Chapter 230 Do You Want Kids That Much?
Ivy dropped her knife and fork, standing up abruptly. "Mom, seriously? You're ditching your own son for someone who's not even related to us? And Tristan's just your grandson, and there's a generation gap between you. You're totally mixed up about who you should be close to."
"The one who's mixed up is Travis. I'm old, but I see things clearly. Ivy, if you behave, you can stay in the Forbes family. If not, pack your bags and go." Adelaide's face was stern.
"Fine, I'm out. I won't interfere in your mother-son drama anymore." Ivy turned and stormed off.
With her gone, the tension in the dining room eased a bit.
Adelaide took a deep breath, looking drained, and leaned back in her chair, glancing at Tristan. "Can I decide about your marriage?"
Tristan shifted slightly and nodded. "When Katniss and I came back to Velvet City, we were already thinking about marriage. Thanks for your concern, Grandma."
"That's good." Adelaide nodded, satisfied. "When are you planning to have kids?"
Tristan didn't hesitate. "Please don't rush us. I know what I'm doing."
The phrase "I know what I'm doing" made Adelaide anxious. "Having a child would solve everything. Why are you being so difficult?"
"Grandma!" Tristan's voice rose, his tone firm. "A child isn't a solution to the problem."
"You're wasting my life away! How many days do I have left to fix this? I can't face your grandfather after I die. He'll call me a sinner because I gave birth to a scoundrel who's ruining the family name! You don't care about the Forbes family, but I do. And I won't bear this shame!" Adelaide was emotional, tears welling up in her eyes.
Katniss stayed silent, not knowing the specifics of the Forbes family's issues.
The only thing she knew for sure was that having a child was crucial.
"I will do my best to protect the Forbes family, but I can't let them take risks for me." By "them," he meant Katniss and the child.
Tristan turned slightly, pulling Katniss to stand up, his voice tinged with guilt. "Grandma, please take care of yourself."
With that, he pulled Katniss and left.
Katniss felt a mix of emotions, and before leaving the dining room, she glanced back at Adelaide.
Tears were streaming down Adelaide's wrinkled cheeks.
She never thought as an elder, who should be enjoying their twilight years, she would still be so exhausted from worrying about her descendants.
On the way back, Tristan drove fast, saying nothing, the atmosphere in the car suffocatingly heavy.
When they arrived at the apartment, as soon as they entered the elevator, Tristan suddenly hugged her tightly; it felt like he wanted to crush her and absorb her into his body.
She looked up, hugging his waist. "Today's events were all because of me. If this happens again, I can endure it. Let's not let Mrs. Forbes worry anymore."
"How can I let you suffer?" He couldn't stand anyone being unkind to Katniss.
The elevator doors slowly opened, and she let go of Tristan, her eyes full of heartache. "You go back first. I'll go upstairs to check on Matilda, okay?" She was worried about Matilda's leg. Ryan said Matilda's leg was badly injured, and the doctor recommended bed rest for a week.
Tristan planted a kiss on her forehead, his lips curling into a forced smile. "Go ahead."
He turned and walked out of the elevator. The doors slowly closed, and his figure in the white shirt was bathed in the moonlight from the hallway, exuding a sense of loneliness.
Katniss's heart was gripped tightly, the pain almost making it hard to breathe.
Standing at Matilda's door, she took a moment to compose herself before going in.
It was already very late, and Sophia was asleep. A faint light came from Matilda's room.
Katniss pushed the door open and saw Matilda's calf wrapped in a bandage. Matilda was hopping on one foot, trying to get some water.
"Let me." She took Matilda's cup and went to the kitchen to fill it with warm water.
"Katniss, it's so late. Why are you here? My leg is fine. How are you guys? The Forbes family matters are all over the news, causing quite a stir." Matilda had wanted to message Katniss several times but was afraid of disturbing her.
Katniss forced a smile. "We'll handle our matters. You just focus on recovering these days."
"Katniss, it's all my fault. I didn't know the Miller family and Lila was connected, and now it's also tied to the Forbes family." Matilda felt deeply guilty.
Katniss and Matilda kept their voices low, afraid of waking Sophia.
Matilda kept blaming herself, almost in tears. Katniss handed her a tissue.
"It's not your fault; it's mine. When the Miller family agreed to meet with the tutor, they were genuinely moved by your sincerity and were considering changing tutors. But when they found out the new tutor was me, they changed their minds." Katniss thought it over and didn't believe the Miller family could foresee the future and set a trap for her before she even arrived in Velvet City.
"Tristan and I will take our time to reconsider the next steps. For now, take care of Mom and yourself. If anything comes up, call me. It's late; you should get some rest." She stood up, poured another cup of warm water for Matilda, and then left.
Instead of going back across the hall, she took the elevator downstairs to Tristan's place.
The room was dimly lit, with only the light in the entryway on, and the bedroom door was slightly ajar.
Katniss walked to the door, where a strong, choking smell of smoke hit her.
The bedroom lights were off, but she could see a tall figure standing by the window, the half-open window blowing the smoke he was exhaling all over the room.
His mind wandered, the cigarette in his fingers dwindling to ash.
Hearing the door open, he stubbed out the cigarette and turned on the light.
Seeing the ashtray almost full of cigarette butts, Katniss couldn't help but frown.
But she said nothing, walked to his side, opened the window fully, and then turned to hug him, her chin resting on his chest. "Go take a shower. Let's go to bed, okay?"
Her voice came from within his embrace, softening his heart. "Okay."
She looked up but didn't let go of him, meeting his gaze, her ears turning slightly red. "Together?"
His eyes flickered, his breathing quickening almost imperceptibly. "Are you sure? It's late."
She had just gone through a difficult day at the Millers, and now she had to face another demanding workday ahead. He didn't want to tire her out.
But Katniss nodded, "It's okay, I'm not tired."
She didn't know how to comfort him, only wanting him to release his negative emotions.
All his anger was directed at Travis. She didn't ask about the grudge between them, as it would have caused him to recall unpleasant memories.
If he ever came to terms with it, he would tell her.
"Alright." His voice was hoarse. His strong arms encircled her waist, lifting her towards the bathroom.
Her legs wrapped tightly around his muscular waist. Her rare initiative stirred Tristan's desire, making him forget his negative emotions.
There was even a sense of release, making him lose himself in the moment.
The bathroom light enveloped them, warm water cascading down their bodies.
Katniss's skin soon bore the marks of his kisses.
Yet, he retained some rationality, turning off the water at the moment, intending to carry her back to the bedroom.
On a whim, Katniss asked, "Can we not use protection? We could consider..."
"No!" Tristan cut her off, sealing her lips with his.
He bit her lip in a punitive manner, his warning words spilling from between their lips, "Don't even think about it!"
Hearing this, Katniss had to give up, letting him carry her back to the bedroom.
Her long hair instantly soaked the pillow, and water droplets dampened the thin blanket beneath her.
He grabbed a handful of condoms from the bedside drawer, and as he tore one open, he felt his fingers slip.
He frowned, about to investigate, when Katniss suddenly hooked her leg around his waist.
"Katniss," he growled.
Katniss was displeased at being interrupted, her eyes full of desire.
Meeting her gaze, the fire within him surged, and he hurriedly put on the condom.
A night of passion ensued.
In the morning, Katniss woke up in his arms, roused by the alarm clock.
Today, Matilda was resting, and Katniss had to visit the Brown family.
She suddenly regretted being so proactive last night, making him lose control, and now her legs were paying the price.
As soon as she moved, Tristan's arm around her waist tightened, pulling her close. "I have to get up. I have work to do."
Tristan kissed her hair and opened his eyes, his voice still husky. "You go freshen up; I'll make you breakfast."
She hugged him back, her lips brushing his chin. "Okay."
While Katniss ate breakfast, Tristan went back to the bedroom to clean up the mess.
Several condom wrappers were scattered on the floor. As he bent down to pick them up, he noticed a strong smell of lubricant.
He threw the trash into the bin, his nose twitching as he followed the scent to the bedside drawer. He opened it and took out a new condom.
A tiny, almost invisible pinhole had let out a lot of lubricant, filling the drawer with a strong smell.
He rummaged through the condoms in the drawer and was shocked to find they all had pinholes.
Katniss walked in, eating the sandwich he made, and casually said, "Tristan, let's have a boy. With such a good husband like you, it's best to have several boys so more women can be as happy as I am."
Eating breakfast, she suddenly felt very lucky to have met Tristan.
"You want kids that much?" Tristan's voice was cold.
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