Chapter 160 - 160: Draw It Again

Avery washed Evan's ring off her finger a long time ago. Though Evan has tried to preserve the drawing on his finger, the color is slowly fading. Avery carefully disinfects the wound with alcohol. Before she can rewrap his hand, Evan hands her a pen.

"Draw it again," he commands.

Avery shakes her head.

"It's pointless," she says, "It'll fade away again."

"The drawing is not the real thing, and the marriage is doomed to end anyway," Avery thinks, "What's the point of drawing it over and over again? If it's not meant to be, it's not meant to be."

Avery swiftly wraps his hand in the thick white gauze. She ties it tightly but gently. Then she takes a pen and bends over the bandaged hand. When she moves her head, Evan can see the drawing, and he stops breathing for a moment. She has drawn a heart.

"Why did you draw a heart?" he asks.

"Because I love you," she thinks, "I can't say it aloud, and even if I could, there'd be no point. I gave him my heart long ago, and now I have to take it back, piece by damaged piece."

"It symbolizes happiness," Avery says with a sad little smile, "I hope that every day of your life is happy."

Evan forces a bitter smile. He can't hate Avery even though he thinks she's betrayed him. He gets so jealous he wants to kill her, but he knows he never will. It would be hell for him to live knowing she's not somewhere on the planet. Evan suddenly holds Avery tightly in his arms as if he wants to integrate her into his body. She can hear his heartbeat. After a long time, he lets go of her,

"In three days, you'll be none of my concern," Evan warns, "No matter what happens to you."

Then he gets up and leaves. Avery can see the determination in his stride as he exits the room and closes the door. Not long after, some maids come to help her pack her things. Though she only has three days left at the Howels' house, she can't bear the thought of staying in the room where Evan and Leonie made love.

Avery packs some clothes and orders the maids to bring her items to the guest room furthest from Evan's room. She still has three days to prepare a gift for him. She unlocks her phone and searches the internet for inspiration. After a while, Dr. Walter comes in with his kit.

"Mrs. Howel, Mr. Howel asked me to give you a physical exam," the doctor announces.

"Why? I don't need one," Avery objects.

"Mr. Howel says you've been emotionally volatile today," he explains, "That could affect the fetus."

Avery bites her lip as hard as she can. She knows Evan believes that the baby is Andrew's. She finds it hard to believe that a possessive man like Evan would allow her to continue with the pregnancy. She finds it even stranger that he'd ask his personal doctor to examine her as if he's concerned about the baby's health. She sits down and allows the doctor to begin his exam.

"Dr. Walter, when you checked my pulse the other day, I was really pregnant?" she asks.

She's been meaning to ask him, but she hasn't gotten the chance. Dr. Walters opens his medical kit and wraps the blood pressure cuff around her arm.

"It seemed possible, but I wasn't entirely sure," he responds, "I didn't have enough time to make the most accurate judgment, but based on what I saw, you did appear to be pregnant."

Avery nods and extends her arm.

"There is nothing seriously wrong with you," Dr. Walters announces, "But try to avoid mood swings. Keep as calm as possible."

Dr. Walters removes the cuff from her arm and returns it to his bag. Avery rubs her arm and looks thoughtfully at the doctor.

"I've heard that paternity tests for the baby are typically done after 11 weeks," she says, "Is it possible to do one before then?"

The doctor shakes his head, destroying her last hope. She was hoping there was a way to prove to Evan that the child is his.

"Is there some way to find out how many s.e.x.u.a.l partners a woman has had?" she asks, hoping she can prove she's never been with anyone besides Evan.

Dr. Walters frowns in deep contemplation. Then he carefully removes a business card from his medical kit. Avery slides it into her pocket.

"You can consult this clinic," Dr. Walters suggests.

The muffled sound of dismayed begging enters through the closed door.

"Sir, show mercy, please," a woman whispers, "It wasn't me. It really wasn't me. I didn't do it! I was only cooking, and I didn't go near anything else. I don't know how the drug got into it, I swear."

Avery steps out of the guest room and crosses the hall. She leans against the handrail and looks downstairs. A woman in a chef uniform kneels in front of Evan.

"I was just doing my job," she pleads, "Please, I know nothing about the aphrodisiac. Someone framed me. Besides, there was nothing wrong with the tasting. Why would a weak old woman like me do such a thing? I'm not mad. Sir, I've been wronged. Show mercy, Sir."

"You did do it, and you are crazy," Evan sneers in a hellish voice, "Send her to the mental health facility."

"Sir, don't! Sir..." the woman begs and screams as the bodyguards mercilessly drag her from the room.

Avery shakes her head. She can't believe that the old chef has anything to do with it. On the contrary, she thinks Leonie's timing is a bit too convenient. Suddenly, Avery hears a painful m.o.a.n from the next room over.

"Miss Summers, please don't move," a maid cautions, "You've got a slight tear down there. Mr. Howel used too much force."

"Evan had no other choice," Leonie says delicately, "The drug was too powerful. I wonder who did it."

Leonie flushes, recalling the afternoon. The strangest part was that Evan covered her head with a pillow while doing it. At one point, she almost passed out from lack of oxygen. Otherwise, she considers it all a glowing success.

A maid cleaning the hallway sees Avery and quickly greets her by name, bowing her head respectfully.

"Avery," Leonie calls her from her room.

She wants Avery to come in so she can gloat. Avery enters the room slowly. Leonie is lying on the bed with her knees spread apart. A maid is carefully applying ointment to her most intimate region.

"Evan did it so passionately this afternoon, it actually tore," Leonie says with a self-satisfied smirk.

"Really?" Avery asks expressionlessly, "Do you want me to say he did a good job?"

"He did," Leonie says, with a casual glance at Avery's belly, "Why did you fight with Evan this afternoon? Is it because of the baby? What do you think will happen when Evan's grandfather finds out the truth, that it's not Evan's?"

"You'll have to try harder if you want to scare me," Avery responds calmly.

She's not afraid, but she knows it's only a matter of time before the news reaches Mr. Francis Howel. Once he learns that the baby may not be a Howel heir, she'll be expelled from the family. It's better for her if she leaves Evan first.

"If you don't have the sense to be scared, that's your problem. It still doesn't change the facts of your situation," Leonie gloats, "By the way, Evan said he wants me to go to the hospital to get a physical check-up. If I'm pregnant, he'll let me keep it."

Avery feels her blood slowly freezing in her veins.

"Congratulations," she sneers.