Chapter 37
Chapter 37
Zachary parted his lips and was about to chime in. However, he turned to look at his tall and sturdy father standing right behind him cautiously when something came to him. Next, he turned toward Avery and shook his head. “We're not leaving now, but we're going to the supermarket with you.”
“Why're we going there?” Avery blundered before something popped into her mind. Ah! There wasn't any mineral water left in the mini-fridge earlier. Could it be he's worried that I might not have any drinking water when I'm thirsty?
At the thought, she reassured the boy, “It's all right. We don't have to go to the supermarket now. I'll boil some water later.”
At the moment, she could barely wait for him to leave with his father.
Nonetheless, the boy shook his head adamantly. “No way! I'm worried you'll be short of food and drinks when you're hungry and thirsty!”
Heaving a resigned sigh, Avery could only turn to flash a glance at Cayden helplessly, hoping that he would take the boy home.
Even so, the latter only stroked Zachary's head and stated placidly, “Zach is very concerned about you. Don't be surprised if he insists on staying overnight here to keep you company.”
In an instant, Avery was utterly speechless.
If she was fated to cross paths with anyone from the Moore family, Zachary was the only one she wished to bump into at times. The heartwarming moments when he was alongside her helped ease her
anguish and guilt for the loss of her child. Apart from that, she might be able to seek solace by imagining she was a mother showering her child with motherly love.
As for Cayden, Avery kept her fingers crossed, praying she would not come across him again. Moreover, she would rather stay away from him and avoid crossing paths with the man in the office.
She had only known the distinguished man for scarcely two weeks, but he had already indirectly caused her to fall victim to a tyrannical Zelda, a woman oblivious to rules and regulations.
Thus, Avery dared not imagine what other precarious states she would be in if she continued to be closely acquainted with Cayden.
Still wearing her beige dress, Avery took her purse before stepping out with Cayden and Zachary.
Cayden walked in front of her and Zachary, whereas Avery kept a distance away from him wittingly. After all, the latter was well aware that she was a stark contrast to the omnipotent man. Therefore, she did not wish to make an ass of herself by walking alongside him.
Since the supermarket was only a stone's throw from the hospital, they decided to go on foot.
Along the way, Avery's gut instinct told her that the others seemed to be shooting glances at her curiously. After that, they would turn to fasten their gazes on the eye-catching man in front of her as though he was one from the cover story of the latest financial magazine.
After reaching the entrance of the supermarket, Avery grabbed a shopping cart.
In actuality, Cayden had been turning around to check on her from time to time along the way. He could sense that she was obviously reluctant to walk abreast with him.
The moment he noticed her pushing a shopping cart, only then did he realize it was something essential for grocery shopping.
Even though he was inexperienced with that, he was enlightened after scanning around and noticing how the other male shoppers pushed the carts.
He approached Avery and uttered authoritatively, “Let me help you.”
“It's all right. I can push it myself.” Avery turned him down nicely.
“Didn't you notice the other men are pushing the shopping carts?” Cayden refuted, gazing at her nonchalantly. Stretching out a hand to stroke her head, he pushed the shopping cart to his side swiftly with his other hand.
Avery scanned their surrounding instinctively and was rendered speechless in sheer embarrassment.
No doubt, Cayden had a point. All the other men in the supermarket were the ones pushing the shopping carts. However, most of them were husbands accompanying their wives grocery shopping. Hence, it made sense for them to do so.
Oh my! My case is different. I'm only one of his lowly employees! There's nothing wrong with employees helping to push the shopping cart for their boss, but isn't it absurd for the boss to help an employee with that instead? Argh! Whatever! Just let him be!
Avery knitted her brows as she gazed at Cayden's tall and broad figure right in front of her. She had no choice but to follow him closely with Zachary.
Trident Group was a prestigious corporation with a large number of employees from all over the big city. Hence, Avery could not help but feel wary, fearing that they would bump into any of her colleagues. That would only result in an uproar in the company, and she knew nothing she said then would prove her innocence.
After stepping into the supermarket, Avery found that it was exceptionally packed.
Cayden turned to throw Avery and Zachary a glance once every two steps as he pushed the shopping cart ahead. Catching sight of Avery occasionally knocked about by some reckless shoppers, he furrowed his brows and instructed, “The two of you, move and walk in front of me now.”
Avery was dragged by Zachary to walk in front of Cayden.
Seeing that, Cayden finally nodded in satisfaction.
Shortly after, they reached a display shelf full of mineral water. Just as Avery stretched out her hands, Cayden had already carried a box and put it into the shopping cart effortlessly.
The display shelf for various types of chocolates was not far from them. Avery flashed a look at it instinctively before retracting her gaze the next second.
At that moment, Zachary had his eyes glued to the display shelf ahead of them as he mumbled, “Daddy, can you buy me potato chips? I promise I'll only take it once this month.”
Coincidentally, the display shelf for potato chips was next to the one for chocolates.
Chocolates were not on Avery's shopping list, but Cayden had noticed how her gaze had lingered on the particular shelf for more than five seconds.
He stroked Zachary's head and coaxed him, “Let's buy Ms. Ery chocolates first. She's not feeling well, so we should try to cheer her up, okay?”
“Okay!” Zachary gladly agreed.
On the other hand, Avery was rendered speechless, astounded by how he pampered her.
At that very moment, three young girls walked past them. “Wow!” One of them gasped exaggeratedly before covering her mouth and whispering, “How I wish I could meet a guy who pampers me as he does! What a stunning man!”
Even though she was only whispering, Avery could hear everything clearly. Consequently, she blushed crimson.
Moments later, Avery's jaw dropped at the sight of various chocolates in their shopping cart.
She tried to reject Cayden nicely, but the man paid no heed to her.
Subsequently, she could only give in as she did not wish to attract unintentional attention by bickering with him. Nevertheless, she could not help snorting inwardly at the man's domineeringness.
Zachary ended up blinking his eyes as he cast his head down and muttered piteously, “Why is Ms. Ery
allowed to take so many chocolates, but I can only have one packet of potato chips?”
Turning a deaf ear to him, Cayden pushed the shopping cart away.
Utterly embarrassed, Avery could not help burying her head in her hands.
When she finally mustered up her courage to lift her head again, she was stunned to see Cayden standing in the undergarments section. To be precise, it was a special section for women's lingerie!
Avery dragged herself toward him with her head lowered, planning to hint at him that it was time to leave. Nevertheless, Cayden stretched out his hand and pulled her closer to the panty section. Standing behind her, he stated casually, “I guess you might need to get a new one.”
Avery was at a loss for words again, and her face was flushed red. No words could describe her embarrassment at the moment. My goodness! He must have seen my stained panty in the bathroom!
“It's all right. My friend had brought me new ones.” Right after saying that, Avery grabbed Zachary's hand and headed straight to the entrance of the supermarket without sparing the man another glance. Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.
Twenty minutes later, Avery and Cayden walked along the street with Zachary.
Illuminated by the dim streetlights, Cayden's silhouette seemed longer because of his shadow. Trailing behind him, Avery could not help feeling an indescribable sense of shame surging from within her after the recent incident. Inevitably, her body had become a lot weaker since then.
“Achoo!” Avery sneezed as the chilly wind of the night blew against her. After that, she sneezed a few times again in a row.
Zachary immediately whipped out a tissue for her from his bag.
Alerted by her sneezes, Cayden advanced toward her and put the shopping bags down. While looking intently into her eyes, he suddenly took off his coat.
“It's all right...” Before Avery could finish her words, Cayden had placed one hand on her slender waist. Next, he moved behind a terrified Avery and draped his coat over her shoulders.
“Thank you,” she murmured awkwardly. In a blink of an eye, she seemed to feel a lot warmer. She could even feel the lingering warmth of his body heat on the coat.
Cayden picked up the shopping bags again and headed toward the hospital without uttering any words.
Holding Zachary's hand, Avery breathed in the pleasant smell from his coat as she gazed at Cayden's broad shoulders subconsciously. There was an unmissable hint of timidness amid gratitude in her eyes.
She suddenly could not help despising herself for anticipating more after feeling a sense of security surging from within her.