No More Mrs. Forgotten novel Chapter 7

She wasn't being dramatic, nor was she putting on an act. It was just that for the past few days, she had been suffocating under layers of emotional distress.

Caleb's tragic death, York's insistence on moving Emeline into their home, the crumbling state of her marriage—every single aspect of her life made it impossible for her to find a moment of peace. As a result, she kept experiencing flashes of discomfort in her stomach.

That discomfort brought on crippling anxiety, and seeing Hayley cry only compounded her sorrow.

Noticing her odd behavior, Hayley quickly wiped her tears and asked, "Does your stomach hurt?"

Sharon instantly dropped her hand. "No."

Forcing herself to bury her emotions, she stood up. Without even glancing at York, she simply said, "Let's go."

If she stayed any longer, she was terrified Hayley would figure it out. Her mother had been through pregnancy before, after all.

York seemed to despise her cold demeanor. His face grew noticeably frostier, but he stood up anyway and addressed Hayley. "Mom, we'll head out now."

His tone was steady and polite, hitting all the right notes of respect.

He was always like this with the elders—flawless, elegant, and aristocratic, a textbook display of perfect upbringing.

Moreover, the Nash and Fordham families were close. Hayley and York's mother, Libby, were best friends. Their bond was incredibly tight.

Libby absolutely adored Sharon, and the fact that Sharon eventually married York was half thanks to Libby's relentless efforts.

Seeing his perfect facade, Sharon ignored him entirely, refusing to even look his way.

Hayley nodded. "Alright."

York offered a slight bow and turned to leave, fully ignoring Sharon in return.

Sharon figured he was probably too tired to even pretend anymore. Or maybe... he was already plotting... exactly how he was going to marry Emeline?

"Hold on," Hayley's voice rang out, stopping York in his tracks and pulling Sharon out of her thoughts.

They both turned around.

Sharon had no choice but to drop it. She was worried, but could only tell herself not to overthink it.

Hayley led York through the main hall corridor and out into the side garden.

The garden was lush and beautifully manicured, bathed in the soft, sprawling glow of the evening sunset, offering a refreshing and expansive view.

Hayley stopped, and York paused right behind her, looking at his mother-in-law. She was a woman nearing fifty but immaculately maintained—elegant, poised, and composed.

Hayley met his gaze and got straight to the point. "Did you know Sharon is sick?"

York blinked in surprise, then shook his head. "I apologize. Work has been demanding, and she didn't mention anything to me."

Hayley wasn't surprised by his answer, nor did she sound accusatory. She stated calmly, "She's been lethargic. She has no appetite, barely ate a thing over the past two days, and has been avoiding anything greasy."

Hayley kept her eyes locked on York. He frowned slightly as she continued, "A couple of days ago, she was nauseous and dry heaving. She claimed it was a stomach bug, but when I tried to give her medicine, she flat-out refused."