Sabrina's scream drew Yasmine's and half the housekeepers' attention. By the time they crowded the door, Sabrina had slammed Noelle down onto the bed and clamped her fingers around her throat. 

Sabrina's suffocation slowly overwhelmed Noelle. She'd barely managed to turn her head toward Conner, who'd been shoved far away and stayed frozen in shock across the room.

"Help… me…" Her frail voice—like a dying mosquito's hum—never woke him up from his daze.

Fortunately, Yasmine finally pushed her way through the crowd. For a second, Noelle thought she was saved, but she quickly realized that she was very wrong.

"Sabrina, your pregnancy isn't stable yet, so don't fuss yourself over something like this." She fussed over Sabrina, carefully soothing her.

Noelle's face burned crimson as her throat tightened, but not the slightest sound came out of her. 

Meanwhile, Yasmine protectively hovered

No sooner than Noelle had spoken did Sabrina break into loud wails.

Panicking, Conner pulled her into his arms and shot Noelle a hard look. "Can't you be reasonable for once? Apologize now that you've made a mistake!"

Noelle frowned and almost laughed in disbelief. She pointed to herself and snapped back, "My mistake? Are you saying I'm in the wrong? Seriously?" Clenching her teeth, she continued, "Fine, it's all my fault. So now, can you get out of my room?"

Yasmine was clearly dissatisfied. "If you're apologizing, then act like it. That's the only way Sabrina will feel better."

Conner was equally frantic. He hadn't expected Sabrina to suddenly come home from the hospital, much less walk in on him. If anything happened to the baby, the past two months' work would be for nothing, and there was no telling when he could return to Noelle's side.

With Sabrina's emotions spiraling out of

When Conner had first learned about Sabrina's pregnancy, he had been so thrilled that he'd barely slept a wink. After all, it was great news. It meant that he could soon return to Noellle's side as long as Sabrina was pregnant with an Ashford family child.

Worried for the baby, Yasmine had insisted that Sabrina remain in the hospital so doctors would be nearby if anything happened. Anyone could tell that she doted on that unborn child with extreme eagerness. 

With expectations clearly going to her head, Sabrina couldn't help but gloat in her daily interactions with the Ashford family housekeepers.

"Make sure all cooking is extra savory. Salty and savory food for the boys while sweets are for the girls. And since precious Sabrina craves savory foods all the time, I'm sure it's a boy. 

"I'll send this flask of soup to her in a bit," Yasmine said.

Noelle's cramps flared again. She'd barely managed a few bites before setting down her utensils. "You all take your time. I'm done."

Just as she got up, Conner looked over at her in concern. "You've only had two bites. Don't you like it?"

Noelle almost laughed. Now, he suddenly cared about her—but it was all pointless.

Eager to please Yasmine, the housekeepers had cranked up the saltiness in every dish until they were downright unpalatable. 

Of all the people there, Conner knew that Noelle preferred sweets, especially during her period. Yet here he was, pretending not to know and asking if she'd lost her appetite. His belated concern almost churned Noelle's stomach in disgust. 

"If you like it, have more," she coolly said before turning around and heading upstairs without a glance back.

As Conner and Yasmine sat at the dining table, they both frowned in disapproval.

"The moment Sabrina gets pregnant, Noelle turns prickly and snaps at everyone. She has no basic respect at all!" Yasmine grumbled, clicking her tongue.

She bustled to pack up the soup for Sabrina, and when the thought that the thin Ashford family bloodline was about to branch and bloom, a smile spread across her face.

Just then, Conner set his utensils down, his appetite gone as his gaze shifted to the stairs.

Upon seeing Noelle's silhouette vanish at the landing, he fell into deep thought.

…

That night, Noelle downed painkillers and drifted off to sleep. 

Just then, she heard a faint rustle outside her door.

When the door opened, a tall figure stepped in, shocking her out of her drowsiness. 

When she took a closer look, she realized that it was Conner carrying a bowl of mushroom soup.

Noelle had always hated mushrooms because found the smell too strong. 

But Conner had used to make her a bowl of mushroom soup whenever she was on her period, and despite not liking it, she'd choke it down every time. She was touched that a man like him—raised in silk and silver—would fuss over it for her.

Yet now, its mere smell turned her stomach.

Conner sat at the side of Noelle's bed holding the bowl of mushroom soup. He looked almost wistful. 

This had once been his room too. 

In the weeks he'd been busy playing his part in continuing the family line, he'd been physically present but mentally absent. All the while, his thoughts had stayed in this room with Noelle.

Now that Sabrina was pregnant and confined to her maternity ward, he finally had time to slip away to Noelle.

"Noelle, I made this myself. I know it's that time of the month, and this will help with the pain. Don't rely so much on painkillers."

To Noelle, Conner's presence was even more cloying than the mushroom soup. She turned her head away and coldly snapped, "This is my bedroom, Caleb. You shouldn't be here at this hour."

Conner's chest tightened at Noelle's icy detachment. In a panic, he grabbed her wrist. "Noelle, just listen—"

The moment Conner's skin touched hers, Noelle's mind flooded with memories of the nights of muffled moans and murmurs through the bedroom wall. 
Instantly, revulsion surged up in her chest.

"Let go! Don't touch me!" Noelle snapped, wrenching her hand free.

Upon seeing her resist, Conner panicked and leaned in without a second thought, nearly spilling the soup over. 

The faint scent of jasmine from Noelle's skin pulled him under, and even his voice carried a heavy breath as he said, "Noelle, please. Don't be so cold to me…"

In his struggle, the bowl shattered onto the floor, followed by a piercing shriek. 

Sabrina stood in the doorway, her screaming tearing through the peace of the Ashford residence. "Noelle, you shameless bitch! Even your husband's brother isn't safe from your claws!"

Sabrina's scream drew Yasmine's and half the housekeepers' attention. By the time they crowded the door, Sabrina had slammed Noelle down onto the bed and clamped her fingers around her throat. 

Sabrina's suffocation slowly overwhelmed Noelle. She'd barely managed to turn her head toward Conner, who'd been shoved far away and stayed frozen in shock across the room.

"Help… me…" Her frail voice—like a dying mosquito's hum—never woke him up from his daze.

Fortunately, Yasmine finally pushed her way through the crowd. For a second, Noelle thought she was saved, but she quickly realized that she was very wrong.

"Sabrina, your pregnancy isn't stable yet, so don't fuss yourself over something like this." She fussed over Sabrina, carefully soothing her.

Noelle's face burned crimson as her throat tightened, but not the slightest sound came out of her. 

Meanwhile, Yasmine protectively hovered over Sabrina and shielded her belly with meticulous care, unbothered by Noelle's pain.

Resignation

Chapter 7