Pregnant & Ghosted The CEO Begged Me Back

From age five to twenty-one, Willow had been secretly in love with Adrian Ashford. At twenty-two, her grandfather passed away. Willow looked at the empty hospital bed and said, "I don't have any family anymore." That day, Adrian pressed her gently against his chest and said, "I'll marry you." And at twenty-five, on their third wedding anniversary... Willow looked at the candlelit dinner spread across the table and let out a soft sigh. "Madam, why don't you eat first? It's getting quite late." Helen brought over the fish soup she had reheated three times. Willow glanced at the thick, milky-white soup and felt inexplicably nauseous. She frowned and pushed it away. "Forget it, Helen. Adrian probably won't be coming home for dinner. You can take care of it." With that, Willow went upstairs. After hesitating for a long while, Willow still took out her phone and dialed. "Adrian..." "Oh, is that... Willow?" Willow's words were interrupted by the voice on the other end. It was Olivia Sterling. "Willow, Adrian's drunk. Would it be okay if I have the driver send him back later?" Olivia's voice carried a hint of apology. Willow paused for a moment. "Alright, thank you, Miss Sterling." "Willow, there's no need to be so polite with me. This is the least I can do." Olivia's voice held a trace of a smile before she hung up. Willow sat on the edge of the bed, looking at the photo of her grandfather on the nightstand. "Grandpa, I miss you..." Willow's voice was slightly choked. Until the night grew deep, Willow drifted in and out of sleep, hearing the sound of the door opening and closing. She had always been a light sleeper. Rubbing her eyes, she saw Adrian had returned. "Did I wake you?" Adrian's hair wasn't as meticulously styled as usual, and his tie hung loosely around his neck. "Mmm... it's fine. Did you drink too much?" Willow asked sleepily. "Yeah, I had a bit too much today. I'll go shower first. You go back to sleep." Adrian walked over and placed a kiss on Willow's forehead before turning into the bathroom. Listening to the sound of running water, Willow was completely awake now. She went downstairs and made Adrian a cup of warm honey water. When she came back upstairs, Adrian had already come out looking refreshed, though his face still held a trace of tipsiness. "Thanks." Adrian took the honey water from Willow and drank it in large gulps. The discomfort from drinking was easily soothed by a cup of honey water. Willow always knew how to make him more comfortable. "You..." Willow thought of that phone call. "What's wrong?" Adrian asked, turning to look at her while drying his hair. "Who did you drink with?" After thinking about it, Willow still asked. Adrian paused. Willow had never asked about his business matters before. "A client," Adrian said after a moment. Willow was stunned. "Just you and the client?" Willow continued to ask. "And Olivia Sterling. The client was introduced through the Sterling family, so she came too." Adrian explained patiently. Adrian knew Willow didn't like Olivia Sterling, so he hadn't really wanted to mention her. Willow didn't say anything more. She just turned toward the bathroom to get Adrian a hairdryer. Glancing at the clothes in the laundry basket, Willow impulsively picked up Adrian's shirt and sniffed it. A strong scent of perfume and... a lipstick mark on the collar. Faint, but as a woman, she recognized it at a glance. Willow suddenly felt very nauseous. She turned and hugged the toilet, starting to retch. Adrian heard the sound and opened the door. "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Adrian crouched beside Willow, gently rubbing her back. Willow wanted to say something, but another wave of nausea hit her. She couldn't speak, only shaking her head. "I'll take you to the hospital tomorrow," Adrian said, frowning. "No need. Aren't we going to Grandpa's for dinner tomorrow?" Willow managed to stand up and rinse her mouth. "If you're not feeling well, we don't have to go," Adrian helped Willow sit on the bed. "I want to go. I miss Grandpa," Willow said, subconsciously glancing at the photo on the nightstand. "Alright, then get some sleep early." Adrian considerately tucked Willow under the covers. "Adrian..." Willow turned to look at him. "What's wrong?" Adrian looked at Willow amusingly, watching her blink her eyes at him. Willow really did look like a little white rabbit, soft and sweet. Thinking this, Adrian reached out and pinched Willow's cheek. "Do you know... what day it is today?" Willow blinked at Adrian, with the last bit of hope in her eyes. Having just finished drinking, Adrian's brain clearly hadn't caught up. He was completely caught off guard by Willow's question. Today is... Seeing Adrian like this, Willow knew he had forgotten. "Today is International Kissing Day," Willow said with a smile. "Then we should celebrate properly." Adrian pulled Willow into his arms and kissed her plump lips. "Mmm, let's celebrate properly." Willow lifted her head and returned Adrian's kiss. Adrian's kisses were always gentle, but today was different. Or rather, Willow was different... Her kiss seemed more intense. "Willow..." Willow loved it when Adrian called her that. Call a few more times, then... hold me a while longer. A night of passion. The next day at noon, Willow rubbed her sore waist as she got up, feeling a slight pain in her lower abdomen. She figured her period was probably coming and didn't think much of it. "Madam, are you awake?" Helen was at the door. "Come in." Willow's voice was a bit hoarse. "It's already noon?" Willow checked her phone. Several missed calls, all from Sophie Ashford. "Adrian said not to wake you, and that if you still weren't feeling well today, he would take you to the hospital." Helen brought in a cup of warm water. "No need, I'm fine." Willow sipped the warm water while calling Sophie back. "Sister-in-law~~~~~when are you coming to the old house~~I'm already here! We're short one player~" Sophie's coquettish voice came through the phone. "Sophie, sorry, I overslept. I'll be there soon," Willow said. "Great, Grandpa misses you too. Come quickly~" Sophie hung up. "Madam, I've made porridge for you downstairs." "Okay, I'll come down right away." Willow nodded, though she still had no appetite. After washing up, Willow sipped the porridge absentmindedly while calling Adrian. "Adrian, when are you coming back? Grandpa is waiting for us." There was a moment of silence on the other end. Could it be that he drank too much yesterday and underperformed? Adrian rubbed his temples. Reflecting on last night, there were no problems. In fact, Willow had been even more enthusiastic than usual. "I'm already at the door," Adrian said, walking in with his phone raised. "Let's go, I'm ready." Willow set down her bowl and spoon. "That's all you're eating?" Adrian glanced at the barely touched porridge in the bowl. "No appetite," Willow said flatly. Adrian looked at Willow, said nothing, and took her hand to the car. Something was off today. The driver, Old Thompson, keenly noticed. The master seemed to be forcing conversation with the madam. The madam seemed unwilling to talk to the master. Old Thompson sensed something was coming. To avoid getting caught in the crossfire, he pressed down harder on the accelerator, and they quickly arrived at the old house. Before they even entered, they heard Sophie's wailing. "Are you guys cheating?! How is that even possible? I'm going to lose everything! Sister-in-law, when are you coming!" Sophie hugged the Texas Hold'em table and wailed. "So what if she comes? You'll win?" Catherine Ashford rolled her eyes at her daughter. "At least with sister-in-law here, the one losing would be her!" Hearing Sophie's words, the corner of Willow's mouth twitched. She touched her wallet. Well... good thing she was using Adrian's wallet. "Dad, Mom. Grandpa, Sophie." Willow greeted each one obediently. Catherine Ashford pursed her lips in response. Richard Ashford nodded with a smile. "Little dear, come to Grandpa. Let me see, have you lost weight?" Arthur Ashford glared fiercely at Adrian. Adrian... "No, Grandpa," Willow said with a smile, walking over to Grandpa Arthur. "Good, good, sit down, let's play cards," Grandpa Arthur said. Richard Ashford stood up on his own initiative. "You guys play, I need to make a call," Richard Ashford said, getting up to let Willow take his seat. Sure enough, once Willow joined, it was no longer Sophie's turn to lose... "Big sister-in-law, why are you so distracted? You're missing a tile, how can you win?" Sophie arranged the tiles for Willow. "Ah... right." Willow was indeed somewhat distracted today. "Tsk, boring, so clumsy," Catherine Ashford complained. "Alright, stop playing. Time for dinner." Adrian came over to call everyone to dinner. Willow glanced apologetically at her mother-in-law. "Big sister-in-law, don't mind my mom~" Sophie came over and put her arm around Willow's shoulder, smiling. Willow smiled but said nothing. At the dining table, with a spread of dishes, Willow looked at all the meat and had no appetite. "Alright, nothing important to announce today. We're just gathering for a meal," Grandpa Arthur said. "Wait... wait." Willow raised her hand, looking exactly like an elementary school student raising their hand to speak. "Little dear, what's wrong? Do you have something to say?" Grandpa Arthur looked at Willow. Everyone looked at Willow. "Mmm..." Willow nodded. "I want... a divorce." "Oh, please, she wants a divorce," Catherine Ashford said with a dismissive eye roll. Wait. She wants what?? "You want a DIVORCE?!!!" Catherine Ashford, after all, had once been a soprano. Her scream was extraordinary. "Yes... Mom, I want a divorce." Willow nodded solemnly. Willow thought the only person in this family who would support her would be her mother-in-law. She never expected that one day they would be on the same side. Adrian looked at Willow in disbelief. Willow could feel the burning gaze beside her, but she restrained herself from looking at him. More than that... she didn't dare look at him. Then came five minutes... ten minutes of silence. The dining table was dead silent. Everyone seemed to be stunned by Willow's bombshell.