Chapter 7 She’s Really Sick

As William connected seeing Jeanette in the restaurant to the massive purchases she'd made days ago, he let out an angry laugh. Was she using his money to keep another man? With that thought, he strode over to her table. Sensing a shadow fall over her, Jeanette instinctively looked up, only to meet his displeased gaze. She frowned slightly and was puzzled as to what he was doing here. When she noticed Giselle beside him, she instantly had her answer. She suppressed her emotions and asked, "What do you want?" William frowned. In the past, Jeanette always greeted him with an accommodating, eager-to-please smile. Since when had she turned so cold? Was it because of her new man? He sneered. "Jeanette, care to explain?" Jeanette shot him a mocking, sarcastic look. What was there to explain? When he got Giselle pregnant, had he ever thought about explaining that to her? And now, why was he trying to take control over her? She scoffed. "What's there to explain? We're getting divorced, Mr. Ashford. The least an ex-husband can do is mind his own business." Her words cut so deep that William's frown deepened. Off to the side, Giselle immediately stepped in to smooth things over. She spoke up in a soft, gentle voice. "Jeanette, you're still Mrs. Ashford. Don't you think it's a little too much to be spending your husband's money on your affair?" Simon frowned slightly and interjected, "There's no need for such offensive language. Jean and I are just talking about a partnership. "Partnership?" Giselle echoed in a gentle voice, though her eyes glinted with disdain. "From what I've heard, Jeanette's been a housewife for all three years of her marriage, so she can't possibly have any business partnerships to discuss. "Don't try to cover it up because we've seen everything." Simon was about to explain, but Jeanette stopped him. She eyed William, and noticing his silence, figured he probably thought the same. The sheer hypocrisy of it made her laugh in disgust. "If having a meal is considered an affair, what do you call spending the night together and sharing a bed? "Instead of recognizing your own faults, you come here to accuse me. Quit pretending to be innocent, Giselle." Giselle's face instantly drained of color. She curled in on herself slightly, clutching her stomach. William immediately asked with concern, "Does your stomach hurt? Do you need to go to the hospital?" Giselle didn't answer. Instead, tears welled in her eyes as she addressed Jeanette. "That's not what I meant, Jeanette. I just feel that—" "Enough. You don't have to explain to her." William cut her off before fixing Jeanette with a cold stare. "Whatever's going on between us, you're still part of the Ashford family until the divorce is finalized. Until then, watch your behavior." Jeanette let out a mocking laugh. She was so furious that even pain shot through her stomach in waves. Had William ever seen her as part of the Ashford family? When Giselle was hurling baseless insults at her, he had stayed silent. Yet right after she retorted once, he rushed to defend Giselle. So who exactly had he been married to for three years? All the bitterness gathered over the past three years erupted at once as the pain in her heart and stomach intensified. A layer of cold sweat broke out on her forehead. Jeanette opened her mouth to tell him to get lost, but before the words could form, a rush of thick, metallic taste of blood surged in her throat. She could barely control herself from violently coughing up a mouthful of blood. Then, the world went black, and she lost all consciousness. William froze briefly in shock before snapping back to reality. Moving swiftly, he caught her in his arms before she could hit the floor. As he stared blankly at the pool of blood on the floor, a strange sense of panic gripped him. Was Jeanette… really sick? Giselle's pupils constricted sharply as a shrill, sharp cry escaped her throat. Off to the side, Simon rose and reached for Jeanette, but William blocked his way and fixed him with an intense glare. "Get out of my way!"