Chapter 60
Ariel helped Betty to her seat and said, “Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of myself.”
Betty caressed her bony wrist in distress. “You call this taking care? Look at how much weight you’ve lost lately! “Plus, pregnancy takes a toll on women. You’ll suffer if you get pregnant while being this weak. It’s better to start building yourself up early.” Betty was clearly thinking long term.
Ariel wasn’t sure how to respond.
Betty still hoped Ariel would bear children for the Larkin family, but that wasn’t possible now. They were getting divorced. Even if they weren’t, her body wouldn’t allow it anymore.
Seeing Ariel go quiet, Betty hesitated and lowered his voice to say, “Ari, you’ve been married to Jay for three years and still haven’t gotten pregnant. Why don’t you have him go with you for a checkup sometime?”
Worried Ariel would overthink it, she quickly added, “Both of you should get checked. If there’s anything wrong, it’s best to address it early, don’t you think so?”
Betty’s traditional mindset made her suspicions clear.
Ariel came to a standstill, and the reasons behind Betty’s apprehension started to become clear. No matter how much the latter doted on her, it was obvious she cared about the Larkin family’s legacy.
Pursing her lips, Ariel was about to gently break the news of the impending divorce when a household staff announced, “Mr. Larkin’s back.”
Jayson strode in as his deep gaze lingered on Ariel for a couple of seconds.
With his coat casually draped over one arm, he spotted Ariel and walked up to her side. “Traffic was bad. Sorry, I’m late, Grandma.”
Ariel felt his arm brush against her and subtly shifted away.
Jayson noticed but didn’t seem to care.
At the dining table, Betty handed Ariel some lobster meat and said, “Eat some more, and try to work on it this year. It’d be great if you could get pregnant by the end of the year.”
Ariel opened her mouth to speak, but ended up saying nothing. Meanwhile, Jayson helped Betty with some shrimp. “Try this one. It’s fresh and crisp.”
Betty shot him a glare and knew he was trying to change the subject. “Don’t try to shift the topic! You’re not a kid anymore. Aren’t you ready to be a father?”
He smiled faintly. “We’ll see.”
Ariel kept her head down and ate. She had to admit that Jayson was quite skilled at defusing awkward situations. Betty was at a loss for a response. After dinner, she ushered Ariel upstairs for a rest.
Ariel had planned to leave and glanced at Jayson, hoping he’d come up with an excuse on their behalf. She could barely grasp how he planned to deal with the situation.
But Jayson didn’t seem to notice the look as he sat at the kitchen island and focused on his laptop.
Chapter 60
Ariel gave up on guessing. After all, he always left once it got late, and he would never stay overnight.
The manor had a bedroom shared between her and Jayson. The last time she was here, Renee had arranged for her to sleep in the guest room, but Betty escorted her to the master bedroom, so she couldn’t really say anything
about it.
Even after she took a shower, Jayson never came upstairs. Ariel assumed he would wait for Betty to go to bed before leaving to meet Nancy.
When her medication reminder alarm went off on her phone, she took her bottle of pills and headed downstairs. As she passed the corner landing of the stairs, she saw Evelyn talking to Jayson.
Evelyn had never understood why Betty favored and valued Ariel so much, especially when it came to pushing for a child. She’d never been on board with it.
“What’s your plan?” Evelyn asked.
Jayson kept his eyes on the data on his laptop. “About what?”
Evelyn frowned. “Are you seriously considering having a child with Ariel? Once she gives birth to a child, you’ll have to be responsible for it, and it’ll be tough to cut ties with her by then. I understand you don’t even like her.” How could Jayson possibly like a woman who’d once schemed against him? If anything, he could barely contain his hatred.
Jayson took a sip of his drink and didn’t reply or deny it. “Sounds like you’re going against Grandma’s wishes.‘ Evelyn replied, “I’m just thinking about what’s best for you. Sure, Ariel is pretty and composed, but she comes from a poor background and has an average education level.
“When it comes to having children, it’s not just about looks. It’s about genetics.
“Superior genes are what matter most. Someone like Nancy with a high IQ and a business elite is what benefits the next generation most.‘
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