Chubby Mommy: Scheming Daddy, Surrender Now!-Chapter 165: Sorry

Rhonda Sullivan was awakened by the vibrating sound of her phone during her sleep and answered it without looking closely. At this hour, it likely wouldn’t be a sales call.

She had just said "Hello" when she heard the peculiar laughter of a man on the other end, "Mr. Sullivan, calling you at this time shouldn’t be an inconvenience, right?"

Tyler Aldrin spoke while taking a deep drag of his cigarette, his face crinkling into profound ridges. Beside him, the woman who had just finished left the bed and walked towards the bathroom.

Rhonda Sullivan instantly snapped wide awake, "What do you want?"

"Because of that particular issue, I’ve lost a piece of land. You know that, right? I’ve heard that the live house there is doing particularly well, and whenever I think about it, it pains me."

"You brought that on yourself—trying to steal a chicken but ended up losing the rice. You didn’t even realize you were being filmed," Rhonda Sullivan retorted unceremoniously, her voice brimming with anger.

Tyler Aldrin furrowed his brow, "You vile woman, do you think I’m afraid of you? Since you’re involved with Ethan Sterling again, I can only hold you accountable for what he took from me. If you compensate me for my losses, I don’t need to ruin your plans."

"Psycho!" Rhonda Sullivan cursed, hanging up the phone. She trembled as she recalled the past events. Not wanting to hear his voice again, she blocked his number outright.

On the other side of the phone, Tyler Aldrin cursed upon hearing the tone, then hung up, sending a photo over.

Rhonda Sullivan glared at the nude photo of herself on the screen, letting out a scream and throwing the phone.

She never expected that Tyler Aldrin would dare to drug her and Gemma Joyce’s drinks!

Rhonda Sullivan bit her lower lip hard as tears began to fall.

At that moment, Iris knocked on the door from outside upon hearing the commotion, "Ma’am, what’s wrong?"

"Nothing," Rhonda replied, lying down to continue sleeping.

They’re just a few photos. Though they look a lot like her, so what? If he actually had the evidence, he wouldn’t have waited until now to hold it over her after Ethan Sterling confronted him to talk. She understood now; if he dared to reveal the situation, she’d accuse him of rape—worst comes to worst, there’s no turning back!

Despite making up her mind, Rhonda Sullivan barely slept following that; when she managed to doze off, nightmares would frighten her awake. By morning, her head was throbbing, and her face looked utterly pale without a speck of color.

Iris watched her with concern. Without revealing anything, she feared trouble and decided to call Ethan Sterling.

Ethan Sterling had just woken up and was in the bathroom freshening up, while Ruby Sullivan cast a glance at the vibrating phone on the bedside table with mild irritation, getting up to deliver it to the bathroom, "It’s likely Rhonda Sullivan’s maid, right?"

Ethan Sterling caught a glimpse of her weary, half-open eyes in the mirror, feeling uncomfortable inside. Only when one is utterly indifferent would they wear such an expression now.

He wiped the water off his face with a towel and took the phone, "Thank you."

"You’re welcome," Ruby Sullivan yawned and turned to leave, unperturbed by the conversation.

Ethan Sterling watched her retreating figure in the mirror, with furrowed brows that climbed higher, "What is it?" Unintentionally, the speech carried a tone.

Iris was startled by his terse words, paused briefly, and then hurried to report, "Mr. Sterling, Ma’am looks particularly unwell. I asked her what’s wrong, and she won’t say. I’m a little worried."

"If needed, she will reach out to me herself," Ethan Sterling finished before hanging up, sensing he might have been too easy-going with Iris.

He returned to the room, seeing Ruby Sullivan had gone back to sleep, hugging the quilt like a bolster and rolling, nearly tumbling to the floor. She rarely lingered in bed before, but these past two days, each time he returned after getting up, she’d adopt such a carefree sleeping posture.

Ethan Sterling was displeased, thinking she must be set on divorce, even her sleeping posture declared inner joy!

But despite the annoyance, he squatted by the bedside with patience, pinching her nose gently, fearing to startle her, softly saying, "I have to go to the office today. I’ll be back around noon to have lunch with you, take a nap, and then visit the hospital for the results."

Ruby Sullivan initially wore a severe frown, but hearing the last part made it relax, replying lazily without opening her eyes, "Okay."

Ethan Sterling rose to change clothes and, while passing the kitchen door, turned to glance at her again, reminding, "Don’t fall off." He said this before heading downstairs for breakfast.

Ruby Sullivan heard the door closing sound and opened her eyes muttering, "So annoying." She wasn’t even sure if she was annoyed at Ethan Sterling or just feeling typical wake-up irritability, or perhaps... she was merely a little worried about the results this afternoon.

At Mercy Hospital, inside Zane Lawson’s office, Ethan Sterling and Ruby Sullivan sat side by side across from Zane Lawson, waiting for the result announcement.

Ruby Sullivan examined his expression upon entering, constantly thinking it didn’t look congenial, like the face of someone bringing good news.

Zane Lawson handed three documents to Ethan Sterling, "Apologies, Mr. Sterling, the child Ms. Sullivan is carrying is not yours. So, the bone marrow match with Melody Wallace was also unsuccessful." 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

Ruby Sullivan was stunned, having expected the marrow match might fail but not that the child wasn’t Ethan Sterling’s.

Ethan Sterling furrowed his brows without speaking.

Zane Lawson continued, "Based on experience, conducting a paternity test using the umbilical cord blood of an unborn fetus carries a certain margin of error, hence I matched it against Ms. Sullivan’s gene. This result, it should be accurate. I’m sorry."

Ruby Sullivan remained dazed for a long time, the corner of her mouth twisted upwards imperfectly, turning her head to smile at Ethan Sterling, "So... you risked my child’s life to protect someone else’s child?"

Ethan Sterling smoothed his lip line, remaining silent.

Zane Lawson understood the gravity of the situation, quickly persuasive, "Mrs. Sterling, please calm down. It was all an accident."

Ruby Sullivan took a deep breath, "Apologies, I can’t calm down," she said, standing up and rushing out.

"Ruby Sullivan!" Ethan Sterling called with a frown, promptly following out, catching her arm in the corridor.

Ruby Sullivan was pulled off balance, turning to glare at him, "Let go of me, I don’t want to see you right now."

He looked steadily at her, but his hold tightened, "I won’t."

Ruby Sullivan showed no mercy, kicking hard at his thigh.

Ethan Sterling winced, biting back a breath of cold air, clamping his legs together, arching his back, yet still did not release his grip.

"Let go!" Ruby Sullivan, irritated, was slapping his hand incessantly, soon reddening his wrist and arm.

Ethan Sterling endured the pain, pulling firmly, drawing her into his embrace tightly, "I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry..."

He repeated those three useless words beside her ear, the only words he could utter.

Ruby Sullivan’s fiercely maintained mask finally crumbled, her fists hitting erratically against his back, her features contorted beyond recognition. She felt terrible, so terrible she wanted to sob violently, opening her mouth but failing to make a sound, only tears running unchecked.

Ethan Sterling held her tightly, wishing he could absorb her into himself, hoping all her agony could be transferred to him. She knew her pain was his hundredfold, thousandfold...

He was a bastard, he owed her, several lifetimes wouldn’t suffice to repay...