Chapter 145: I Want to Stay
Unexpectedly, as soon as they entered the foyer, they saw Hathaway sitting on the couch. Hathaway's face was gloomy.
"You've stirred up public opinion, but you seem quite carefree."
At the Hall Group banquet, Oscar stood up for Pearl, and it was still a hot topic online. Oscar gave Pearl a look. Pearl understood but still greeted Hathaway. "Mom, breakfast is ready. If you haven't eaten, I can ask the maid to prepare a portion for you."
The maids in the villa had that kind of awareness. Since she didn't go into the kitchen, the maids would prepare breakfast at the usual time. But Hathaway didn't even look at Pearl. "Oscar Brown, I'm talking to you!"
Oscar said calmly, "The fact that Pearl Harris and I are married will come out sooner or later."
With so many people around, Oscar felt it was unnecessary to acquiesce with his mother. Hathaway's chest heaved noticeably. Hathaway suppressed her anger. "I heard Magdalen invited you to a masquerade ball?"
Oscar replied in his usual tone. "Is there a problem with that?"
Hathaway said, "Don't attend those useless parties. Your father is coming back soon, so don't make him angry."
"Anything else?"
Oscar showed little emotional fluctuation in response to Hathaway's words. To Pearl, it seemed like he had an indifferent attitude towards everything. However, this was always the way Oscar and Hathaway interacted. Pearl had never said much and wouldn't say much now either.
Hathaway still restrained her anger. "Haley brought me gifts a while ago. Now she's in the hospital, and I have a bit of a cold. Take these nutritional supplements to Haley."
Pearl stood aside, feeling very uncomfortable. Hathaway was now asking Oscar to deliver nutritional supplements to Haley. It was as if Pearl didn't exist! Still, Pearl had no right to speak.
Oscar said coldly, "If it's inconvenient for you, you can have a maid run the errand."
Hathaway immediately lost her composure. "Haley visited me with genuine concern. Now that she's in the hospital, you think I should just send a maid? I'm old, do you think I don't know basic courtesy?"
Hathaway suddenly turned toward Pearl and said, "Since you're busy, let Pearl deliver them."
Pearl couldn't refuse. Just as she was about to respond, Oscar spoke first, "Pearl is not your maid."
Hathaway didn't expect Oscar to defend Pearl, but she didn't care. "You and Pearl are married, and you are my son. Whoever goes represents me. What's the problem with that? Or are you saying my words don't matter anymore?"
Hathaway's words grew colder. Pearl didn't want Oscar and Hathaway to argue here, so she quickly said, "I have time, Mom. Give me the nutritional supplements, and I'll deliver them."
Hathaway signaled to Pearl with her eyes. Pearl saw the nutritional supplements on the table. They were a well-known, expensive brand. Hathaway treated Haley very well.
Oscar went upstairs to change clothes, and Hathaway continued to ignore Pearl. Pearl ate a few bites of breakfast and then left the villa. When Oscar came downstairs and didn't see Pearl, he glanced at Hathaway.
"Don't treat Pearl like a maid."
Hathaway was dissatisfied with Oscar's words. "Then what should I treat her as? A daughter-in-law? Have you ever acknowledged that?"
Oscar had never called Hathaway "Mom." In Oscar's eyes, Pearl naturally wasn't Hathaway's daughter-in-law either!
Oscar didn't want to discuss this with Hathaway. "Pearl has already delivered the items for you. If you have anything else to say next time, you can just call."
In other words: don't come over unless necessary.
Oscar was clearly dismissive of Hathaway. It seemed that more effort was needed on Haley's side!
Hathaway didn't want to argue with Oscar here either. "I am the mistress of the Brown family, your father's wife."
Oscar couldn't be bothered with Hathaway and left her behind.
Pearl first took the nutritional supplements to the hospital to find Haley. When Haley heard the door open, she thought it was Oscar. When she saw it was Pearl, the joy on her face instantly disappeared.
"Why are you here?" she asked.
Pearl said calmly, "Hathaway is not feeling well, so I'm delivering nutritional supplements on her behalf."
With that, Pearl walked to Haley's bedside and placed the supplements on the nightstand. Pearl then turned to leave.
Haley called out to Pearl. "Pearl, since you're here, why don't you stay for a bit?"
Pearl didn't even turn her head. "Miss Garcia, we're not that familiar with each other."
Pearl only came because of Hathaway, not wanting to see Hathaway and Oscar argue. Since she was already at the hospital, Pearl decided to register for a check-up.
In the morning, it wasn't too crowded. There were three people ahead of Pearl. When it was her turn, the doctor asked about her condition and gave her a form for an ultrasound.
She needed to have a full bladder for the ultrasound. Pearl drank two bottles of water and walked around for five minutes before lying down for the examination. The coupling gel on her belly felt a bit cold. Pearl stared at the ceiling, her heart in her throat. She didn't understand why she was so nervous.
The doctor conducting the ultrasound noticed Pearl's silence and asked, "Is this your first pregnancy?"
"Yes," Pearl's voice was a bit hoarse.
The doctor didn't say anything for about a minute, then said, "There's a heartbeat. It has been over a month."
Pearl didn't expect that the little life inside her already had a heartbeat. At three months, the pregnancy would start to show. Oscar needed seven days to handle everything before taking Pearl to France. Fortunately, it wasn't yet obvious enough for Oscar to notice.
Pearl took the ultrasound report from the doctor. The doctor looked at the report and asked, "What are your plans? Do you want to keep the baby or terminate the pregnancy?"
The doctor was rather blunt. Pearl touched her abdomen. "I want to keep it."
Even if it would be tough, this was Pearl and Oscar's first child. Whether it was a boy or a girl, Pearl already loved it.
The doctor said, "I'll prescribe some folic acid and calcium tablets for you. Take them on time."
"Okay," Pearl nodded.
Soon, Pearl paid for the medication and picked it up. Just as she reached the entrance, she ran into Adrian.
"Pearl, what a coincidence." Adrian greeted Pearl immediately upon seeing her. Pearl smiled. Adrian noticed the bag in her hand and couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong with you?"
Pearl instinctively put the medication into her bag. "Just a bit of stomach discomfort."
Adrian looked slightly worried. "Stomach discomfort should be taken seriously. Don't ignore it."
Pearl nodded. She then asked Adrian, "So, why are you at the hospital?"
Adrian smiled, "My aunt is sick, so I'm here to visit her."
Pearl understood. "I see. I won't keep you from visiting her then. I'll be on my way."
Adrian nodded and watched Pearl leave. After leaving the hospital, Pearl went to a nearby pharmacy and bought two different bottles of calcium tablets. She emptied the calcium tablets and replaced them with the folic acid and calcium tablets from the hospital. Then she tore up the ultrasound report and threw it in the trash.
But after taking a few steps, she heard a low voice behind her. "Pearl?"
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