It'll Come Naturally novel Chapter 1710

"Annie, come on. Please don't be so hard on yourself. You're beautiful, unique, really one of a kind." Fred looked at Annie straight in the eye. He held her hands in between his own. His hands even trembled a bit from all the emotion he was feeling. Without a doubt, Fred loved Annie with all his heart. He had also grown to love the twins. He'd treat them as if they were his own children -- if only Annie could find it in her heart to let him inside her life.

"Fred, please stop. I'm already in love with somebody else. I'm so sorry." Annie lowered her eyes, feeling embarrassed. She couldn't bare to look at Fred as he confessed.

"Is it because of Mr. Xia?" Fred asked, his voice sad and low. 'If only I had met Annie before that bastard Rain did, ' Fred thought to himself.

Annie flushed, her face got hotter. "I'm so sorry. I should have told you," Annie looked up at Fred through her lashes. She gave him a weak smile as some comfort at the very least. But right after she had finally told him the truth, she couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. The weight of the burden she carried was finally lifted from her entirely.

"But how can you even be sure that he'll love you back! What if he becomes unfaithful to you, Annie? Have you ever thought of that? That maybe he doesn't love you as much as you love him?" he cried. He let go of Annie's hands, and ruffled his hair in his frustration. 'Come on, Annie. Think! If he really loved you, he wouldn't have left you and the kids!'

"I-I..." Annie stammered. Fred's questions had her stumped. She herself did not know why she was still so drawn towards Rain.

"See! You can't even back him up. But you can count on me." Fred held on to her hands once again. "I can assure you that you will be the only woman I will ever need and want in my life. Please..." Fred was not about to give up. This was the first time he had been so vocal about his feelings; this, to him, was his chance to take the next step with Annie.

"Fred, I don't want to talk about it anymore," Annie said, drawing back her hands from Fred's hold. She was getting much too overwhelmed from Fred's confession. Her head spun, and right now, the best solution she could think of was to avoid the conversation altogether -- even though it didn't really solve her problem.

Fred looked at her, looking defeated but still hopeful. "I understand. But I hope you'll consider everything I have said." He stood up and walked over to the twins, leaving her behind. He thought that at least he was able to let his feelings be known to her. All that he could do now was to give her some space and time to think it over.

Later that evening, Joyce complained that she wasn't feeling so good. Perhaps it was because of the cold weather, or maybe because of exhaustion. For whatever reason, she was starting to get a high fever. Annie panicked; they had just moved to S City, and did not know which hospital she should bring her daughter to. She had already spent hours washing Joyce's body with a sponge dipped in cold water.

"Mommy, why don't we call daddy? Maybe he'll know what to do," Huey suggested anxiously. He didn't sleep -- instead, he stayed beside his sickly sister as he held her hand. Although their personalities were different and they didn't get along as well as they should, Huey loved and cared deeply for Joyce.

"I'm sorry. Daddy's on a business trip right now, sweetie." It was true, though. Belinda had informed Annie before that Rain would be out of town for a whole week.

"Well, maybe he came back early?" Huey pressed.