Arrogant Man VS Unyielding Woman

"I understand. Please don't feel guilty about it, Mother. You prepared all these dishes for me. How can I criticize you for this? Don't mind his words. I should eat more for the baby's sake," Jean reassured Jade with a bright smile. Then she began to eat. Jade beamed with satisfaction and joy. It gladdened her heart to realize that Jean was a considerate girl.

Zed sat across the table with a dark face.

He already regretted letting his parents know that Jean was pregnant. If he had known that this was how they would have reacted, he would not have called them in the first place.

'Look what I have done! I can't even sit next to Jean. And mother spooned so much fish and vegetables on her plate without knowing if she even likes them or not.

I'm regretting all of this now. Why did I tell them about the pregnancy? I have to wiggle out of this and make them leave as soon as possible.

Or I won't be able to tell what is going to happen next. Maybe Jean and I will be driven crazy, 'Zed moaned inwardly.

Fortunately, nothing happened during breakfast. Occasionally, Zed caught his mother piling up food on Jean's plate.

If he had known that his mother would become this excited about the news, he would have avoided telling her.

He thought it was all his fault and now he really needed to find a solution to this.

Zed didn't leave for work immediately after the breakfast like he usually did. Instead, he winked at Moore then looked from Moore to Jean.

Moore noticed how warm Jade was to Jean on the table, and so, he immediately understood what Zed was winking at him for. Then he looked at Jean who was softly stroking her stomach for it being too full and said," How about we have a walk in the garden, Jean?" Jean nodded her consent instantly because that was exactly what she was thinking.

Then she told Jade and Sean that she was leaving for a stroll and followed Moore walking out of the dining room.

Jade wanted to follow them into the garden, but Sean stopped her.

"Why did you stop me? I have to go with them together. Moore is an outsider. Why did he take the initiative to walk with Jean in the garden? Is there any point to this? Why did he do it? Did you think of this before, Zed? And by the way, what is his true identity, and why does he stay at our house? Do you leave Jean and Moore alone at home every day? I know you have to go for work. Aren't you afraid that Moore would do something bad to Jean?"

Jade asked, looking sick with worry.

"Don't worry about it, mother." Zed felt tongue-tied after hearing his mother attack him with a barrage of questions. He took a deep breath and said," Moore is my friend. I asked him to take Jean outside so that you and I could privately talk." "What is it?" Zed's strange behavior doubled up Jade's anxiety. She looked at Zed, fully alarmed, and said," First, I have to make this clear, Zed. If you want me to leave, I won't agree. I must stay here to take care of Jean and my grandson." "Grandson?"

Zed retorted immediately after hearing the dreaded word," You finally spelt out what you think deep inside, right? The baby is still inside Jean. How do you know it's a boy? If it's not a boy, what do you plan to do, mother? Will you still admit my baby as your granddaughter?" Zed understood that his mother only expected a grandson. He had to straighten this out in the beginning or he could not tell what would happen in the future.

"Nonsense! Nonsense!" Jade got provoked by Zed's words and rebuffed his rebuke," I don't care whether it's a boy or a girl. It's all my blood. Why will I dote only on a boy?"

"Since you don't prefer a boy, why do you always say 'grandson'?" Zed walked close to Jade and took a deep breath to compose himself. Then he slowly said," I know you are excited to be a grandmother soon, mother. I was even more excited than you are now when I got to know that I'm going to be a father yesterday. But mother, you have to understand that it will be immense pressure for Jean if you act like this constantly.

And even though I haven't told you much, you must be having a general inkling of her life as a Wen before. Jean is extremely sensitive and is prone to overthink things. For the sake of your own blood, I hope you will give me and Jean some privacy. If you insist on staying here, it would influence the health of the baby and Jean."

"What are you talking about, Zed?" Tears brimmed over when Jade heard Zed accuse her like this. She pitifully screamed," Why can't I stay at your house?"

"I don't mean to ask you to leave. If this was so, why would I have bothered to call you and share the good news? But what you have done worries me a great deal. I fear we will have a huge misunderstanding in the near future. Then, you will hate me. Please, mother. Give us some privacy, okay? Please! 10 weeks later, Jean's pregnancy will be far more stable. Jean and I will come to the Imperial Capital to visit you and Grandpa. Then we will be together again, right?"

Zed tried to convince his mother to change her mind.

"Stop it! Let's make it simple. You care more about your wife than your mother, right?" Tears streamed down her cheeks," Did I do anything to disturb your privacy? Why are you forcing me to leave? I'm your mother, Zed. It is me who taught you right from wrong. I've given you everything you ever wanted. Then how can you treat me this way?..."

Her stomach was in a knot of emotions and grief welled up in her chest. Jade couldn't conceal her emotions anymore. Suddenly she wailed like a little child.

Zed panicked on seeing Jade's sudden emotional upheaval.

Sean walked toward Jade and wrapped her in his arms and comfortingly said," Hey, honey, you have me, right?"

"I need my son, too." Jade stopped crying loudly and suppressed it in sniffles.

"Honey, look at me. I'm your husband! It's I who will be with you for the rest of your life. It's I who will love you all the time. And besides, do you mean Zed shouldn't take care of his wife and their coming baby, honey?" Sean asked deliberately.

"No, I don't. But I..." Sean stopped her before she could say something else.

"Honey, how about we take it this way? If you were Jean, will you want your mother-in-law to give you more privacy? Jade, I know you care about Jean and the coming baby. You are warm-hearted. But what if your good intention unknowingly hurts them? If so, why don't we leave now?" Sean cajoled her gently.

Deep inside, what Sean had said touched Jade a lot. She raised her eyebrows and looked at Sean and sadly uttered," Does it mean we can't visit them before the baby comes out?"

"Of course, you can, mother," Zed responded instantly," You can visit any time you want. And we will come to visit you, too. Mother, we just need some privacy. You are my mother, I love you so much."

"Why do you want father and mother to leave, Zed? They just arrived. Why do you insist on their leaving?" Jean asked with confusion as she walked into the room suddenly.

Zed was completely taken by surprise as he caught sight of Jean coming.

Zed hadn't expected her to come back so soon.

'Goodness me!

Why didn't Moore stop her? Didn't I ask him to take Jean away, 'Zed reproached Moore in his head.

Zed looked accusingly at Moore. He could kill someone with that look.

Jean noticed that Zed still didn't answer her question and was instead eyeing Moore who stood beside her lowering his head as if he had done something wrong. Without any effort, all dots joined in her mind. Then she reprimanded Zed," Don't stare at Moore. It's not his fault. I'm back because I'm thirsty. And I need an answer now!"

Anger darkened her face as Jean glowered at Zed for avoiding her for this long. ☐☐☐☐☐☐☐