Chapter 125: Healthy enough to bear an heir
Dominic’s brows furrowed as he looked at Mark more carefully.
"Mark, are you okay?" he asked, concern evident in his voice. "You look like you’re about to pass out."
Dominic had always known Mark to thrive under pressure. Being the assistant to the CEO of Sterling Group wasn’t exactly a relaxing job, yet Mark had handled years of impossible schedules, unreasonable deadlines, and Dominic’s perfectionism without breaking a sweat.
Seeing him look this pale was... unsettling.
Mark immediately shook his head.
"No! I’m perfectly fine," he replied a little too quickly, forcing a smile that looked more painful than reassuring.
Keeping one eye on Dominic, Mark secretly observed his expression. When he noticed his boss drifting back into his thoughts instead of staring suspiciously at him, he let out an inaudible sigh of relief.
Thank goodness... He doesn’t know anything.
Mark knew Dominic better than most people. His boss could read the smallest change in a person’s expression. Sometimes it was honestly terrifying.
Just as Mark thought he’d survived the interrogation, Dominic spoke again.
"Mark..."
"Yes, Boss?"
"Do you know why your wife keeps things from you?"
Mark nearly choked on his own saliva.
"Excuse me?"
Dominic sighed and rubbed his temples.
"I have this feeling that Clara is hiding something from me," he admitted. "And no matter what I do, I can’t get her to talk about it."
The moment those words left Dominic’s mouth, last night’s events flashed through Mark’s mind.
Clara had sneaked out of the mansion in the middle of the night... wearing pajamas, of all things.
Who in their right mind sneaks out dressed like they’re going to bed?
Apparently, Clara Sterling.
That wasn’t even the biggest issue.
The real problem was that Dominic had absolutely no idea she had left the house.
Mark cleared his throat before answering carefully.
"And what makes you think that, Boss? From what I’ve seen, Madam isn’t exactly the type to keep secrets."
...Unless it’s ours.
Dominic nodded thoughtfully.
"That’s exactly what’s bothering me."
He leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling.
"Ever since I met her, she’s been completely transparent with her feelings. If she’s happy, everyone knows. If she’s angry..." He paused and gave Mark a meaningful look. "The entire house knows."
Mark couldn’t help but nod.
That was painfully accurate.
"But now," Dominic continued, "even being expressive, I just can’t get her."
Mark scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"Maybe... she just isn’t ready to tell you yet," he muttered under his breath.
Dominic, on the other hand, fell silent.
Maybe he was thinking too much. Still, the uneasy feeling in his chest refused to disappear.
Should he respect Clara’s silence... or find out what she was hiding himself?
Unfortunately for everyone involved, Dominic Sterling wasn’t very good at choosing the first option.
"Maybe I’m just overthinking it," Dominic said with a weary sigh.
Hearing those words, Mark finally allowed himself to breathe.
That was close...
He had honestly thought Dominic was about to uncover everything.
Wanting to steer the conversation in a safer direction, Mark quickly picked up the folder from the desk.
"Boss, about the business trip," he said. "It’s scheduled for tomorrow."
The moment those words left his mouth, Dominic froze.
His eyes remained on the documents in front of him, but he wasn’t reading a single word. His mind had already wandered elsewhere.
The business trip...
He had completely forgotten about it.
For a long moment, the office fell silent.
Dominic slowly closed the file and leaned back in his chair.
How am I supposed to stay away from her? he wondered.
Just the thought of being away from Clara for several days made him feel strangely restless.
Not long ago, business trips had been nothing more than part of his routine. He would leave without a second thought, finish his meetings, and return home.
Now...
The idea of leaving Clara behind bothered him far more than he cared to admit.
He couldn’t even concentrate on work whenever she wasn’t around.
Dominic pinched the bridge of his nose and let out another quiet sigh.
Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do.
The meetings had already been arranged, contracts were waiting to be signed, and several overseas partners were expecting him.
Canceling the trip simply wasn’t an option.
"Okay, make all the necessary arrangements," he said before returning to his work.
***
Another day began on a pleasant note. Dorothy was in an exceptionally good mood as she attended a small tea party hosted by her circle of socialite friends. Elegant porcelain cups clinked softly against saucers while the women exchanged laughter, stories, and the latest gossip from the city’s elite.
The moment Dorothy took her seat, several pairs of eyes turned toward her with amused smiles.
"We thought you wouldn’t come," Hana, one of the members of their socialite circle, said with a teasing grin. "But here you are."
Dorothy smiled gracefully as she lifted her teacup. "Why wouldn’t I? It’s been far too long since I’ve spent time with all of you."
"That’s true," another woman chimed in. "You’ve been keeping yourself quite busy lately."
"It has been months," Hana added. "We almost thought you had forgotten about us."
Dorothy let out a soft laugh. "Life has been rather eventful. I simply haven’t had the luxury of attending these gatherings."
The women nodded knowingly before the conversation naturally drifted toward the city’s influential families. As always, every engagement, business deal, and family scandal became the topic of discussion.
Still, beneath the casual chatter, everyone shared the same curiosity.
Ever since Dorothy’s illegitimate daughter had married into the prestigious Sterling family, things had changed. Whether Dorothy admitted it or not, her social standing had risen considerably. The women couldn’t help but wonder just how different her life had become now that she was connected to one of the most powerful families in the city.
One of the women leaned forward, a sly smile spreading across her face.
"Or perhaps you simply didn’t want to show your face after failing to marry Juliana to Dominic Sterling," Fiona said, her tone dripping with mock sympathy. "You made it sound like it was practically a done deal."
She absentmindedly traced a finger along the rim of her teacup before looking up at Dorothy.
Dorothy met her gaze without flinching.
She had never liked Fiona. The woman had always treated her as a rival, constantly looking for opportunities to belittle her. In Dorothy’s eyes, Fiona’s arrogance was nothing more than insecurity disguised as confidence.
"We all remember how desperate you were to make Juliana the future Mrs. Sterling," Fiona continued with a smirk. "Instead, Dominic chose your illegitimate daughter."
The table fell silent.
Everyone present knew about Vincent Hayes’ affair years ago. Officially, the Hayes family had claimed that the child had been born before Vincent’s marriage to Dorothy and that he had quietly supported her from afar. It was a story carefully crafted to protect both the family’s reputation and their struggling business.
Those who had been close to the Hayes family, however, knew the truth.
No one dared to bring it up anymore. Now that the Hayes family had become connected to the powerful Sterling family, most people preferred to stay silent.
Everyone except Fiona.
Her family’s business had long-standing ties with the Sterlings, giving her the confidence to provoke Dorothy whenever the opportunity arose.
Dorothy’s lips twitched ever so slightly, but her elegant smile never wavered. She had spent years perfecting the art of hiding her emotions, and today would be no different.
"Perhaps," Dorothy replied calmly, taking a leisurely sip of her tea. "But let’s not pretend I was the only mother at this table hoping her daughter would marry into the Sterling family."
Her gaze swept across the women before settling back on Fiona.
"If I remember correctly," she said with a faint smile, "you even had your daughter undergo a full medical examination to prove she was healthy enough to bear an heir."
The smile on Fiona’s face froze.
A heavy silence settled over the table as several women exchanged awkward glances, each wondering how Dorothy had managed to uncover a secret that had been carefully kept out of the public eye.
Fiona’s smile faltered for the briefest moment before she let out a soft, dismissive laugh.
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
"Nonsense?" Dorothy raised a brow. "Then why are you so eager to deny it?"
"I have no reason to."
"Really?"
Dorothy set her teacup down with deliberate grace.
"I heard the examination was quite thorough. Blood work, genetic screening, fertility tests..." She smiled sweetly. "You left nothing to chance. After all, if your daughter was going to marry into the Sterling family, she had to be capable of producing a healthy heir."
The color gradually drained from Fiona’s face.
"How...?"
She caught herself before finishing the question, realizing she had already revealed too much.
Dorothy’s smile widened ever so slightly.
"So it wasn’t nonsense after all." A glint appeared in Dorothy’s eyes as she watched Fiona’s face go pale.