The CEO’s Billion Dollar Bride
Chapter 227 - 208. How did the child hide

Chapter 227: 208. How did the child hide

Mario Jensen leaned against the bathroom door, his handsome features tense with the sounds that were emanating from the interior. His body was on edge, trembling slightly, as the sound of running water gradually came to a halt.

As the sound of the flow of water ceased, so did the noise within. Mario pressed his ear up against her tightly closed bathroom door, but still didn’t hear any movements. His heart was about to leap right out his chest when he finally heard her hurried, heavy breathing.

"Lina, what’s wrong?" Mario was stricken with terror, his heart skipping a beat. He was so flustered that he abandoned all caution and pounded at the bathroom door. "Open the door! Are you having stomach pains again?"

He remembered her frequent bouts with stomach pain due to her weak digestive system. A small piece of unclean food would cause an uproar inside her. Because of this, he had her meals specially prepared by the company and never let her eat the group meals. Moreover, he discouraged her from attending outside banquets as much as possible.

"I’m fine, go rest if you are not leaving. It’s getting late!"

The woman on the other side of the door sounded panicked, her voice tinged with an almost imperceptible fear.

Getting late? Rest?

Mario Jensen found these few words maddening. From the moment he saw her that day, she kept repeating these words, committing herself to avoiding him at all costs.

"Lina, open the door!"

Given Mario Jensen’s personality, he was more inclined to lose his temper. However, the image of her blood-drained face kept appearing in his mind, spurring him to adopt a gentler tone. "Open the door, let me confirm that you are okay, then I can go rest."

His soft voice echoed through the redwood door, his hoarse voice betraying his obvious restraint. Mario was not a man renowned for his temperance, but at that moment, Lina heard a tenderness in his voice she had never noticed before.

"I’m fine..."

"Open the door!" It was clear Mario wasn’t about to let her finish. "If you don’t open the door, should I force it?"

She was well aware of his temper, which was why she had always managed to keep things peaceful between them. She knew that his demand would make her concede and open the door. True enough, the moment he finished his sentence, the door swiftly opened before him.

The woman’s long hair almost concealed her whole face, small drops of water adhering to her cleansed skin. Perhaps she was frightened by his comment about breaking the door down earlier, Lina kept her head low and muttered softly: "I am fine."

Her normally cool and distant demeanor was overshadowed by her pitiful state. Mario’s heart softened at her vulnerability, his gaze on her becoming tender. "Did you eat seafood again tonight? Is that why your stomach hurts?"

Lina had a weak digestive system and a minor seafood allergy. Having too much would occasionally cause her to suffer stomach pains. So, when this sort of situation arose, that was the first thing Mario attributed the problem to.

Eh?

Lina first looked taken aback, then realized what he was insinuating. Deciding to go along with his mistake, she nodded, "Yes, ate a bit!"

"You become unmanageable whenever I’m not around. Can’t you just avoid foods that you shouldn’t be eating?" Mario chastised her sternly, taking the opportunity to vent his irritation on Michael Gordon’s banquet. "It’s evident that Michael Gordon’s seafood was not fresh, otherwise, you wouldn’t be in this state just from having a little."

Lina: "..."

It’s a pity that Michael Gordon’s seafood was wrongly accused. She didn’t have any of it. However, Mario Jensen was behaving like a child tonight. Was it because he saw Ivy? Nonetheless, she gently nodded, "I won’t eat it anymore!"

"Does it still hurt?" Noticing her rare compliance, he couldn’t help but lean over and inquire. The next thing she knew, his hand was on her stomach.

Feeling the tenderness of his palm through her clothing, Lina realized what he was doing. Alarmed, she instinctively slapped his hand away and backed up a few steps.

His eyes witnessed her unintentional action, igniting a storm within him. The sorrow in his gaze was unspeakable.

Was she afraid of him?

He had already figured it out, but what he didn’t realize was how painful the truth would be.

"Lina, are you afraid of me?" Mario stared at her motionlessly, the broken expression in his eyes tearing her apart, his hand frozen mid-air because of her previous reaction.

He paused, then continued, "If I... I said if, if I have done anything you dislike or fear, you can tell me. No matter what it is, I can change. Or tell me what you need, and I’ll comply."

Please, don’t fear me.

He didn’t have the courage to voice these words. Instead, he hid them deep in his heart.

After mistaking her for someone else under the influence of alcohol, he dared not even mention the word compensation. She must hate him by now. The only reason she remained composed was because she was a guest at the Jensen’s. But he really didn’t want to see her like this.

Seeing her like this, was unbearable.

"I am not afraid of you, I am just a bit tired. Stop worrying, you didn’t do anything wrong. You don’t need to change..."

Before Lina could finish, the crisp sound of the doorbell cut her off. Before she could react to the unexpected call, the familiar figure of Mario Jensen appeared in her line of sight, crossing the threshold of her bedroom, followed by a familiar man in a white coat.

The incoming guest was Mario Jensen’s personal doctor, Ethan Stones, whom she naturally recognized from previous health check-ups. The reason for his visit was straightforward - to examine her health.

"There is no need for a check-up, I am fine. It’s late; Doctor Stones should go home and rest!"

Mario Jensen had already grown weary of hearing her protests. Ignoring her objections, he quickly lifted her up and placed her on the sofa. He then explained her situation to Ethan Stones, "You know about her condition. She probably had some seafood tonight, and then threw up when she came back. Now, her stomach hurts. Check her out!"

"Seafood?"

Upon hearing this, Ethan Stones was stupefied. He was aware of Lina’s condition. Lightly allergic to seafood, she still loved to eat it, but she would never go so far as to make herself vomit. When did this prudent woman become so reckless?