Chapter 322

"So, I think you should still take it slow with her." "We're just getting ready to start trying for a baby early." Kingston let out an "Oh," finally understanding. Feeling a bit guilty, he rubbed his nose. "But still, you should be careful. Ms. Clarke's mental and physical health isn't in great shape." He was being serious. The first time he met Shelmaine, something seemed off. He had suggested to Samuel that he take her to a hospital for a thorough check-up, but for some reason, nothing ever came of it. As their private doctor, Kingston had limited say. As for Samuel, well, he could be pretty headstrong, not the type to listen to everyone. Samuel said, "She's comfortable talking to you. If you have the time, you should drop by the Hasting residence more often." Kingston wondered, "Does he think I'm a psychiatrist now?" He cleared his throat. "Uh, honestly, I think it's best if you bring in a professional psychiatrist to help her out. Shelmaine seems pretty bottled up. If she keeps going like this, it won't end well." Samuel closed his eyes for a moment. "Noted. I'll think about your suggestion. But as I said, it's a good sign she talks to you. That's progress." "Alright, sure. I can stop by when I have time." After Kingston left, Samuel smoked a cigarette before heading upstairs. Shelmaine sat by the floor-to-ceiling window, staring at the flickering city lights outside. Her phone was with her. She had reached out to Beatrix, asking them to keep an eye on the studio since she couldn't go back for now. As for Julien, she couldn't bring herself to get in touch with him. She didn't even have the courage to open his messages on WhatsApp. If she could avoid it, she would as she was scared. She was also afraid of facing him. She hoped Julien would forget about her soon and that he wouldn't try to reach her anymore. She didn't deserve him. Shelmaine was so lost in her thoughts she didn't notice when Samuel entered the room. Suddenly, she was lifted off her feet and carried back to bed. It wasn't until then that she snapped back to reality. Her wandering gaze landed on Samuel, and her eyes narrowed, instantly becoming cold again. She didn't give him any friendly looks. Samuel wasn't blind. He picked up on every subtle change in her expression and body language. He was especially attuned to her coldness. After laying her down, he sat on the edge of the bed, looking at her. "Weren't you feeling unwell? Why are you sitting on the floor?" Shelmaine was forced to lie back. She hated the way he loomed over her, towering above. She propped herself up on her elbow, trying to sit, but he immediately pushed her back down. Still sitting, he leaned over her, his breath falling heavily on her face, his voice low and intense. "Do you really hate seeing me this much?" Shelmaine closed her eyes and remained silent, avoiding any direct eye contact with him. Just then, Samuel's phone rang. He picked it up—it was Samson, updating him on the situation in Aurich. "Julien's been busy handling company matters since he got back to Aurich. Plus, there's been a minor issue with Alan. Looks like he won't have time to worry about Ms. Clarke anytime soon." Samuel corrected him. "You mean Shelmaine, my wife." "Huh? Your wife? You two got back together?" "It's not 'back together.' We're remarried. You should start calling her Shelmaine again." Samson laughed. "Man, you move fast. Guess Julien's totally out of the running now." "He never had a chance." "Oh, please. You only swooped in at the last minute when they were about to get engaged. You were this close, you know that?" Samuel glanced at Shelmaine, clearly enjoying the moment. "Anyway, finish up with the new company and return when you can." "I won't be back for a while. My wife's here in Aurich on vacation. Gonna stick around and show her a good time. I'm keeping an eye on things here."