Become a mother in a night

Chapter 45

That night, Michelle Xia had a dream.
In her dream, she recalled the day she had taken a feverish Lizzy Xia to the Ye residence, seeking assistance. The Ye family had provided her with a significant sum of money, and she had left, with her child remaining behind. At the Ye residence, Lizzy grew up surrounded by warmth and affection, mainly from Alex Ye, Sebastian Ye, and Eleanor Ye. It was almost a carefree environment.
As time passed and Lizzy grew older, Alex Ye entered into a marriage alliance with a prominent heiress from Rivenhold. This heiress was aware of Alex's child, Lizzy, and was accepting of her presence. In fact, she was quite fond of Lizzy, admiring her adorable features. However, Lizzy struggled to accept this stranger as her new "mother". The arrival of this unfamiliar figure made young Lizzy anxious and sensitive. She became prone to crying and showing temper tantrums.
Haunted by memories of her mother leaving her behind, Lizzy began doubting the Ye family's intentions, fearing they might also abandon her. As these insecurities grew, she became increasingly reclusive, even showing signs of psychological distress.
Lizzy longed to find her real mother. Yet, when she finally did, she discovered a woman who had found a new lease on love and life. To this woman, Lizzy was nothing more than a burden she wished to avoid at all costs. The woman, her mother, treated her as if she were a total stranger.
Waking from the dream, Michelle felt disoriented, unable to distinguish between reality and the dream. After what felt like ages, she realized what she had dreamt was the original plot of the novel she had once read, and the person in the dream wasn't her but rather the character "Michelle Xia".
In the original storyline, "Michelle Xia" had chosen to abandon Lizzy and received a substantial amount from the Ye family, subsequently finding her ideal suitor. A few years later, as the Ye family dynamics shifted due to Alex's new marriage, Lizzy felt more and more out of place, leading to a warped personality and psychological troubles. Eventually, Alex and his wife had two children of their own, further alienating Lizzy.
Thinking of the Lizzy from her dream, Michelle felt dazed. The sweet, marshmallow-like child she knew couldn't possibly be the cold, temperamental child from her dream. She took a sip of cold water, her throat feeling as if it had been slit open, her mind still foggy from the remnants of the dream.
Having been with Lizzy for months, Michelle felt a strong bond with the child. The thought of Lizzy turning out like the child in her dream was unbearable. Was this the storyline set out by the original author?
In her frustration, she mentally cursed the "senseless author" and "ridiculous plot", condemning them for introducing such unnecessary drama.
"Alex Ye will eventually have to marry," she recalled Eleanor Ye's words. "Lizzy will have another mother someday."
Recalling Eleanor's words, Michelle felt a rush of anxiety, her heart racing uncontrollably.
In the morning, Michelle Xia sat morosely at the breakfast table. When Alex Ye came over, he couldn't help but glance at her more than once.
Alex frowned. Since last night, Michelle seemed off. Her complexion was pale and her spirits seemed low. He had even specifically asked Eleanor Ye about it the night before, but Eleanor mentioned that they had simply been catching up. She had scolded him for not taking better care of Michelle. Eleanor had sighed theatrically, her gaze conveying disappointment. "If only you'd paid more attention to Michelle, perhaps you two would be holding hands by now."
Although he believed Eleanor wouldn't intentionally create problems, Alex still turned to Michelle and asked, "Did my mother say something upsetting to you last night?"
Michelle looked up, her face betraying no emotion. "No," she replied. "Mrs. Ye just chatted with me over tea."
She thought to herself: We only talked about your future spouse, after all.
Alex took a seat beside her, stealing a glance at her before leaning slightly closer. "You don't look so good. Are you feeling ill?" he inquired. Observing that Michelle didn't seem to pull away or show discomfort at his proximity, he reached out and placed the back of his hand on her forehead. It was alarmingly warm.
"You have a fever," he said calmly.
No wonder she seemed a bit out of it today, reminiscent of the always daydreaming Lizzy.
Michelle: ...??
Looking into her eyes, Alex's voice held a hint of concern, "Didn't you feel unwell?"
"I just didn't sleep well last night," Michelle confessed. She had assumed that her nightmares were the reason she felt so out of sorts.
Alex, not pressing further, called for the family doctor.
Upon hearing Michelle was unwell, little Lizzy, clearly distressed, rushed over to shower her with kisses. With her sweet, childlike voice, she tried to comfort Michelle, "If Lizzy gives kisses, you'll feel better!"
Michelle played along, bending down for Lizzy's affection and patting her head. "Yes, your kisses made me feel better," she said, a small smile playing on her lips.
Content with her efforts, Lizzy returned to her own seat, blissfully resuming her breakfast.
Michelle couldn't help but smile at the little girl's adorable antics. But thinking of the dream and the Lizzy in it, her heart felt heavy and conflicted.
After breakfast, Alex took Lizzy to kindergarten. Lizzy, concerned for her ailing mother, wanted to take a day off to care for her. However, Alex declined, leading to a reluctant little girl exiting the door with him.
Seeing Lizzy's drooping head and despondent demeanor, Alex tried to console her. "If Lizzy stays at home, Mom won't be able to rest properly. Because she's always thinking about her precious Lizzy. Having you at home will be too much of a distraction."
Lizzy, not fully grasping his words but picking up on the phrase "Mom's always thinking about her precious Lizzy," was soon content again. Hand in hand with Alex, she cheerily headed to kindergarten.
After dropping Lizzy off at kindergarten, Alex Ye didn't head straight to his office as usual. Instead, he decided to go home to check on Michelle Xia.
When he returned, Dr. Lu was already present, fully equipped with medical gear. He even brought a nurse with him, and was discussing whether Michelle should receive an injection or an IV drip.
Growing up, Michelle had seldom been sick, and when she was, she usually just took medication. She had hardly ever experienced injections or IV drips and was quick to decline both options.
Dr. Lu believed that this would be a good opportunity for his intern to get some hands-on experience. However, considering Michelle's condition, he tried persuading her that an injection would help her recover faster.
Michelle replied, "...Taking medicine will suffice, no need for the extra hassle."
She sincerely added, "Rest assured, Dr. Lu. I have a robust constitution."
Though she had fallen ill suddenly this time, she believed she would recover quickly.
Dr. Lu retorted, "If you were that robust, a little wind wouldn't have given you a cold and fever."
Not wanting an injection, Michelle's wishes were respected by Dr. Lu. After inquiring about her condition and prescribing medication, he advised her to rest well before departing.
When Michelle saw Alex return, her mind automatically supplied a potential reason for his presence.
She asked, "Mr. Ye, did you forget something at home?"
Lifting his gaze to meet hers, Alex's expression remained impassive, torn between amusement that she had already made an excuse for him.
His gaze drifted away as he said nonchalantly, "No, I just came back to check on you."
Michelle was momentarily taken aback. She then noticed Alex pouring a cup of warm water for her and placing it in front of her.
"Eat your medicine first," Alex gently prompted her.
Michelle murmured, "...Thank you, Mr. Ye."
Alex Ye didn't plan to stay and care for Michelle. He had work commitments. Besides, Michelle was an adult, not a child. She didn't need babysitting. Moreover, if he had offered to stay and care for her all day, he was certain she would resent it.
Mr. Ye was aware of these facts. Having poured warm water for Michelle and noticing, from the corner of his eye, that she'd taken her medicine, he prepared to head back to work.
Dr. Lu had previously given Michelle his contact details, so Alex mentioned, "I'm heading back to the office. If there's anything you need, you can contact Dr. Lu or reach out to me."
Michelle understood. If it was related to her illness, she should contact Dr. Lu. For anything else, she could call Alex.
Feeling woozy, Michelle responded with a weak "Mm-hm." As she watched Alex prepare to leave, his tall, decisive silhouette seemed devoid of hesitation, exuding indifference.
While Michelle had a delicate and classic beauty, her character was quite the opposite - she was straightforward. After a moment of hesitation, she decided to call out to Alex. Pulling a faint smile on her exquisite face, she said, "Mr. Ye, could I take a moment of your time? I have some questions for you."
Alex paused, his hand on the door handle, and after a short "Mm," he took a seat opposite Michelle.
Michelle was undoubtedly beautiful, possessing a gentle, refined classical appearance. There was a soft tenderness between her brows that wasn't coquettish or coy; she had an alluring charm that held a sense of distance. Just a single furrow of worry or a nervous look from her could easily elicit sympathy and tenderness from others. It was in this manner that she had initially approached the Ye family.
Initially, Michelle had no intention of getting involved with Lizzy Xia's affairs with the Ye family. She had particularly wanted to avoid any association with Alex Ye. However, now her path had shifted, and she couldn't maintain her previous detached attitude of simply watching events unfold around her.
She gave Alex a nervous smile, but seeing his usual unfazed demeanor, some of her anxiety faded.
After a moment's thought, she decided not to waste any more of his time and to be direct.
She bluntly asked, "Mr. Ye, are you getting married?"