Punishment（1）

Oliver Ford nodded, "Things are going smoothly," he paused for a moment, "Jane, I came here by car. Let me give you a ride home."

Jane was taken aback. Oliver Ford's gaze scanned the villa, which had a cold and hard interior decor, with half a pack of cigarettes and a silver lighter on the coffee table. It was clear that a man was present.

"No thanks," Jane said, even though John had not shown up since he dropped her off at Lavender Manor. She couldn't leave without him asking her to.

Oliver Ford's face looked a little unhappy. "Aren't you two divorced?" he asked.

"It's complicated," Jane sighed. She didn't want to explain too much to Oliver Ford.

Instead, Oliver Ford took out the script and discussed it with her. Jane gave sensible and useful advice, which made Oliver Ford smile with approval. The two of them had a lively conversation.

Little did they know that their every move was being watched by John.

Since Jane moved into Lavender Manor, John had been on a business trip in another city. But he checked the home surveillance every day to see what Jane was up to.

When he looked at the monitor, Brian stood nervously by his side.

Brian had been having a tough time lately. Since the big boss found out that Jane had had an abortion without informing anyone, he had been in a state of low pressure. He often revealed a fierce look in his eyes and brows.

And every time he checked the surveillance footage and saw Jane leisurely taking care of herself, he seemed even more angry. The storm brewing in his eyes contained a destructive power.

So despite the very favorable conditions offered by the partner for the recent project, John refused to cooperate, causing the partner to become frustrated and trying various ways to get the cooperation.

He had started to sympathize with the cooperative party.

John's face was calm as he watched Jane, with a smile on her face, talking to Oliver Ford. He had no idea what they were talking about, as their heads were almost touching.

Brian watched nervously, his palms sweating as he secretly dialed the Lavender Manor's landline. The phone rang, interrupting Jane and Oliver Ford's conversation. When she got up to answer the phone, he immediately hung up.

He hoped that the ringing would stop their conversation and save himself and the cooperative party from trouble.

"Hello?" Jane picked up the receiver, but there was no answer. It was followed by a busy tone. She thought it might be a sales call and didn't think much of it. She hung up and prepared to continue discussing the script with Oliver Ford when her aunt came over to remind her to rest.

Oliver Ford also got up to leave. "I'll come see you again next time," he said.

Jane nodded and adjusted the scarf around her neck before seeing him off at the door.

On the 21st day of her stay at Lavender Manor, she suddenly received a call from John. "Follow your aunt's instructions and write a report for me afterwards."

Jane was bewildered.

She was even more surprised when her aunt brought her to the obstetrics and gynecology department at St. Mary's Hospital.

Outside the maternity ward, her aunt pointed to a chair. "Mr. John instructed that Miss Jane should wait here for the birth of five children. If there aren't enough, you can't leave."

Jane was stunned and didn't understand what John was up to.

It was now 9 a.m., and there happened to be a woman in labor inside the delivery room. Faint cries of pain could be heard from inside, and the woman's husband was outside with a five or six-year-old girl.

After about half an hour, the delivery room door opened, and a nurse came out carrying a baby. "It's a girl, and she's healthy. Please take her to the ward to rest," she said to the baby's father.