Arrogant Man VS Unyielding Woman novel Chapter 497

Jean rolled over to face Zed and said,"Then, what would you like to talk about?"

"I have something to tell you and it's bad news. I hope you can prepare yourself before I tell you. No matter what you hear next, just be calm. Promise me, for the sake of our baby." Zed pleaded with Jean as he looked at her with anxious eyes.

Jean was taken aback. She had thought that Zed would never agree to tell her this deep-buried secret. After a while, with her voice full of doubt, she asked,"Are you sure you are ready for it? You have been dithering over whether to tell me this the whole night. If you haven't decided yet, don't push yourself. Don't make a compromise just because I want to know it. Honey, you don't have to tell me if you think I'm gonna overreact. I can understand. It's our baby first."

Zed was staring at Jean in wonder. He had thought Jean would be upset about his hiding such an important part of the truth from her. So he instinctively asked,"Don't you want to know what happened?"

"Yes, I'm curious about what you have hidden from me. I want to know. But, if I can't control my emotions after I get to know the truth, I'd rather not be told. The baby's heath is a top priority for me. My curiosity can wait. Now, it's the baby over everything," Jean said and looked at Zed with a firm look.

Zed was tongue-tied as Jean's words sunk in. He looked at Jean in disbelief.

He had been tossing and turning over this confession for the longest time and by now, persuaded himself to tell Jean. But he never thought that this was how Jean saw the whole situation. After studying her glowing but sleepy face, Zed concluded that she meant every bit of her words.

"I'm glad that you see it this way, Jean," Zed said looking relieved. Giving her hands a warm squeeze as a faint smile played on his lips, he said,"Since you too think that our baby is of utmost importance right now. I think you will know how to react once you hear my news." He drew a long breath in and said,"So, I have decided to tell you, Jean."

"Hmm. What is it then?" Jean looked at Zed and asked calmly.

"Well, it's about Joy." Zed said it in a measured tone, adding,"She called me before supper and said that she has lung cancer. It's terminal. And she just has a few months to live. I confirmed this with her doctor after she hung up."

"What?" Jean was stunned and looked at Zed in disbelief.

Inwardly, Zed had butterflies in his stomach. This is precisely what he was trying to avoid — an upset Jean. He immediately said this to reassure her,"Be relaxed, honey. Don't get distressed."

"Why will I be? I'm not the one who is ill," Jean retorted and gave Zed a dirty look. She closed her eyes to mull over what Zed had finally blurted out to her. After a few minutes, she explained,"I was just surprised by the news. I've forgiven her for what she has done. However, God does punish evil people with what they deserve. Nothing arises on its own."

Zed was dumbfounded by seeing Jean take it this way.

He widened his eyes, and scanned her face carefully in silence. He had never expected Jean to reflect on things like this.

"Why are you staring at me? Wait! Is this the news you have been hiding from me?" Jean's suspicion was roused looking at Zed gaping at her.

Jean's words stirred Zed into responding promptly. He nodded in agreement and explained,"Well, I thought you will be upset with the news. Which, of course, is neither good for you nor our baby."

Again, Jean looked at him in annoyance. Puffing herself just a bit, she said,"There are four unavoidable sufferings: birth, old age, sickness and death. The first thing we have to learn is to accept them. What make you think I will be upset about Joy's illness?"

"You are right, Jean. Your words make sense. But we still have a problem here." Zed shrugged his shoulders and raised his palm skywards to show that he was wrestling with a dilemma he didn't know how to solve.

"What's that?" Jean asked and furrowed her eyebrows.

She realized that the purpose of Joy's call was not that simple. Joy called Zed not just to tell him that she got cancer. She must have made some demands.