Chapter 7 My Husband Is Nice to Me

“Almost ready! Patience is a virtue when it comes to savoring the finest cuisine!”

Joseph did not say anything and returned to the study with a cup of water. If he had not seen the burnt broccoli on the table, he might have believed her.

Chloe had to admit that food delivery apps were one of the greatest inventions of the 21st century. She transferred all the food from the takeout container onto plates and arranged them nicely. After that, she hid the containers and the bag so that Joseph would not see them.

After everything was done, she shouted, “Dinner’s ready. Come and eat!”

The two sat facing each other at the dining table. Chloe watched Joseph nervously, and she secretly breathed a sigh of relief when she did not see his handsome face frown.

As good as food delivery apps were, the truth could not be hidden forever. She knew she had to take the time to enroll herself in some cooking classes and improve her skills.

While eating, Chloe’s mind wandered to various issues. Suddenly, she was hit by a severe twisting pain in her abdomen. The pain caused her to gasp sharply, and she clutched her stomach with both hands.

Joseph noticed her discomfort and put down his fork. “What’s wrong?”

Chloe’s face turned pale as she said, “It’s nothing. I’m just having a stomach ache. I’ll go find some painkillers. You continue eating.”

She struggled to stand up with the support of the table, taking slow steps toward the bedroom.

Joseph frowned, “Are you sure it’s just a stomach ache?”

“Yeah, it’s an old problem.”

While on her overseas business trip, she frequently experienced stomach discomfort due to high stress and the need to attend social events. Usually, the pain would go away after taking painkillers but she did not know what was going on this time. The pain persisted and gradually intensified.

When Joseph passed by Chloe’s bedroom, he saw the woman curled up and clutching her stomach in pain. Her complexion was ashen and her brows creased as she endured the pain in silence, resembling a frail and powerless creature.

His brow furrowed imperceptibly, and he walked over to her. “Have you experienced any health issues in the past?”

Chloe shook her head, sweat beading on her forehead. “No.”

Joseph pressed his finger on her stomach and asked, “Does it hurt here?”

“No,” she replied.

“What about here?” he asked, poking a different spot.

“Ouch! That hurts!” Chloe’s eyes welled up with tears. “That’s the spot. It’s especially painful there…”

Joseph’s face darkened. “You fool. How can you not tell if it’s a stomach ache or gastritis?”

Chloe was in too much pain to speak.

Joseph hastily picked her up and carried her out of the room, surprised at how much lighter she was than he had anticipated. He did not know what made her think he would not be able to tell that the dishes were actually takeout. He now had a clear understanding of her intellect.

Half an hour later, they arrived at the hospital’s emergency department. The doctor looked at Joseph suspiciously as he held the test results.

“Are you the patient’s husband?” he asked.

Joseph replied hesitantly, “Uh, yes…”

Even though their marriage was fake, it was a fact that he was her legal husband.

The doctor continued, “What kind of husband are you? Your wife was on the brink of a gastrointestinal perforation from exhaustion, and yet you only brought her here now?”

He pointed to the test results and added, “She can’t have greasy foods. How can you not know about that?”

“Please don’t blame him, doctor. We live in different cities, and I only just found out myself,” Chloe interrupted weakly.

She forced a smile as she looked toward Joseph, her face resembling a wilted flower. “My husband is usually…very good to me.”