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."

tag along, curled up on the couch, gently cradling

she could only fit into

phone buzzed with a

Feeling unwell?

morning sickness

had been upfront about her pregnancy, there was no

your boss? Have

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

praised his smarts, Dustin smirked and raised an eyebrow but

backlash after being honest with 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

of wedlock in a conservative community. Society seemed to always blame the woman, while the man involved usually vanished into

should consider ending the pregnancy-not for the company's sake, but for

easy, and it seemed reckless to risk

Men might change, but

past her initial sadness, he found he couldn't bring himself to persuade

tapped his fingers on the desk,