CHAPTER 325: ANNE’S DELIGHT

Anne kissed him back, clutching at his shirt. Just as she was melting into his warmth and closeness, she suddenly felt her body lifted off the ground. In the blink, she found herself cradled in his arms.

"Uh!" she gasped in surprise, quickly looping her arms around his neck. "What are you doing? You just woke up. You should be resting. And I’ve put on weight—you can’t carry me like this."

A teasing smirk tugged at his lips. "Don’t underestimate your husband. I’m strong enough to hold my wife." The playful glint in his eyes made her smile through her protest.

"You never listen, do you?" she murmured.

He shook his head lightly. "I wouldn’t dare go against my queen. But I want to pamper you... spoil you."

With that, he carried her into the bedroom, her laughter trailing behind them. Setting her gently on the bed, he leaned down, his lips capturing hers with urgency.

"Wait," Anne whispered against his mouth, pressing her palms against his chest. "You just regained consciousness. Let me call the doctor first."

"I’m fine, trust me," he murmured, his gaze dark with longing. "The only thing I need is you." His lips met hers again, more impatiently this time.

But Anne pushed him back once more, worry clouding her eyes. "No, I’m serious. You need a proper checkup. I’ll take you to the hospital first."

He exhaled in reluctant defeat, moving back with a sigh of disappointment. "Alright then. Call the doctor. Let him come and examine me."

Anne sat up, catching the disappointment in his voice. Guilt pricked her. Still, she reminded herself that making sure he was truly alright came first. Once the doctor confirmed his condition, she would make it up to him and give in to his demands.

She pulled her phone from her bag and quickly dialed a familiar number. "Hello, doctor... It’s Anne," she said urgently. "Augustine is awake."

"What?" the doctor blurted, his voice more shocked than glad.

Anne froze for a moment, unsettled. Why would he react like that—almost as if the news wasn’t good?

"He is out of the coma," she repeated. "Can you come and check him?"

"Yes, yes... I’ll be there," he replied hastily.

After the call ended, Anne stared at the phone, her brows knitted in confusion.

"What is it?" Augustine asked, concern flashing in his eyes at her uneasy look. "Is he refusing to come?"

"No, he said he is coming," she answered distractedly, still troubled by the tone she had heard. "But... he didn’t sound happy."

When she lifted her gaze, she found his worried eyes locked on hers. "He seemed almost shocked, as if he had heard something he shouldn’t."

Augustine didn’t answer, simply fixing her with a blank stare. Of course, the doctor’s reaction made sense. That very morning, he had visited and questioned how much longer Augustine intended to keep up his act.

Augustine hadn’t given a direct response, only hinted that it wouldn’t be much longer. No wonder the man had sounded shocked.

Anne’s frown deepened as an unsettling thought crept into her mind. ’Can this doctor even be trusted?’

The question lingered on her lips, but she swallowed it back.

Augustine had just woken up from the coma, and there were already too many things he wasn’t aware of. Right now, his recovery was the priority. As for the doctor, she would confirm his credibility through Gustave later.

"Maybe he was just... happy too," she said, forcing a small smile. Rising to her feet, she added, "I’ll make you something to eat while we wait for him. You must be hungry."

"Mm," Augustine murmured, reclining against the headboard, his eyes trailing over her hungrily. "But I’m craving something else."

His wandering gaze landed on her swollen belly and fuller curves. To him, she looked even more enticing, her skin radiant with a glow that only drew him closer.

Anne’s face flushed hot at the implication of his words. "You should be thinking about your recovery," she said quickly before darting out of the room, flustered.

She walked into the kitchen, her smile fading as she quickly dialed Gustave’s number. After a few rings, his deep, steady voice came through.

"Madam, is everything alright?"

"Augustine has woken up," she told him. "I called the doctor—he is on his way here."

"That’s wonderful," Gustave replied, feigning excitement. "Let the doctor check on him. I’ll come by tomorrow."

"But I’m not sure about that man," Anne said urgently. "Is he really trustworthy? Can we rely on him?"

Gustave paused, considering her words carefully. "Why do you ask?" he said cautiously. "Have you noticed something suspicious?"

Ever since the incident, Gustave had been extremely cautious, scrutinizing everyone in Augustine’s circle. The doctor was among the most trusted, yet Anne’s doubtful words made him wary, too.

"When I told him Augustine had woken up, his reaction was strange," she explained. "He sounded shocked rather than pleased."

"Ah, I understand..." Gustave exhaled, realizing she was simply anxious for her husband. "Don’t worry, Madam. He is reliable, without question. That’s just how he is—you can’t really read his emotions from his words."

After a brief silence, he added firmly, "But if you are uncomfortable with him, I’ll make sure he is replaced."

Gustave’s reassurance eased Anne’s mind, and a small sigh of relief escaped her lips. "That’s good to hear. No need to replace him then."

After ending the call, she turned her attention back to the kitchen. "What should I make for him?" she murmured, thinking for a moment. Then her eyes brightened with an idea. "Chicken soup..."

Smiling, she set to work, happily preparing the warm meal.

While Augustine’s home brimmed with happiness, Gabriel’s house was drowning in tension. He stormed inside, eyes blazing with fury.

"Jeanne," he bellowed. "Get out of here."

At his roar, Jeanne stepped out of her room, arms folded, her stance dripping with arrogance. "Why are you yelling? No one here is deaf."

"You—" His expression twisted the moment he laid eyes on her. With a few long strides, he closed the gap between them, towering over her. "Do you even realize what you’ve done outside the hospital today? You dared to disgrace me publicly without a second thought. Do you know the chaos this will cause at the office?"

His voice turned sharper and menacing. "And on top of that, you’ve dragged the family name through the mud."

But Jeanne didn’t so much as flinch. She met his glare head-on, her defiance unwavering. "You betrayed me. You slept with a woman of your son’s age and even got her pregnant. When you were with her, did you think of me? Did you think about the fallout, about your reputation, about the family name?"

Her lips curled into a scornful smile. "Why should I protect the family’s honor when you clearly don’t care? Is it my responsibility alone? I’ve done nothing wrong. I treated the mistress exactly as she deserved—and I don’t regret a thing."

Gabriel’s hand shot up without warning, striking Jeanne hard across the face. The force sent her staggering back. She slammed against the wall.

"Ah..." She winced, clutching her temple as pain throbbed through her head, momentarily dazed. "You hit me—for that woman?" Her teary eyes fixed on him with fury.

"You crossed the line," Gabriel roared. "And for what you’ve done, this slap is nothing. You deserve far worse punishment."

"Worse?" Jeanne’s voice trembled with rage, a storm manifesting itself inside her. "Because I dared to confront a mistress, you think I deserve a punishment? She is the woman who stole my husband and destroyed my marriage."

"You still don’t understand," he snapped back, his tone sharp and merciless. "I never intended to replace you. Your position as my wife was never in question. Why did you let jealousy consume you? Tania means nothing—just a means to satisfy my physical needs. And more importantly, I wanted a child. My own flesh and blood."

Jeanne’s eyes widened in disbelief. How shameless could he be? He was actually justifying betrayal with such words.

"Don’t forget," Gabriel pressed on coldly, "Denis isn’t our son. Sooner or later, he’ll discover the truth. When that happens, he won’t hesitate to side with Augustine and turn against us. And what then? What if they strip us of everything? We are not getting any younger, Jeanne. I must secure our future. I need an heir of my own blood to carry the family legacy. Otherwise, everything we’ve built will end up in the hands of that bastard Gervis’s sons."

"So this is your solution?" Jeanne spat, trembling with fury. "How utterly vile." She harshly brushed her tears away with the back of her hand. "We raised Denis as our son. Why would he ever betray us? We are his parents—the ones who loved him, raised him, and handed him wealth and influence. He owes us everything. He would never think of harming us. So why is there even a need for another child to inherit the fortune?"

She snorted with contempt. "What shocks me more is that you chose to put your faith in her—a woman who already deceived this family once. Who knows what schemes she is hiding? She is nothing but a shameless whore. First, she seduced Denis, and now you..."

Jeanne’s eyes narrowed in disbelief. "How could you possibly trust a woman like that?"