MIDNIGHT Bride The CEO's TEMPTATION

After dinner, Nathan went upstairs to take a shower, and while he was detained, a car pulled up in the driveway. Helen's family doctor had arrived, and he had several of his assistants with him.

When Nanny Elma saw the car, she called Helen into the living room and said, "Helen, your family doctor is here. Mrs. Bush has ordered regular, daily examinations for you, along with some regular tests like taking your temperature and blood pressure."

"Okay." Helen sat down on the couch and said, "Let him in."

****

The doctor's manner was cautious, and as he held a stethoscope to Helen's chest, he asked her if anything was bothering her. "Mrs. Davis," he said. "I am your doctor, so you can tell me anything."

Crystal was in the kitchen, and she was startled to hear Helen being referred to as Mrs. Davis. Helen was equally surprised. She shook her head in sheepish denial, but before she could correct the man, Elma blurted out, "Mrs. Davis has not been sleeping well recently."

"Lethargy is a common symptom during the first trimester," the doctor said. "In your case, I think you might be too nervous. It would help if you took the pressure off. Listening to music and eating good food can distract you from anything that might be causing you anxiety." Crystal had just entered the room with a vase of flowers, and he frowned. "By the way," he continued. "You have to pay attention to some of the flowers in the room because they can make you sick. For example, the perfumed lilies in this young lady's hand seem mild and harmless, but they contain stimulants that can affect your nerves at this time and lead to fetal instability.

Nanny Elma was startled. She hurriedly gave one of the servants a stern look, and the servant attempted to snatch the flowers from Crystal's hands. Crystal retracted her hands, though, and the servant said, "Miss Smith, please let me handle the flowers. You know Mrs. Davis is pregnant. Did you put the lilies in the room on purpose, knowing that they could harm the baby?"

"Mr. Davis sent the flowers," Crystal replied.

"Do you think that Mr. Davis sent them to cause Helen to miscarry purposely?"

"I doubt that was his intention," Elma scoffed. "It seems to me that he gave them to you so that you could put them in your room, but you intentionally brought them into the living room to cause Helen harm. Isn't that the way of things?"

Crystal wanted to laugh, but she kept her composure. "Did I invite you into my house?" she asked. "Anyway, Helen has been here all day. There are flowers everywhere, and she is fine!"

Helen reached for Elma's hand and said, "Miss Smith did not do it on purpose. She probably didn't know that lilies can cause miscarriages."

Elma: "There are bound to be conflicts while we are living here. Although this is Miss Smith's house, and we are only staying here for some time, as her guests, it would be best if we made a few things clear from the get-go." Helen shook her head and said, "I moved in to make sure that the baby is born. Nathan and Miss Smith are..."

Elma knew what Helen was going to say, so before she could finish, she quickly cut in. "Mr. Davis will fall in love with you one day," she said. "You are pretty, polite, and well-bred. Whoever sees you will like you."

Suddenly, the servant snatched the flowers out of Crystal's hands, threw them on the ground, and crushed them with the heel of her shoe.

Crystal reached out and slapped the servant across the face. "Who do you think you are?" she roared. "How dare you disrespect me in my own house?" She lifted her hand to hit her again, but Elma yelled at her to stop.

Elma: "Miss Smith, that was rude!!!"

The servant bowed her head to Elma and stepped back sheepishly. 

Crystal: "Is it not rude to trample on another person's things?"

Elma: "The servant was looking after Mrs. Davis. It was understandable."

"If you liked the lilies," Helen interrupted, "I'll ask the servant to buy you some more. Just, please stop fighting..."

The Doctor glared at Crystal and said, "Can we put this behind us, please. The stress isn't good for the baby."

Crystal sneered angrily. How did I become the bad girl?- she wondered - And why do they keep calling Helen Mrs. Davis?

Unexpectedly, Nathan emerged from the dining room. "What's going on here?" he asked. He had heard everything.

"Mr. Davis," said the Doctor. "It is good to see you."

"It is good to be seen," Nathan replied.

Elma and the servants bowed their heads and greeted him with respect, but he didn't even look at them. He glanced coldly at the lilies on the floor. Tonelessly, he asked the room, "What happened?"

Elma looked up and said, "The doctor said that the lilies could cause a miscarriage. The maid tried to throw them out, but Miss Smith wouldn't let…."

Nathan half listened as he walked up to Crystal, picked her up, and set her on the shoe cabinet situated against the wall.

Crystal was wearing a knee-length nightdress with white cotton bubble sleeves. She pulled down on the hem of her skirt, which showed her white, smooth thighs, while her calves dangled in the air.

"Don't move, or you'll fall," Nathan told her. He had his hands around her waist, and he was holding her in place. "Now tell me the truth; do you like lilies?"

"Not at all!" Crystal replied angrily.

Nathan fiddled with Crystal's frail hand for a second, and then he brought it to his mouth and bit one of her fingers, which caused her to tremble.

There was a look of satisfaction in Nathan's eyes, and he smiled as he summoned Vic. Then, when his bodyguard arrived, he said, "Vic, ask the doctor which flowers are harmless to pregnant women, choose some expensive ones, and send them to Miss Smith and me every day."

Vic nodded, and then he quickly left. Elma looked up. She had a frown on her face, and when Nathan saw it, he was displeased. "What now?" he growled. "Are you not satisfied?"

"Of course, I am," Elma quickly replied. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Alright then!" Nathan snapped. "I want you to remember that the next time you address Crystal. Do not forget that I could make your stay here very unpleasant."

Elma's face turned white. She nodded slightly but said nothing.

For a moment, the doctor was embarrassed. He had thought that Helen was Nathan's wife, but from the way that Mr.. Davis treated Crystal, he knew that she was his sweetheart.