Chapter 11

I stepped into the old estate, elegantly dressed in a delicate blush-pink gown.

The estate was adorned with festive decorations, adding a celebratory atmosphere to my birthday dinner.

The spacious living room was already filled with people; close relatives from both the Hawthornes and the Sterlings had arrived.

Everyone gathered, chatting and laughing, creating a harmonious atmosphere.

When they saw me, everyone greeted me.

Mrs. Sterling took my hand and pulled me to sit on the sofa, saying kindly, "Your sister-in-law is already pregnant with her second child. You and Rhys should also hurry up. Any news yet?"

At every family gathering, the topic of having children was unavoidable.

Others, hearing this, also began to "care" about my situation.

"That's right, Sera. You and Rhys have been married for three years now. How come you still haven't gotten pregnant? In another two or three years, you'll be thirty. You'll be an older mother then."

"If you have a daughter, you'll have to have a second child anyway. It's better to have them early, while you're young and your body recovers well."

"Are you not feeling well? In a couple of days, I'll have my sister-in-law tell you about the herbal brew she takes. It's very effective. She only took it for a month before she got pregnant. If you take it, you'll surely have good news soon."

I looked at their "caring" eyes, a smile on my face, but my own eyes were cold and devoid of mirth.

In that moment, everyone seemed to have forgotten about Rhys's infidelity, casually urging me to have children.

Of course. When a man cheats, the only one who truly suffers is the wife.

No one else cares; they might even secretly gloat.

A hand landed on my shoulder. Rhys sat beside me, smiling as he responded to the relatives, "Sera and I are working hard. I'm sure we'll have good news soon."

With that, he kissed my cheek, his eyes smiling. "Right, Sera?"

I was about to answer when someone called out, "Uncle Julian, you're here!"

Everyone's gaze turned to the living room entrance.

Julian strode towards us, his long legs moving with purpose.

He wore casual black clothes, his handsome face expressionless, still retaining his cool, almost ascetic demeanor.

Only I knew that he was deeply passionate, despite pretending to be indifferent to women.

His gaze subtly swept over my face, meeting mine for a fleeting moment.

I instinctively touched my flat lower abdomen, guiltily averting my eyes.

Julian was a star in the Hawthorne family. The moment he arrived, no one cared about whether I was having children anymore.

Everyone sought an opportunity to speak with Julian.

Julian sat on the sofa, leaning back casually, occasionally answering a relative's question.

Perhaps it was my imagination, but I felt his gaze subtly returning to me from time to time.

When he looked at me, a faint smile seemed to play on his lips.

My heart felt hollow, having his child secretly growing inside me.

After sitting for a while, I found an excuse to leave the living room.

I went to Grandpa Hawthorne's study.

I stood outside the door, taking a deep breath to calm my nervous heart, then raised my hand to knock.

"Come in."

I pushed the door open.

Grandpa Hawthorne was sitting behind an antique desk, holding a calligraphy brush and practicing his writing.

Seeing me enter, he looked up slightly, put down his brush, and slowly spoke.

"Sera, it's your birthday today. Why are you here?"

"Grandpa, I have something I need to show you."

I took out the ultrasound report and gently placed it on his desk.

Grandpa Hawthorne's eyes immediately lit up with joy.

"Sera, you're pregnant? Excellent, excellent! Our Hawthorne family is gaining a new member. Sera, you've done a great service!"

"This child isn't Rhys's." I said.