Chapter 2 When Are You Planning To Have Children

Meanwhile, after Eleanor stepped out of the hotel room, she waited for a long time, yet Adrian never came looking for her.

The realization struck her then that she had gotten out of line, prompting her to hurry back toward the room.

What she did not expect was that the moment she reached the door, unmistakable sounds of intimacy drifted from inside the room.

Fury flared instantly in Eleanor's eyes.

Adrian had always indulged her without restraint, yet he had never once slept with her.

It had not been for her lack of effort; she had gone out of her way to seduce him, only to be met with his cold indifference.

She had assumed that maybe his desires for intimacy were simply lukewarm, only to see him passionately having sex with Jessica now.

A sense of crisis she had never known before surged violently through Eleanor's chest.

Her fingers curled into a tight fist as a malicious idea appeared in her mind.

***

Jessica had no memory of when she had lost consciousness, but when awareness returned, she found herself already inside the Iris Mansion.

She lay alone on the bedroom bed; from the bathroom came the steady sound of running water, and she could see the faint outline of a figure inside.

Gathering her exhausted body, Jessica made her way downstairs, where breakfast had already been laid out by the servants.

She motioned the servants away, then poured coffee, juice, and milk, carefully setting the glasses at Adrian's usual spot.

Not long after, Adrian finished washing up and came downstairs, taking his seat at the dining table.

He reached for the coffee, and that single choice told Jessica he intended to head out once breakfast was over.

They ate without exchanging a word, and when they finished, Jessica went to get a fresh suit, preparing to assist him in changing.

Before she could move closer, Adrian turned his gaze on her and spoke in a low voice. "I'm going to the Buckley Estate today. You will accompany me."

Jessica froze for a brief moment, then gave a silent nod.

She then signed, "Should I wear something suitable for the occasion?"

Adrian caught the gesture, and as he studied her compliant expression, an irritation he could not explain stirred inside him.

Was that truly the only look she could offer him?

Had he married a wife, or some emotionless machine incapable of feeling?

This was utterly boring!

Jessica noticed his features harden at once and assumed she must have said something wrong. Panic flickered through her as she hastily began signing something, her movements growing more frantic by the second.

The flurry of complicated gestures only deepened Adrian's frustration since he could not make sense of them at all.

His gaze shifted away from her hands, his voice turning glacial as he said, "Wear whatever you want."

With that, he snatched the suit jacket from her hand and stormed out the door.

Not daring to let him wait for her for too long, Jessica rushed upstairs, slipped into a plain outfit without bothering with makeup, then hurried out after him.

By then, Adrian was already seated inside his black Rolls-Royce.

The rear door remained ajar, an unmistakable sign that it had been left open for Jessica.

Reclining against the seat, Adrian was resting, his eyes closed, his sharp profile softened by an uncharacteristic air of languid ease.

Steadying her breathing, Jessica climbed into the car without hesitation.

The vehicle glided smoothly toward the Buckley Estate, yet Jessica's mind wandered as she looked at the passing scenery outside the window.

Truth be told, she held little weight as Adrian's wife in the eyes of others.

That was because her marriage to Adrian had always been something complicated.

Years ago, the Buckley Group had been framed and collapsed almost overnight.

On his deathbed, Keith Buckley had sent his eldest grandson, Adrian, to seek shelter with the Howard family, pledging that should the Buckley family ever rise again, a member of the Howards would become the wife of Adrian, heir to the Buckley family.

At the time, the Buckleys had set their sights on Eleanor, who was close to Adrian in age.

The two appeared perfectly suited for each other.

And Adrian was genuinely fond of Eleanor, treating her with rare indulgence despite his normally reserved nature.

With Eleanor's agreement secured, the Howard family accepted the arrangement, planning to let Eleanor marry Adrian.

Yet the Buckley family failed to reclaim their former power for many years, and during that long period of time, Eleanor had a change of heart.

To her, a successor of a powerful family held far greater appeal than a man weighed down by a fallen lineage.

So, as soon as she graduated from university, she wasted no time getting together with a rich heir and marrying him.

Most people assumed the old arrangement would just be canceled like that, believing the Howard family had wronged Adrian.

Yet, contrary to every expectation, Adrian later single-handedly restored the Buckley family to its former glory and honored Keith's final wish by marrying a different daughter of the Howard couple.

Even so, Adrian likely harbored bitterness over Eleanor's betrayal, which resulted in his marriage to a woman who could not speak.

The union came without flowers, without rings, and without a ceremony; the Buckley family also never made any public acknowledgment of it.

In fact, many people were completely unaware that Adrian was married.

Jessica, though bearing the title of Adrian's wife, was nothing more than collateral damage in the tangled affairs between Adrian and Eleanor.

By the time the car pulled into the Buckley Estate, the clock had already edged past eleven in the morning.

It was nearly lunchtime, and the Buckley family had gathered in the dining room, voices overlapping with laughter and conversation.

Adrian guided Jessica inside and called out casually, "Mom."

Cheryl Buckley, Adrian's mother, had been mid-conversation with a relative. Hearing her son's voice, she turned with a smile and began, "Adrian, you're back-"

The smile faltered the instant her eyes landed on Jessica standing behind Adrian, her tone cooling as she said, "It's good that you've returned, but why bring a burden like her here?"

At Cheryl's sharp comment, the lively atmosphere in the room vanished, laughter dying as silence spread across the dining room.

Members of the Buckley family glanced between Cheryl and Jessica, their expressions shifting as they silently observed the unfolding scene.

Jessica was well aware that Cheryl harbored no fondness for her.

Even so, with so many eyes on her, an unavoidable wave of awkwardness and humiliation crept in.

Her complexion pale, she stepped forward, offering greetings to each family member in turn.

Cheryl let out a scoff and said, "Sit down, so no one accuses me of mistreating you."

The Buckley family noticed the tension in the air and quickly attempted to smooth things over, forcing cheer into their voices.

"Adrian, Jessica, you're finally back. It has been so long!"

"That's right. They've been married for three years already, haven't they? How come they still haven't had a child?"

"Adrian, when are you planning to have children? It would make your mother very happy if you did."

Before Adrian could answer, Cheryl set her coffee cup down on the table with a loud thud, her expression icy as she spoke. "Children? He already married a mute woman. Does he need to give me a mute grandchild as well? I would be utterly humiliated if that happened!"

At those words, Adrian turned his head to look at Jessica.

She stood beside him with her head lowered, loose strands of hair slipping down to hide her eyes, leaving only her pale chin visible as she appeared almost pitiful.

A sudden tightness filled Adrian's chest, and he loosened the tie at his collar.

One relative, emboldened by her closeness to Cheryl, said, "Cheryl, you're worrying too much. Adrian's wife was not born mute, so even if she had a child, the child wouldn't inherit that trait."

Cheryl showed no intention of backing down, her expression sharpening further as she replied, "Who knows what kind of genes run in the Howard family? Eleanor behaves without restraint; Jessica cannot even speak. I find them so irritating!"

She then turned her gaze toward Adrian and added pointedly, "Besides, Adrian has no interest in having children; isn't that right, Adrian?"