Just a Bit Unhealthy

Claire carefully put her son in the crib, straightened up, and wiped her forehead.

Glancing at the clock, she was surprised to see that it was only midnight, and she felt that Jules had been crying for hours, and he finally got tired of crying a few minutes ago and finally fell asleep.

She yawned, changed into a clean dress and went into the bathroom.God, she was exhausted.Her arms were sore and her back ached, and the thought of her soft mattress gave her relief.Maybe she should listen to her friends and hire a full-time nanny.

When she came back to the room, she saw that Gabriel had also returned.He was sitting on the bed, smiling all over his face.

Claire froze in place.She couldn't remember the last time Gabriel had smiled so happily.

"Good news?" she whispered, looking at the cell phone in his hand.

Gabriel looked up at her and smiled.For a moment, Claire forgot the exhaustion all over her body, the sleepless night, the pain in her back, and felt the throbbing love.It had been a long time since she had felt this way, how long had it been filled with chagrin, disgust and anger?They seem to be arguing and fighting all the time lately.

"Yeah," he replied, looking down at his phone, "Jared just called."

Her heart skipped a beat. "Jared?"

"Yes." Gabriel smiled again, with excitement and joy on his face. "He's coming back."

"That's it."

Gabriel jumped out of bed and walked up and down the room. "Of course he still has a few weeks to deal with some things, he needs to..." He frowned, "but Dr. Boye is now taking Jared's place. But Jared is much better than her...the higher up will definitely I found out, I will give him the job back, right? Maybe I should tell the owner of the club..."

Claire chuckled and shook her head. "Are you kidding? Jared wanted to leave. Dr. Boye is the club's current senior physician. You can't fire this poor woman just to get Jared back on the job."

Gabriel blinked, as if he only realized that his plan was bad now. "Yeah," he said, "then I'll think of another way."

"You don't have to think about anything," Claire said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Jared is an adult, he's respected and professional, and I think he's fully capable of finding a job without your help."

"I know," Gabriel muttered, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. "It's obvious. I just want him to go back to his old ways and be with..." He stopped abruptly.

"And stay with you all the time?" Claire added in a low voice.

Gabriel looked a little restless and awkward as he kept shifting his weight-bearing foot.

But he didn't deny it.

Claire sat on the bed and stared at Jules' crib.God, she wasn't surprised at all.She no longer has the energy to be angry and jealous.To be honest, she actually felt a little relieved. She was once happy because of Jared's departure, but she didn't expect that his departure would have such a bad impact on her relationship with Gabriel.For more than a month before the baby was born, Gabriel would try to keep her from seeing how miserable he was — not very well — but after Jules was born, life really went from bad to worse.Gabriel had no interest in anything, was cloudy, was going crazy, and often ended up wishing Jared would come back and fix him—because she didn't know what to do, and sometimes didn't feel like taking care of people.How ironic that she'd wanted Jared to leave, but now that she had Gabriel all to herself, she couldn't handle it anymore, and she was pretty sure he couldn't either.

Sometimes she couldn't help wondering if Gabriel regretted the life he had chosen.When she is particularly helpless, she can't help but wonder if she has also gone the wrong way.God, she might be the worst mother in the world.

Gabriel sighed and sat down beside her.Their shoulders touched, but neither looked at each other.

"I..." Gabriel said awkwardly after a moment, "I'm going to tell you something. Jared...he loves me."

She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to concentrate on her thoughts.So Jared really loves Gabriel.Come to think of it, this is no surprise.She'd thought about it before.Sometimes, when she saw the two of them together, she guessed in that direction.Jared had always spoiled Gabriel, and he could easily accept Gabriel's difficult personality, the whole of him... the parts that she couldn't stand.

"So he was leaving?" she asked.

"Correct."

"Okay," she said flatly, "what are you talking about now?"

Gabriel looked agitated, his hands shaking. "I persuaded him to come back, and I promised him to make him happy."

Claire turned to stare at him and said, "How can you...you're a straight man...you've got a family too!"

Gabriel looked away. "So what?"

She blinks. "how?"

He straightened his jaw stubbornly. "Having a family doesn't mean I can't make him happy. I can do it, at least I will work hard. I will do anything to make him happy."

Claire opened her mouth, but no words came out.She was completely, speechless.

"Anything?" she said, raising her voice. "Anything?"

"Don't disturb the baby," Gabriel said, glancing at the crib.

She lowered her voice. "Are you crazy? You can't just be like this..." She suddenly smiled, "Are you serious? Are you willing to sleep with him just to make him happy?"

"Stop kidding," he said awkwardly.

"Then what else can you do? Say it?" She sarcastically said, "He loves you, and he can't be satisfied by pulling your little hand."

Gabriel licked his lips and muttered, "I know, so I want to discuss it with you."

Her stomach convulsed. "What?"

"It's really impossible for me to sleep with a man, but I will have a normal relationship with him more or less."

She can only stare at him now.

He smiled and looked at the phone in his hand. "Don't look at me like a madman."

"You're really crazy," Clare said. "It's not going to work."

"Okay, it works."

Claire rubbed her temples.God, he made her head hurt.It's come to this point, she wonders how they can still be together, it's like chicken and duck talking. "Okay, I figured it out. If you promise the man who loves you that you will make him happy, it doesn't matter if you're married and a straight man. Okay, no matter what you want to do, I'll ask you and Zhu What are you going to do, Ernesto?"

"What does it matter?" Gabriel looked genuinely confused. "It's still the same to you. You're still my family, and Jared is..." He stopped.

What is it?

A word stuck in her throat, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to know his answer.Once a word is spoken, it cannot be taken back.

Too timid, maybe she just didn't dare to think about it.

"Listen..." Gabriel took her hand, "I know this might sound weird to you, but you don't have to be in danger...and you don't have to be jealous."

Claire laughed out loud.

"What's wrong with you?" He looked cutely confused.

"Xiaojia, the first time I saw Jared, I was very jealous and felt a sense of crisis. So you are right to say that it is still the same to me." She shook her head with a smile.Whatever, she couldn't stand it, tired of being cowardly. "It's just, no... There are still changes. I no longer imagine that I am the first in your heart. Even if Jared is on the other side of the ocean, he is still in your heart, lying between us, as if he had never been Leave. Be honest, who would you choose if you could?"

A look of concern flashed across his face. "You are my family and I will not leave my son."

His answer hurt. "That's not what I asked."

Gabriel swallowed and looked away.

She tore away his hand, sore pain welling up in her throat. "I guessed it a long time ago."

He touched her shoulder. "Claire..."

"Don't," she said, "don't."

"I...I love you." He said a little uncertainly.

She didn't know whether she believed her or not.Did he ever love her?Or is it all just fireworks?They were all too young at the time.Damn, they're still very young now... only 21 years old...but she feels old.

"But you need him," she said. "I don't need it."

His silence said it all, and Claire just shook her head, viscerally tired. "I don't have a choice, do I? You're not here to ask for my opinion, you're just here to tell me."

"I won't force you to agree," he said in a crisp voice, "you still have a choice."

She raised her eyes and looked into his eyes. "Yes, there are."

But some of the choices were too scary, and she wasn't... ready to choose.

"I have to think about it," she said, "I'm not sure if I can do it... Even if I want to do it. But we have a son, we can't make a decision in such a hurry, otherwise..." She choked up , Swallowing hard to swallow the thing stuck in the throat.When did everything suddenly go off track?

Gabriel put his arms around her shoulders and pulled her closer to him. "I'm sorry," he said against her hair, "I'm sorry I'm a bad person and I really wish I wasn't."

She closed her eyes and let him hold her, remembering the good old days.She couldn't remember, couldn't settle down, and to be honest, she was also responsible.She shouldn't have used pregnancy to tie him down when he wasn't ready, but she didn't regret it...because even though she often stayed up all night, even if the husband and wife seemed to be apart, she still couldn't imagine life without children.

"Okay," she said, "we'll do our best and it'll be all right."

He breathed a sigh of relief and kissed her forehead. "Thanks, you are the best girlfriend in the world."

Claire smiled wryly.Maybe that's the solution, she just needs to be the best girlfriend in the world.She was reasonable and understanding, and Gabriel would love her.She has one more advantage over Jared: Gabriel has lust for her.For men, sex is very important, even if Xiaojia has that weird sense of dependence on Jared, his lower body will not respond to men.

She can, she can do it.In any case, she can't give up their feelings and her dreams.Gabriel was the father of her child, he was the man of her choice, she was not going to give him up like this, Jared Sheldon died.

Claire turned her head and touched Gabriel's mouth with her lips. "We haven't done it in a long time," she murmured softly, pushing him down and straddling him, "you really want it." Claire kissed him, closed her eyes, and hoped, even though it was a very stupid hope.

the third part

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