Derek's POV
I threw in a bit of Alpha aura in my words.
Joanna's knees buckled, and she dropped to the floor with a thud. "Yes, Alpha Derek, I'll tell you everything!" Her reaction caught me off guard. I hadn't even started putting any real pressure on her yet.
"Speak," I ordered sharply.
"I felt it was a pity to throw away the trimmed roses from the garden, so I sold them for 2 dollars each in the evening. I didn't mean to do it, I've been strapped for cash and my grandma's sick. I'm sorry, Alpha Derek, I won't do it again."
Joanna confessed incoherently, tears streaming down her face.
I frowned, surprised that she actually confessed so soon.
But this trivial matter wasn't what I really wanted to know. "Is that all you want to say?"
My tone revealed obvious impatience.
Joanna wiped away her tears, adding, "No, there's more. I have to confess. Last time when I was trimming, my hands were shaking, and I accidentally cut the heart-shaped ones into apple shapes. Alpha, please have faith in my professionalism, I was just a little feverish that day."
I pressed my fingers against my forehead, feeling annoyed. "What are you blabbering about? I wanted you to tell me if there was anything weird with Tabitha. Did you notice anything unusual about her these days?"
Joanna wiped the sweat off her forehead and said, "Ms. Hartley? Her appetite's been pretty awful lately."
"What else?" I asked, pressing for more information.
"That's all. Ms. Hartley's always been indifferent, and she hardly ever talks to us."
Her answer was evasive.
I could sense her dishonesty.
Then, I shot back coldly, "Why didn't you tell me sooner that she has no appetite since she's pregnant? If something happens to the baby in her belly, you'll be held responsible!"
This sentence was like a bomb, completely freaking Joanna out.
She widened her eyes, saying, "Alpha Derek, so you knew Ms. Hartley was pregnant? Then why did she ask me to keep it a secret?"
Her reply confirmed Leopold's guess—Tabitha really was pregnant.
I kept a straight face, snapping, "Of course I knew. Since she wants to keep it from me, I can play dumb. Don't mention anything about today btw. I don't want her to feel perturbed."
"Yeah, true. Pregnant women can get pretty emotionally unstable. I've noticed Ms. Hartley's been moody lately. One minute she's laughing, the next she's anxious." Joanna's words struck a chord in my heart.
Were Tabitha's mood swings related to her pregnancy?
"What's she anxious about?" I continued pressing.
Joanna stole a glance at me, replying, "Maybe it's because she vomits a lot, or it's because you are gonna marry Miss Sutton. My mom was super anxious when she was pregnant with my little sibling, always insecure. Alpha Derek, the relationship between you and Ms. Hartley now will make any woman uneasy."
I frowned tighter, wondering, "She vomits a lot?"
I felt guilt wash over me for being so clueless about Tabitha's suffering.
"Yeah, Ms. Hartley told me she was feeling nauseous way more often than her previous pregnancy. She can't keep anything down, but she's forcing herself to eat for the sake of the pup. Sometimes she throws it all up right after eating, but she never complains about it. There are even a few times she vomits halfway through her meal. I can tell she cares a lot about this baby."
Joanna's words broke my heart.
After I heard her remarks, I kept thinking back on what I was doing when Tabitha was pregnant with Kyrian.
Before she got pregnant, I told her I desperately wanted her to have my kid. And we tried so hard for this goal.
The day she showed me the pregnancy test report, she was over the moon, rushing into my arms like a little girl, while I was immersed in the sorrow of Elena's death.
I took her bright smile as mockery, and I found it extremely annoying.
I couldn't face her, so I drowned myself in drinks at the bar.
I had no clue she'd be throwing up during her pregnancy.
"What other symptoms are there besides the morning sickness?"