The Illegitimate Flame: Bride of Ashes-Chapter 193- let me feel

Janice huffed and turned her head away, muttering in mock threat, "Fine. Don’t take me with you—then I’ll just run away with your son." 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Her words made Charles both irritated and amused. Leaning in shamelessly, he murmured, "No matter where you run, I’ll always bring you back."

"Ugh, I hate you. Sleep by yourself tonight!" Janice stood up from his lap and headed toward the door, but Charles caught her just in time.

"Be good. Trista’s asleep—don’t wake her up. I promise I won’t touch you tonight, okay?"

"Hmph!" Janice tilted her chin high like a little queen and refused to look at him again. She slid into the blankets, and true to his word, Charles didn’t so much as hug her that night.

Still, without his usual embrace, she found herself grumbling under her breath, oddly unsettled by the absence of his warmth. But she said nothing, pulling the quilt over her head and willing herself to sleep.

The days that followed were strangely peaceful. Janice stayed home with Trista, and to her surprise, Charles didn’t go to the company either. It was as if he’d decided to spend every moment with them—especially with Trista.

He spoiled their daughter rotten, letting her trail after him all day, calling "Daddy" in her sweet voice, while he indulged her every whim without the slightest complaint. Watching them, Janice felt a flicker of jealousy. At this rate, he was going to raise a pampered little princess.

"You’re not going to the company at all?" she finally asked, puzzled by his unusual behavior.

"Mhm," Charles replied casually, slipping an arm around her shoulders as they sat together on the swing in the sunroom. "Didn’t I say I’d be away on a business trip soon? I want to spend more time with you before then."

Janice glanced at him. "It’s fine, Charles. If you’ve got work to do, go do it. Don’t feel like you have to babysit me."

"Silly girl, of course I know that. But there’s nothing urgent right now, so stop worrying." He tapped her nose lightly, a faint smile on his lips.

Just then, his phone buzzed—Shaun. Their plan was already in motion. Steven and Brian would head to Australia next week to scout the situation. If things turned out dangerous, Charles and Shaun would follow. If not, the two could remain in the shadows.

For now, Charles was determined to take advantage of Janice’s pregnancy and stay by her side. With August managing the company, he was freer than ever.

Still, under his insistence, Janice went for another prenatal check-up. The doctor said the baby was developing well—only a month along, still too early to tell gender—but warned that Janice’s low blood sugar and weak constitution could be an issue. Charles listened to every word, committing the instructions to memory.

Back home, he had Fiona prepare herbal tonics for her morning and night. Within days, Janice’s complexion improved noticeably.

When Brian and Steven departed for Australia, Charles went to see them off. Janice only knew he was "out," not where he’d gone. That afternoon, she was napping when Fiona came in to say someone was here to see her. Sleep forgotten, Janice hurried downstairs—

"Peggy?" She lit up with delight, pulling her friend to the sofa. They’d only seen each other briefly weeks ago, before Charles smashed her phone and cut off her contacts.

"Honestly, Mrs. Elwin, you’re impossible to find. I had to come knocking on your door!" Peggy gave her a mock glare before taking both her hands and looking her over carefully. "I heard you’re pregnant—let me feel!"

Without waiting for permission, Peggy’s hands moved to Janice’s still-flat stomach, her eyes shining with open envy and longing.

"It’s only been two months. You can’t see anything yet," Janice chuckled, teasing when she saw the longing in Peggy’s eyes. "What, jealous? Then hurry up and have one yourself."

Peggy gave her an exaggerated sigh. "How am I supposed to have one all by myself? Janice, I’m dying of envy here. Just look at how good Charles is to you!"

She’d heard from August that Charles had practically stopped going to the company just to stay by Janice’s side. Even as a fellow pregnant woman, Peggy felt she wasn’t treated half as carefully. And when she’d tried calling Janice, she’d discovered Charles had even disabled her phone.

Janice arched a brow. "Who says you’re alone? You’ve been with August for over a year now. He still hasn’t made a move?"

One glance at Peggy’s sour expression told her everything—clearly, August had given her a hard time.

"As if he’d make a move. I’m just grateful he doesn’t push me away." Peggy slumped back into the sofa, her mind drifting through memories of her time with August. Somehow, she’d always been the one taking the initiative.

And after discovering his secret, she couldn’t bring herself to walk away. He needed time, so she would wait.

Janice hesitated, then asked carefully, "So... how far have you two gotten?"

"Don’t even bring it up!" Peggy waved the question away with a flick of her hand, irritation flashing in her eyes. She clearly didn’t want to talk about August anymore. Instead, she happily switched topics, chattering about Janice’s unborn baby. Would the little one look more like Charles, or more like Janice?

By the time Charles came home, Peggy had already left. Hearing from the house staff that "Miss Pei" had visited, he knew exactly who it was.

"Daddy!" Little Trista spotted him the moment he walked in and immediately squirmed out of Janice’s arms. Her tiny steps were steadier now, and she managed to toddle all the way to Charles before he scooped her up.

Janice rose to her feet, taking his jacket from him with a faint pout. "Every time you come home, she ignores me completely."

Charles glanced at his daughter, smiling mischievously. "Sweetheart, Mommy’s jealous. Give her a kiss, or else if she gets mad, Daddy won’t have anywhere to sleep tonight."

He pinched Trista’s chubby cheeks as he spoke, not knowing if she understood. But sure enough, the little girl turned toward Janice, puckering her tiny mouth. Just as Janice leaned in to kiss her, Charles shifted her in his arms, and the kiss landed on her cheek instead.

"What are you doing?" Janice narrowed her eyes, giving his arm a sharp pinch. Stopping her from kissing her own daughter—honestly!

"I don’t like kissing you after you’ve just swapped spit with our kid," Charles said matter-of-factly.

It took Janice a second to process his words. Then realization hit—he was actually jealous. Of his own daughter.

What a ridiculous, impossible man.