When Jepherson entered the room, Raeleigh was still asleep, but it appeared that her sleep was a restless one. She was sweating profusely. It seemed as though she was being tormented by a nightmare.Jepherson immediately went to her and woke her up.


    “Raeleigh… Raeleigh…” Jepherson gently called out to Raeleigh. Her eyes opened as she looked right at him.“You’re…”


    “I’m Jepherson. Are you having another bad dream?” Jepherson asked as he wiped the sweat off her face. Raeleigh was panting and quite some time had passed before she finally calmed down. Jepherson wrapped his arms around her, covering her with the quilt. He queried,“What happened?Was it that scary?”


    Raeleigh shook her head and replied,“It’s alright. It’s over.”


    “Why is it that you’ve only been having nightmares recently?” Jepherson kissed Raeleigh at the top of her head. She lifted her eyelids to meet his gaze and asked, “Have you ever gone through a traumatizing experience?”


    “Of course, everyone has. I am no exception. But I’m sure you will not be able to guess what it is,” Jepherson quipped. He mustered a smile, trying to ease her tension. Raeleigh tipped her head upwards. She wondered what would scare a person like Jepherson.


    Jepherson embraced Raeleigh tightly. After he thought it over, he told Raeleigh,“I remember when I was in high school, I was very popr among girls because I was tall and my looks were decent.Hence,I have received many love letters and drawings.”


    “I was pestered for an entire semester, unable to do anything about it. Finally, I could not take it anymore. I told my Dad that I wanted to transfer schools.”


    “Right before I was going to leave, a girl suddenly appeared, but she chose a terrifying ce to appear. I was swimming in the school’s pool at the time when all of a sudden, she showed up in front of me d in a s*xy swimsuit. Then, she curtly told me that she liked me.


    “I reacted innocently and just stood there expressionlessly. She then approached me and nted a kiss on me. The fear just about made my face go pale. I nearly passed out.”


    “Ever since that incident, I had that same nightmare for half a semester. I would sometimes even get a fever from the nightmares.”


    “My parents poked fun of me because of it.”


    “Why does that sound so familiar?” Raeleigh recalled the time she first met Jepherson. For a split second, she was at a loss for words.It struck Jepherson as well and he added, “I’m not referring to you. This actually happened. Ever since then, I never go shirtless in public and I rarely go for swims now.”


    “Are you traumatized?” Raeleigh could not imagine how Jepherson felt. She guessed that he was probably ovee with embarrassment at that time.


    “I was young then,around 14 years old. My school had organized a swimmingpetition. My mother thought that I was good at swimming, so she signed me up. She even said that she was going to bring the other family members to watch mepete. I agreed at that time, but I regretted it afterwards. If I had not agreed to join thepetition, then that incident would not have happened.”


    “So, you’venever participated in anypetitions at school since then?” Raeleigh could envision it for sure. With Jepherson’s approach to things, he would go to great lengths to prevent incidents like that from happening again.”


    “Not in high school.In university, I had to socialize a lot and asionally had to enter events for publicity. Then,I happened to meet you.” Jepherson was amused. He kissed Raeleigh on the forehead and cuddled her.“Sometimes, I wonderwhy that one incident in high school was a nightmare, but it felt like a beautiful dream when we met. It’spletely different. I can’t really remember that girl in high school anymore. I was panicking at that time, as if I had seen the devil.After that, my mother informed me that the girl was pretty and had a good figure, but she could only ever appear as the devil to me.At one point, I even shunned girls froming close to me.”


    “Ever since I met you, things have changedpletely.”


    Jepherson continuedughing. However, Raeleigh could not find it in herself tough. She wondered why.


    Maybe the reason he subconsciously had a good impression of her was because they were rted by blood.


    Perhaps, from the beginning, it had always been familial love andnot romantic love.


    Raeleigh narrowed her eyes. Her face was pale asshe turned around and snuggled into Jepherson’s arms like a petnt child.


    Jepherson lowered his head and asked, “Are you still not feeling well?”


    Raeleigh shook her head.“No, I just want to lie in your arms like this.”


    “Go ahead then. Let me know when you’re tired,” Jepherson said. He patted Raeleigh on the back as though he was soothing a baby to sleep.Raeleigh did not want to say anything.If she was unwilling to leave, then how was she going to tell him about it? What would happen to their child?


    Raeleigh’s whole being was filled with reluctance. Every time she thought about her current predicament, she truly believed that there was nothing worse that could have happened in her life.


    The more she kept to herself, the more depressed she felt.


    Late at night, Jepherson finallyy Raeleigh down on the bed. She was physically and mentally exhausted. Jepherson held her in his arms and soothed her to sleep without turning off the lights.


    When morning came, Raeleigh was met with the sight of Jepherson looking at her as soon as she woke up. Theyy there, looking into each other’s eyes. Raeleigh reached out first to wrap an arm around Jepherson’s slender waist. He was still wearing the same white shirt and ck trousers. He had not slept a wink all night. Even though Raeleigh was still asleep, he had a hunch that she was not sleeping well, as if there were still matters weighing on her mind even in her sleep.Hence, he could not rest andwatched her sleep until she woke up.


    “You’re awake?” Jepherson leaned over to kiss Raeleigh, whoy frozen on the bed.


    Raeleigh flipped over to lie on her back. Every morning, Jepherson would kiss the tip of her nose. After that, he would slowly make his way down and brush his lips against hers. Raeleigh lifted a hand, wanting to push him away, but she could not bear to do so when she looked into his adoring eyes.


    She rested her hands on his shoulders before hugging him.He brought his lips close to her ear and kissed it.Heasked, “What’s the matter? Please tell me. I’ll help you.There’s always a way out.”


    Raeleigh did not answer, but she just continued holding him.


    She did not dare to say anything. She could not say anything. She did not regret her current position.Although she had not liked him when he first pursued her,things had changed. She loved him to the very depths of her heart and soul. If he had not tried to get with her from the start, if they had known that they were rted by blood, then everything that happened between them would have been lost. They neither would have loved each other nor would she bear his child. To her, that sort of life was devoid of any meaning.


    It was not their fault for having crossed paths with each other. The love that blossomed between them was not a sin. Raeleighwas very reluctant to part with him, she really was. But she couldn’t allow herself to continue down the wrong path. It was the only thing she felt sorry towards Jepherson for.


    As for their baby…


    Raeleigh was even more unwilling to part with their child. The baby was a blessing to them. Even if they had done something unforgivable,the baby was innocent.


    Raeleigh made up her mind after Jepherson kissed her forehead. No matter what happened, she would give birth to the baby. She would not tell Jepherson what exactly transpired between them. She was going to love their child well. She would take the baby far away and never return.


    A single tear rolled down Raeleigh’s cheek. She did not want to leave Jepherson.She did not want him to see her crying either. When he turned around to face her,she quickly wiped her tears away.


    Jepherson sat up and looked at her. “Do you want to get up? Or stay at home and rest?”


    Raeleigh asked after thinking for a while, “Are we heading to thepany today?”


    “Logically, youshould be going to the university, but you did not show up at the office yesterday… It’s up to you. I’ll apany you wherever you choose.”


    “Aren’t you busy?” Raeleigh asked in response.She looked extremely frail at that moment, but she did not notice it, because she was pretending to be strong.


    When Jepherson saw Raeleigh in that state, he felt very distressed. However, he did not expose her facade. He merely came close to her, smiling, and enveloped her into an embrace. He then said, “Yes, I’m busy, but it’s my duty as a husband to do my best and apany my wife all our lives.”


    Raeleigh heard the word ‘wife’ andshe could not help but to feel a wave of sadness wash over her, although she didn’t dare to show it. She could only force herself to ask, “Well then, howmuch work do you have? If there’s a lot, then I can help you. Once you’re done, you can apany me.”


    She had thought it over and decided thatshe did not want to obstruct his work.


    Jephersonughed and kissed Raeleigh. He said, “My dear wife, that’s very generous of you. l will follow your orders then.”


    Jepherson’s words tickled Raeleigh, and she finally smiled.The smile left Jepherson stunned. He kissed her again before getting out of bed.


    “Well, let’s head into the office today. When we’re done with work, we’ll go somewhere else. What do you think?” Jepherson quizzed her. Raeleigh nodded and got out of bed too, to wash up and get dressed. She followed Jepherson out of the room. Together, they went downstairs for breakfast.


    The rest had already had their breakfast by the time Raeleigh arrived downstairs.


    Raeleigh and Jepherson were the only ones having breakfastat the table then.Serra made some fresh toast and boiled eggs for them. Jepherson helped Raeleigh peel the eggshell off her egg in a public disy of affection.


    Scarlette especially, was ovee with envy. She wished that she were in Raeleigh’s position instead! What a pity!


    Scarlette heaved a deep sigh. She was unfortunate to have met a fool.


    Santiago was fiddling with his phone,chatting with someone. Scarlette took a peek at his screen and saw the name Cynthia on the screen.


    The first person who came to Scarlette’s mind was Cynthia Moore. Scarlette felt extremely annoyed at Santiago. He was always doing these shady things. Out of all the women out there, why did he have to get involved with a woman from the Moore family? If he had a grudge with Flynt, then he should just deal with him personally. He did not have to drag Cynthia into this.


    Even though Scarlette was angry, she did not dare to voice out her rage. She couldment to herself inwardly, without the guts toin out loud.


    After breakfast, Raeleigh followed Jepherson’s lead as he approached Santiago. Jepherson told Santiago, “Raeleigh will be heading to the office with me today. Then, we’ll go somewhere else in the afternoon. We most likely won’t be back for dinner, so you don’t have to wait for us.”


    Santiago looked up at Jepherson.All he said in response as he stood up was, “I’m going to the Moore family’s ce.”


    Jepherson met his gaze. “Did something happen to Cynthia?”


    “It’s probably a family dispute. Her mother found her a fiance. I’ll go and check it out.” Santiago put his phone away and strode outside. He got into the car and drove off right away. Raeleigh watched as Santiago left and turned to ask Jepherson, “Aren’t you going to have a look?”


    “It’s not necessary. Santiago has his own thoughts on the matter. I cannot interfere too much in his personal affairs. After all, I’m not him.” Over the years, Jepherson had always been that way.He always gave Santiago enough space, just as he did to Raeleigh.


    Raeleigh thought for a while,and she then asked, “But what should we do if the Moore family does something to Santiago?”N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material.


    “Nothing will happen. I doubt the Moore family would dare to do anything to Santiago. After the previous few spars, I’m sure they won’t dare to take action easily. Let’s head to the office first. If anything does happen, then I’m sure Santiago will inform us.” Jepherson assured Raeleigh.


    Jepherson took Raeleigh’s hand and got into their car. On the other end, Santiago was approaching the Moore family residence.