Chapter 315: If We Didn’t Have a Child, Would You Still Pay Attention to Me?
Adrian Lancaster slowly opened his eyes. From the sound of the footsteps and the familiar, clean scent of body wash, he knew it was Wren Sutton.
An intense wave of warmth instantly surged through him, dispelling the loneliness and sorrow of his illness.
He looked up at the figure by his bed, his voice hoarse yet gentle. "It’s so late. I thought you were asleep."
The overhead light was too harsh, so Adrian had only turned on the bedside lamp. Its dim, yellow glow spread gently, illuminating the bedroom and creating a warm, cozy atmosphere.
Adrian instinctively reached for the nightstand, took out a spare medical mask, and put it on, making sure to cover his mouth and nose securely to avoid passing the virus to his wife.
"You’ve had a long day. You should get some rest. I’m fine over here."
Wren stood by the bed and leaned down slightly. She gently raised the back of her fair hand and slowly pressed it against Adrian’s forehead. Her touch was soft.
"I came to see if your temperature has gone down. I don’t want your fever to spike in the middle of the night with no one knowing."
Feeling that Adrian’s forehead was just warm, not scorching hot like it had been during the day, the knot of worry in Wren’s chest loosened slightly, and she breathed a sigh of relief.
"The fever-reducing shot is working. You’re not as hot anymore. Just to be safe, we should check your temperature one more time before you sleep. I’ll feel better once we confirm it’s back to normal."
Seeing the genuine concern in Wren’s eyes, Adrian’s heart felt as soft as cotton candy. A sweet warmth spread through his entire body. Without a hint of resistance, he cooperated obediently, as compliant as a child.
Wren deftly tucked the thermometer under his arm and, while she was at it, pulled the blanket up over him properly.
"Wait ten minutes. Don’t move."
With that said, she pulled over the soft chair from beside the bed and sat down about a step away, exuding an air of quiet elegance.
The dim, yellow light fell gently on the side of her face, outlining her soft jawline and delicate features.
She was as beautiful as a lady who had stepped out of an oil painting, possessing a hazy yet captivating charm.
Even with the mask on, the faint, fresh scent of Wren lingered in Adrian’s nose. The fatigue and discomfort from his illness instantly dissipated by more than half.
He felt a strong impulse, a desperate urge to reach out and hold Wren, to pull her into his arms and feel this rare warmth.
But reality was like an invisible shackle, imprisoning all his desires.
He still had a cold and fever. He couldn’t get close to her, couldn’t touch her, or else he would pass the sickness on to her.
For the first time, Adrian hated this sudden cold and fever with such intensity. He hated this damn illness for tormenting him, but he hated it even more for forcing him to only watch Wren from a distance, making even a simple hug an extravagant wish.
Afraid the atmosphere was too quiet, and worried his thoughts would be seen through, Adrian took the initiative to break the silence, his voice muffled by the mask.
"Are Owen and Nina asleep?"
Wren hummed softly in affirmation, her gaze landing on Adrian.
"They played for quite a while, so the kids were exhausted. After they finished their formula, they fell asleep quietly without even needing to be soothed."
Adrian smiled in relief.
"That’s good. With you taking care of them, I have nothing to worry about.
"But don’t work yourself too hard, either. You don’t have to do everything yourself. You can leave some things to the nanny."
Wren neither agreed nor disagreed, simply saying matter-of-factly, "I’ve been slacking off enough lately. You and the nanny have been doing most of the work."
Adrian didn’t feel he deserved any credit, his heart calm and composed.
"That’s because I’m a stay-at-home dad. Taking care of Owen and Nina is my main job."
The mention of children inevitably made Wren think of Isla Griffith’s baby. Feeling a mix of regret and heartache, she turned to look at the cold moonlight outside the window.
Adrian sensed his wife’s sorrowful mood. His heart tightened, and he asked cautiously, "What’s wrong? Something on your mind?"
Wren was silent for a few seconds before speaking. "Before I came back from the hospital today, Sean Sterling was in the room too. He told Isla the whole truth."
"What truth?"
At this point, there was no longer any need to hide it.
Wren explained concisely, "The reason Isla was so distressed that she miscarried was because she got a call from Yvonne Donovan. She lied and said that Sean Sterling was marrying his arranged partner next month..."
"..." A wave of anger and helplessness washed over Adrian.
’My aunt went too far. It seems our last conversation was useless. She didn’t listen at all. In fact, she’s only gotten worse.’
Wren paused, her emotions complex. "Sean Sterling completely broke ties with the Sterling Family. He left with nothing."
"..." Adrian was deeply shaken, his eyes filled with astonishment.
He knew Sean’s feelings for Isla ran deep, but he never imagined he would go this far, willingly giving up everything from the Sterling Family.
"But Isla can’t get over this hurdle in her heart. I’m afraid the two of them might..." Wren’s voice trailed off as she hesitated to finish.
Adrian guessed what she wanted to say. He was filled with sorrow for them, but he didn’t know how to offer any comfort.
"I never thought things would get to this point."
In the silence, the clock on the wall went TICK-TOCK, and ten minutes passed quietly.
Wren glanced at the clock’s hands, quickly pulled her thoughts back to the present, and stood up to walk to the bed.
"Time’s up. Take out the thermometer."
Adrian also came back to his senses. Suppressing the many emotions swirling in his heart, he slowly removed the thermometer from under his arm. His fingertips, slightly cool, held it out to her.
Wren took it and moved closer to the glow of the night-light to carefully examine the reading. Her brow furrowed for a moment, then relaxed.
"Your temperature hasn’t gone up any further, so it’s stabilized. But it hasn’t completely returned to normal, either. You still have a low-grade fever."
Her tone was steady as she put the thermometer away and gave him serious instructions.
"You need to keep taking your medicine on time tomorrow and we’ll keep an eye on it. The sickness won’t be considered over until your temperature is back in the normal range."
After saying this, Wren suddenly remembered something else important.
She turned, filled a thermos with warm water, and grabbed a separate cup, placing them both on the nightstand.
"If you wake up during the night, remember to drink water. You get better faster from a cold and fever if you stay hydrated."
"Honey, thank you. I appreciate everything," Adrian said, his voice filled with gratitude and deep emotion.
Wren averted her gaze, her expression calm and unreadable.
"You don’t have to thank me. If we’re being honest, you caught a cold and got sick because of me. I should be the one taking care of you."
She paused, a flicker of an indescribable emotion in her eyes.
"Besides, you’re still Owen and Nina’s father..."
Those words, "Owen and Nina’s father," were like a fine needle, pricking Adrian’s heart. The sweetness he felt instantly vanished, leaving behind a faint, sour pang of disappointment.
The question slipped out of him almost unconsciously, tinged with a long-suppressed anxiety. "If it weren’t for Owen and Nina, would you still care about me?"
The moment the words left his mouth, the air seemed to freeze.
Wren didn’t look at him, her voice still perfectly calm. "The ’if’ you’re talking about doesn’t exist."
’Only she knew the truth in her heart. If it weren’t for Owen and Nina, I would have probably left Aston long ago. I’d have settled in a new city, or maybe even gone abroad by now. I would have nothing more to do with Adrian Lancaster.’
’The children are the only bond between us, and the only reason I’m willing to stay and look after him.’