Silly Bride

Chapter 381
“Xavier.” In the dark, Winnie pressed her lips onto Xavier’s.The two kissed as the salty taste of tears filled their mouths, but no
one knew whose tears they were.They were carried away by the amorous atmosphere, and their bodies began reacting to each
other.The two of them had never been this physically intimate since Winnie had been ill.That night would be their first since
then.However, at the very last second, Winnie suddenly sobered up.She abruptly recalled the reminder of a certain doctor, and
she promptly pushed Xavier away.Xavier was surprised by the shove, for the flame in him was blazing.Instinctively, he thought
that Winnie was feeling ill, so he hastily sat upright to turn on the light.Winnie stopped him, however.“Don’t turn on the light,
Xavier.”“What’s wrong?” Xavier’s hoarse voice was laced with panic. “Aren’t you feeling unwell? Let me take a look at you.”“No,”
Winnie said with a frown. “It’s not that.”“Then why did you push me away?” Xavier lay back down to hug her. “Did I do something
bad? Or could it be that I hurt you?”“No, you didn’t.” Winnie shook her head gently. “I just suddenly remembered something one
of the doctors said. She told me it’s best for us not to have sex for now.”“Why?”“I don’t know if my bodily fluids are going to affect
you. That’s a risk I don’t want to take. I’m really sorry, Xavier. I can’t... Not now...”Xavier understood what she meant, and he
held her tightly. “Don’t apologize. This isn’t your fault; it’s mine. I can’t believe I’m thinking about these things even when you’re
sick. It’s fine, Winnie. You’ll get better. I’ll be the perfect partner in bed the next time.”“Okay.” Winnie tightened her hold around
his waist and rested her cheek against his sweaty chest.Although things had abruptly been called off, Winnie could still sense the
fire burning in Xavier’s body.As she lowered her hand, she whispered, “Why don’t I help you out?”“It’s fine.” Xavier took Winnie’s
hand and held it by his lips to kiss it. “Your husband here isn’t an animal. I know how to control myself.”“Don’t you feel
uncomfortable holding it in?”“I’m fine, Dumbo.” It was only desire that had nowhere to be unleashed. What right did he have to
speak of discomfort if he were to compare his with the agony she was currently going through? What he felt meant
nothing.Xavier continued hugging Winnie for a while before he calmed down again and said, “I’m all sweaty, so I’m going to wash
up. You should sleep first. You don’t need to wait for me.”Winnie quietly hummed in agreement before letting go of him. “Go
ahead, then.”Ten minutes later, Xavier exited the bathroom after his shower.When he walked over to the side of the bed, he saw
Winnie with her eyes closed. He sat beside her and softly called out her name.Winnie did not respond.Thinking that she was
asleep, he turned off the lights.He had initially wanted to hold her in his arms and go to sleep, but he changed his mind at the
very last minute.Instead, he got down from the bed and put on some clothes before leaving the room.Once Xavier was gone,
Winnie turned around and lay on her side.Although she could not see anything, she still opened her eyes.She had yet to fall
asleep. She had only pretended to be asleep because she wanted to give Xavier some time alone. He was too stressed out by
her illness.Xavier took a pack of cigarettes and a lighter and headed to the garden at the back.With his eyes closed, he walked
from the main mansion to the side mansion.He wanted to find out what the world felt like to Winnie. It was less than a kilometer’s
walk between the main mansion garden and the side mansion garden, but Xavier had already stumbled several times. He could
not imagine how Winnie remembered every corner of the house.Once he was tired from his walk, he sat on a bench and started

smoking one cigarette after another. In no time, cigarette butts were littered on the ground around his feet.Right as he lit another
cigarette, he heard approaching footsteps.Subconsciously, he assumed that it was Winnie.Not wanting Winnie to find out that he
had been smoking half a pack of cigarettes in the middle of the night, he quickly threw the cigarette he just lit onto the ground
and stomped on it.Once he was done with that, he stood up and turned around.However, he realized with one glance that it was
not Winnie.The person had a torchlight in their hand and could walk fast. It could not be Winnie.Winnie could not see anything,
so she was slow when she walked.He sat back down and lit another cigarette.He did not care who it was. No one mattered to
him if they were not the woman he loved.Soon, the light from the torch shone at his feet.Then a young woman’s voice sounded
out. “Who are you? Why are you smoking in the garden in the middle of the night? You even threw cigarette butts everywhere.
This is against the rules. You’ll be fined, you know?”Xavier inhaled his cigarette and chuckled quietly at the young woman’s
words.The young woman found the man’s chuckle contemptuous, and that irritated her.She raised her volume and said, “Why,
aren’t you haughty? Do you know that I have to clean this place every day? You’re just adding to my workload by littering your
cigarette butts here! Hey, are you deaf?”Annoyed by the man’s lack of response, the young woman shone her torch at Xavier’s
eyes.Xavier immediately squinted and turned away from the bright light.At the same time, the young woman recognized
Xavier.“Y-You’re Mr. Fairchild!” The young woman quickly kept away her torch and apologized, “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I didn’t know
that you were Mr. Fairchild. The lights at the main mansion are off, so I thought you and Mrs. Fairchild were already sleeping. I
never thought that you’d be smoking here.”The maid was quick to admit her mistake, so Xavier did not lose her temper with
her.However, he could no longer spend time alone at the spot, so he wanted to head back to hold Winnie again.Stomping out
another cigarette, he then rose to his feet.When the young woman realized that Xavier was leaving, she figured out that it was
either now or never.Taking a step forward, she said, “Mr. Fairchild, thank you for the help you’ve extended to our family. My
mother and I are very grateful for your assistance.”At that, Xavier turned to glance at her before frowning.He did not know who
she was, so how could he have lent a helping hand to her mother? Furthermore, he was no saint who was prone to helping
others.When the young woman realized she had captured Xavier’s attention, she explained in a sincere tone, “Mr. Fairchild, I’m
Abigail Shasnow. You may not know me, but I’m sure you remember my father. His name is Walter Shasnow, and he used to be
your driver, but he passed away from a car accident. The family had a hard time after my father’s death because we needed
money for my grandparents and my mother’s illnesses. Back then, we were about to starve, and I almost dropped out of school
to work. It was later on when you gave us a sum of money did my grandparents continue their treatment plan and did my mother
manage to pay for her surgery. If not for you, my family would have been gone. You even gave me the opportunity to work here.
I’ve done numerous jobs, but this is the easiest and the highest-paying job I ever had. Thank you so much, Mr. Fairchild.”Xavier
could not help but take another glance at Abigail when he heard her history.