Chapter 292
Chapter 292:
Loretta finally set her phone aside, persuaded not to call Wesley.
Just then, Ken carried in steaming dishes, and Gabriela urged both Loretta and Miriam to stay and share the meal. Ken’s and Farley’s cooking spoke for itself—every plate drew admiration, and Loretta and Miriam couldn’t stop praising the flavors.
Gabriela, however, barely touched her food. She managed half a bowl of soup, then quietly set down her utensils.
Loretta’s brows knit with worry. “Gabriela, you look so pale, and you seem thinner. Have you not been resting well lately?” She gently slid a piece of tender fish onto Gabriela’s plate. “Didn’t you used to love fish? Eat more. Gaining a little weight would make you look healthier p>
The smell of the fish sent Gabriela’s stomach roiling, and she bolted for the bathroom.
When she finally emerged, her face was ashen, her lips drained of color. Farley and Ken instantly understood the reason, but Loretta and Miriam still looked puzzled. Loretta studied Gabriela carefully, the faint suspicion of pregnancy flickering across her mind. She shared a quick look with Miriam, and the unspoken thought passed between them.
Fearing they might catch on, Gabriela forced a weak smile. “I must’ve eaten something bad. My stomach’s been off these past couple of days p>
уou𝗿 ոe𝘹𝘁 𝗳𝘢𝘷о𝗋𝗶𝘁𝗲 r𝗲𝘢𝘥 𝗶𝘀 𝘰n
“Did you see a doctor about this?” Loretta asked quickly.
“I did,” Gabriela said with a small nod. “The doctor said it isn’t anything serious—just some medicine, and I’ll recover soon p>
Unconvinced, Loretta’s mind was already spinning with an idea.
After dinner, Loretta pressed a hand to her temple and said with a faint smile, “I’m a bit lightheaded, Gabriela. I think I’ll stay here tonight p>
Gabriela nodded. She asked a maid to ready two guest rooms and added gently, “If you find yourself needing anything, don’t hesitate to call me.” Both Loretta and Miriam agreed with a nod.
“I’m going back to my room. You should turn in early too,” Gabriela said softly.
Pregnancy had been harsh on her, with its relentless nausea and bone-deep drowsiness. She took a quick shower, slipped beneath the covers, and fell asleep early.
Past midnight, Loretta and Miriam convened in the living room exactly as they’d arranged.
Keeping her voice to a whisper, Miriam asked, “Are we crossing a line? This is Gabriela’s home, after all p>
With a sure tilt of her chin, Loretta said, “I already asked around—she doesn’t have a boyfriend. She keeps close to Wesley; if she’s pregnant, the child is almost certainly his. We’ll comb the place carefully. If she is pregnant, something here will give it away p>
Miriam understood Loretta’s obsession with having a great-grandchild, so she reluctantly went along with the plan.
They crept barefoot through the living room, pulling open drawers and peeking into cabinets. The lamps stayed dark as they rifled through the space, and when nothing turned up, they slipped quietly into the kitchen.
Tucked in a corner, they spotted a few packets of salted plums.
Loretta leaned close and murmured, “When I was carrying Wesley’s mother, I couldn’t get enough of these p>
Miriam frowned. “That doesn’t prove anything. I’ve never been pregnant, and I love them too p>
“Just keep searching,” Loretta urged.
She thought it would be even better if they could slip into Gabriela’s bedroom. If Gabriela truly was pregnant, she had to be hiding prenatal vitamins or a medical report.
Meanwhile, Ken stirred awake, groggy and stiff. His aging body and weak kidneys had him rising like clockwork every night at half past two. As he shuffled toward the bathroom, faint rustling from the living room caught his ear.
He hesitated, then eased the door open. The dim glow of moonlight revealed two figures moving stealthily in the kitchen. His chest tightened, his heart pounding with sudden alarm.
This was terrible—there were intruders inside!
The house was full of people in their fifties and sixties, except for Gabriela. She was young and delicate, hardly the type to fend off intruders.
Ken, too cautious to confront the intruders, slipped his phone from his pocket and quietly called the police.
Meanwhile, Loretta and Miriam, oblivious to being discovered, kept digging through the oversized refrigerator.
Moments later, the wail of sirens split the night, and both women froze as officers stormed in, catching them red-handed. Ken and Farley stiffened when they realized the supposed intruders were their overnight guests.
Gabriela, startled awake by the commotion, rushed out and stopped short at the sight of Loretta and Miriam being mistaken for intruders. The scene shocked her, though she couldn’t deny a nagging sense of inevitability. From the moment Loretta had insisted on staying, something had felt off.