Chapter 442 Willard, You Are Truly Shameless!
Willard stared at Anne lying in the hospital bed, her lips pale, without saying a word.
His eyes were deep, lost in thought.
Uma noticed his dripping hair and went to get a towel to dry it for him.
Willard raised his hand and pushed her away.
Uma chuckled, "What, you trying to get sick too?"
Willard remained silent.
Uma was used to it.
As the heir to the Larson family, he carried heavy responsibilities on his shoulders.
He had always been more mature than kids his age, his thoughts so deep that no one could guess them.
When he was in a good mood, he might say a few more words.
When he was in a bad mood, he wouldn't even bother to look at you.
Uma suggested, "Willard, you're the one at fault here. If I may be blunt, your approach will only make Anne more annoyed with you, more eager to divorce you and stay away from you."
"You know very well that anyone who lied to you before was severely dealt with. But you've deceived Anne, time and time again," she added.
Moreover, Anne had grown up and had been navigating the world for several years now.
How could she fall for his tricks every time?
Even if he was skilled enough to deceive her repeatedly, eventually she would develop a sense of caution.
"I think this isn't working. Maybe you should divorce her and start over, pursue Anne again, and perhaps you'll find a different spark."
Willard finally spoke, "Have you succeeded in love, or married a good man?"
"You're still hung up on a married person without understanding your own situation. Why don't you advise yourself to start over, meet new people, and find new love?"
Uma's smile gradually faded, and she was eventually fuming.
"Even though we're not siblings, my dad is your dad's brother. We're family. I'm trying to help you win Anne back, and you repay me by making me angry!"
Willard's face remained expressionless, showing no sign of familial affection.
"Elissa was saved because Francis found a sister for his parents and married her off to Everglade City, to the Garcia family. He switched from politics to business to protect the Peterson family's interests, all thanks to Ryan."
"And Ryan did all this just to surprise his wife with clothes made by Hope, which she loved."
"Uma, you should let go too."
When he was silent, it was truly exasperating. No wonder the wife Anne had finally secured was slipping away. Served him right!
Uma had many things to say but ultimately decided not to.
She finally said, "Willard, if you end up divorced and single, you have no one to blame but yourself."
With that, she walked away in her high heels, the sound of her steps growing louder with each stride, showing her anger.
Willard's expression didn't change.
He just looked at Anne, his thin lips pressed into a straight line.
Maple Valley
Finn called Elissa to ask if the package had arrived.
Those clothes were precious; he hoped there were no issues.
Elissa answered, "Everything's fine."
At that moment, Elissa was unpacking with Hope.
They were trying on the clothes.
Elissa continued, "I'll message Anne later to come take some photos of me before my belly gets too big. By the way, if you're not busy, you should come over too."
Finn replied, "Anne probably won't be able to come in the next few days."
"Why?"
"She's sick."
Thanks to Willard letting them go public, everyone in Seaside City's been talking about them lately.
Anne got caught in the rain, and Willard carried her to the hospital, even making a scene. The photos had gone viral.
"People are watching without knowing the full story."
Willard controlled the narrative, so the public only saw what he wanted them to see.
Why Anne was standing in the rain outside City Hall, the public couldn't know.
To the outside world, they were a loving couple.
"I used my connections to find out. Fortunately, it's just an acute cold from the rain, nothing serious. She's at the Armstrong family hospital. Louis was called in to check on a common cold, so she should be fine."
Elissa felt relieved, "That's good. Keep an eye on her for me."
"Don't worry, take care of yourself. I have to go, talk later."
Elissa hung up and told Hope.
Hope glanced towards the balcony.
Francis and Jerry were talking.
They discussed work and then moved on to Willard and Anne.
"I just heard that Willard, who rarely gets sick, has a fever. What's more interesting is that he once worked through an appendectomy, but now he's hospitalized for a fever." Jerry smirked, "And he's in the same room as Anne."
Francis's lips curled slightly, "Seems he's desperate, resorting to such low tactics."
They spoke loudly, intentionally catching Elissa's attention.
Elissa shook her head, "I thought Willard was so cunning, full of schemes, but in the end, he resorts to cheap tricks."
Hope smiled, "Isn't that just another form of manipulation?"
Elissa agreed, "But he started off wrong. It's like knitting a sweater. If you make a mistake, continuing will only create more holes. He needs to start over. I think divorce might not be a bad thing."
Francis handed Elissa a cup of warm milk and voiced his thoughts, "His schemes work well in business, but not in relationships. With the marriage bond, he has a reason to entangle with Anne, trying to fix things."
"If they divorce, like you said, it's like unraveling the sweater. He wouldn't know how to start over," he added.
Elissa countered, "He can learn. No one is born knowing everything."
"You're right." Francis nodded obediently, "If he had your mindset, he wouldn't have driven his wife away."
Jerry scoffed, pulling Hope away, "Let's go, Hope. Don't interrupt someone's grand performance."
It was about time. Hope told Elissa, "Take care and don't stay up late."
"Okay." Elissa saw them out. "Thanks for your help. Once I'm stable, I'll get back to work."
Hope noticed Francis's immediate change in expression, knowing it was unlikely.
Elissa was older, and her pregnancy carried more risks than a younger woman's. She didn't plan to let her work.
Hope replied, "Just rest well. The company is stable now; there's no need to push yourself."
But Elissa couldn't sit still, feeling bored at home.
She always wanted to do something.
"When Anne can come, you come over, and we'll take photos and make videos for online promotion."
Hope understood Elissa's restlessness and agreed, "We'll do whatever you want."
Elissa happily saw the couple into the elevator.
She returned home and started picking up the clothes scattered all over the floor.
Just as she picked up one piece, a slender hand took it from her.
She was gently guided to sit on the couch.
Elissa found it amusing, "Didn't my check-up results come back fine? It's just hanging up clothes, I can handle it."
Being taken care of like this made her feel useless.
"And you, now that you're running the family business, shouldn't you be busy? Stop hovering around me all the time."
Francis hung the clothes on a rolling rack and took them to the study.
Hearing her words, his lips pressed into a thin line. "Are you tired of me?"
No wonder he and Jerry were such good friends.
Elissa had just heard Hope complain that Jerry couldn't leave her alone for even a moment, saying she was tired of him.
"Always looking at the same person, it can happen." Elissa teased him, "Sometimes distance makes the heart grow fonder. Even couples need a bit of novelty."
Francis had a different understanding of "novelty."
Seeing him nod, she didn't think much of it.
Feeling sleepy, she went to bed.
Francis instructed Simon to handle something.
Then he told Felix to keep an eye on the door and went out for a bit.
Elissa's sleep was restless, waking up frequently.
After a while, she felt thirsty and got up for some water.
But Francis was nowhere to be seen.
She heard water running in the bathroom.
She checked the time.
Why was he showering at this hour?
When she finished her water and returned to the bedroom, she instantly understood.
This bad man.
Was this how he interpreted "novelty"?
Francis saw her standing in the doorway and walked over.
He handed her a whip, and when she took it, he gently led her inside, closing the bedroom door behind them.
Elissa narrowed her eyes, looking him up and down.
She had to admit, his physique in a military uniform was quite appealing.
It made her heart race and her body react.
"Francis." Elissa took the whip from his hand, coiling it and pressing it against his chin. "I'm pregnant. What do you think you're doing?"
Francis held her close and whispered in her ear, "What, you want to torture me by making me look but not touch?"
Elissa laughed. Her hand moved downward, her eyes filled with affection and allure.
Francis had been holding back for a long time, and they were newlyweds.
But her pregnancy had limited them, and he hadn't had a proper release.
He had taken her words about novelty to heart and found this outfit at home.
Now, he was caught in his own game.
"Hurry up, honey..."
Elissa changed tactics, and Francis held her tightly, groaning.
The passion lasted until dawn.
Elissa was drenched in sweat by the end. Francis gently washed her and tucked her into bed, holding her as they fell asleep, content.
Seaside City
Anne woke herself up with a cough.
Her throat felt like it had a feather tickling it, making her uncomfortable.
She got up to find water and realized she was in the hospital.
Memories of fainting slowly came back to her.
She cursed Willard under her breath.
Then the curtain beside her suddenly opened, and Willard appeared.
Anne didn't want to acknowledge him and got up to get some water.
Willard called a nurse in.
The nurse quickly came over to help, "Please lie down. If you need anything, just press the call button."
Anne felt unwell but not to the point of being helpless.
She wasn't used to calling for help over small things.
"It's fine, I just need some water."
"You have a fever of 102 degrees Fahrenheit. You should rest. If the fever doesn't go down, it could turn into pneumonia like Mr. Larson's."
Anne choked on her water. She vaguely remembered Willard coming towards her at City Hall and carrying her.
But with so many people around him, how did he get soaked?
How did he get a high fever?
It couldn't be that she fainted, and he caught her and got infected, right?
Willard met her puzzled gaze and explained, "You were soaked through. I carried you all the way to the hospital and got wet too."
So?
"I was so focused on getting you treated that I forgot about myself. I thought I was fine, but it turned out to be worse than yours."
Anne knew Willard rarely got sick.
As a child, she envied his strong constitution, unlike her, who was often unwell.
Her grandfather said it was because her mother didn't take care of herself during pregnancy, and she was born prematurely. She wasn't properly cared for, leading to a weak constitution.
She got better as she grew, but she still got sick during seasonal changes.
It wasn't serious but annoying.
Willard was different. He rarely got sick, but when he did, it was serious.
Before their marriage, he had surgery for stomach polyps.
This was the first time she saw him hospitalized since their cold marriage began three years ago.
Still, she had her doubts.
He had lied to her too many times recently.
"I'll cover your medical bills. Thanks. In the future, you don't need to involve yourself in my affairs. If you do, don't expect gratitude. I'm not a child who can be easily deceived."
Willard anticipated her reaction and nodded, "I couldn't bear to see you suffer. It's all my fault. You don't need to worry about it, and I won't expect anything in return."
Anne ignored him and started packing. A fever wasn't enough to keep her in the hospital.
The nurse, following specific instructions, reminded her, "Mrs. Larson, you can't be discharged yet. You need to be monitored and receive IV fluids today."
"No need. I'll just take some medicine."
Anne grabbed her clothes and went to the bathroom to change.
Willard called the nurse out and instructed Quinton, who looked uneasy, "Mr. Larson, I don't think this is appropriate..."
"Do as I say."
His tone left no room for argument, and Quinton had to comply.
Anne came out, dressed and ready to leave.
She didn't even glance at Willard.
At the door, she turned the handle, and it came off.
She was stunned.
She tried to reattach the handle and open the door, but it didn't work.
She knocked, hoping the nurse would open it from the outside.
Quinton's face appeared in the small window. "Ms. Larson, the door is broken. I've called for repairs. Please wait a moment."
Anne turned back, furious, sure this was Willard's doing.
But he was right behind her, and she bumped into his chest.
Willard smirked, "Trying to steal a kiss again?"
Anne threw the handle at him.
If she could, she'd use it to bash his head in.
"Willard, you're shameless!"
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