Hearing the busy tone on the phone, Alina was not angry. There was a sinister smile on her lips.
Night slowly fell. Annette was still lying on the sofa without moving at all.
Someone was knocking on the door, and Annette ignored it.
Dwayne's voice sounded, "I'm Dwayne. I brought dinner for you. I came alone. Will you open the door?"
Annette didn't move. She didn't want to see anyone.
She was afraid that when others saw her, they would label her as Lance's illegitimate daughter.
"If you don't want to see me, I'll put it at the door. Please take good care of yourself. You have to think about the baby too."
Annette raised her hand and placed it on her lower abdomen.
"I'll be leaving. Please remember to come out to fetch the food."
The sound at the door disappeared.
After a while, someone knocked on the door again.
"Annette, I'm Roxanne. Open the door."
After she heard Roxanne's voice, Annette finally sat up.
She stood up weakly and opened the door.
Roxanne walked in with her suitcase. On the top of her suitcase was the food container she had picked up on the ground.
After closing the door, she reached out and hugged Annette.
"I saw the news. Are you alright?"
Annette burst into tears as she hugged Roxanne.
Roxanne had never seen Annette cry so miserably before.
She thought that Annette could always manage her emotions well.
It turned out that in the past, Annette wasn't sad because she was never in love with someone so deeply.
Roxanne patted Annette's back gently and said, "Annette, I understand how you feel. But, you still need to stay cool. You are a mother now, OK?."
Annette said painfully, "Roxanne, I can't understand. Connor knows how much I hate Lance, but why did he still salt my wound?"
"He probably wanted to get you out of the embarrassing situation. Think about it. The rumors about you and Austin are everywhere, and both of you can't give any reasonable explanation. If the rumors kept spreading, others would take it seriously. I think Connor might just want to protect you."
"Roxanne, if he wanted to protect me, he wouldn't have used such a way and pushed me deeper into the abyss. He knows my fear, and he is so smart. I couldn't figure out why he did a thing I hated the most. If he cares about me, he will never do that."
Roxanne was worried when hearing Annette cry so badly that she couldn't breathe.
Roxanne couldn't bear to see how devastated Annette was.
"Annette, what can I do to make you feel better? You are breaking my heart."
Annette shook her head. "Roxanne, you don't have to do anything. Sorry, I shouldn't make you feel bad."
"Come on. We are best friends. So we will protect each other when needed."
Roxanne patted her shoulder and said, "You can cry on my shoulder if you want. I'll be here for you."
Roxanne looked at Annette seriously.
Annette hugged her and said, "Roxanne, thank you. I need someone to accompany me now. Thank you for being here."
Roxanne hesitated for a moment before saying, "Annette, Connor is downstairs. I saw his car was at the entrance when I arrived."
Annette let go of her and turned to sit down on the sofa.
Roxanne stepped forward and said, "It was Connor who called me this afternoon. He said that you are lonely and need someone to accompany you. He hoped that I could come. Annette, I think he cares a lot about you. Maybe he just used the wrong way to protect you this time."
Annette did not say a word.
Roxanne knew how stubborn Annette was.
Annette had not thought it through yet. It was useless to rely on others to persuade her.
Roxanne took the food container from her suitcase and sat down beside Annette.
"You haven't eaten anything yet, right? I saw it at the door when I came in."
Roxanne opened the food container as she spoke.
"Look, it looks yummy."
Annette shook her head and said, "I have no appetite. You must be hungry after a long journey. You should eat it."
"Nope. You are pregnant. I will feed you."
Annette looked at Roxanne and sighed helplessly. "Fine. I'll eat it."
After only a few mouthfuls, she couldn't eat anymore.
"Roxanne, I don't want to force myself. I can't eat it." Annette looked at Roxanne and said, "My heart is in pain now."
"How can I make you feel better? What do you want me to do for you?"
Annette said, "Sit with me for a while. Let's watch TV together."
After watching TV for half an hour, Annette said, "Roxanne, it's getting late. Let's rest early."
Roxanne said, "I want to share a bed with you tonight."
"Alright. I'll go take a shower."
Roxanne nodded and said, "OK. Be careful."
After Annette entered the bathroom, Roxanne walked to the window and took out her phone to call Connor.
"Connor, are you still downstairs?"
"How's Annette? Did she have dinner?"
"Yeah, but she only ate a little. I think it's pointless for you to stay. You should go back. I'll take care of Annette."
Connor said calmly, "I'll stay. Call me if you need anything, and I'll be right there."
"Alright then. Do as you please."
"Did she cry?"
"Her eyes are swollen," Roxanne turned around and looked at the bathroom door. Her hand was on the phone as she whispered, "She wasn't so sad when she broke up with Kyle. She was crying miserably and almost couldn't breathe when I arrived. You hurt Annette deeply this time."
Connor was silent for a moment before saying, "I know."
"Annette may have a good personality, yet she is also stubborn. I think you have to be prepared. Annette is coming out soon. I've got to go."
Roxanne hung up the phone and pulled her suitcase into the bedroom to unpack her clothes.
Soon, Annette came out. She sat on the bed and said, "Roxanne, just go for a shower. I will help you do that."
"No, you're pregnant. Don't move my suitcase. I'll go take a shower and get it myself when I come out."
Annette nodded. "There are new towels and toothbrushes in the bathroom. I've prepared them for you."
"Thanks."
When Roxanne went out, Annette was done unpacking Roxanne's clothes.
Roxanne dried her hair and said, "Ann, that's quick."
Annette sat on the bed and sighed, "I didn't bring any books when I came back. I'll let my imagination run wild if I sit still, so it's better to do something. Now, I feel more comfortable."
Roxanne walked forward and touched Annette's belly, "Baby, thank you and your mother for her hard work."
Annette raised her hand and gently stroked her lower abdomen.
She recalled how she had used her child to threaten Connor in the afternoon, and she felt guilty.
The child was the only one she cared about in this world.
Annette was angry with her impulsiveness. She thought, 'Baby, don't blame me. I didn't do it on purpose. I'll never use you to threaten anyone.'
"Annette, can you tell me what is on your mind? I came here to share the burden with you. You will never be alone. Got it?"