Chapter 196 The sun was at its highest point, and the temperature hit the highest of the day. When Ashton was back, I was sitting on the couch in the living room, sweating profusely while staring blankly into space.


Upon noticing the perspiration covering my forehead, he raised his voice to reproach me, “Are you planning to die from heatstroke, killing the baby as well?”


I shoot him an indifferent glance while remaining silent. Then, ignoring his presence, I went back to the bedroom to get some rest. I was not in the mood to talk with him, knowing very well that we would end up getting into an argument.


He entered the bedroom after me. After looking around for some time, he found a white smock dress and tossed it to me. “Get yourself changed! We’re going out right now.”


I was feeling exhausted, so I gave him the brush-off. “I don’t want to.”


He said as a matter of fact, “Today is Benjamin’s birthday, and they are having a small family gathering. Aunt Sally called just now to invite us over for dinner.”


Although he didn’t put pressure on me, it would be too unthoughtful of me if I absented myself from Benjamin’s birthday. Letting out a sigh, I changed into the dress and then put on light makeup.


In the car, Ashton gave me a sidelong glance before he asked, “What did Ms. Anderson say to you?”


I was slightly bewildered but immediately understood that either the bodyguards or the doctors must have informed him that someone had paid a visit to the villa.


“She gave me a lucrative offer. I can then find myself an honest and reliable man who will take care of me and provide my baby with fatherly love.”


“Honest and reliable man?” Raising his brow, he snorted while starting the engine. “Looks like you have got it all planned out. But aren’t you afraid that this “honest and reliable man”


of yours might run away with all your money?”


Hearing that, I pouted and couldn’t help but roll my eyes at him. “You can only see the ugly in humanity, huh? There’s still plenty of good guys in the world!”


“What is considered a good guy?” he retorted. “Ms. Anderson asked me to leave you for her daughter. Pretty good deal there right?”


When the car came to a stop at a traffic light, he turned to face me. “What did she offer you?”


“Well, she offered me two companies and a handsome sum of money. These can afford the baby and me a comfortable life.” The way the rich settled matters was surely unimaginable to the ordinary people.


Hearing that, he sneered, “Did you accept it?”


Raising my brow, I retorted, “Why shouldn’t I?” “What if the baby asks for his father when he grows up? How are you going to answer him?” He pretended to ask casually while turning the steering wheel to the right, keeping his eyes on the road.


Being caught off guard by his question, I was at a loss for words. Regardless, he continued criticizing me with his sharp tongue, “Must you find the baby a stepfather when he has his own father? Scarlett Stovall, are you stupid or something?”


“You’re the one who’s stupid!” Glaring at him, I scoffed, “Don’t you know why I’m finding the baby a stepfather? That’s because his own father is problematic.”


“I’m problematic?” He sneered, “Why don’t you use that poor little brain of yours to think why Cameron was willing to spend so much money just so that you would leave a “problematic man” like me?”


I spoke up, “Because Rebecca likes you. Cameron loves her daughter so much, so she did all this to make her daughter happy.” This was what I truly thought.


However, he looked at me disdainfully as if I’m an idiot. “Now I believe motherhood does really make a person stupid.”


I was pissed at his sarcastic remark. Ugh! This man is truly a conversation killer!


“Don’t meet Cameron again. I have nothing to do with Rebecca, and we don’t need to care about them. What’s important is that you take good care of yourself and the baby. We’ll live a peaceful life, with just you, me, and the baby.” He made a turn onto the avenue before continuing to reassure me. “You need not worry that I can’t take good care of you and the baby. We can live a good life with the Fuller family’s fortune.”


Instead of answering immediately, I turned to look at the passing scenery outside the car window. A moment later, I asked in a barely audible voice, “If you have nothing to do with Rebecca, then why was she pregnant?”


Furrowing his brow, he shifted his eyes to me. “What does her pregnancy have to do with me?”


“She likes you!” How can I believe in you when all past incidents point to the fact that the two of you have an intimate relationship?


He let out a cold smile at my lack of trust in him. “So, according to your logic, does that mean your baby is John’s since he likes you?”


“How is that the same?” Hmph! That’s pure sophistry!


“How is that not the same?” he retorted. Soon, the car pulled up in front of the Whites’ villa.


After helping me out of the car, looking deeply into my eyes, he uttered, “It’s my responsibility to take care of her since Parker entrusted her to me. There’s nothing more between us.”


Unwilling to let go of this matter, I was determined to elicit an answer from him. “If the baby is not yours, then who’s the baby’s father?”


“Is it that important to know? Why do you care so much about it? That’s her own business.”


Biting my lips, I fell into silence. I couldn’t care less about Rebecca’s life, but it was just that I was still suspicious of him being her baby’s father. Also, I couldn’t think of someone else other than him to be Rebecca’s baby’s father. If the baby is not his, then why is Cameron willing to spend so much money for me to leave him? Don’t tell me they are treating Ashton as a beta provider!


As we walked along the cobblestone path and walked up a few steps, the grand and magnificent villa came into sight. Even though it was not a long distance away, my pregnant belly left me panting. It took us a while to reach the villa as I stopped to rest intermittently.


“Arhhh— “ I let out a shriek when all of a sudden, a black furry figure was running toward me.