The child Jarrod had brought hso suddenly was like a little bomb dropped right in the middle of the room,
setting off a wave of tension.
Before Rosemary had cover, her expression had been thunderous. But as she joined the others and finally
got a look at the baby in Jarrod's arms, she abruptly fell silent. Surprise flickered in her eyes, and she glanced at
Elodie, who stood calmly at his side.
Maybe the others couldn't see it, but Rosemary had watched Elodie grow up-she recognized those eyes
immediately. The baby's eyes were just like Elodie's when she was little!
But that was impossible. She struggled to wrap her mind around it.
Henrietta arrived next, and before she even glanced at the child, her palm landed sharply on Jarrod's back.
"Jarrod! You'd better explain yourself! Who is this child, and where did they cfrom? If you've been fooling
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtaround behind our backs, don't think for a second I'll accept it. No child of uncertain parentage is stepping
through the Silverstein family's door!"
The old woman was genuinely furious. After all, Jarrod and Elodie had spent years with no children, and Elodie
had been undergoing treatment for her health, with no plans for a pregnancy. For a child to suddenly appear out
of nowhere— how was she supposed to accept it? How was she supposed to explain this to Rosemary?
Henrietta's slap wasn't gentle, and Jarrod winced from the sting. He glanced down at Elodie, who was watching
the scene unfold, clearly with no intention of rescuing him. There was a faint, knowing smile on her lips as she
met his eyes, cool and unhurried. He realized Elodie was deliberately letting him take the heat.
Then Lucinda stepped forward, sensing something wasn't right. She carefully took the baby from Jarrod,
examining her closely. Lucinda wasn't the sentimental type, and children had never really softened her heart. But
the moment she held the little girl, the baby waved a tiny hand and gifted her a beaming, impossibly beautiful
smile. Lucinda froze, caught off guard, before her brow furrowed again. She refused to fall for this-no matter how
adorable, she wasn't about to welca love child, even if it was her own son's.
"Explain," she demanded, glaring at Jarrod as she turned the baby toward
Henrietta, determined to get to the bottom of things.
"Yeah, that's right, Jarrod! | don't want sillegitimate child
showing up in our family. My friends would have a field day mockingfor having a niece or nephew with no
proper status." Octavia, evero tic stamped her foot in protest her whole face twisted in annoyance. s
This wasn't strivial matter-suddenly producing a child out of thin air was a scandal!
"Mr. Silverstein, | suggest you clarify things," Emile added, his disapproval written all over his face. Judging by
the baby's age, she couldn't have been born long ago. A year back Jarrod had still been with Sylvie Fielding, and
Sylvie hadn't been pregnant. Was there someone else? If that was the case, Emile would never allow Elodie to
have anything more to do with Jarrod. s
Even Emile, normally so composed and gentle, was visibly losing his patience.
At that moment, Elodie, the one at the center of the storm, finally spoke up. "You're all mistaken. This child is
mine."
Her words hit like a thunderclap.
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