Chapter 9 A Mother-in-law Encounters Morning Sickness
After several relentless waves of sickness, Jessica finally felt some relief. She took a deep breath, washed her face, and touched up her makeup before rejoining her guest.
"Mom, sorry for that little episode," she apologized with embarrassment as she faced Danielle sitting comfortably on the sofa.
Danielle responded with a gentle smile, "It's no bother," and gestured for Jessica to sit beside her. Jessica did so, her heart pounding from nerves, her breath uneven, all the while dreading the inevitable question about her sudden illness.
As luck would have it, the question came immediately. "What happened just now? You seemed quite ill. Should we go to the hospital to get you checked out?"
"Oh no," thought Jessica, panicked. It was as if her fears had materialized into reality. "Mom, it's nothing serious, I just accidentally ate some eggs and have been a bit allergic these past few days."
Jessica managed to keep her voice and tone so natural that there was no sign of distress.
"You need to be more careful, honey. Allergies are no joke," Danielle advised earnestly, without reading too much into it.
"I will, Mom. I'll be more careful from now on," she assured Danielle.
Then, Danielle cut straight to the chase without beating around the bush. "If I remember correctly, yesterday was your second wedding anniversary."
"Yes!" Jessica nodded obediently.
"In this life, we meet all sorts of people. There are those whom we may never encounter, and others who just pass by. Being a husband and wife isn't easy. Since you two are married, you should truly cherish this bond.
"It's said it's better to tear down ten temples than to destroy one marriage. If there's still love, then put in the effort and hold on tight. And as for Diana, why worry about her? Not just me, but the whole Walton family, Xavier and your dad, none of us like her, and nobody agreed to her coming into this family. We are your strongest support."
Danielle's words brought tears to Jessica's eyes.
Though Giselle had passed away years ago, and her father had never shown a hint of affection, Jessica felt incredibly lucky to have married into the Walton family.
Instead of disdain, they showered her with affection and protection, a debt of gratitude she felt she could never repay.
"Mom, I understand. I'll cherish it," she replied, moved to tears from feeling Danielle's affection.
"Do you really understand?" Danielle suddenly looked at her, eyes piercing. "Because if you did, you wouldn't casually talk of divorce. You don't think I know what you and Gabriel are scheming. Xavier is approaching his eightieth birthday, and his health isn't great. If you do anything to upset him, I will never forgive you. Drop any such thoughts immediately."
Jessica looked up in disbelief. "Mom, how did you… know?"
Her voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz by the end, and her head hung low, not daring to face her mother-in-law.
With a sigh, Danielle continued, "It doesn't matter why Gabriel married you. What's done is done, and now that you are husband and wife, you should value that relationship. I'm counting on you two to give me a grandchild soon, to make me proud."
Before leaving, Danielle offered one more piece of advice, "Don't overthink it, just focus on living a good life. I hope that by the next time we meet, you've let go of such thoughts."
With that, Danielle left, not even staying for the meal.
Jessica lingered on the sofa, her mind wrestling with the idea of calling Gabriel. After mulling it over, exhaustion took over and she drifted off to sleep right there amidst the cushions.
As soon as she left Jessica's place, Danielle didn't hesitate to dial Gabriel's number. "I'll be at the Walton Family Ancestral Home in thirty minutes. I expect to see you there when I arrive," she commanded.
Gabriel massaged his temples, trying to excuse himself, "Mom, I'm still out."
Danielle's voice was firm. "I know. You're too busy playing husband with Diana at the mall. If you don't show up, I'll confront Diana then and there. And if she ends up embarrassed, don't blame me for not holding back. The choice is yours."
"I'll be there," Gabriel surrendered before he could say another word, but Danielle had already ended the call with authority.
"Diana, go ahead and shop some more. I'll have the driver take you home when you're done," Gabriel said gently.
Diana sensed something amiss immediately and asked, "Gabriel, are you leaving already?"
"Yeah, something urgent came up," He replied.
"Okay, then. Go handle it, I won't worry you," Diana said.
"All right."
As Gabriel turned to leave, Diana called out, "Gabriel, wait!"
"What is it?" he asked.
Diana wheeled closer and reached out her delicate fingers to straighten his tie. "There, it was a little crooked."
"Thanks!" he said appreciatively.
Watching Gabriel walk away, Diana grumbled, "Miss, why didn't you stop him? Why did you just let him go like that?"
"It's a wake-up call for today," Diana said, scheming.
"What wake-up call?" her assistant asked in bewilderment.
"We fought over the delayed divorce yesterday, and he was upset. Today's incident is another reminder. I need to give him more space and trust him more. Pushing too hard can backfire."
"And you’re not afraid he'll fall for his wife?" the assistant added.
A shadow flickered across Diana’s eyes. After a long pause, she admitted, "Of course I'm scared."
"But then I reassure myself. They've been married for two years, and Gabriel hasn't fallen for her. Surely their bond won't skyrocket in just a week!" Diana thought aloud.
"I've held on for over two years abroad, surviving more than seven hundred days. I can't let these last seven break me. I must stay calm and not lose my footing," she explained.
When Gabriel returned to the stately study at the Walton Family's Ancestral Home, Danielle was there waiting, the epitome of impatience ready for a confrontation.
Around five in the evening, the sun began its descent, casting a warm, reddish glow across the sky. From the window, the view of the setting sun was breathtaking. It was a sight Danielle cherished deeply.
The room, with its antique charm, was delicately filled with a subtle fragrance emanating from the burning incense. The tea on the nearby table exuded a rich, enticing fragrance.
When Gabriel pushed the door open and entered, Danielle had just finished brewing the tea. He strode in with his long legs and took a seat across the table, casually lifting the teacup to his nose. "Mom, does your tea always smell this good?"
"What's the point? Your dad still prefers the tea that Xiaorou makes, claiming it's whimsical and romantic—'a life of debauchery.' My tea, just like me, is bland and uninteresting."
"Mom," Gabriel frowned, "Why bring her up now?"
"What, I can't mention dad's old flame, but you can parade around with your girlfriend for all to see? Gabriel, aren't you something?"
"Have you thought about Jessica? Isn't she a steadfast individual? Doesn't it bother her?"
