Chapter 10 Who Were You With Last Night?
Everyone gathered in the dining room, where the table was already set with food. Susanna ladled some soup for Maria. "Grandma, have some soup first. It's a pity the one I made for you spilled."
Aaron wasn't here, but his presence or absence didn't matter much; he was probably off comforting Erica.
"It's no big deal, but what about your hand? What if it leaves a scar? And where's Aaron? Why isn't he with you?" Maria asked with concern.
Where else could he be? Comforting Erica, of course.
But Susanna didn't dare say that out loud. She didn't care whether Aaron was there or not. She put down her fork and said, "Grandma, there's something I want to talk to you about."
"What is it?"
"It's about convincing you to have the surgery," Aaron interjected, appearing at the table and sitting next to Susanna.
Hearing the word "surgery," Susanna glanced at Aaron. His expression was hard to read.
Maria snorted, "There's nothing wrong with my body; I don't need any surgery. I know exactly what Erica is thinking. Tell her to stop daydreaming."
As she spoke, Maria shot a warning glance at Maud.
Maud knew Maria was warning her, but she didn't want to back down in front of Susanna. "Mom, Ms. Jones is a refined lady and a perfect match for Aaron, unlike some poor girl."
"So what if Susanna's poor? What makes you so high and mighty? When Aaron's father wanted to marry you, do you think I was thrilled? I still agreed to it, didn't I? Now you want to play the role of the disapproving mother-in-law? You're not exactly old enough for that!" Maria retorted.
Maud didn't dare retort, keeping her head down and staying silent.
Aaron frowned. "Let's not mix things up. We should keep matters separate."
"To me, it's all the same."
Elaine spoke softly, "Is someone tricking you? You won't even consider the surgery, and it's a top heart surgeon with a perfect success rate. If it weren't for Erica, we couldn't have even gotten him."
"Let's just eat," Aaron cut Elaine off.
Susanna pretended not to hear, continuing to serve Maria soup as if their conversation had nothing to do with her. She hadn't expected Maria to sacrifice her own health for her sake, and the thought made her feel even guiltier. She didn't know what to say. As she stirred Maria's pasta, a sudden wave of nausea hit her. Maria noticed and asked, "Susanna, are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Grandma. It's just my stomach..." Susanna couldn't finish her sentence before she started dry heaving. With everyone staring at her in surprise, she couldn't explain and rushed to the bathroom, vomiting until she was dry heaving bile.
Finally stopping, she reached for a tissue. Someone handed it to her just in time. Looking up, she saw who it was and froze for a moment before taking the tissue to wipe her mouth.
Turning to Aaron, she said dismissively, "I've just been stressed lately. My stomach's a bit off."
"If you're sick, let the family doctor take a look," Aaron said coldly.
"It's just a minor issue. I'll be fine in a few days."
"Really?" Aaron stepped closer, trapping her against the sink, leaving her no escape.
"Susanna, look at me."
Aaron grabbed her chin, forcing her to look up into his dark, brooding eyes. "Are you hiding something from me?" he asked.
"Mr. Abbott, what do you want to know?"
Mr. Abbott?
She used to call him Aaron so sweetly. Clearly, having a new partner had given her some newfound courage.
Aaron leaned in, his eyes filled with anger. "What do you think I want to ask?"
Susanna broke free from his grip, trying to stay calm. "I'm not pregnant!" She froze, looking up at his obscure expression, not quite understanding his meaning.
After a moment of silence, Aaron huffed out a laugh and delivered his cutting words, "You were in a hotel room with a guy last night. If you were actually pregnant, could you handle it without getting a miscarriage?"
Susanna's face paled as she felt the color draining away. She lowered her gaze, a veil of disappointment shrouding her features.
Aaron's voice came from above her. "Who were you with last night?"
Susanna sighed in relief. As long as he wasn't questioning the existence of a baby, she could handle it. "We're divorced. Why do you care who I'm with? I don't owe you any explanations."
"Susanna, what right do you have to talk to me like that? You said you married me because you liked me. Have you changed your mind so quickly?"
"Mr. Abbott, I did say I liked you, but I never said I'd like you forever."
Aaron, gripping Susanna's chin, stared into her eyes, suddenly unable to decipher her emotions. A surge of anger coursed through him. The thought of her with another man made him want to storm into the hotel and confront the guy.
Susanna didn't back down. Their proximity was so intimate that their noses nearly touched, their mingling breaths hanging heavy in the tense air.
"What are you two doing here? Aaron, Susanna might be pregnant. Be careful and don't touch her." Maria had waited long enough and came to check on them, only to find them seemingly about to kiss in front of the sink.
Susanna's face turned red at Maria's words.
Aaron turned to Maria. "Grandma, she's not pregnant."
"How do you know?"
"She just finished her menstrual cycle."
Susanna looked at his back in surprise. Aaron actually remembered her cycle?
Maria looked disappointed. "Not pregnant, huh."
Maud snorted, "Married for three years and still not pregnant. Maybe there's something wrong."
Maria nodded in agreement. "You're right. Take him to the hospital tomorrow and get checked. Maybe it's you who has the problem. How come Susanna isn't pregnant after three years?"
Maria's words hit Susanna like a bolt from the blue, leaving her torn between laughter and tears as she gazed back at Maria.
Maud wasn't happy. "Mom, how can you belittle Aaron like that? He's perfectly healthy. We took great care of him when he was young. He developed better than other boys. There's no way it's his problem!"
Aaron's mouth twitched as he felt utterly embarrassed. "Mom, please stop!"
Maud wasn't giving up. "Susanna, tell us. Why haven't you got pregnant after three years of marriage? Whose problem is it?"
