Chapter 13
Chapter 13 Call Me Dad
Their eyes locked for a moment. Isabella looked away first, and her thick lashes lowered halfway. She was not stared down. It was just that gazing at Draxton while he looked at her was weird.
But Draxton believed that she had averted her eyes because she was scared.
"I expected you to be bolder."
All of a sudden, his voice sounded, breaking the dead silence.
Isabella gave a start and didn't know how to respond.
She was not talkative and was introverted, barely opening her mouth around people she didn't know well
However, since the man was trying to strike up a conversation, she might as well shoot straight. Therefore, she said frankly, "Sorry."
She did owe him an apology for taking advantage of him five years ago.
Draxton remained impassive and didn't say anything. Isabella couldn't tell whether he had accepted her apology or not.
She didn't know what he was thinking and said nothing more.
They arrived at the hospital very soon. It was a private hospital owned by the Lockwood Group. The bright neon sign reading "Lockwood" was very conspicuous in the rain.
The man in charge of the hospital hurried out to receive them after being informed that Draxton was sending someone over in person.
Greyson Lockwood widened his eyes in surprise when he saw Draxton carrying a woman in his arms.
And when his eyes fell on the boy behind Draxton, his jaw dropped in shock.
He had heard that the woman had been found and she was with a boy.
Greyson gasped. He thought it must be that Draxton hated the woman so much that only maiming her once was not enough, so he decided to get her cured in the hospital for further torment. "What are you waiting for?" Draxton asked coldly.
Greyson shuddered and was snapped out of the trance. He then shouted for help, "Get me a bed! Push her into the emergency room!"
Draxton felt speechless.
His face darkened, and he stared at Greyson with lowered eyes. "She just got burned."
Greyson pulled up her pant leg.
The next second, he broke out in a cold sweat. "Just burned?
"My goodness! Mr. Lockwood used boiling water to torment this woman!
"Brutal torture.
"But it seems that her life is not in danger," Greyson thought.
Fifteen minutes late, he was done tending to Isabella's wounds.
Greyson was staggered to know it was just an accident that Isabella had gotten burned and Draxton hadn't riddled her body with holes and cuts as he had imagined.
Ricky stayed close to Isabella throughout and didn't stop frowning until Isabella's wounds were taken care of.
Draxton approached them and said in a deep voice, "The dressing needs changing regularly. You need to stay in the hospital for a few days."
Isabella flicked a look at him and replied slowly, "Okay. Hope it isn't too much of an imposition."
Draxton then said to Ricky, "I have some dry clothes prepared for you. Go with Greyson to get changed, or you may catch a cold."
Ricky didn't respond and just stared at Isabella.
Isabella kept silent for a while before meeting Ricky's stare and giving him a slight nod.
Ricky then turned around and walked out with Greyson.
Isabella and Draxton were left alone in the ward.
The room fell heart-stoppingly silent.
Isabella sat on the bed with an ashen face and broke the silence after a long while. "Five years ago, I didn't mean to offend you. I regretted it very much after I woke up."
Draxton slightly moved his glacial eyes. He had a regal bearing, and his expression was impenetrable.
Without getting his reply, Isabella clenched her teeth and continued, "Mr. Lockwood, can you tell me what you plan to do with me?"
After throwing out that question, Isabella looked up at Draxton in earnest.
She met his unreadable eyes.
Draxton stayed quiet
Isabella's brows wrinkled. "Why is he giving me the silent treatment?
"I'm now fish in the barrel! Can't he just tell me whether he will cut me into pieces or give me a quick death?" Isabella roared inside.
Draxton's gaze was so aggressive that Isabella looked away and ducked her head again.
Draxton cocked an eyebrow. In his eyes, Isabella was a weak and vulnerable woman who had burned herself in fright just because of his appearance and didn't even have the nerve to hold his gaze. He suddenly got on his feet and strode to Isabella.
With his long arm braced on the headboard, he leaned forward and pulled his striking face close to Isabella's.
They were so close that Isabella could feel his breath on her face.
Isabella was caught unaware. She leaned backward, trying to draw away from him.
Her black eyes were filled with confusion.
Draxton fixed his dark blue eyes on Isabella and forced her to give him her full attention.
Contented that they were looking into each other's eyes, he said, "Ricky is my son."
It wasn't a question. He was stating a fact.
The fact was as plain as day, given that Ricky had features so similar to his. It could even be said that Ricky was the boy version of him.
Isabella couldn't deny it.
"Yes," she admitted under her breath.
Then she added, "He's very considerate and smart."
"I can see that." Draxton kept staring at Isabella intensely and perceived uneasiness in her eyes.
"Do you know that people who once offended me have disappeared from this world?" Draxton drawled.
In an instant, his words chilled Isabella to the bone.
She stiffened and pressed her lips into a tight line.
Draxton eyed her up and down with unreadable eyes and straightened himself abruptly. Then, looking condescendingly at Isabella, he said, "I'm 29 years old now. It's time for me to get married." His words didn't sink in with Isabella immediately.
Amused by her bewildered expression, Draxton slightly curled up the corners of his lips and said, "I was mad at you for what you did and intended to punish you, but I've changed my mind now. I need a wife, also an heir.
"Why should I bother to find someone new when my son's mother is right here in front of me?"
Hearing those words, Isabella couldn't help but curse a blue streak in her heart.
She blurted out, "Mr. Lockwood, you shouldn't be so willful regarding marriage.
"You should marry a woman who is your perfect match and have children with her. I'll take Ricky away and never appear in front of you again.
"I promise that we won't be a nuisance in your life."
"So remove my name from the most wanted list!" These words she kept to herself.
Isabella tried her best to show Draxton that she meant her words. A glint of sincerity filled her eyes.
Draxton looked at Isabella with emotions she couldn't decipher and cracked a faint smile. "Miss Thompson, you are my perfect match."
Isabella was captivated by that smile. He looked like an intimidating king when he kept a straight face, but once he smiled, he became Prince Charming. "He's cheating!" Isabella shouted inside.
It took her some time to tear her eyes from Draxton's face and understand what he had just said.
"Mr. Lockwood, stop kidding me. I'm just a normal girl. I'm not good enough for you."
Isabella looked flustered.
Draxton had expected to see her cheer up more or less after he offered to marry her.
However, her face went white with dread.
Draxton lapsed into pensive silence. After a while, he thought he had figured something out.This is property © NôvelDrama.Org.
He said, "Don't worry. I won't be an abusive husband. Instead, as Mrs. Lockwood, you'll get everything that
title deserves.
"Ricky will get the best education and be my sole heir.
"Do you have any other worries?
"Tell me if you do. I can solve all of them for you."
He looked at Isabella with a glimmer in his eyes.
Isabella opened her mouth but said nothing after realizing that Draxton was serious.
Seeing that she didn't object, Draxton nodded contentedly and said, "I'll take your silence as a yes."
At that moment, Greyson returned with Ricky.
Draxton looked over his shoulder at the boy walking in.
His eyes automatically turned soft.
Ricky was looking at him too. He looked so sweet and adorable with exquisite features and said in a cute voice, "Sir, thank you for sending my mom to the hospital." Draxton turned to face him and stared at the small face which looked so much like his. Then, a smile broke across his face again as he said, "Call me Dad."