Chapter 1077 Promise
"Anthony, you refuse to take me to see my brother, and you won't allow me to have an abortion." Jane sneered. "Your apologies are just empty words."
Jane looked at Anthony with cold eyes.
He said, "Jane, you're putting me in a difficult position."
"Have you ever put me in an easy position?" She retorted.
Both of Jane's requests were impossible for Anthony to agree to.
Jane knew he probably wouldn't agree, but she was unwilling to give in.
Unwilling to admit defeat.
Unwilling to bow down to Anthony.
Unwilling to compromise.
Unwilling to bring this child into the world and endure Ann's torment and neglect.
Even if Anthony would care for this child all his life, he couldn't protect the child every moment. Moreover, malice from close relatives would leave an indelible mark on the child's childhood.
"Anthony, I'm very fortunate to have had a good childhood," Jane said slowly. "Although my father was a philanderer, he never spoke harshly to us, and my brother gave me a lot of love and affection. I often heard friends in our circle say that their grandmothers didn't like them because they were girls, saying they were worthless and only good for marriage alliances. Some mothers even told their children, 'If you were a boy, I wouldn't have to suffer so much! Your dad wouldn't be out looking for mistresses!'"
"I don't favor boys over girls," Anthony said immediately. "I like girls very much. If you have a boy, I will like him too. Jane, as long as it's your child, I will love them."
Jane pushed Anthony away. "Anthony, you're missing the point. As long as the elders are dissatisfied with this child, it has nothing to do with gender."
Even if Ann got a grandson or granddaughter that she desired, the fact that Jane was the mother would always be a source of concern for her.
What Ann cared about, from beginning to end, was that the child was Jane's.
To change that, she had to stop it at the source—by making sure Jane did not bear Anthony's child.
"Jane, I will treat this child very well," Anthony said, holding Jane's face in his hands, forcing her to look at him. "I can promise that besides this child, I won't have any other children."
"Your promise won't change your mother's opinion of this child," Jane said with a bitter smile. "Anthony, you've been in this circle long enough to know how damaging words and rumors can be."
She didn't want her child to be attacked from a young age. Even if they grew strong, it would be at the cost of pain.
She didn't want that kind of strength.
"Anthony, let it go," Jane said calmly, looking at him. "There's no way to find a perfect solution to this. You can't disown Ann; she's your only close relative now. And I won't let my child have a grandmother who doesn't like them."
Anthony was speechless for a moment because this was an unsolvable problem.
Maybe Jane knew it was unsolvable when she brought it up.
"Jane, I won't allow you to have an abortion," Anthony finally said firmly.
He glanced at the time; it was almost ten o'clock.
Anthony bent down and picked Jane up.
The sudden loss of balance made Jane scream, and her body reacted before her mind, wrapping her arms around Anthony's neck.
"You need to sleep," Anthony said, gently placing Jane on the bed, covering her with a blanket. He pressed a button on the bedside controller, and the blackout curtains opened, leaving only a thin layer of sheer fabric. The moonlight filtered through, casting a silver glow over the room.
"Anthony, are all men like this?" Jane said, pushing Anthony's hand away in annoyance.
"Like what?" Anthony was displeased with Jane's phrase "all men."
Lumping him in with other men?
He was Jane's man, not just any man.
This jealousy was irrational but felt entirely justified.
"When faced with problems, they either give mere lip service or put off," Jane said, particularly dissatisfied with how men handled things.
Anthony looked at her silently for a long moment, then kissed her forehead. "Sleep, goodnight."
Jane rolled her eyes in frustration, turning her back to Anthony, not wanting to see him.
She had said so much to Anthony, wasted so many words, and he acted like he hadn't heard any of it.
The unpleasant end to that night led to a cold war between them for the next few days.
The servants in the villa knew that Jane and Anthony's cold war was likely related to Ann's sudden visit that day.
Ann had said such hurtful things; anyone would be angry.
The servants and bodyguards at Emerald Gardens had grown very fond of Jane during this time. They had initially thought she would be difficult to serve, but Jane turned out to be kind, interesting, and had excellent taste.
Serving someone like her was a pleasure.
With their sympathies leaning towards Jane, they felt even more for her when they saw how Ann treated her.
It was clear to everyone that Jane didn't want to be Anthony's wife; it was Anthony who wouldn't let her go.
When Anthony wasn't at the villa, Jane went about her usual activities, except for worrying about what to do with the child.
She took her camera to the western garden to take photos and saw a group of ladies gathered, chatting animatedly.
"Jane is really lucky. Aurora was just found out not to be carrying Anthony's child, and now she's pregnant."
"What's so lucky about that? Ann doesn't acknowledge Jane or her child. What can she be? Just like those mistresses."
"Exactly, and she was once the top socialite!"
"This just shows that a woman can't rely on her womb alone. A person's low status will never change; a mistress can never become a wife."
"Jane used to boast that she wasn't interested in Anthony and didn't want to enter the Clark family. Now she's pregnant with Anthony's child and getting scolded by Ann. How ironic!"
"Mrs. Flores, there were rumors that your husband was once smitten with Jane, but those are old tales now. Your son will always be beyond the reach of Jane's child."
"Yes, a child not recognized by the husband's family will never be a match for my son!"
"Ms. Watkins, don't listen to these people," a servant said, trying to comfort Jane with a pained expression.
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