Chapter 11
But Margaret didn't think so. She wished this was just a dream and wanted to wake up immediately.
So she stomped hard on Howard's shoe. Seeing him wince in pain and loosen his grip, she took the opportunity to knee him in the groin.
"Ugh!"
Howard bent over in pain, gasping.
Seeing him in pain, she successfully broke free from his hold and immediately ran into the elevator without looking back.
By the time Howard had somewhat recovered from the pain, Margaret was long gone.
He stood in the stairwell, fuming. Margaret actually dared to run!
He planned to wait there; he didn't believe she wouldn't come back.
But he hadn't been standing there for a few minutes when his phone rang. He took it out and saw the caller ID: "Baby Stella."
Stella was his writing, but "Baby" was added by Stella herself.
Howard frowned but still pressed the answer button. Stella's sweet voice immediately came through, "Howard, where are you? It just thundered, and I'm a bit scared. The weather forecast says there will be thunderstorms today. Can you come back and keep me company?"
Her voice was timid, with a hint of caution.
Howard knew Stella was afraid of thunder.
The weather had been bad these days, with frequent thunderstorms.
"I'll be back soon."
Hearing him say "soon," Stella asked, "Where are you?"
Howard entered the elevator, "I'm out meeting with a business partner. It might take a little while."
There was a moment of silence on Stella's end before she said, "Then I'll wait for you to come back and have dinner together. What do you want to eat today? I'll have the housekeeper make it."
Since she got pregnant, Howard had arranged for several housekeepers specializing in nutritious meals to live at the Thorne Family estate, with excellent treatment.
"You don't have to wait for me. Don't starve yourself. I'll come back to keep you company after I finish my work. Be good."
"Okay, I'll hang up now."
After hanging up, Stella, sitting on the sofa, threw the pillow in her hand forcefully.
Layla, standing nearby, looked puzzled, "What's wrong again?"
"What else? It's that bitch Margaret!"
When she asked Howard where he was, he said he was on business, but before calling him, she had called his assistant, who said he had left the office in the afternoon and hadn't returned, and he had no projects today.
The only person she could think of was Margaret. Besides her and Margaret, there were no other women around Howard.
Howard must have gone to see her!
"That bitch Margaret, she's married and still seducing Howard. How shameless!"
Stella cursed Margaret, whom she had called sister for over twenty years, without any scruples, her eyes full of disgust.
Margaret bought some green onions downstairs but kept pacing, afraid to go up.
She feared running into Howard at the stairwell again, as he was indeed capable of waiting for her there.
Until she saw a delivery truck parked downstairs.
But hiding like this wasn't a solution.
She paced downstairs for nearly twenty minutes before gathering the courage to take the elevator up.
When she cautiously stepped out of the elevator, the stairwell was empty.
Margaret breathed a sigh of relief but also felt a bit stifled.
She remembered Howard telling her that Stella was pregnant and clenched the plastic bag in her hand.
Howard had been her lover for many years. Knowing that Stella, whom she had always cared for, was pregnant with his child, she couldn't be completely indifferent.
At the door, she found it open, with many people inside, and the mattress she bought yesterday placed against the wall.
As she walked in, she heard Leonard thanking them, "Thank you, sorry for the trouble!"
After sending off the delivery men, Leonard looked at the green onions in Margaret's hand and said softly, "You took forty minutes to buy green onions?"
Margaret stiffened, "I... the green onions at the community supermarket weren't fresh, so I went to the supermarket outside."
Leonard didn't suspect anything, just said, "Let's cook. Do you need help?"
Margaret shook her head, "You go do your work. I don't need help."
Although her apartment had two bedrooms and a living room, the kitchen was small. If two people stood inside, it would be cramped.
Before entering the kitchen, she glanced at the mattress against the wall.
The mattress was soft, but she had bought it according to the master bedroom's size.
The bed in the guest room she was sleeping in wasn't that big.
In other words, the mattress she painstakingly chose was now benefiting Leonard!
Margaret sighed, "Never mind, it's all the same. We're family, after all."
While she was cooking, Leonard in the master bedroom took out his phone and called Frank.
"Dr. Graham, you finally remembered the friend you abandoned at the subway station? Do you know how embarrassed I was today? I almost made the news. And now you call me? I'm really hurt."
Frank rambled on, but Leonard remained silent.
Until Frank's fake crying couldn't continue, Leonard said, "Check Howard's whereabouts today, especially between 7:30 and 8:00 PM."
Frank thought he misheard.
"Seriously, Leonard? Since when do you care about Howard? Are you collaborating with the Fields Family?"
"Just do it."
Hearing his commanding tone, Frank reluctantly agreed.
"Fine, since I'm your friend and you have a bad relationship with your family and can only rely on me, I'll reluctantly help you check!"
Frank could do it, but he had to get some verbal advantage.
Leonard listened quietly without rebutting. He knew Frank's personality well; if he liked to talk that way, let him.
As he sent someone to investigate Howard, Frank sat on the sofa, squinting.
Why was Leonard suddenly interested in Howard?
Could it be... because of Margaret?
Frank was quite surprised about Leonard dating. He thought Leonard, being so cold, wouldn't interact with girls.
He didn't expect Leonard to have a romantic side!
Margaret cooked quickly, preparing a table full of food in less than an hour.
"Dinner's ready!"
Leonard came out again and sat across from her.