Chapter 228: We Can’t Beyond The Realm Of Friends
He kept pressing the doorbell, startling the neighbors on the other side.
Sam opened the door and was surprised to see him again.
"It’s you again. Ms. Gladwell went to work."
Christopher turned around in surprise. "Work? What work does she do?"
"I don’t know," Sam replied.
Christopher turned around and entered the elevator with a dark face.
After the elevator doors closed, Sam took out her phone and dialed a number.
"Hey, Robbie. I feel like something’s wrong with him. I want you to follow him. What do you say?"
In the elevator, Christopher was looking at the numbers while he was telling to the person on the other end of the line, "Find out where Janice works."
Suddenly, the elevator door opened. He put away his mobile phone and was about to walk out when a man bumped into him.
Her phone fell to the ground with a snap. He frowned and was about to pick it up. However, the man picked up the phone first. "I’m sorry."
The man was wearing a black cap, and his face couldn’t be seen clearly. Now that he had apologized, Christopher didn’t say anything. He took his mobile phone and left in a hurry.
However, the moment he turned around, the man caught up with him slowly.
Not long after Christopher left the apartment, he received an investigation report.
When he learned that Janice was working in a magazine, he was very agitated.
Why didn’t he ask clearly?
No, he shouldn’t have thought like that.
The more Christopher thought about it, the more distressed he felt. He pulled off his tie and threw it aside.
Not long after, his car stopped in front of the magazine’s office.
He got out of the car and strode in.
Inside, Janice had just finished her lunch, and wanted to have a nap at her desk.
However, she was woken up before she fell asleep.
"Janice, someone is looking for you outside," a colleague patted her on the shoulder and said.
Janice slowly stood up and rubbed her eyes, wondering who would come to find her.
When she went out and saw Benjamin, she asked in surprise. "I didn’t expect it was you!"
Benjamin stood there and watched Janice approach.
When he had heard Christopher wrongly accusing her in the restaurant, he initially felt a bit sad. Now, he felt even more distressed.
He slowly walked forward.
"Janice, why didn’t you tell me?"
Janice, however, was puzzled. "Tell you what?"
A trace of pity flashed across Benjamin’s face.
"About your pregnancy."
Janice was startled for a moment and then she knew why. She replied bashfully, "Ah! I didn’t know how to say it properly."
Benjamin understood at once and thought, "She’s right. Why does she have to tell me?"
He asked, "Since you’re pregnant, why did you come to work? Shouldn’t you rest at home?"
Janice smiled and then said, "I don’t think so! It’s good to go to work and many professional women do the same, don’t they?"
Benjamin couldn’t refute her words.
He really wanted to tell her that if she wanted, he could accept the child and raise him with her.
But he was at a loss for words.
After all, last night he had told her to be friends.
Since they were friends, they couldn’t exceed the realm of friends.
He gave up the words that he wanted to say.
"Then... if you need any help, you must tell me."
"Okay." Janice nodded.
Neither of them spoke another word. Just like that, silence reigned.
...
Janice felt a bit awkward and glanced at the time.
She said, "I’m going back to work, you..."
Benjamin said, "Ah, that’s right! I... I’m going back to work too."
"See you."
Benjamin nodded.
Janice turned around and walked inside.
"Janice."
Benjamin suddenly called her.
Janice stopped and turned around.
"I..." Benjamin opened his mouth but failed to say it in the end. He had to change his words and said, "If you need any help, just tell me."
"Thanks, but he has me."
Before Janice could reply, a sonorous voice suddenly rang out.
Both of them looked over at the same time. At the door, Christopher was walking toward them. He was tall and he walked fast. When he passed by Benjamin, he didn’t even look at him and stopped in front of Janice in the end.
"Follow me."
Janice didn’t even have time to refuse before he dragged her out by the arm.
Benjamin stood there watching them leave and couldn’t help laughing at himself.
He knew that she would never need him again.
"Let go of me. It hurts."
Janice didn’t struggle out of him until they were outside the magazine. She rubbed her arm and protested.
When Christopher saw the red mark on her white arm, he didn’t know what to do. He just wanted to take her away as soon as possible and didn’t control his strength well.
"Sorry, I... I didn’t mean to do that."
Hearing his apology, Janice paused for a moment, then said, "What’s up?"
"I need to tell you something."
Janice nodded.
Janice lowered her arm. "What is it?"
"I..."
"What happened to your face?"
He was just thinking about how to say when Janice suddenly spoke.
Her gaze fell on the bruise on his left cheek.
Only then did Christopher remember the punch he had taken before, and he quickly tried to hide it from her view.
"Nothing."
"Let me have a look. There’s a bruise."
As she spoke, Janice forcefully turned his face back.
"You need an ice pack. Wait for me, I’ll go and get one."
She turned around and was about to go back, but he hugged her from behind.
His long arms wrapped around her and his neck was pressed against her face.
That warm sensation permeated every cell in Janice’s body.
She stood there in a daze, forgetting to move.
She couldn’t remember how long it had been since she had been hugged by him, and it made her feel greedy.
"I’m sorry."
After a long time, his deep voice sounded in her ear.
Only then did Janice return to her senses. She didn’t know why did he apologize to her. If it was because of hurting her arm, he had made his apologies.
"Why did you apologize to me?" she asked.
Christopher stood there and hugged her tightly. At that moment, a feeling that he had never felt before lingered in his heart.
He couldn’t tell how he felt. He just knew that he hadn’t felt it for a long time.
"I knew," he said in a deep voice.
"Know what?" Janice asked.
Christopher suddenly felt a little dry in his mouth. He had never thought that it would so hard for him to speak.
How shameless he was to have such a dirty idea.
At this moment, he hated himself to his very core.
However, it was too late to say anything. Since he had made a mistake, he had to take responsibility for it. It was the only way he could get this weight off his
shoulders.
...
Thinking of this, he slowly let go of her and walked up to her.
"I know you’re pregnant."
He was too shy to speak it out. He did not dare to look into her eyes. Janice stood there staring at him, waiting for him to finish speaking. "I misunderstood you. I’m the father of the child. I’m sorry."
Janice stood there, her eyes turning red when she heard those words.
Although she didn’t blame him, she had been holding back her anger lately.
She was angry that he didn’t believe her.
He was angry that even if he had forgotten her, he shouldn’t have doubted his child.
What made her angrier was that he didn’t cherish himself, which made him covered with scars.
At this moment, she could no longer hold back when she heard the words "I’m sorry", and she punched him to vent her anger.
He just stood there, did not stop her.
Janice lacked true force behind her blows. Her fists were soft, after all.
Rather than hitting, it was more like venting.
Finally, she felt tired, turned around, leaned against the wall, and sobbed silently.
She cried out all the grievances she had felt during this period of time.
Christopher felt that his heartache was intensifying. He turned around and walked over to hold her in his arms.
It was time for the magazine to start working, and her colleagues came back to work one after another. When they passed by, they cast puzzled looks at them.
Janice hid in Christopher’s embrace and waited for her colleagues to enter the company before straightening her body.
She wiped her reddened eyes and said, "You should go back. I have to go to work," she said calmly.
After crying, she felt good in her heart. It was a great psychological relief for her.
She turned around and was about to walk inside, but was stopped by him.
"You can’t go back."
He blocked her way.
"Come home with me," he said.
Janice didn’t look at him. She lowered her head.
"I’m at work."
"Why are you working when you’re pregnant? Come home with me."
His tone was impatient, and by the time he found out, it was too late.
"I..."
Without waiting for him to explain, Janice interrupted.
"Mr. Bateman, if it’s because of the baby, you don’t have to do this. The baby is yours, but before you remember it, I won’t force you. So, you don’t have to do this."
After hearing her words, Christopher was silent.
Janice laughed bitterly when she saw he remained silent. It was because of the child.
However, she had thought of this a long time ago, and she was not that disappointed. She went around him and was about to leave.
"Not because of the child," Christopher suddenly said.
"I’ve thought a lot over the past few days. Even if I don’t have any memories, I still want to be with you. You have permeated my life. Wherever I go, I see your shadow. I can’t live without you. Come home with me."
He walked up to her and looked into her deep eyes.
Janice looked into his eyes. Her figure was reflected in his pitch-black pupils.
"You really don’t force yourself, do you?"
"No."
"Well, I can go back, but I still have to work. There is no room for discussion," she said stubbornly.
Christopher tried his best to persuade her, but she still was still being stubborn. He had to compromise in the end.
"Then tell me, what happened to the scrape on your face?" Janice asked.
Christopher fell silent.
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