Married the Sick Uncle – Just Waiting to Inherit His Fortune

Anne Sutton was taken aback by what Stella Shields said. ”You’re with Ethan Linden?”

She distinctly remembered Ethan saying he and Stella weren’t in a relationship.

If that hadn’t been the case, she never would have gotten so close to Ethan.

”Ethan and I have known each other since we were kids,” Stella said. ”We have Ian together, and his mother has always hoped we’d get married. Did Ethan not tell you any of this?”

Anne Sutton’s fingers went stiff. Her heart sank at Stella’s words.

’If what Stella is saying is true, doesn’t that make me the other woman?’

She looked at Stella and said, ”But Ethan told me that you two weren’t in that kind of relationship.”

She was still more inclined to believe Ethan.

After all, back when she was with Nathan Fawcett, Stella had said plenty of things to sow discord.

Anne Sutton didn’t fully trust her.

Stella looked at Anne, realizing Nathan had told her quite a lot.

Stella said, ”Actually, I came here to ask for your help. I was so busy with work before that I neglected our child, so Ethan is angry with me. Sister-in-law, can you help me talk some sense into Ethan? No matter what, the child is innocent. You see, Ian deserves to have a proper family, don’t you think?”

”I...” Anne stared at Ian. If Ian really was Stella’s child, then of course she would want him to have both his parents by his side.

Stella said, ”I heard some rumors that you and Ethan are together. That can’t be true, can it? You’re Nathan’s wife. When Nathan left, he couldn’t stop thinking about you! You couldn’t possibly... have forgotten Nathan and fallen for Ethan, could you? They might look alike, but they’re brothers. They’re two completely different people.”

As she said this, Stella feigned a look of grievance.

Anne’s heart was a tangle of complicated emotions as she listened to her.

She lowered her head to look at Ian, and her thoughts drifted to Ethan...

’If what Stella said was true, then being with Ethan was truly wrong of me.’

Stella glanced at her, then changed the subject. ”Is Ethan awake yet? I’ll go get him!”

With that, she went upstairs.

Anne stood frozen in place, a sense of guilt washing over her.

’It felt as if she had done something truly despicable.’

...

Ian took her hand. ”Mommy, let’s go eat!”

Anne followed Ian to the dining table and sat down. She looked at him and asked, ”Ian, that Auntie Shields... is she really not your mom?”

”I don’t know,” Ian said. ”They all say she is.”

Anne’s head was starting to throb. ’It looks like there are some things I really need to get to the bottom of.’

...

Stella went upstairs and entered Nathan Fawcett’s room. He was already up.

He had just finished dressing when he saw Stella come in. His expression darkened slightly. ”What are you doing here?”

’This was his room. It was rather rude of her to just barge in.’

”I saw you weren’t up yet, so I came to get you for breakfast,” Stella said.

Nathan’s gaze fell on her. He finished tying his tie and looked at Stella. ”Didn’t you go home?”

”I wanted to come spend some time with Ian,” Stella said. ”I’m not busy these days, anyway. Since you and Anne Sutton both have to work, why don’t you let Ian stay with me?”

”That’s not necessary,” Nathan refused.

”I’ll take him during the day and bring him back at night,” Stella offered, teasing, ”You’re not afraid I’ll run off with him, are you?”

Nathan stared at Stella. ”Aren’t you working anymore?”

”I’ve been away for the past few years and want to spend some time at home with my mother,” Stella said. ”I’ve practically watched Ian grow up. I adore him; I would never hurt him. I know you dote on your son, but you don’t have to be so wary of me! Nathan, even though I never got to marry Ethan, he was always the most important person in my heart. So, in my eyes, you’re like a big brother to me.”

”Enough.” Nathan cut her off. ”If you want to take him with you, then go ahead.”

Nathan and Ethan had always been close.

His younger brother’s sudden death had been a great sorrow for him.

His considerate treatment of Stella over the past few years was also due to this connection.

But that was all it was, of course.

’No matter how wonderful Stella was, he could never be with the woman his own brother had loved!’

Stella smiled when she heard this. ”Thank you, big brother.”

As Nathan left the room with Stella trailing behind, she asked, ”Have you told Sister-in-law about Ian?”

”No,” Nathan said.

”But I just heard Ian call her ’Mommy’,” Stella said. ”I thought you had already told her!”

At the mention of this, Nathan’s face darkened.

Although he couldn’t suppress his desire to be close to Anne, or his wish for Ian to have a mother, the thought of her aborting their child made him unwilling to forgive her.

’He wanted to watch her be tormented, night after night!’

’He wanted to see her experience the pain of losing a child.’

Seeing his dark expression, Stella said, ”Actually, I think maybe you should tell her. After all, Ian really likes her.”

”Stay out of it,” Nathan told Stella. ”And don’t you go saying things you shouldn’t.”

He was warning her because he was afraid she would let the truth slip.

Stella had only been testing the waters. Hearing that he had no intention of telling Anne, she felt relieved.

The two of them went downstairs.

Anne Sutton saw Nathan Fawcett and Stella Shields coming down the stairs together.

’Walking together, they actually looked like a good match.’

They sat down at the dining table.

Nathan looked at Anne and asked, ”Are you heading to the hospital later?”

Anne nodded. ”My annual leave just ended, so there’s a lot to catch up on at the hospital.”

She naturally had to make up for the work she’d missed while on vacation.

Nathan said to Ian, ”Ian, you’re going to be with Auntie Shields today. I’ll pick you up tonight.”

Since Stella was free, he did feel more at ease leaving Ian in her care.

It was certainly better than taking the boy to the office.

Ian heard Nathan and nodded. ”Okay.”

He was a sensible child, long accustomed to Nathan being busy and leaving him with others.

Hearing this, Stella’s lips curved into a slight smile. She glanced at Anne, smiled, and said, ”Sister-in-law, why don’t we all have dinner together tonight?”

In Nathan’s eyes, her calling Anne ”Sister-in-law” was a gesture of respect for his sake.

But in Anne’s eyes, Stella calling her that was entirely...

Because of Ethan!

And Ethan hadn’t denied it.

’So...’

’...are they really a couple?’

Since Anne hadn’t driven her car home last night, Nathan had been the one to pick her up.

So, he was driving her to work again today.

Nathan asked, ”What time do you get off work? I’ll come pick you up.”

Anne didn’t answer.

Nathan turned to glance at her. ”I’m talking to you. What are you thinking about? What’s with you today? Is something on your mind?”