Chapter 90: Afraid She’ll Leave
At the same time.
After getting Haden’s permission, Helena took Jay’s family genealogy and went home to restore it.
Willis had set up a separate study for her at home, specifically for restoring ancient books and paintings.
The set of family genealogy sent by Jay had some years on it. Judging by the age of the paper, it had been passed down since the Ming Dynasty.
The book’s cover and foot were seriously damaged, with even the pages covered in various sizes of wormholes, mold, acidification, aging, and wear caused by use.
Restoring a family genealogy was as complicated a process as restoring ancient books.
It involved numerous steps, such as analyzing the damage, disassembling the book, selecting paper, washing with water, patching holes, pressing the book, and binding, among dozens of other procedures.
Helena’s home was always stocked with various types of ancient paper purchased at a high price from antique shops.
She found Ming Dynasty-era paper and prepared it. Following the secret formula passed down by her grandfather, she bought materials outside.
It took almost half a day to buy the materials.
Once everything was ready, Helena started to disassemble the genealogy sheet by sheet for cleaning.
During the disassembly, she discovered that the Santana family was indeed a super large family.
They had been prosperous since the Ming Dynasty, with many literati and scholars emerging within the family.
The names of the Santana family members were all grand and elegant, full of profound meaning.
When she was close to finishing, Helena suddenly saw a familiar name: Zachary Santana.
This was Willis’s grandfather’s name.
Then she made a significant discovery.
Zachary Santana and Jay Santana’s grandfather, Randy Santana, were actually cousins.
This was too surprising.
Helena stared at Zachary Santana’s name, silent for quite a while.
She felt she needed to tell Willis about this significant discovery.
She put down the family genealogy and looked at the clock on the wall.
It was almost nine o’clock.
Willis called and said he had social engagements tonight and would be back by nine.
Helena stood up, opened the door, and went downstairs.
She saw Willis had just returned.
He had a strong smell of cigarettes and alcohol on him.
His handsome and refined face showed a faint expression, with cold and hard brows, and deep, inscrutable black eyes.
Helena walked over and asked, “Why did you drink so much?”
Willis grunted, didn’t look at her, and raised his hand to take off his suit jacket.
Helena took the jacket from his hand and hung it on the coat rack.
For some reason, she always felt that his mood was not good tonight.
Helena asked, “Did the social event not go well tonight?”
“Smoothly,” Willis said nonchalantly, his tone indifferent.
Still not looking at her.
Helena stood there motionless.
Willis lowered his eyelashes, changing his shoes.
Long fingers leisurely loosened his tie, throwing it on the shoe cabinet.
He unbuttoned two buttons of his shirt, revealing sexy collarbones.
Helena’s gaze briefly stopped at his neck.
The collar of the shirt revealed a long and firm neck with clear and deep jawlines.
As he spoke, his Adam’s apple slightly moved, carrying a hint of sensuality.
He hadn’t done anything, just stood there.
Yet, she felt her heart race, and her throat was heating up.
Helena shook her head to regain her composure and said, “I’ll make some sobering soup for you.”
She turned around and walked towards the kitchen.
However, Willis pulled her with one hand.
He pinched her chin, lowered his head, nibbled on her nose, then traced up to her upper lip and gave her a light kiss.
After a pause, he let her go.
Helena felt a bit disappointed.
He had never done this before.
In the past, once he kissed her, he would follow with a deep kiss. He wouldn’t just give a light peck on the upper lip and call it a day.
Helena asked in surprise, “What’s wrong with you today?”
Willis raised his hand and rubbed his forehead, his eyes showing a hint of irritability, “You’re preparing for pregnancy, I drank, didn’t want to pass the alcohol smell to you.”
This reason.
Helena couldn’t help but find it forced.
Willis took long strides and went to the bathroom to take a shower.
Helena was afraid that the bathroom floor would be slippery if he had been drinking. She hurriedly followed, supporting his arm, and said, “I received a job today to restore a family genealogy. I saw your grandfather’s name, Zachary Santana, on it. Grandpa and Jay’s grandpa are actually cousins. So, aren’t you and Jay…”
“Have the same name,” Willis briskly interrupted her, “Jay and I have no relation whatsoever.”
His voice sounded indifferent.
Helena hesitated for a moment, “Okay.”
Willis entered the bathroom.
Helena was about to follow in to help.
Unexpectedly, Willis closed the door.
Watching the cold door, Helena felt a bit blocked in her heart.
Soon, rushing water sounds came from inside.
Willis had started showering.
Helena stood silently for a while, then turned and went downstairs to the kitchen to make sobering soup for him.
Helena picked up the sobering soup and handed it to him, “It’s just the right temperature. Drink it.”
Willis took the bowl and finished it in one go.
After drinking, he lifted the quilt and lay on the bed.
Helena also got on the bed, lay beside him, put her hand on his waist, and embraced him, asking, “What happened?”
“Nothing,” he said lightly.
But the atmosphere was clearly heavy.Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.
He didn’t look like everything was fine.
Helena sat up, took a deep breath, and said, “I’ll feel uncomfortable if you act like this. We’re husband and wife. It’s best to talk openly about any issues. If you keep it inside, small conflicts can escalate into big ones. I cherish our relationship a lot, really, I’m carefully maintaining our marriage.”
Willis hesitated.
Soon, he lowered his eyelashes and, in a calm voice, concealed the complex emotions in his eyes, saying, “I also cherish our relationship.”
Helena stared into his eyes, “I feel you have something on your mind tonight.”
Willis did have something on his mind.
But he didn’t want to say.
Helena and Jay had been getting close recently, and it was all work-related matters.
Every time she explained it very clearly, rationally, he couldn’t find any faults.
But he just felt uncomfortable in his heart.
Especially today, receiving Susan’s call saying that Jay had given Helena a million dollars for repairs.
Did his woman need him to be so generous?
Who lacks that little money?
But he couldn’t say such things; saying them would make him seem petty or even unreasonable.
It might make Helena feel that he was too controlling.
He didn’t want to pressure her too much.
Afraid that if he pressured her too much, she would not be able to endure it and would leave.