Chapter 18: Awakening
Janice winced as she came to. Her back hurt, and a tear slid down her cheeks as she rolled onto her side.
She glanced around but didn't see Jules around. She only saw the dratted belt he had used in whipping her on the swivel chair that was close to the window.
She didn't know if it was calming or alarming to know Jules had acted like a caveman. However, she wouldn't give him the satisfaction that she would succumb to whatever he wanted of her.
She trudged into the bathroom limping, discarded the robe from her body before glimpsing at her reflection in the mirror.
She grimaced as she saw the broken skin and bruise that might leave a scar after it healed.
Janice glared as she noticed the steam rising from the water in the bathtub.
"No amount of glare would change the fact that you are hardheaded, Madame."
Janice swirled as she heard his voice. "Stop calling me that absurd name, my name is Janice."
"And no amount of pleading would make me forgive you for what you did." She retorted, scowling. Then, let her robe slide down.
She felt Jules' eyes on her, but she didn't bother to cover herself since he had seen her bare.
She tested the temperature of the water first with her leg, before soaking herself in. She closed her eyes to stop her from gazing at him.
"I didn't mean to be that harsh." Jules pulled himself from the doorway and stepped towards the bathtub.
"I didn't mean to hurt you." He asserted, dipping his hand into the water.
Janice's eyes snapped open as she felt his hand on her bump. She ignored the feeling he was building in her gradually as he caressed it.
"You have the affluence to get any girl you want. Why are you hung up on me?" Janice inquired as tears gathered at the back of her eyes.
She didn't know if it was the emotion due to her being pregnant or the sting she was feeling as she sat in the water. Whichever it was, she wanted to let the pain out.
"Why me?" Janice sobbed, and at the same time tried to restrain herself from acting like a crybaby.
"Cry," Jules commanded as he stared at her.
Her ocean-blue eyes were red-rimmed, and she lifted it to him.
He didn't know how to answer her question. Perhaps, he had no answer to it because all he wanted to was to claim his child and not have an heir or heiress without a title.
He groaned as he saw her lips quivered, and snort dribbled down her nose. He plucked out a white fabric from his back pocket and extended it towards her.
"Thank you." Janice sniffled whilst dabbing at her eyes.
"I guess you don't have an answer to my question, and I know you never would." She murmured, staring at the water.
Her eyes occasionally trailed to Jules who had gone to stand by the doorpost.
When she was done, Jules helped her out of the bathtub and was careful not to touch her sore derriere. He placed her on her bed and ordered her to turn.
Gently, he applied the ointment he had taken along with him on the swollen bruise.
Janice winced as he massaged the balm on her backside.
She blushed when her stomach chose the opportunity to grumble loudly.
"I made some food." Jules chuckled.
"I have no food in the pantry," Janice replied, shyly.
She was appalled by the fact that he had gone to ransack her kitchen.
"I know, I sent Jackson to get some for me."
"Thank you." She glanced at him briefly, before staring around the room.
Despite how brutish he had behaved earlier, he was thoughtful as well to have prepared a bath and cooked for her.
Janice eyed Jules from the corner of her eyes as he lifted the stewed beef to her lips.
She hummed as she relished in the taste. "I never knew you were this good at cooking."
"I've lived alone all my life and as a bachelor, I did most of the cooking in my apartment while at home in London."
Janice shook her head as she tried to imagine him with an apron tied around his waist. She shook her head again to dismiss the absurd image she had come up with.
"That makes sense." She murmured.
Janice brows lifted as Jules rose to his feet. "Where are you going?"
"I want to explore the beach. Do you want to come with me?"
"I haven't entirely forgiven you to want to go anywhere with you," Janice glowered.
Jules shrugged and gazed at her. "You'll forgive me sooner or later when you realize I'm trying to protect you."
"You whipping my backside with that monstrous looking thing isn't protection!"
Janice wondered what he was thinking about to have made him say that. He was the caveman she had imagined him to be.
If she had known earlier and wasn't drunk, she wouldn't have gone to bed with him!
"I hate you." Janice blurted.
Jules halted in his track as he heard the sincerity in her voice. He didn't blame her for saying that because he was at fault for marking her skin.
Moreover, he would not have acted like a caveman if she had been on her best behaviour.
"I'm sorry," Jules murmured, before slipping out of the house.
Janice smacked her forehead as she saw the retreating back of Jules. She walked to the window and saw him instructing the guards whilst pointing at her door.
Janice rolled her eyes whilst walking back to the chair she was on to finish her meal.
"I'm stuffed." She groaned, rubbing her hard stomach. "Your father and I wouldn't get married anytime soon since he believed he owned me and could do anything to me."
Janice hoped her promise would come true because she knew Jules wouldn't hesitate to hurl her back to Cherview before the first light tomorrow.