Chapter 87

Harriet listened to Aaron’s words with a darkened expression. She had heard this story before. She even remembered how the atmosphere had turned cold and she had stormed out of the room then.  

At the time, she couldn’t understand and felt betrayed, but now she could somewhat empathize with Claire. Ten months was by no means a short time. The existence of the child, which she had initially accepted with bewilderment, grew larger in her heart as time passed. Even while struggling with morning sickness, her affection for the child grew daily. Whenever she felt the baby’s movements, she would quietly focus on the child.  

“That’s why I need the document you have, Sister.”  

“…The document?”  

“Yes. The agreement you made with Claire Millet at the beginning. Do you remember it?”  

She remembered it clearly. Harriet nodded and recalled the words written in the contract.  

“‘Upon giving birth, custody and parental rights will be exchanged for money. Under no circumstances will the biological mother appear before the child or claim to be the child’s mother to anyone.’…”  

“Yes, that document.”  

Aaron’s eyes sparkled as he held out his hand.  

“I need it. That’s why I came to see you.”  

Harriet blinked quietly. Despite her current situation, Aaron’s face was bright, and his voice was light.  

“…Just for that?”  

“What?”  

“You came to see me just for that document?”  

“Of course. I also wanted to see your face, Sister.”  

Aaron shrugged as if it were no big deal. Harriet, speechless, opened and closed her mouth before grabbing her brother’s shoulders as if to pounce on him.  

“I’m being confined right now, Aaron.”  

“I heard about that from Olivia, my sister-in-law. And from Yvonne.”  

“What?”  

“There’s been a lot going on. I heard you’re unstable… At first, it was hard to believe, but I can understand it to some extent.”  

“…”  

“Resting and recovering until you give birth isn’t such a bad thing. Lennox… No, our brother-in-law is really worried about you.”  

“Aaron!”  

Even Aaron, whom she had trusted to be on her side, like Yvonne, had fallen for Lennox’s words. Harriet, nearly screaming, pulled at her hair.  

“If even you act like this, I really feel like I’m going to lose my mind.”  

“Sister!”  

Startled, Aaron grabbed her arm.  

“Let go of me!”  

“Sister!”  

As Harriet tried to shake him off coldly, Aaron grabbed her palm and began writing something with his fingertips. At first, Harriet didn’t notice, but then her eyes widened.  

[The maid outside the door is eavesdropping on our conversation.]  

“She’s eavesdropping on us?”  

Lowering her voice as much as possible, Harriet asked Aaron. He nodded while speaking aloud about something else.  

“Don’t be so reckless. You’re about to become a mother, and you’re talking about divorcing the father of your child? Does that even make sense?”  

As Aaron yelled in a scolding tone, Harriet turned her head, searching for a pen and paper. When she handed it to him, Aaron nodded and continued his nagging while writing something down.  

“When you’re married, there are bound to be fights and misunderstandings. Just submit to your husband and live happily, like Olivia does. That’s the easiest way for you to find peace.”  

“Are you done?”  

Raising her voice, Harriet quickly read the note Aaron handed her.  

[I know you’re being confined. Yvonne is the one who sent me here. She asked me to check on your condition. Are you okay physically?]  

As expected, it was Yvonne. Harriet, relieved, suppressed the surge of emotion and nodded. Out loud, she spat venom, mindful of the maid eavesdropping outside.  

“What gives you the right to say such things to me? You’re an idiot who hasn’t even experienced marriage for a second!”  

“Sister, are you done talking?”  

Feigning an argument, Aaron began writing on the paper again. Harriet clapped her hands together to fill the silence, which prompted the maid outside to gasp audibly.  

“You deserve a slap.”  

Pretending to slap Aaron, Harriet acted as though her emotions were boiling over. Then she read the note he handed her again.  

[It’s a relief you’re physically okay. Let’s discuss how to escape this place and proceed with the divorce safely. By the way, I couldn’t bring a letter today because they searched me.]  

A faint glimmer of hope appeared in what had seemed like utter darkness. Standing on tiptoe, Harriet kissed Aaron’s cheeks alternately and shouted toward the door.  

“I can’t stand the sight of you! Get out immediately! And tell Chloe or Claire or whoever it is that I won’t give her the agreement!”  

Aaron shouted back just as loudly.  

“Do you think I’ll give up? I’ll take it no matter what!”  

While they pretended to argue fiercely, the siblings hugged each other tightly one last time.  

***

Late at night, Lennox returned after finishing his work, unusually cheerful. Harriet realized the reason for his mood wasn’t something from outside but rather something inside.  

“You argued with Aaron?”  

“Did the maid tell you?”  

“She said you were shouting loudly. It was hard not to overhear.”  

At Harriet’s cold response, Lennox shrugged and clasped his hands together, gazing at her profile as she turned away.  

If she had once seemed like a fairy not of this world, Harriet, now carrying his child, radiated the aura of a goddess. She was so noble and sacred that he didn’t want anyone else to see her. Just looking at her made his heart ache with love.  

Even if Harriet hadn’t tried to escape, he would still have confined her like this.  

Even as he considered it, he couldn’t firmly shake his head. He likely would have found another reason to lock her away.  

Though he pitied her loneliness, the sight of Harriet waiting patiently for his return, like a loyal puppy, brought him a satisfaction he had never felt before.  

Allowing Aaron to visit her had been a difficult decision, but hearing the maid’s report had melted away any remaining tension.  

“Coco.”  

For the first time in a while, Lennox called Harriet by her pet name as he gently embraced her shoulders, as though soothing her like a puppy.  

Harriet barely suppressed the anger that surged at his touch.  

“I know you’re not happy with this situation. You’re right to think you’re being confined.”  

“You know, yet you keep me locked up like this? You’re truly…”  

“A madman?”  

Cutting her off, Lennox smiled faintly and asked.  

“You know me well.”  

“I’ve heard it enough times.”  

Unbothered, he continued speaking calmly.  

“I don’t understand why you’re so angry with me. Did I do something so terrible that you’d want to leave me while carrying my child?”  

“…You really don’t know?”  

It was a question they’d gone over countless times. Harriet, however, refused to give him the answer he wanted. She wanted Lennox to feel the same frustration and anger she had endured, to the point of madness.  

“Use that brilliant mind of yours to figure it out. Why am I trying to divorce you?”  

“…”  

“If you still can’t figure it out, then you’ll never know. I’ll never tell you, even if it kills me.”  

As she taunted him, Lennox narrowed his eyes and slowly released his embrace.  

“You’re very angry.”  

“…”  

“It’s because of Aaron, isn’t it?”  

The moment Aaron’s name was mentioned, Harriet abruptly turned her head. Her heart raced anxiously, worried that Lennox might have noticed something. She didn’t want him to sense her inner turmoil, but thankfully, he seemed to interpret it differently as he took her hand.  

“If you want, I’ll make sure you never meet Aaron again.”  

Are you crazy? Why? For whose benefit?  

Harriet instinctively wanted to turn her head and shout, but she barely restrained herself.  

“If you want to see me completely lose my mind, then do as you please.”  

“Coco.”  

“…”  

Family was still family. Even though they had argued harshly, hearing Lennox suggest barring Aaron from visiting softened Harriet’s resolve. Lennox let out a low sigh as he watched her change her stance.  

“What can I do to make you forgive me?”  

“My feelings won’t change.”  

“I’m not talking about divorce right now. Let’s set that aside for the moment.”  

Lennox whispered as he carefully embraced Harriet, who had turned her body completely away from him. He rested his chin on her slender shoulder and gently stroked her swollen belly.  

“You’re a smart woman, so you know this. A mother’s happiness is directly tied to the happiness of the baby inside her. If you keep being so tense and irritable, it’ll be hard on our child too.”  

“Save that kind of talk for after you let me out of this prison.”  

Harriet sighed deeply as her eyes swept around the room.  

To be honest, it wasn’t really a prison. It was spacious, cozy, and luxurious, to the point where most people would tilt their heads in confusion if told it was a place of confinement.  

But her desire to escape remained unchanged.  

“Fine.”  

“What?”  

Harriet spun around, startled, as if she had misheard.  

“What did you just say? You’ll let me out?”  

Lennox chuckled softly as he watched Harriet’s excitement, almost like a wagging puppy. He nodded. 

The confusion and joy on Harriet’s face quickly turned to a frown as she heard his next words.  

“For half a day, if that’s okay.”  

“…”  

“Let’s take a walk in a nearby park, Coco.”  

This wasn’t a joke, nor was it like taking a dog for a walk. Harriet was dumbfounded by how casually Lennox crushed her expectations and spoke as if nothing had happened.