Chapter 326
Gregory froze for a moment, then smiled slightly.
A flicker of surprise flashed in Theo’s eyes, followed by a dimming gloom.
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Anathea’s words were like a stone thrown into seemingly calm waters, instantly stirring up a storm beneath the surface.
“What? Gregory’s wife is pregnant?”
“No wonder. Pregnant women really shouldn’t be eating those dishes.”
“So, that means the family is about to welcome another kid. Congratulations!”
In an instant, all those normally indifferent people gave their fake overenthusiastic wishes.
“But if she was pregnant, why didn’t she say anything earlier?” someone asked, puzzled.
“Exactly. It’s not some shameful secret. Why did they hide it?”
Anathea lowered her gaze. She could feel all the probing stares coming from every direction.
The reason she hadn’t wanted to say anything was precisely because she didn’t want to go through this–being scrutinized by people whose eyes felt as though they could pierce straight into her soul, leaving her chest tight and uncomfortable.
Gregory took her hand and gave it a gentle pat, offering comfort. Then, he turned to face everyone.
“My wife is introverted. She doesn’t like being surrounded and bombarded with questions, so I planned to announce it a month after the baby is born. Does anyone have a problem with that?”
“Of course not…” The relatives smiled.
“Congratulations to both of you, truly. You’ve got another child on the way.” Eleanor curved her lips, as if she’d finally achieved her goal.
Looking at Lennox, she added, “Lennox, you’re going to be a great–grandfather again. That’s wonderful news!”
At her words, Lennox looked at Anathea and spoke slowly. “Turns out she’s not a jinx after all. She’s a blessing.”
Anathea said nothing. Titles like that meant nothing to her.
She only found it ironic. What she was–or wasn’t–should be defined by her, not by other people.
“I must admit my oversight,” Eleanor said, taking the excuse for herself. “I didn’t know Anathea was pregnant, so ended up having them serve all the dishes she should avoid.”
She stood up and said to a maid, “Hurry, take away all the dishes in front of Anathea and replace them with food that’s safe for pregnant women, nutritious soup included.”
“Why are you the one stressing out just because she’s pregnant? Besides, she might not even appreciate it,” said Holden as he patted the back of Eleanor’s hand, clearly displeased.
“This is what I should do as a mother–in–law. Besides, I’m happy. Eleanor smiled with satisfaction, looking every bit the kind and virtuous in–law.
Her performance even drew praise from the other relatives.
“See? No wonder everyone admires Eleanor. She’s always so generous and dignified.”
“Exactly. Having her in the family is truly a blessing. She even raised Gregory to be such an outstanding man. I’m jealous.”
Eleanor listened, her smile deepening. But when her eyes flicked toward Anathea, there was something unreadable in her expression.
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Chapter 326
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“By the way, Anathea, how many weeks along are you now?” she asked curiously.
Anathea hadn’t wanted to respond, but with so many eyes on her, she answered flatly, “13 weeks.”
“13 weeks…” Eleanor mumbled, nodding thoughtfully.
“You should be starting to show a bit now, but your belly still looks pretty flat. Are you really 13 weeks along?”
Everyone’s eyes instinctively shifted to Anathea’s stomach.
Being stared at like that made her feel like a monkey in a zoo, and she clenched her fingers.
Gregory took off his jacket and draped it over her belly.
“She’s on the slimmer side, so it’s normal for her not to be showing much yet. If you’re all this bored and curious, you can come shoot your questions at me later. I’ll answer every single one.”
Only then did they look away awkwardly.
“I was just asking,” Eleanor said with a laugh.
“13 weeks… That means the baby will be born next spring. With how good–looking Gregory and Anathea are, the baby will be adorable no matter who they take after.”
“Absolutely. Gregory’s so handsome. He must’ve taken after Eleanor.”
“But now that I think about it, Gregory doesn’t really look that much like Eleanor.”
Eleanor froze for a split second at that, her expression shifting ever so slightly. But she quickly recovered and smiled without saying a word.
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