Chapter 534
The current unfavorable circumstances were unsuitable for one to take care of an unborn baby, to begin with.
They had plenty of unsettled matters, and all the troubles burdening her could easily prompt her to suffer from prenatal depression.
Even if she toughed through the pregnancy, the fetus might be affected by the mother's condition, resulting in congenital malformation or disorders. Subsequently, the baby might even be born with birth defects.
“Okay. I'm fine now. Don't worry about me. Hurry up and get rested. You don't look good. I fear you will fail to hold out and collapse.”
Artemis patted her head while leaning forward to pull her into his embrace.
“I'm all right. I'm not in distress anymore now that you've come out of grief, so my body will remain healthy.”
She held him tightly and was reminded of Clarence and Rhonda. She didn't want to talk about the two initially. However, she couldn't help but be curious about how they were doing.
“What happened to Clarence and Rhonda?”
Artemis glanced at her and replied calmly, “Clarence is fatally ill while Rhonda has been sent to a psychiatric hospital. Beatrice found a new lover and is coveting the Jefferson family's assets. I will take action to crush Jefferson Group. From now on, the Jefferson family will cease to exist among Hallsbay's elite. I will gradually avenge you for all the sufferings you've endured.”
Bailey nodded weakly. She had repeatedly exercised forbearance when dealing with them. In the end, she merely condoned and encouraged them to behave worse. Now that her kindness had depleted, Clarence and Rhonda would begin to reap what they sowed.
“Okay. That household had never provided me with any familial warmth. Instead, they bullied and hurt me incessantly. They deserve this outcome of having their family destroyed and torn apart.”
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtArtemis sneered, “Does Clarence think he can just die like this? Does Rhonda assume insanity is her easy way out? That won't happen. I will hire the best physicians to treat them so that they will continue to survive in a living hell. I want them to spend the rest of their days in utter shame and misery.”
Bailey didn't go against the idea. Those people from the Jefferson family were no longer related to her, so she had nothing to do with anything that would befall them.
Crack.
The door to the ward creaked open from the outside. Then, Zeke, holding a fruit basket, entered.
Bailey withdrew herself from Artemis' arms and was about to speak when she saw another person trailing behind Zeke. That man was none other than Steven.
She could clearly see the tears gleaming in Steven's eyes when their gazes met.
At that instant, clarity washed over her.
Steven had known the truth. Perhaps Zeke had informed him, or Steven had his suspicions and re-investigated the whole thing.
“Bay, Father is here to visit you. He doesn't know what you want to eat, so he went to the supermarket and bought some of each type of fresh fruit.”
Zeke's words pulled her back to reality. She slowly looked away and leaned back into Artemis' embrace.
The word “Father” repulsed her at that moment.
She had just been tricked by her adoptive father. If she hadn't put up a mighty struggle at the expense of possibly losing her child, her life would've been completely ruined now.
To engage in an immoral act with her adoptive father would've been an outrageous scandal. The public's repugnance toward that sinful behavior alone would've devastated her.
Steven seemed to sense her avoidance and resistance as he stopped in his tracks after taking two steps forward. He looked at her for a few seconds before saying awkwardly, “Bay, I'm not familiar with your preferences, so I could only... Inform Zeke what you want to eat. He'll let me know, and I'll buy them for you. Okay?”
Bailey closed her eyes and didn't respond.
Presently, the only person she trusted and could rely on was Artemis. She didn't dare to place her faith in anyone else.
Having learned her lesson and paying dearly after that traumatizing experience, she would always be vigilant when dealing with others.
“Mr. Shurmer, Bay had just woken up, so she's still a little dazed. We shall talk again after she recovers if you have anything to say.”
The tense atmosphere inside the ward significantly eased up after Artemis spoke.
“Okay, sure,” Steven uttered while stepping backward. “Mr. Luther, I shall leave Bay in your care. Please feel free to let Zeke know if you need anything. He will definitely fulfill your requests.”
“No problem.”
After watching them leave, Artemis gently released Bailey from his arms.
“What's the matter? Are you feeling uneasy?”
“Artemis, I don't know how to face him. I despise the idea of having a father now. Clarence had utterly disgusted me. I can't accept any man as my father now.”
Bailey withdrew herself from Artemis' arms and was about to speak when she saw another person trailing behind Zeke. That man was none other than Steven.
“In that case, you don't have to do it.” He hugged her again and comforted her, “You've passed the age of requiring paternal affection. A father's presence is no longer essential to you, so don't stress yourself out too much. If you can't accept him, then don't.”
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmBailey didn't say a word and merely rested in his embrace.
After some time, she suddenly pulled away and looked at him as she appeared to have recalled something. Bailey said anxiously, “Was Veikko ambushed before I was met with a mishap? What happened afterward? Is Caridee all right?”
Artemis pursed his lips as a dark look flashed across his eyes.
Bailey understood him too well. She could tell he was hiding something from her with just a glance.
“Are you giving me an account, or should I call Veikko and ask him to tell me?”
“I'll do it.” Artemis stretched out his arm to stop her from picking up her phone. “Caridee was shot while rescuing Veikko, and the bullet was lodged in her bone. Although your mentee, Zain, helped her remove the bullet, Caridee's bone was still badly damaged.”
Hearing that, Bailey could wrap her mind around the severity of the situation at once. Even I don't have the confidence to ensure a patient's complete recovery from a grave bone injury, much less Zain. That guy hasn't even learned the essence of my medical knowledge and skills.
“Let's pack our belongings and make a trip to Gregan. We'll have to sort out the situation in person to resolve the matters there.”
Artemis hesitated. “Your body is still not well and cannot withstand traveling long hours. We'll discuss this issue again in a few days.”
She shook her head. “The chances of successfully treating new wounds are higher. If we leave her condition unattended for a few more days, there may not be any hope left to cure her arm.”
Artemis remained adamant. “I'll ask Simon to go Gregan to bring Caridee back. The foreign country is not my territory, after all. Many people want to cause harm to you at the moment, so I'm afraid I won't be able to protect you once you leave Hallsbay.”
Bailey sighed in resignation.
“Fine. I'll listen to you. Tell Simon to bring Zain back as well. I need to inquire about more details from him.”