The playful cynicism and hostility on Elias Langley’s face suddenly froze.
He narrowed his eyes slightly, as if truly focusing on Juliana Jacobs for the first time, scanning her from head to toe slowly and oppressively.
After a moment, he suddenly chuckled, the laughter in the silent main hall seeming particularly chilling.
He leaned over, his hands resting on the armrests of her chair, his hot breath on her cheek.
His voice was lowered enough for only the two of them to hear.
"Are you sure you’re calling for Daddy? In the bedroom... shouldn’t it be ’Mommy’?"
Juliana should have been blushing at his words, but with strong resolve supporting her, she showed no sign of it.
She raised an eyebrow, "Doesn’t matter, either way, there’s one more son."
This woman...
Elias Langley gritted his teeth, leaned in closer, his actions ambiguous yet carried an undeniable sense of control.
"Has this ’Mommy’ endured her son’s ’filial piety’?"
Juliana’s earlobes were already bright red, full like the tip of a peach.
A strange flutter in Elias Langley’s heart; he couldn’t help but reach out to pinch that alluring blush.
"Tsk!"
Juliana disdainfully dodged, slapped his hand away, and raised her other hand to slap him.
Elias Langley reacted quickly, gripping her wrist mid-swing, his gaze dropping to a glacial level.
"Who gave you the audacity to hit me?"
Juliana’s wrist ached, but she stubbornly held her head high, meeting his gaze with cold eyes.
"A hand that’s touched trash, don’t touch me."
Only then did Elias Langley understand where her disdain came from.
He coldly snorted, abruptly flung her hand away with great force.
Juliana was flung backward, her upper body supported by the adjacent mahogany table, stabilizing her posture.
Fortunately, she was seated in a large armchair, her body secured by the back and armrests, without hitting her abdomen.
Raine Kane’s heart tightened for a moment, instinctively wanting to step forward, only halting forcefully upon seeing she was alright.
Elias Langley showed no trace of tenderness, turning to face everyone present.
"Don’t think that just because I’ve lost my memory now, you can muddle through, deceive me, or decide for me."
His sharp gaze swept across every face present.
"Whatever promises I made in the past, as of now, they’re all null and void. Once I’ve figured everything out, I will reassess and decide anew."
Iris Paxton felt a sudden heaviness in her heart upon hearing this.
If he’s even planning to deny the favor of saving him, then she stands no chance.
She hastily spoke up, "Elias, I saved you without expecting anything in return, I..."
"Shut up." Elias Langley impatiently interrupted her, "The more anxious you are to explain, the guiltier you appear. Is there some hidden agenda in this matter of saving me?"
Ingrid Pemberton was immediately too frightened to say a word, just pursed her lips and shook her head continuously.
Elias Langley suddenly scrutinized her, throwing out a critical question.
"But, speaking of which, aren’t we in an era of monogamy? What is your status appearing in my home?"
Iris Paxton’s face turned pale, struck speechless.
Steward Fay timely stepped forward, bowing respectfully to answer, "Miss Paxton came to your home voluntarily to help take care of you, without any compensation."
"Oh, a volunteer nanny."
Elias Langley’s frivolous gaze fell on Iris Paxton’s Chanel outfit.
"Since you’re a nanny, you should look like one. Wearing a uniform worth hundreds of thousands isn’t appropriate. Wear what the other servants in the house wear."
"Yes, there are spare uniforms in the storeroom, I’ll take Miss Paxton to change immediately."
Iris Paxton held her breath in her throat, not daring to oppose Elias Langley’s intimidating aura and ruthlessness, biting her lip as she unwillingly followed Steward Fay out of the main hall.
Once the servants and bodyguards retreated, Juliana stood up, asking Raine Kane to bring her bag.
She retrieved a copy of the "Marital Behavior Restraint Agreement" from her bag, marking an ’×’ after the second clause under Elias Langley’s probing gaze.
Elias Langley quickly scanned the text, his eyes clouded.
"What does this mean?"
"This is the restraint agreement we signed together shortly after you lost your memory, following ’friendly negotiations’."
Juliana said while putting the agreement back in her bag.
"We agreed, if you breach the agreement’s terms by 30%, I am entitled to all of your personal assets, not leaving you even a pair of underwear, leaving you with nothing. Although you don’t remember, this is in black and white, signed by you, and legally binding. You must own up to it. If there’s anything unclear, there’s a copy in your room, go take a look yourself."
Finished saying this, she took Raine Kane and returned to her quarters.
Elias Langley watched her departing figure.
This woman is gutsy and fierce enough.
But only a rose with thorns has a strong grip, doesn’t it?
He curled a wicked smile at the corner of his lips.
At dinner, Steward Fay went to the bedroom to invite Juliana to eat.
When Juliana followed him to the dining room, she saw Iris Paxton in a plain maid’s uniform standing by Elias Langley’s side, holding communal chopsticks, seemingly preparing to serve him, her posture humble yet exuding a deliberate intimacy.
Juliana sat down expressionlessly in her own seat.
Elias Langley looked at her, straightforwardly said, "I read that agreement. Why do the terms only constrain me, without one word constraining you?"
Juliana picked up her chopsticks, took a little stir-fried vegetables, not even lifting her eyelids.
"You signed it with your own hand, had no objections at the time, why scrutinize it now?"
Elias Langley was stifled by her unsparing attitude, the resentment simmering in him since the afternoon flared up again.
His gaze swept over the overly plain dishes on the table, his brows furrowed, deflecting his anger to the side where Steward Fay stood.
"These bland dishes, are you feeding sheep?"
Iris Paxton hastily chimed in softly.
"Yes, Elias just got discharged, his body is weak, should eat more fatty foods to nurture his body, like..."
"Did I ask you to speak?"
Elias Langley’s sharp gaze pierced through her, cutting her off, his tone abrasive.
"Do you want my blood fat to soar, or are you hoping I’ll get a high-fat blood clot, a hemiplegia, so you can continue ’thoughtful care’?"
"I... I didn’t mean it like that."
Iris Paxton clamped her mouth shut.
Steward Fay saw clearly that the master was venting after being vexed by the lady.
"Sir," he nodded slightly, "Madam has recently preferred a light diet, the kitchen prepared meals accordingly."
Elias Langley’s gaze returned to the quietly eating Juliana, full of obvious displeasure.
"Hey, I’m not a monk."
Juliana, in the first trimester, had little appetite; she didn’t eat much but wasn’t slow either.
While they were talking, she had almost finished eating.
Hearing this, she put down her chopsticks, picked up a napkin to wipe the corner of her mouth, and only then looked at the man beside her, her face even showing a faint smile devoid of warmth.
"Isn’t it possible, that I just want to feed you blandly to death?"
She stood up, her tone light but full of confidence.
"More likely... I might want to poison you to death, too. It’d be great if your surname were ’Wu’."