Chapter 631 Kingsley, Are You Staying Overnight?
At night, the kids' room in the hospital had that faint medicine smell.
Jesse spiked a fever again, and the nurse hooked him up to an IV while Amara held him close.
Jesse, in his hospital gown, leaned against Amara, his eyes wide and innocent like a little deer. "Mom, I miss Dad."
Amara gently stroked his head and kissed him softly. "When you get better, we'll go stay at your grandparents' for a few days."
Usually, Jesse wouldn't push it.
But tonight, he felt so lousy that he was harder to comfort than usual. He clung to Amara, unable to sleep, and kept calling for his dad in a daze.
Seeing it was almost 10 PM, Amara had no choice but to pick up her phone. "How about you talk to your dad?"
Jesse finally perked up.
Amara opened her phone and looked at Kingsley's number. After dialing, she heard his hoarse voice. "What's up?"
Amara hesitated for a moment, then said quickly and cautiously, "Jesse wants to talk to you. Is this a good time?"
Kingsley stood by the marble counter in the club's restroom, rubbing his forehead with a mocking laugh. "What exactly counts as inconvenient?"
Amara didn't want to argue with him and said softly, "Can we part on good terms?"
She said "part on good terms" under her breath, dreading that Jesse might grasp her meaning.
Kingsley was silent for a moment.
His voice grew colder. "Did I ever say I wanted to part on good terms?"
Amara swallowed the words she wanted to say.
She lowered her tone. "I'll give the phone to Jesse."
This time, Kingsley didn't object.
When Jesse got the phone, he looked at his little hand with the IV needle, his whole face scrunched up. "Dad, where are you? You never come to see me! I'm really sick, and if you don't come to the hospital, I'm going to feel awful."
On the other end, Kingsley's heart tightened.
No matter what happened between him and Amara, he still loved Jesse. He spoke softly and gently, "Where are you? Let your mom take the phone."
Jesse, sniffling, handed the phone to Amara. "Dad wants to talk to you."
Amara sighed softly.
She took the phone, and Kingsley's voice came through. "Which hospital? I'll come right away."
Amara instinctively said, "No need. It's too late. Come see him tomorrow."
Kingsley was a bit angry but restrained. "Amara, do you think Jesse will be fine with just some comforting? If that's the case, my role as a father becomes unnecessary. And he'll think I didn't give him much attention."
Amara gave him the address and said, "That's not what I meant. The snow is pretty thick outside. Drive carefully."
Kingsley snorted lightly and hung up.
After putting away his phone, he leaned against the restroom wall and finished the remaining half of his cigarette. The light from the crystal chandelier above added to his distinguished appearance.
Jimmy burst out of the private room and spotted Kingsley. "There you are! Come on, let's have a couple more drinks and call it a night! It's snowing, everyone should head home."
Kingsley turned and stubbed out his cigarette. "I need to go to the hospital. Jesse's sick."
Jimmy was taken aback. "Want me to come with you?"
Kingsley raised a hand to stop him. "No need, I have a driver. Jimmy, let's catch up another day!"
Being a good friend, Jimmy still saw him off downstairs. As Kingsley got into the car, Jimmy couldn't help but say, "Amara is really great! She's capable, beautiful, and gave you a lovely son. It's hard to find such a good woman. Lower your pride and apologize to make up with her. There's no lasting grudge between a couple!"
Kingsley sat in the car, his face expressionless. He smiled faintly. "I can compromise on everything else, but not on this."
Jimmy had no choice but to close the car door for him.
The driver didn't know much about Kingsley's personal life but had heard bits and pieces. As he drove, he casually said, "That hospital's pediatric department is pretty good!"
Kingsley leaned back in the rear seat, his voice slightly tired. "Is that so?"
Actually, tonight he had attended two social events. At the first event, Kingsley discussed some business matters and drank quite a bit. Just as he was about to leave, he ran into Jimmy. They hadn't seen each other for a while, so they sat down for a bit and drank without getting drunk.
With the snow falling, the driver drove slowly. It took about half an hour to get there. After parking, Kingsley told the driver to come back in the morning to pick him up as he had an important meeting.
The driver, an old employee who had been with him for a while, got out to open the car door for him. "I'll go to the Hawkins Mansion in the morning and bring a change of clothes for you."
Kingsley nodded and got out. The driver watched his figure under the streetlight and shook his head lightly. "No matter how rich you are, you still have to worry about your kids!"
Kingsley arrived at the children's ward. The hallway was noisy, with uncomfortable children crying out. He quickened his pace.
Pushing open the door to the room, he saw a nurse taking Jesse's temperature. Jesse was leaning against Amara, half-asleep and occasionally opening his eyes. Jesse saw Kingsley.
"Dad," he called out before closing his eyes again.
Kingsley gently closed the door and quickly walked over, standing behind the nurse and asking in a low voice, "Has his fever gone down?"
The nurse was just taking out the thermometer. Turning around, she saw the tall and distinguished Kingsley, whose handsome face was tinged with a hint of desire from drinking. The nurse panicked, and the mercury thermometer in her hand slipped, shattering on the floor.
The Hawkins Family was loaded, and Kingsley was a natural-born leader who couldn't stand mistakes like this. Just as he was about to lay into the nurse, Jesse woke up completely, rubbed his eyes, and called out softly, "Dad."
Kingsley didn't have time to argue with the nurse. He took Jesse from Amara's arms, held him close, and gently patted him. Then he looked down and asked Amara, "How did he get sick and how is he now?"
Amara smoothed the bed sheets. "He went downstairs to play in the snow for a bit."
Kingsley frowned, wanting to say something but held back. The atmosphere between them was a bit tense. The nurse quickly gathered her things and went out to get a new thermometer.
Kingsley sat by the bed, letting Jesse lean on his shoulder. Jesse pouted. "Dad, you smell like alcohol."
Kingsley put Jesse down and went to the restroom to freshen up. He took off his wool coat, and when he came out, the smell of alcohol had significantly dissipated.
The nurse took Jesse's temperature. "It's okay; but you still need to keep an eye on him tonight."
Amara nodded and saw her out. When it was just the three of them in the room, Kingsley looked around. Although it was a single room, including the restroom, it was less than 300 square feet. He thought about getting a bigger room, but Amara put Jesse under the covers and said softly, "Don't bother with that. He should be discharged by tomorrow afternoon."
Kingsley didn't insist. Jesse was about to sleep, but with Kingsley there, he got energetic again and asked for spaghetti.
Jesse hadn't eaten well for two days due to his illness, so Amara immediately got up. "I'll go buy some."
Kingsley glanced at her. Amara put on her coat and was about to leave when he stopped her. "I'll go! You stay here with Jesse."
He bent down and kissed Jesse. "You really know how to keep us busy."
Jesse, lying in bed with bright eyes, had a tender face much like Amara's when she was 22.
Kingsley couldn't help but touch his face again and again, his voice hoarse. "Don't fall asleep."
As he left, Amara saw him off, but they exchanged few words, maintaining a semblance of peace.
Kingsley returned about half an hour later with three takeout boxes of spaghetti. There was a small table in the room, which they set up.
Amara unwrapped the food, and they sat together. She habitually tried to feed Jesse, but he climbed onto Kingsley's lap, wanting Kingsley to feed him.
Kingsley was very patient with him, treating him much differently than he did Amara. After some fussing, Jesse finally went to sleep around midnight.
Amara thought Kingsley would leave and softly thanked him, but Kingsley started taking off his clothes. He removed his sweater and even his belt, then lay on the small sofa, covering himself with his coat. "I'll leave in the morning."
They had broken up, and it was improper to stay in the same room late at night.
She didn't want to experience the humiliation from the Hawkins Mansion again.
So Amara walked to the sofa and whispered, "You should go. I can take care of Jesse."
Kingsley leaned against the sofa. He rested one hand behind his head, looking at her with a clear gaze. "Afraid of being misunderstood? Landon or Hannah?"
Jesse was sick, and Amara was exhausted after two days. She didn't have the energy to argue with him. She said calmly, "Think whatever you want. If you want to stay, I'll go home and come back in the morning."
This was the best solution she could think of.
Kingsley stared at her. Amara lowered her eyes and started to gather her things. The next second, he grabbed her wrist, and she fell onto Kingsley. She could feel his warmth even through the coat.
Amara was stunned. She couldn't believe that he could still have sexual desire in such a situation. After a moment of embarrassment, she tried to get up, but Kingsley held her hand tightly.
Their faces were close, his breath warm against her ear, causing her heart to race.
"It's just a physiological response. Don't overthink it."
Amara gritted her teeth. "I'm not! Let go of me now."
Kingsley not only didn't let go but pulled her closer, the friction almost arousing him. Although Jesse was asleep in the room, he was their child. How many young couples hadn't had sex while their child slept?
Under the bright light, Amara's face flushed.
When Amara spoke, her voice was broken, "What are you doing?"
Perhaps because her body was under his control, she lacked confidence. Her tone didn't sound like a question but more like a plea.
Kingsley wrapped one arm around her waist and gently caressed her face with his other hand.
Amara turned her face away in embarrassment. She wanted to ask what this meant, but her pride wouldn't let her. After a moment of stalemate, Kingsley couldn't hold back any longer and kissed her deeply.
Amara tried to pull away, her throat making a hoarse sound of resistance, but her strength was nothing compared to his. Kingsley held her chin, easily forcing her to comply.
When Kingsley couldn't resist slipping his hand under her dress, Amara whimpered, and all the romance vanished.
Kingsley looked at Amara, who was lying on him. She seemed unable to bear it and disliked his closeness. He stared at her for a moment and then spoke, "Sorry, I drank too much."
It was a lousy excuse, but he didn't want to explain.
Amara silently got up, her hands trembling as she straightened her clothes. Kingsley gently patted her waist. "You sleep with Jesse. I won't touch you again."
Amara thought he was a jerk. But if she insisted on him leaving now, it would seem like she cared too much.
She just silently returned to the small bed and lay down with her clothes on. Once the light was off, the small space felt even quieter, but Kingsley's presence was everywhere.
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