I Slept with My Boss and Ran Away

Meredith made her way from one end of the street to the other, eating as she walked. She suddenly felt nostalgic for the days when she and Fiona would occasionally sneak out to explore the night markets together. They would buy trinkets and snacks along the street. But those days seemed long gone, as their sentiments had changed.

Sitting at an ice cream stall, Meredith said, "Hello, I'd like an ice cream, please." With the weather being so hot, an ice cream was a delightful treat.

Soon enough, the vendor handed her the ice cream saying, "Here you go, young lady."

"Thank you," Meredith replied, beginning to eat with a spoon. Halfway through, she was already full. She burped discreetly and was about to pay when a magnetic voice from behind startled her: "You sure can eat a lot." Turning around, Meredith saw Terrence Sterling and was overjoyed, "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at the office?"

Terrence sat down beside her, asking, "What all did you eat just now?"

Embarrassed, Meredith listed, "A hot dog, two churros, a few fried dumplings, ice cream..." By the end, she felt somewhat ashamed - how could a girl eat so much?

Terrence's eyes crinkled with indulgent amusement as he touched her stomach, "Gained some weight, have you?"

Meredith didn't notice the tender and expectant look in his eyes as his hand rested on her belly.

She touched her stomach too, "Seems like I did. I've been keeping an eye on the renovations and helping out with the physical work, getting hungry fast and eating a lot. Terrence, you won't mind if I've gotten a bit fat, will you?" "Not at all," Terrence withdrew his hand, "Whether thin or fat, you are mine."

He stood up, "Are you done eating? Let's head home."

Meredith felt a sweet sensation inside, "You left work early? Is it not busy at the office?"

"If I needed to be at the office 24/7, then what use are the thousands of employees?" Terrence joked as he helped her up, "You ate a lot, let's walk a bit to digest."

Yawning due to overeating, which made her sleepy, Meredith felt more alert with Terrence by her side for a stroll.

Holding her hand, they walked by the river, the breeze and conversation pleasant. Meredith looked into the distance, feeling blissful, "Terrence, I am really happy now. Can we keep being happy like this?"

She relished the feeling of being cherished.

He smiled, "Of course."

Meredith smiled back, watching him, "You are so good."

Previously, Meredith had been afraid of Terrence, but now she had him figured out. If she had known earlier that Terrence was warm beneath his cool exterior, she would have pursued him sooner.

Their joy turned bittersweet. Perhaps due to the river breeze or something else, Meredith fell ill with a slight fever once they got home.

Terrence was extremely worried, checking her temperature, which read 37.4°C - slightly elevated.

Lying weakly in bed, Meredith saw his furrowed brow and reassured him, "It's just a low fever, some medicine will do."

"No medicine. Let's go to the hospital," he insisted, fetching her clothes.

Meredith thought he was overreacting, "To the hospital for 37. 4°C? I just need some water and rest, maybe some aspirin or something. I'm not one of those fragile ladies from TV dramas; I can handle this." "That's not acceptable; we must go to the hospital for a check-up. You might handle it, but the little one might not," Terrence insisted.

Meredith was puzzled, "What little one?"

Terrence didn't answer but simply carried her downstairs.

It was late evening. He drove her personally to the hospital. She sat in the passenger seat, looking sickly.

He occasionally touched her forehead to check if her temperature had risen.

Her fever persisted at a low grade. Terrence said, "It's not good to keep a fever like this. Drink some water, we'll be at the hospital soon." Seeing his concern, Meredith felt happy inside and teased, "Hmm, this kind of heat isn't good. It gets old; we need a different kind." Terrence caught on and laughed, "What on earth are you always thinking about?"

"You haven't done any push-ups in a long time," Meredith teased. "Are you tired of it, or can you not manage anymore?"

Terrence was momentarily speechless.