Silly Bride

Chapter 381

“Xavier.” In the dark, Winnie pressed her lips onto Xavier’s.The two kissed as the salty taste of tears filled their mouths, but no one knew whose tears they were.They were carried away by the amorous atmosphere, and their bodies began reacting to each other.The two of them had never been this physically intimate since Winnie had been ill.That night would be their first since then.However, at the very last second, Winnie suddenly sobered up.She abruptly recalled the reminder of a certain doctor, and she promptly pushed Xavier away.Xavier was surprised by the shove, for the flame in him was blazing.Instinctively, he thought that Winnie was feeling ill, so he hastily sat upright to turn on the light.Winnie stopped him, however.“Don’t turn on the light, Xavier.”“What’s wrong?” Xavier’s hoarse voice was laced with panic. “Aren’t you feeling unwell? Let me take a look at you.”“No,” Winnie said with a frown. “It’s not that.”“Then why did you push me away?” Xavier lay back down to hug her. “Did I do something bad? Or could it be that I hurt you?”“No, you didn’t.” Winnie shook her head gently. “I just suddenly remembered something one of the doctors said. She told me it’s best for us not to have sex for now.”“Why?”“I don’t know if my bodily fluids are going to affect you. That’s a risk I don’t want to take. I’m really sorry, Xavier. I can’t… Not now…”Xavier understood what she meant, and he held her tightly. “Don’t apologize. This isn’t your fault; it’s mine. I can’t believe I’m thinking about these things even when you’re sick. It’s fine, Winnie. You’ll get better. I’ll be the perfect partner in bed the next time.”“Okay.” Winnie tightened her hold around his waist and rested her cheek against his sweaty chest.Although things had abruptly been called off, Winnie could still sense the fire burning in Xavier’s body.As she lowered her hand, she whispered, “Why don’t I help you out?”“It’s fine.” Xavier took Winnie’s hand and held it by his lips to kiss it. “Your husband here isn’t an animal. I know how to control myself.”“Don’t you feel uncomfortable holding it in?”“I’m fine, Dumbo.” It was only desire that had nowhere to be unleashed. What right did he have to speak of discomfort if he were to compare his with the agony she was currently going through? What he felt meant nothing.Xavier continued hugging Winnie for a while before he calmed down again and said, “I’m all sweaty, so I’m going to wash up. You should sleep first. You don’t need to wait for me.”Winnie quietly hummed in agreement before letting go

of him. “Go ahead, then.”Ten minutes later, Xavier exited the bathroom after his shower.When he walked over to the side of the bed, he saw Winnie with her eyes closed. He sat beside her and softly called out her name.Winnie did not respond.Thinking that she was asleep, he turned off the lights.He had initially wanted to hold her in his arms and go to sleep, but he changed his mind at the very last minute.Instead, he got down from the bed and put on some clothes before leaving the room.Once Xavier was gone, Winnie turned around and lay on her side.Although she could not see anything, she still opened her eyes.She had yet to fall asleep. She had only pretended to be asleep because she wanted to give Xavier some time alone. He was too stressed out by her illness.Xavier took a pack of cigarettes and a lighter and headed to the garden at the back.With his eyes closed, he walked from the main mansion to the side mansion.He wanted to find out what the world felt like to Winnie. It was less than a kilometer’s walk between the main mansion garden and the side mansion garden, but Xavier had already stumbled several times. He could not imagine how Winnie remembered every corner of the house.Once he was tired from his walk, he sat on a bench and started smoking one cigarette after another. In no time, cigarette butts were littered on the ground around his feet.Right as he lit another cigarette, he heard approaching footsteps.Subconsciously, he assumed that it was Winnie.Not wanting Winnie to find out that he had been smoking half a pack of cigarettes in the middle of the night, he quickly threw the cigarette he just lit onto the ground and stomped on it.Once he was done with that, he stood up and turned around.However, he realized with one glance that it was not Winnie.The person had a torchlight in their hand and could walk fast. It could not be Winnie.Winnie could not see anything, so she was slow when she walked.He sat back down and lit another cigarette.He did not care who it was. No one mattered to him if they were not the woman he loved.Soon, the light from the torch shone at his feet.Then a young woman’s voice sounded out. “Who are you? Why are you smoking in the garden in the middle of the night? You even threw cigarette butts everywhere. This is against the rules. You’ll be fined, you know?”Xavier inhaled his cigarette and chuckled quietly at the young woman’s words.The young woman found the man’s chuckle contemptuous, and that irritated her.She raised her volume and said, “Why, aren’t you haughty? Do you know that I have to clean this place every day? You’re just adding to my workload by littering your cigarette butts here! Hey, are you deaf?”Annoyed by

the man’s lack of response, the young woman shone her torch at Xavier’s eyes.Xavier immediately squinted and turned away from the bright light.At the same time, the young woman recognized Xavier.“Y-You’re Mr. Fairchild!” The young woman quickly kept away her torch and apologized, “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I didn’t know that you were Mr. Fairchild. The lights at the main mansion are off, so I thought you and Mrs. Fairchild were already sleeping. I never thought that you’d be smoking here.”The maid was quick to admit her mistake, so Xavier did not lose her temper with her.However, he could no longer spend time alone at the spot, so he wanted to head back to hold Winnie again.Stomping out another cigarette, he then rose to his feet.When the young woman realized that Xavier was leaving, she figured out that it was either now or never.Taking a step forward, she said, “Mr. Fairchild, thank you for the help you’ve extended to our family. My mother and I are very grateful for your assistance.”At that, Xavier turned to glance at her before frowning.He did not know who she was, so how could he have lent a helping hand to her mother? Furthermore, he was no saint who was prone to helping others.When the young woman realized she had captured Xavier’s attention, she explained in a sincere tone, “Mr. Fairchild, I’m Abigail Shasnow. You may not know me, but I’m sure you remember my father. His name is Walter Shasnow, and he used to be your driver, but he passed away from a car accident. The family had a hard time after my father’s death because we needed money for my grandparents and my mother’s illnesses. Back then, we were about to starve, and I almost dropped out of school to work. It was later on when you gave us a sum of money did my grandparents continue their treatment plan and did my mother manage to pay for her surgery. If not for you, my family would have been gone. You even gave me the opportunity to work here. I’ve done numerous jobs, but this is the easiest and the highest-paying job I ever had. Thank you so much, Mr. Fairchild.”Xavier could not help but take another glance at Abigail when he heard her history.Property © of NôvelDrama.Org.