Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

Chapter 1478

Peyton's eyes flared up with a fiery anger. "Damn it," she muttered, "if I ever run into that jerk, I'll definitely give him a piece of my mind!"

"Emma, just take it easy at home today. We're not streaming. We're not exactly hurting for cash at the moment, so let's wait until you're feeling better." Emma nodded, looking as pale as a ghost, and sank into the couch nearby.

The house was always spotless, thanks to Peyton's meticulous cleaning. Lately, she'd been making chicken soup non-stop, but just the smell made Emma queasy.

She craved something with a kick but wasn't sure what Beaconsfield had to offer. Hesitantly, she said, "Mom, I really feel like something spicy."

Peyton's face lit up at the suggestion. "You want spicy, huh? They say craving spicy means you're having a girl."

Living together in the cramped space for months, Emma had once mentioned wanting a daughter, which Peyton hadn't openly opposed, but she seemed a bit off about it.

In their town, folks thought daughters were a burden; once they were grown, all you got was a dowry. A son, though, could bring a wife home to care for the family. To them, raising a daughter was like raising someone for another family, while a son was an asset.

Peyton had been hoping for a grandson, but Emma's reasoning and desire not to upset her had started to change Peyton's old-school thinking. Now, she could even joke about it.

"I'll whip up some spicy dishes tonight. Let me run out and grab some groceries."

"Okay."

too drained to tag along, curled up on the couch,

to go, she could

with a

Feeling unwell?

the morning sickness is

her pregnancy, there was no

meet with your boss? Have you figured out

someone to pretend, but my boss is too sharp. He'd see right

praised his smarts, Dustin smirked and raised an eyebrow but stayed silent, his fingers

you. I know being pregnant before marriage isn't ideal, but I didn't see this coming until it was too late. I thought about ending the pregnancy because of the stigma back home. Leaving with my mom was humiliating, but as the baby grows, the initial bitterness fades, and now I just hope for a safe

to face pregnancy out of wedlock in a conservative community.

been set on having a serious talk with Emma, thinking she should

it seemed

his view, a woman shouldn't sacrifice her career for a man. Men might change, but a

message about moving past her initial sadness, he found he couldn't bring himself

fingers on the desk, then couldn't