Julian stepped out of the cafe into the unrelenting downpour, recalling the last stormy night when the little woman shivered in bed, terrified.
Although there was no lightning or thunder tonight, would she still be afraid?
He checked his phone and breathed a sigh of relief at no messages or calls from Aurora; she must be asleep by now.
On this thunder-less night, Aurora wasn’t afraid; she fell asleep to the soothing sound of the rain in high spirits.
In her dream, her mother smiled at her tenderly, and she proudly told her, “Mom, I finally drove away the bad woman who was ruining our family!”
She slept through the night, waking only when the alarm sounded, and the sky had cleared.
Feeling refreshed, Aurora opened the window to breathe in the fresh post-rain air.
Without Genevieve, the air in the house felt much fresher, and she got up, quickly washed, and changed.
She was probably the only one in a good mood, as Magnus clearly had a rough night, likely pondering over Genevieve.
Ivy and Zachary also seemed gloomy for having their mother driven out, with dark circles under everyone’s eyes.
Only Aurora came downstairs radiant, “Dad, good morning, did you sleep well? You don’t look very spirited.”
“Hmm, the rain kept me awake last night,” Magnus replied flatly, and Aurora knew why but didn’t point it out.
“Breakfast is ready, Dad, let’s go eat,” Aurora said with a slight smile.
“Alright,” his response was listless, and his face looked haggard, not out of reluctance but from frustration.
Did he fail Genevieve in some way for her to do this? He felt profoundly disappointed in her, feeling all his efforts were in vain.
Ivy and Zachary were less rowdy than usual, making the breakfast quite subdued with no conversation, just the sound of utensils clinking.
Aurora’s phone buzzed-it was Julian. She quickly put down her utensils, “Dad, I’m done eating.”
“Wait for us to finish, and we’ll go to the office together.”
“No need, I’ll head out first, take your time,” Aurora said, grabbing her notebook and hurrying out.
Julian’s car was parked at the front, and seeing him lifted her spirits even more, “Julian, good morning.”
“Feeling good?” Julian noticed the smile on her lips, bright as the sunshine after the rain.
“Of course.”
Aurora bounced over in a playful manner, and Julian opened his arms to embrace her.
They hugged under the tree, their presence clean and pure, sweet as a high school crush’s secret kiss.
A drop of rainwater from the leaves fell onto Aurora’s neck, making her shiver.
“It’s cold.”
“There’s a heater in the car, get in, I bought you some buns.”
“Julian, you’re so good to me, and I was just saying I hadn’t eaten enough,” Aurora, who loved buns, felt like she was back in her student days.
“Silly rabbit, if I’m not good to you, then who am I good to? Let’s eat in the car,” Julian ushered her into the vehicle.
Inside the exquisite box were Aurora’s favorite buns, and she was just about to pierce one with a fork. Julian, however, had taken out a cup, causing Aurora to feel like crying as soon as she saw it.
“Again? Julian, I feel like a medicine jar now. Just seeing this medicine makes me nauseous. Could I be pregnant?” she asked.
“It’s not possible,” Julian replied without a second thought.
Aurora looked at him suspiciously.
“How can you be so sure? We’ve been together so many times this month without any precautions. It could easily happen.”
Julian quickly softened his expression.
“Aren’t your periods irregular and unpredictable? That should make it difficult to conceive.”
“You’re not a doctor. Why do I feel like I’m about to have a baby soon? Julian, I didn’t want to have children while I was still so young. I felt like I hadn’t grown up myself. But now I don’t feel that way. I know I’ve grown up enough to provide a home for a child, and with you as the father, you’ll treat our child well,” Aurora smiled.
“Of course, if it’s a child you bear, I will take good care of our baby,” Julian said sincerely, his desire for a child with Aurora deeper than anyone could understand.
“But for now, don’t think about the baby. It’s more important to take this herbal medicine to get your body in shape. It’s natural, and safe even if you are pregnant. I’ve specifically consulted Robert about it.”
As Aurora’s anticipation of having a baby grew, Julian became more fearful of telling her the truth. She was ready to be a mother, but her body was not. He didn’t want to upset her, so he chose to keep the truth hidden for now. Aurora simply thought her irregular periods were to blame without suspecting infertility.
Who would think themselves infertile without cause?
Aurora frowned at the cup he handed her.
“Okay, I’ll drink it.”
She drank with a frown throughout, and when she finished, she felt a turmoil in her stomach.
“It’s so bitter…”
Julian gently cupped her chin and covered her lips with a light kiss.
The bitterness spread on her tongue. No wonder she hated drinking these teas-they were incredibly bitter, as if the bitterness reached into her heart, especially knowing how much Aurora wanted to be a mother.
The kiss was filled with pity and reluctance. Aurora, moved by the kiss, wondered if he was feeling sorry for her.
She gently pushed Julian away.
“Julian, look at you. I won’t be afraid of the bitterness anymore, so please don’t feel sorry for me.”
Her fingers smoothed the wrinkles between his brows. Julian came back to his senses.
“Hmm, let’s eat the buns before they get cold.”
“You went through the trouble to buy them; you eat first.”
Aurora fed Julian a bun, and he bit into it.
“Are you still here? Since we’re going the same way, why don’t you give me a ride?” Ivy’s voice suddenly intruded.
Ivy had been looking for a chance to get close to Julian, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity.
As if they hadn’t noticed Ivy, Aurora wiped the soup from Julian’s lips with a napkin.
“Is it good?”
“It’s delicious. Try some, eat slowly, it’s still a bit hot. Be careful not to burn your tongue,” Julian casually reminded her.
“Hey, I’m talking to you. Can’t you see me?” Ivy said, annoyed at being ignored.