Chapter 322 A Mother’s Lullaby IV

<strong>[ WARNING: THE FOLLOWING NARRATIVE CONTAINS DISTURBING, TRIGGERING, AND SENSITIVE CONTENT. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK. ]</strong>

"I was thinking of a rocking chair."

Joaquin's brows rose in surprise because he didn't see that answer coming. He glanced at Aries and noticed the subtle smile on her face. A smile that had never turned up on her face ever since that day Rikhill fell into ruin.

"You want a rocking chair?" he asked, and she looked back at him, nodding profusely. He chuckled. "Hah… you want it?"

Joaquin casually laid down until his head was resting on her lap, something he had always wanted to do with her. This time, Aries didn't react and just gazed down at him, showing no sign of hatred for him.

"Will you give it to me?" she asked out of pure curiosity. He didn't agree or refuse immediately and simply stared at her. He raised his hand, touching her face gently, in disbelief this was the same woman who would be so repelled by just the thought of him. It gave him this inexplicable feeling.

"Will you tell me why would you want a rocking chair first?" he returned and saw her purse her lips.

"For the baby," she answered under her breath.

"I see… you can't kill him, so you've decided to love him, huh?" he mumbled, waiting for her to return his gaze. "How about me? When will you decide to love me back?"

'You don't love me and even if you do, it will never happen,' was the first thing that came into her head, but bit her tongue as she promised her child not to let hatred fill her heart since she didn't want her child to feel it too. Moreover, angering Joaquin wouldn't benefit anyone in any way.

In the end, Aries kept silent to make less mistake. She looked back at him as he stared at her longer as if wondering about something.

"A rocking chair then." Her eyes gleamed when he broke his silence and he chuckled at what he had seen. "Just behave and I will give you more."

Aries bit her inner lip and nodded slightly. She didn't need anything else from him aside from that rocking chair. Well, maybe, if he opened one window so she could stare outside, that would be great. While she tried to conceal the smile on her face, she didn't notice how his eyes softened seeing that acceptance in her eyes.

Just like Aries, Joaquin didn't need much from her. He simply wanted her. He wanted Aries to belong to her completely. Although it was fun seeing her suffer because of her own stubbornness, having such a peaceful time together wasn't also bad.

"I heard you've been humming," he changed the subject, catching her attention. "I want to hear it."

"No." She averted her eyes at the quick refusal while he arched a brow.

"No?"

"No. It's not for you," she answered and glanced down at him. "It's for the baby's ears only."

"Pretend that I am not here then."

"I can't."

Joaquin blinked as he studied her face. Aries wasn't looking at him, but she wasn't looking, not because she seemed disgusted. She was looking away because she didn't want to get persuaded.

He chuckled weakly. "Fine." He searched for her hand and held them near his jaw. "If the humming is for our child, then there must be something for me, right?"

He laughed when she cringed, but her hand that was cupping his jaw didn't feel the same as usual. They didn't have a touch of disgust, nor did he sense she would strangle him like how he would always feel. Aries changed and he sort of liked this change and submission.

The only question was, until when?

"Come on. I'm a jealous man," he teased, squeezing her hand slightly.

A shallow breath slipped past her lips as she thought of something to make him stop. She couldn't let this man disturb the fragile peace she built for the past month in a blink of an eye. Aries gazed at him for a minute, watching him raise his brows, anticipating whatever silly resolution she could come up with.

'Fine.' She thought. 'For the sake of Bean.'

"Up," she whispered while lifting his face up to her. Aries bent over and closed her eyes, suppressing the unpleasant emotion creeping up to her heart as she planted her lips on his.

His eyes slightly dilated as he froze. A second later, he glanced at her to see her shut eyes. This was the first time she shut her eyes because she would usually keep them open as if she always needed to watch everything he would do to her so she wouldn't forget.

'You…' he called in his head as his eyes softened. '… belong to me.'

Joaquin slowly closed his eyes and buried his hand in her hair, stilling it on her back while his elbow propped against the mattress. But before they could go further, Aries drew her head away.

"I can't." She clutched her sleeve that he slipped from her shoulder.

"What?"

"My body is still recovering," she explained almost nervously. "It might hurt… the baby." — knowing what sort of sadist he was.

Joaquin frowned, but sensing she seemed to be fine with it if not for her health, he didn't get angry. He sighed and nodded in understanding, collapsing on his back once again, his head on her lap. As soon as he did, he glanced at her protruding tummy under her chemise.

"Inside here…" he poked it mildly and knitted his brows. "… there's a life?"

"It's strange, isn't it?" she chuckled while he glanced up at her. "My body is changing, and it's a little… strange, but whenever I think about it, it's strangely amusing."

Joaquin studied her enthusiasm, and it hit him. This life inside her gave the two of them something they could share, aside from hatred.

"Really…?" he carefully planted his palm on her tummy and chuckled when she flinched slightly. "I won't push you. Calm down."

He slowly felt her tummy before moving his ear to listen to it out of curiosity. Seeing this, Aries bit her inner lip as hard as she could, while keeping eye contact with him. In her mind, she would do anything for this little life within her. Even if it means tolerating this insufferable man. Because at the end of the day, if she wanted her child to live a better life, Joaquin needed to love him even the slightest.

Little did they know, this seemingly improving relationship was short-lived as everything turned south in just one pathetic night. The day her hatred for Joaquin would reach a boiling point.