Chapter 16

Grace frowned upon hearing her request. “Miss Adkins, there are no strawberries available this season.”

“Grace, could you please go to the trouble of finding them for me? I really crave strawberries,” Louise said, not lifting her head from her phone as she spoke.

Grace could only resign herself to standing up and looking for strawberries.

After Louise watched her leave, she sneered. “Are you thinking of hiding in the hospital room and enjoying the air conditioning? Dream on!”

Grace spent a little over two hours running around outside before finally finding a place that sold strawberries.

After buying them, Louise ate two strawberries and then threw the rest into the trash. “Grace, what kind of strawberries did you buy? Why do they taste so bad?”

“Miss Adkins, as I told you, there are no strawberries in this season. Even if there are, they’re out of season, and out–of–season fruits generally don’t taste good,” Grace explained.

“It’s because you couldn’t find them, yet you’re making many excuses. Forget it. I won’t argue with you.

It’s already noon, and I’m hungry. Hurry back and make me lunch. It took you so much time just to buy some strawberries,” Louise said.

Grace nodded, took a deep breath, and asked, “Alright, I’ll go back and make it for you. Miss Adkins, what would you like to eat?”

“Your culinary skills are excellent. I’ll enjoy whatever you make.” Louise smiled as she looked at her.

Grace stood up, preparing to leave. She hadn’t even dried the sweat on her forehead from the last run, and now she had to head out again.

Just as she was about to leave, Louise called her again, “Grace.”

“I asked you to buy strawberries and make me lunch. You’re not mad at me, are you?” Louise inquired.

Louise’s expression seemed innocent as she continued, “Don’t be angry, okay? That’s just how I am, straightforward. Even though you accidentally caused my fracture, I won’t blame you. Please don’t hold a grudge against me.”

Grace didn’t know what to say. She glanced at Louise, then turned and left.

{

Hurrying home, Melvin looked at her and asked, “Miss Sherman, why did you come back so soon? And in this hot weather, why didn’t you bring an umbrella?”

“No problem.” Grace wiped away some sweat. “Melvin, I still need to cook.”

“Yes, is it for Miss Adkins?” Melvin asked.

“Yes.”

“I already had someone prepare the meal. Here, let me pack it for you. Please take it to her,” Melvin said.

Grace looked at him appreciatively and replied, “Melvin, thank you.”

“Thanks for what? You’re the mistress of this house. Anyway, I won’t say more. Take an umbrella and take care of yourself,” Melvin said.

“Okay.”

Grace hurriedly made her way back.

After eating a few bites, Louise felt that something was off with the taste. “Grace, you didn’t cook this, did you?”

Grace’s culinary skills were quite unique. Throughout the entire villa, no one could match her cooking.

Grace hesitated for a moment. “Yes, Melvin had someone prepare it. Upon returning, it would have taken too long if I had cooked it from scratch, and you would have been starving.”

“I don’t like the meals they prepare. I don’t want to eat this. Could you please get me a takeaway of Lobster Ravioli from Golden Magnifique?” Louise Adkins chuckled lightly.

Grace hesitated momentarily, looked at her, and after a brief pause, she stood up. “Alright.”

Throughout the day, Grace was almost constantly on the go.

Louise always found various reasons to send her out to buy this or that under the scorching sun.

(+5)

Around six in the evening, as the sun began to set, a breeze swept through, bringing a slight coolness to the air.

Louise looked outside and said, “Grace, carry me outside. I want to feel the breeze and breathe some fresh air.”

1 Grace missed the implication of “carry” in her words and instead went to borrow a wheelchair from a nurse.

“I’ll help you up.” Grace offered.

Louise widened her eyes, looking at her. “Are you asking me to sit in a wheelchair?”

“What’s wrong? Can’t you sit in a wheelchair?” Grace didn’t understand and found her question a bit odd.

“I’m not disabled. Why would I need to sit in a wheelchair?” Louise looked at the wheelchair with disdain.

“How do you want to go outside, then?”

“Oh, didn’t I just say it? Carry me outside on your back,” Louise reiterated.

Grace’s eyebrows furrowed deeply. “I…”

Louise smiled at her. “Grace, do you think I’m fat? Are you afraid I’m too heavy?”

“No,” Grace replied.

Carrying her outside wouldn’t be a big deal if she weren’t pregnant. However, she really couldn’t take the risk with her current pregnancy.

Louise’s face fell slightly. “You don’t want to carry me? Fine, forget it. I’ll wait for Brian to come back and carry me.”

Mentioning Brian, Grace’s expression changed. Brian seemed to harbor deep resentment towards her now. If Louise were to complain in front of him, Brian might make her do even more extreme things.

With these thoughts in mind, Grace walked over and crouched down by the bedside.

Louise succeeded in her scheme, chuckling triumphantly. She slowly moved onto Grace’s back, putting her entire weight on her.

Grace walked out of the ward slowly. Although she had been accustomed to physical labor since childhood, she took careful steps now, considering the baby in her belly.

After finally reaching the garden outside, Grace carefully placed her on a chair.

She was exhausted, panting heavily, and drenched in sweat.

{

“Miss Adkins, I really can’t carry you any longer. I’ll go get the wheelchair, and I’ll push you back in a while, okay?”

Louise pursed her lips. “Grace, I really don’t want to sit in a wheelchair. It makes me feel like a useless person. If you’re unwilling, wait until Brian returns, and he can carry me back.”

“Okay, I’ll go back and clean up the ward.” Grace nodded.

It was too hot outside, and she wanted to return to the air–conditioned room for a while.

Louise watched her leave, a cold smirk playing on her lips. After a while, she suddenly saw a familiar figure entering through the door.

She threw her phone to the ground, then immediately supported herself on the chair’s armrest and stood up from the floor. “Ah!”

Brian heard the familiar voice and then saw Louise fall to the ground while picking up her phone.

“Why are you alone here? Where’s Grace?” Brian’s heart skipped a beat as he quickly ran over.

“Grace went back to the ward. I don’t know why she went back.” Louise’s eyes welled up with tears.

Brian’s face darkened. He picked her up with concern and walked back to the ward.

In the ward, Grace was disinfecting the room. Louise was quite particular, feeling that the ward was not clean enough and insisting on daily disinfection.

Seeing Brian carrying Louise back, Grace was taken aback. Just as she was about to say something, she caught sight of the stern expression on Brian’s face.

“You were supposed to take care of her, but you left her alone outside! Grace, are you trying to get yourself killed?” Brian’s voice was cold and filled with anger.

“I… she wanted to go outside,” Grace stammered.

“What? Are you suggesting she stay in the ward all day and not be allowed outside?”

“I didn’t mean that,” Grace choked out.

“So you’re admitting that you purposely left her there alone and fell?”

Grace didn’t want to explain any further. Speaking to someone who didn’t trust her would only deepen the pain in her heart.

Brian placed Louise on the bed and glared at her coldly. “Get out of here! Can’t even handle simple tasks. What’s the use of standing around here?”