Simon Hawthorne settled Peyton Joyce into the back seat, his arm around her. There was no room left for Zoe Lancaster.
Linden glanced at Zoe awkwardly. Naturally picking up on the delicate situation, he braced himself and offered, "Madam, please take the front seat."
Zoe retracted her gaze and quietly got in.
She never expected the sting of disparity to be this agonizing.
Peyton was clearly in poor health; it was evident from her pale complexion and frail frame. Sitting close to her, one could even catch the faint, lingering scent of medicine, though Zoe had no idea what exactly she was suffering from.
What Zoe did know was that Simon was incredibly anxious about her.
He treated her like spun glass, terrified she might shatter at any moment.
Zoe lowered her eyes, her thumb slowly tracing the back of her hand where he had touched her moments ago. She turned her gaze to the window, maintaining a quiet silence for the rest of the ride.
By the time they arrived at the Hawthorne Residence, it was nearing noon. Peyton was suffering from severe dizziness and required Simon’s constant support. The two of them trailed behind. Forcing herself not to pay attention to them, Zoe quickened her pace and entered the main hall.
The moment she stepped inside, a strong, pungent scent of traditional herbal medicine washed over her.
Old Madam Florence Finch sat with a string of Buddha beads in her hands. As the three of them entered, she cast an inscrutable glance at Simon, who was supporting Peyton, and asked evenly, "What’s wrong with Peyton?"
Peyton shook her head sensibly. "I might have caught a cold. I couldn’t eat anything this morning, so my blood sugar dropped a bit. I’m fine, Grandma."
Florence nodded. "Your health has always been poor. I’ve ordered someone to find a skilled traditional doctor to help nurse you back to health. Whatever you need in the future, just have the servants prepare it for you. Focus on recovering."
A faint smile touched Peyton’s pale lips. "I’ve made you worry, Grandma."
A small smile graced Florence’s usually stern face before she turned her attention to Zoe, who had been quietly trying to minimize her presence. She waved her over. "Come here, Miss Lancaster."
Zoe walked over.
Florence immediately summoned the butler. "Bring out the medicine prepared for Miss Lancaster."
Zoe blinked in surprise as the butler carried out a bowl of thick, pitch-black herbal medicine. The pungent scent she had smelled upon entering came entirely from this bowl. Her heart skipped a beat. Could it be...?
Florence looked at her. "This was brewed for you in the kitchen. Simon has been back in the country for three months now, and yet there hasn’t been a peep of good news from you two. I had someone prescribe this to improve your health. Firstly, to nourish your body, and secondly, to aid in conception."
Her words plunged the main hall into dead silence.
Even Peyton couldn’t hide the subtle shift in her expression. Her face drained of what little color it had left, and she clenched her hands tightly within her sleeves.
Zoe was stunned. The medicine was actually for her. She had hated taking medicine since she was a child, let alone something as vile and bitter as traditional herbal brews. So the Old Madam was essentially rushing them to... have a baby?
Unable to help herself, Zoe shot Simon a look pleading for rescue. She noticed his brows were also slightly furrowed, suggesting he didn’t entirely approve of the Old Madam’s actions either.
"Grandma, that’s unnecessary," Simon said, his tone slightly cold, his stance already clear.
Zoe had intended to ask for his help, but seeing him reject the idea even more vehemently than she did, a wave of melancholy washed over her. He must really despise the thought of her carrying his child.
Florence’s expression hardened with authority. "You’ll be twenty-nine after the New Year. The great-grandchildren of my old friends are already running around. How is it unnecessary?"
She turned to Zoe. "Miss Lancaster, have a child with Simon sooner rather than later. Once I see the two of you living happily together, my heart will finally be at ease."
Her words seemed pointed. Zoe subconsciously glanced over at Peyton. Sure enough, the woman’s face was slightly pale, unable to conceal her bitterness.
Did this mean Grandma wasn’t on Peyton’s side? Zoe was taken aback. While the Old Master was extremely fond of Peyton, Florence seemed to hold a completely different attitude. Rather than caring for her health, it felt more like she was sending Peyton a warning.
Zoe hesitated for a moment. Staring at the thick, dark concoction before her, she steeled herself, picked up the bowl, held her breath, and downed it in one go. The Old Madam and the rest of the family didn’t know about her contract with Simon, and she couldn’t afford to blow her cover in public.
She was just getting over a cold, and her stomach hadn’t been feeling well to begin with. Downing a massive bowl of herbal medicine caused her stomach to churn violently, followed by a faint surge of pain. She frowned and instinctively called out, "Simon..."
"Miss Joyce!" the butler suddenly cried out.
Clutching her stomach, Zoe looked over. Peyton had slumped over, having seemingly lost consciousness. Simon’s brow furrowed tightly as he rushed to catch her. Effortlessly sweeping her into his arms, he threw an order over his shoulder, "Call the family doctor here immediately!"
Zoe could only watch helplessly as he carried Peyton away. The raging discomfort in her stomach paled in comparison to the unavoidable, dull ache piercing her heart. A self-deprecating smile tugged at her lips. So, he was capable of loving someone this deeply after all.
"Miss Lancaster?" Florence hadn’t missed the flash of disappointment on Zoe’s face. Pausing the movement of her Buddha beads, she took Zoe’s hand and patted it gently, offering something akin to a promise. "You are the daughter-in-law of the Hawthorne Family. You have absolutely nothing to worry about."
Zoe snapped back to reality, surprised by the Old Madam’s attitude. Something felt inherently strange about it. In the past, Florence had rarely shown her any warmth, only maintaining a surface-level politeness. Yet today, right in front of Simon’s old flame, she had given Zoe medicine to aid in pregnancy and even sided with her, offering reassurance. What exactly was the Old Madam planning?
After a moment of hesitation, Zoe finally couldn’t help but ask, "Grandma, what’s wrong with Miss Joyce’s health? What kind of illness does she have?"
She didn’t miss the fleeting darkness that crossed Florence’s eyes. It was a long while before the Old Madam finally replied, "It’s nothing. There’s no need to concern yourself with it."
Seeing that the older woman had no intention of explaining, Zoe sensibly dropped the subject.
However, the shadow lingering in her heart refused to dissipate. Her mind was consumed by the look of utter panic on Simon’s face as he held Peyton. Her stomach churned even more violently, draining the color from her face. Unable to bear it any longer, she made an excuse and fled the suffocating main hall.
Meanwhile, Simon had taken Peyton back to her room. As he laid her gently on the bed, she opened her eyes and looked up at him. Unable to help herself, she grasped his sleeve and asked weakly, "Simon... has my return to the country put you in a difficult position?"
Simon glanced down at her hand and offered a word of comfort. "No, it hasn’t. Just focus on resting and recovering."
Peyton, however, offered a bitter smile. "This is just how my life is going to be. This body of mine is already ruined to the core. Who knows when it might finally give out completely... I don’t want to become a burden to you."
Simon pressed his lips together, his deep eyes turning dark. "Don’t speak such nonsense. I won’t let that happen."
She shook her head. Her eyes were rimmed with red, yet she wore a smile as she carefully held his hand, her gaze filled with an irrepressible, adoring dependence. "If it weren’t for that arranged marriage to ward off bad luck, I really would have loved to... marry you, Simon.
"Simon—
"You haven’t developed real feelings for Zoe, have you?"