淑女的欲望

Chapter 473  Feeling Touched

When Scarlett woke up in the morning, she found Xander still soundly asleep beside her. She couldn't recall the exact time he had joined her to sleep the previous night, as he had been occupied with meetings in several different countries and continents.

It saddened Scarlett to witness how busy Xander was with his work, yet he still chose to stand by her side during this challenging period in her life.

She slowly moved, brought herself to his embrace, and closed her eyes, attempting to return to sleep. They had no plans to go anywhere that morning, so she decided to spend more time resting with him.

However, she felt Xander move slightly before she could drift back to sleep. When she gazed up at his face, she was greeted by his warm smile.

"Morning, babe," he greeted her with his hoarse voice that sounded really sexy.

"I'm sorry if I woke you up," Scarlett responded with a bitter smile. She had thought that her movement wouldn't rouse him, but she had been mistaken, and now his skillful hand slipped beneath her nightgown. She could feel a firmness against her thigh.

"Ugh, not now, Xander. Remember what Doctor Tiffany told us? No sex for two weeks," she reminded him.

Instantly, Xander's hands ceased their movements, and a dissatisfied groan escaped his lips, prompting Scarlett to chuckle at his reaction.

"Hubby, do you need my help?" Scarlett asked teasingly. "I can help you satisfy your needs..." She paused when she saw him glare. She knew that Xander disliked it when she had to use her hand or other means to assist him, although she didn't mind at all; in fact, she rather enjoyed doing so.

"No, thank you," Xander replied, then drew Scarlett close and held her tightly against his chest. "Babe, let's just embrace like this," he suggested, attempting to redirect his desire to make love to her.

Xander truly yearned to touch her, but he couldn't bring himself to do so. Scarlett had just experienced a miscarriage, and it would be at least two weeks before they could engage in sexual activity again. He was worried about causing pain to her, so he followed the doctor's advice.

Scarlett stopped teasing Xander any further; instead, she just enjoyed his warmth and the calming rhythm of his heartbeat.

They engaged in conversation. As he often did, Xander shared updates on his company's progress while Scarlett told him about what she said to Aunty Martha last night.

Scarlett exhaled, saying, "Now, I feel relieved because Grandpa Riley and Aunt Martha know about my condition." A happy smile graced her face. However, her smile gradually faded as she remembered that she still needed to tell the news to Rex and Uncle Noah.

She could guess Uncle Noah's reaction would undoubtedly be calmer and more understanding. Still, as for Rex, she believed he might overreact.

She vividly remembered when Rex had discovered her pregnancy; he had promptly flown to this country just to congratulate her. Now, she hesitated to inform him because she didn't want to burden him any further, causing him to leave his job in New York City and come to this country just to cheer her up. She couldn't allow him to do that.

"At least now, you don't have to worry about that anymore, babe," Xander said lovingly. Then, he recalled something. "Oh, speaking of Aunt Martha, did you forget she's downstairs?" A faint smile graced his face when she saw her panicked.

"Oh my God," Scarlett said, immediately releasing Xander's arms and getting out of bed. "Xander, hurry, let's go downstairs. Aunt Martha must be waiting for us for breakfast."

...

Not long after, Scarlett and Xander were seated in the dining room. As expected, Aunt Martha patiently awaited them, her breakfast untouched.

"Auntie, I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting," Scarlett apologized as she sat opposite Aunt Martha.

Martha shook her head with a warm smile directed at Scarlett. "Well, actually, I've just finished cooking for both of you," she said as she served chicken soup to Scarlett and Xander. "This specialty dish from my home country is good for your health. And this is broccoli juice, you should drink this juice every morning," she explained.

Deliberately, Martha had prepared ginseng chicken soup for Scarlett upon learning about her recent miscarriage, hoping it would aid in her speedy recovery.

When she heard Aunt Martha's words, Scarlett felt very touched. This reminded her of memories of Aunt Lana, her late beloved nanny, who always prepared healthy food for her when she was unwell. After many months, this was the first time Scarlett had thought of Aunty Lana, and it stirred a slight ache in her heart as she recalled those painful moments.

"Auntie, thank you," Scarlett said softly, lowering her head to gaze at the bowl of ginseng chicken soup before her. But looking at the green juice makes her feel dizzy.

"Hurry up and eat while it's still warm," Aunt Martha urged before turning her attention to Xander. "You too, Xander, eat. You need to stay healthy to take care of Scarlett."

Xander didn't utter a word, but inwardly, he felt grateful for Aunt Martha's care for his wife. He offered a gentle nod in response and began to eat.

...

After breakfast, Scarlett asked Aunt Martha for a walk in the backyard near the lake. She wanted to tell her about Carter and Zara.

"Auntie, did you ever imagine Carter having a wife soon?" Scarlett asked casually.

"Of course. When I found out you and Xander were married, I pushed Carter to introduce his girlfriend to me, but he never did," Martha replied, pausing to let out a deep sigh. "And when he got injured, I stopped trying. I had given up... I know it's challenging for him to find a woman who will accept him with his condition," she continued, sadness radiating from her eyes.

"Auntie, actually... There is a woman who truly loves Carter," Scarlett said, causing a surprised reaction from Martha.

"Really? Oh my God... Scarlett, don't lie to Auntie—" Martha was overjoyed. This is what she really hoped for.