Chapter 3

Howard didn't say anything more. The gentle, skillful movements of his hands soon relaxed my nerves again. "All done, ma'am. The massage is finished." Just as I was drifting off, his voice sounded in my ear. I jolted awake, sat up on the couch, and removed the blindfold. "Already?" I asked, still a little unsatisfied. I hadn't expected it to be over so quickly. When I looked up, I saw him wiping his hands with a wet wipe. There was a bit of white residue on it, and I looked away, embarrassed. Howard's expression remained calm, showing no reaction at all. "Yes. After this massage, your condition should improve. If you need more sessions, you can book me through WhatsApp." With that, he started packing up his things, ready to leave. I quickly got up to see him out, but I noticed his gaze lingered oddly. It turned out that my clothes hadn't been fully adjusted yet. At that moment, the door suddenly opened. I jumped in fright, almost forgetting Kent could walk in at any time. If he saw me standing there half-exposed with a stranger, he'd probably faint from anger. I quickly pulled my clothes back on as Howard reached the door. Sure enough, Kent's face fell the moment he saw a stranger in the house. "Who are you? What are you doing in my house?" Kent had a short temper. I was afraid things might get physical, so I hurriedly stepped forward to explain. "Honey, this is the new lactation consultant I hired. He just finished the massage." "A lactation consultant? A man?" Kent's expression didn't ease. It actually got worse. "Why would a man do this job? Who knows what he's thinking!" He looked at me suspiciously. "Were you really just getting a massage? Nothing else happened?" "Of course!" I snapped, a little annoyed at his distrust. "If you don't believe me, check the camera!" To keep an eye on the baby, we'd set up a baby monitor in the living room. Never did I expect the first time it actually came in handy would be for something like this. Seeing my completely innocent expression, Kent finally started to believe that there was nothing going on between me and Howard. His face relaxed a little. "Sorry," he said. "I misunderstood." "It's fine," I replied. Howard remained calm and collected. He nodded and left without hesitation or any sign of interest. Seeing that helped Kent calm down even more. He noticed I was still a little upset and quickly pulled me into his arms. "Darling, don't be mad. Any man would have been suspicious walking in on that…" My eyes were slightly teary. I understood him, but it still hurt. Being recently postpartum, my emotions were heightened, and tears came easily. Kent panicked. He rubbed my back and tried to cheer me up. I wasn't really angry. If the roles were reversed, I would've had questions too. I took the initiative and pulled up the surveillance footage. "Here! Look for yourself. Nothing happened. "Dr. Tate was actually recommended by Alexis. Don't let his young look fool you. He's a professional with over ten years of experience." Ever since Howard had helped relieve the blockage, my chest felt comfortable again. Nursing the baby became smooth and easy. Although Kent kept saying he trusted me, his eyes told the truth. He watched the recording from start to finish. Only at the end did he finally let himself relax.