Chapter 39: Realizing the Heart
Meredith truly had no idea that Justin liked her, and Fiona’s words caught her off guard. “How could that be, Fiona? Justin is a friend, a family, it’s impossible.”
Meredith really couldn’t believe it. She had always considered Justin as family, and currently, only Justin knew about her pregnancy. Justin even mentioned being the godfather of the baby. “Every time Justin goes on a business trip, the gifts he brings back are different, and the ones he gives you are always the most expensive,” Fiona said. “The only reason he buys for me is because he’s afraid you won’t accept them, afraid you’ll feel burdened, so he buys them for me by the way, Meredith, you’re so smart, how can’t you see Justin’s feelings?”Material © NôvelDrama.Org.
Fiona’s tone was full of jealousy. She actually liked Justin too. The three of them had known each other since childhood, but Justin only had eyes for Meredith. She was just the foliage, setting off Meredith’s brilliance. From childhood to adulthood, Meredith had always been the shining star, and under her halo, she was never noticed by anyone.
So, Fiona felt jealous and envious. She was sensitive, suspicious, and often felt inferior. After Terrence Sterling mistook her for someone else, Fiona felt that Meredith owed her, so she brazenly pretended to be her.
“Fiona, it’s impossible. Justin has always treated us like sisters. He has never shown partiality. Aren’t the gifts he buys the same?” Fiona looked at her and asked, “Meredith, are you afraid to believe it, or do you not believe it?”
Justin only bought the same gifts at the beginning, but later on, the ones he bought for Meredith were what she liked and needed, while those for Fiona were just local specialties. Meredith was speechless. She was both afraid to believe and did not believe.
After Fiona left the hospital, Meredith couldn’t shake off her words. When Meredith returned to the ward, she was preoccupied. Terrence Sterling called her twice, but she didn’t hear him.
“Meredith.” Terrence Sterling raised his voice.
Meredith snapped out of her thoughts. “Mr. Sterling, what’s wrong?”
“I should be asking you, what’s wrong with you?” Terrence Sterling asked. “Did you lose your soul when you went out?”
Meredith wasn’t in the mood to argue with Terrence Sterling. She said, “I’m just a little tired.” A nurse’s bed was in the room, and tonight Meredith could only sleep on it.
Seeing how tired she was, Terrence Sterling didn’t say anything more. At night, Meredith rested on the nurse’s bed. The bed was a bit hard, and she was uncomfortable, but she had to make do. After a day of turmoil, Meredith was exhausted and quickly fell asleep.
Terrence Sterling’s wound was sore, and he couldn’t sleep. He had thought about talking to Meredith for a while, but seeing that she was asleep, he couldn’t bring himself to wake her up. A gust of wind blew in, and the temperature dropped in Meriton at night, making it cold. Meredith subconsciously curled up, and Terrence Sterling frowned, covering her with a blanket from the bed.
Meredith wasn’t a quiet sleeper. She liked to talk in her sleep. Just as Terrence Sterling had covered her with the blanket, he heard her mumbling in her sleep, “Baby, mommy will protect you…”
Terrence Sterling paused. Baby? Mommy? Did he hear correctly? Meredith was single, so why would she talk about babies and mothers? Terrence Sterling leaned closer to listen carefully.
Meredith suddenly turned over, and Terrence Sterling, feeling guilty like a thief, quickly sat back on his own bed. At that moment, Meredith mumbled in her sleep again, “Terrence Sterling, don’t die. If you die, what will I do…”
The car accident during the day left Meredith with a psychological shadow. In her dreams, she could still feel the fear she experienced at that time. Hearing her words, Terrence Sterling was shaken. Was he really important to Meredith? Did this woman… like him?
Thinking of Meredith crying uncontrollably because she thought he had died, Terrence Sterling couldn’t help but smile unconsciously. As Meredith slept, she gave off a sense of tranquility, making everything feel… undisturbed. It was so beautiful that one couldn’t look away, making it impossible not to want to get closer.
Terrence Sterling watched Meredith like that, no lights in the room, only the moonlight filtering in, shrouding the entire ward in a hazy atmosphere. This atmosphere was also somewhat familiar to him. Meredith’s face gradually overlapped with the face of the woman who had begged and moaned beneath him that night.