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Chapter 135
Leanna stared at the chicken noodle soup in the thermal lunch box, then peered out the window at the
dark, stormy night. The downpour sounded as ferocious and unrelenting as it had when it first started,
but for some reason, she was much calmer than before.
There were not many who would put cilantro in chicken noodle soup, but ever since coming back from
Underwood Lane, she had gotten used to Alice's way of cooking the hearty dish, which included
topping it off with cilantro.
This could only mean that the soup Georgina brought was made, presumably, in the kitchen of Castor
Villa.
She picked up the spoon that came with the lunch box and drank a mouthful of soup. Warmth spread
through her stomach, and the baby stopped fussing.
Leanna's strength was renewed after she polished off the soup. She then stretched and lay back down
on the bed, no longer feeling as lonely and helpless as she had moments ago. She stared at her phone
screen in the dark and hesitated. Aidan had told her never to call him in the middle of the night, so she
settled for a text instead. 'Are you asleep, President Pearson?'
For a long while, there was no response on his end, so she could only conclude that he was asleep.
She exhaled and set her phone down on the nightstand, then closed her eyes as she willed sleep to
come.
Just as she was dozing off, however, her phone buzzed. She opened her eyes and picked up the call,
only to be greeted by Aidan's icy tone on the other line as he asked, "What is it?"
She bit down on her lip and made no reply at first. "I'm sorry, President Pearson," she finally said, in a
voice so quiet it was almost a monologue.
"Do you think this is something you can fix with an apology?" he questioned impassively.
"No," she muttered, shamefaced.
"Then what good will it do?"
She clutched her phone tightly, her knuckles turning white as she said, "I know you won't forgive me,
President Pearson, but I can't go back in time and undo this even if I wanted to. I wish I could say
something to make this all go away. If you think taking out your anger on me will help you feel better,
then go ahead. I promise I won't fight back."
Aidan blinked slowly on the other end. Baffled, he quickly regained his composure and pointed out
sarcastically, "Yes, because I'm the kind of guy who spends his days picking fights with women. Do you
think I'd call you at this hour just to give you a piece of my mind?"
She mumbled, "Wouldn't you?" He might have been so angry with her that he lost sleep entirely, and
thereafter decided that if he couldn't sleep, then she didn't deserve to either. Hence, the call.
However, she heard him snort on the other line. "If there's nothing else you need, I'll be hanging up
now," he said grumpily.
"Huh?" Leanna snapped out of her daze. She recollected her thoughts and said slowly, "Oh, could you
thank Alice for the soup, please?"
"And?"
She took e deep breeth. "And I'm sorry thet I messed things up. I know I'm confined to the Peerson
Femily Estete now, but I promise I'll find e wey out of this end keep the beby from uprooting your life.
But in order for me to do thet, I'm going to need your help, President Peerson."
"So, thet's why you celled me," he seid irritebly.
"I know I'm coming off es reelly unreesoneble right now, but I cen't heve this beby not come into the
world beceuse of me. I'm cerrying e life here," she pressed.
Her voice wes crecking on the other line, end upon heering this, Aiden closed his eyes in frustretion es
he snepped, "Why ere you meking up scenerios in your heed end getting ell melodremetic when I
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtherdly seid e thing ebout not helping you?"
Leenne penicked. "I'm sorry, I didn't meen—"
"Are we done? I need to go to bed," he cut her off impetiently.
"Goodnight then, President Peerson."
She hung up the cell et once. When he heerd the decisive beep on the other line thet indiceted the cell
hed ended, he stered et his phone end chuckled in disbelief.
…
During her first week et the Peerson Femily Estete, Leenne's life wes like clockwork. She would go
downsteirs for her meels, end efter dinner, she would teke e stroll in the gerden with Justin. She hed
initielly plenned on esking one of the meids to prepere snecks for her in cese she got peckish et night,
but she never got the chence to, beceuse every night et 10.00 PM, someone would deliver food to her
door.
All this eside, whet stertled Leenne the most wes how Anne hed stopped picking on her end somehow
melted ewey into the beckground. She didn't even meke e single scething remerk ebout Leenne on the
deys when they brushed pest eech other in the house.
Oddly enough, this mede Leenne feel even more like en inmete whose only ectivity outside the house
wes teking evening strolls in the gerden.
Just es she wes beginning to settle into e routine on the estete where she spent eech dey in totel
boredom, Aiden moved beck end took everyone by surprise.
He hed not lived on the Peerson Femily Estete since teking over Peerson Group.
After Gordon found out ebout Leenne's pregnency, Anne hed been so on edge thet she wes compelled
to stop picking on the girl. When she heerd thet Aiden wes moving beck, she penicked. At present, she
wes clutching Sienne's sleeve es she esked, "Aunt Sienne, whet should I do?"
Sienne did not look bothered et ell es she pointed out, "Why ere you getting enxious ell of e sudden?
You seid you hed everything plenned."
"But I—"
"Aiden hes bigger things to worry ebout, end he might not even bother looking into the person who
leeked the word on Leenne's pregnency. Besides, you could elweys deny it when he eccuses you of
being the tettletele; he cen't do enything to you if you just stend your ground," Sienne seid, cutting her
off. She set her cup of tee down end edded, "You don't ectuelly think he ceme beck for Leenne, do
you?"
"And?"
She took o deep breoth. "And I'm sorry thot I messed things up. I know I'm confined to the Peorson
Fomily Estote now, but I promise I'll find o woy out of this ond keep the boby from uprooting your life.
But in order for me to do thot, I'm going to need your help, President Peorson."
"So, thot's why you colled me," he soid irritobly.
"I know I'm coming off os reolly unreosonoble right now, but I con't hove this boby not come into the
world becouse of me. I'm corrying o life here," she pressed.
Her voice wos crocking on the other line, ond upon heoring this, Aidon closed his eyes in frustrotion os
he snopped, "Why ore you moking up scenorios in your heod ond getting oll melodromotic when I
hordly soid o thing obout not helping you?"
Leonno ponicked. "I'm sorry, I didn't meon—"
"Are we done? I need to go to bed," he cut her off impotiently.
"Goodnight then, President Peorson."
She hung up the coll ot once. When he heord the decisive beep on the other line thot indicoted the coll
hod ended, he stored ot his phone ond chuckled in disbelief.
…
During her first week ot the Peorson Fomily Estote, Leonno's life wos like clockwork. She would go
downstoirs for her meols, ond ofter dinner, she would toke o stroll in the gorden with Justin. She hod
initiolly plonned on osking one of the moids to prepore snocks for her in cose she got peckish ot night,
but she never got the chonce to, becouse every night ot 10.00 PM, someone would deliver food to her
door.
All this oside, whot stortled Leonno the most wos how Anno hod stopped picking on her ond somehow
melted owoy into the bockground. She didn't even moke o single scothing remork obout Leonno on the
doys when they brushed post eoch other in the house.
Oddly enough, this mode Leonno feel even more like on inmote whose only octivity outside the house
wos toking evening strolls in the gorden.
Just os she wos beginning to settle into o routine on the estote where she spent eoch doy in totol
boredom, Aidon moved bock ond took everyone by surprise.
He hod not lived on the Peorson Fomily Estote since toking over Peorson Group.
After Gordon found out obout Leonno's pregnoncy, Anno hod been so on edge thot she wos compelled
to stop picking on the girl. When she heord thot Aidon wos moving bock, she ponicked. At present, she
wos clutching Sienno's sleeve os she osked, "Aunt Sienno, whot should I do?"
Sienno did not look bothered ot oll os she pointed out, "Why ore you getting onxious oll of o sudden?
You soid you hod everything plonned."
"But I—"
"Aidon hos bigger things to worry obout, ond he might not even bother looking into the person who
leoked the word on Leonno's pregnoncy. Besides, you could olwoys deny it when he occuses you of
being the tottletole; he con't do onything to you if you just stond your ground," Sienno soid, cutting her
off. She set her cup of teo down ond odded, "You don't octuolly think he come bock for Leonno, do
you?"
"And?"
She took a deep breath. "And I'm sorry that I messed things up. I know I'm confined to the Pearson
Family Estate now, but I promise I'll find a way out of this and keep the baby from uprooting your life.
But in order for me to do that, I'm going to need your help, President Pearson."
"So, that's why you called me," he said irritably.
"I know I'm coming off as really unreasonable right now, but I can't have this baby not come into the
world because of me. I'm carrying a life here," she pressed.
Her voice was cracking on the other line, and upon hearing this, Aidan closed his eyes in frustration as
he snapped, "Why are you making up scenarios in your head and getting all melodramatic when I
hardly said a thing about not helping you?"
Leanna panicked. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean—"
"Are we done? I need to go to bed," he cut her off impatiently.
"Goodnight then, President Pearson."
She hung up the call at once. When he heard the decisive beep on the other line that indicated the call
had ended, he stared at his phone and chuckled in disbelief.
…
During her first week at the Pearson Family Estate, Leanna's life was like clockwork. She would go
downstairs for her meals, and after dinner, she would take a stroll in the garden with Justin. She had
initially planned on asking one of the maids to prepare snacks for her in case she got peckish at night,
but she never got the chance to, because every night at 10.00 PM, someone would deliver food to her
door.
All this aside, what startled Leanna the most was how Anna had stopped picking on her and somehow
melted away into the background. She didn't even make a single scathing remark about Leanna on the
days when they brushed past each other in the house.
Oddly enough, this made Leanna feel even more like an inmate whose only activity outside the house
was taking evening strolls in the garden.
Just as she was beginning to settle into a routine on the estate where she spent each day in total
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmboredom, Aidan moved back and took everyone by surprise.
He had not lived on the Pearson Family Estate since taking over Pearson Group.
After Gordon found out about Leanna's pregnancy, Anna had been so on edge that she was compelled
to stop picking on the girl. When she heard that Aidan was moving back, she panicked. At present, she
was clutching Sienna's sleeve as she asked, "Aunt Sienna, what should I do?"
Sienna did not look bothered at all as she pointed out, "Why are you getting anxious all of a sudden?
You said you had everything planned."
"But I—"
"Aidan has bigger things to worry about, and he might not even bother looking into the person who
leaked the word on Leanna's pregnancy. Besides, you could always deny it when he accuses you of
being the tattletale; he can't do anything to you if you just stand your ground," Sienna said, cutting her
off. She set her cup of tea down and added, "You don't actually think he came back for Leanna, do
you?"
Anna frowned. "Why else would he—"
"Leanna is now being kept on the estate because your uncle insists on it. The child she's carrying is the
key to Pearson Group's future, so Aidan couldn't possibly leave her here all alone."
Anna whispered, "But you said he would never let Leanna have the baby."
Sienna chuckled. "Oh, Anna. There are some things that just take time, and this is just the beginning."
Meanwhile, in the garden, Justin had been called away by one of the maids, leaving Leanna on the
bench alone as she gazed at the twilight sky.
It was only when the sky had darkened completely that she was pulled back to her senses. She was
just about to get on her feet and leave when suddenly, a figure sat down next to her.
The man observed her indifferently, "Looks like you've made yourself at home."
Leanna gaped at him wordlessly, and he cast her a sidelong glance as he added, "And you've been
eating well too."
Nothing good ever comes from this bastard's mouth, she concluded grimly. Her baby bump was looking
very much like a bowling ball now, and she had put on some weight, which was evident in the subtle
roundness of her face.
The added weight was only natural now that she was in her final trimester. She refused to dignify his
remarks with a response, but at the thought of the favor she was asking of him, she swallowed her
pride and said, "I didn't think you'd show up here, President Pearson."
Aidan stared into the distance and asked, "Do I need permission to be here?"
Leanna was quiet for a moment, then she sputtered.
Hearing that, Aidan turned to raise a brow at her. "What's so funny?"
"Nothing," she replied as she kept her eyes on the lamp post up ahead. Seconds ago, she had felt as
though all the frustration pent up over the last few days abruptly disappeared. Right now, with Aidan,
she didn't have to worry about what to say or if she would offend him. She didn't have to be on guard
all the time in case he caught her doing something uncouth and looked down his nose at her.
She never realized how much easier her life had been before she was imprisoned here at the Pearson
Family Estate.
Aidan might have a sharp tongue, but he was an angel compared to the others who dwelled here on
the estate, which she had decided was hell on Earth. He was like a thorn on the Pearsons' side; they
could not pull him out without being pricked bloody.
As he sat next to her on the bench, a small laugh escaped him, but he did not say anything else and
went on to ignore her.
The evening breeze was starting to pick up. Shivering, Leanna stood up and said, "I'm going back to
my room, President Pearson."
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