abruptly.
When he saw it was Wendy, his sarcastic words died in his throat.
Wendy didn't notice Jonathan's strange behavior. She said softly.
"Jonathan ... Daphne still hasn't come back. I sent her a message to apologize, but she's ignoring me. Do you think she's mad? Maybe I should move to the guest room."
He patted her back half-heartedly, but his gaze drifted towards the tightly closed room upstairs.
There used to be a woman there who would leave a light on for him every night.
"Don't overthink it. You're afraid of the dark. Why would you sleep in the guest room? This home will be yours from now on. Alright, go back to your room and rest."
After coaxing Wendy back to her room, he walked towards the kitchen, loosening his tie with inexplicable annoyance.