Winona didn''t realize that in the Huber mansion, she wasn''t just a guest. She was a national treasure—practically the house deity!


    After greeting everyone, Winona and Keaton entered the main house together.


    Janelle was waiting in the living room, wearing a stunning, festive red dress. The moment she saw them, she rushed forward to greet them, her eyes only on Winona,pletely ignoring her son.


    She grabbed Winona''s hands, her voice full of concern. "Why are you wearing so little in the evening? Aren''t you cold?"


    Winona smiled and shook her head. "Janelle, I''m not cold."


    Keaton tried to get some attention. "Mom, I''m cold."


    Janelle shot him a sidelong nce. "Then freeze."


    Keaton wasn''t offended. He just grinned, his charming eyes crinkling. "Mom, be honest with me. Did you find me in a dumpster or something?"


    Janelle rolled her eyes at him, then suddenly adopted a serious tone. "Son, you''re all grown up now, so I won''t hide it from you anymore. Fine, you want the truth? We found you in a cardboard box behind a dumpster."


    "When I found you, you were filthy and stank to high heaven. Your father was so disgusted, he asked me where I''d found such a pathetic little stray dog."


    "I told him, ''This isn''t a stray dog, it''s a person.'' Your father said, ''It doesn''t look like one.'' I said, ''He will after a bath.""


    "So I washed you up, and only then did you start to look somewhat human!"


    "We felt sorry for you, so we adopted you."


    "If you feel unhappy with us, I can release you back into the wild right now. You can go back to being a little stray in the gutter!"


    Winona couldn''t help it; she burst outughing. A little stray dog-that was Keaton Huber!


    Keaton was speechless. He pursed his lips. "Mom, did you and Dad mess up your first kid and decide you want a do-over? Are you nning to give me a little brother?"


    Janelle pped his arm lightly. "You''re a grown man, stop acting so childish all the time! Aren''t you afraid of Winonaughing at you?"


    "This is called humor," Keaton said. "Right, Winona?"


    Winona, smiling, nodded along with him, her tone yfully cating. "Mhm, very humorous."


    Keaton looked smug. "See? Even Winona gets that it''s humor."


    Janelle was exasperated. "Winona''s just too polite to call you out."


    "..." As the mother and son went back and forth, Winona stood by and listened, feeling a sense of warmth and joy. She really liked the Huber family''s atmosphere.


    Keaton was a good son. Even


    though he was almost thirty, he never talked back when his parents scolded him, instead always joking around to make them happy. And while Janelle and Richard alway and Richard always gave him a hard time, it was clear they loved him dearly.


    It was nothing like Zane Livingston and his mother... Prisci was a bona fide shrew who acted like she was the Queen of Sheba. Because Winona wasn''t avable to wait on her hand and foot, Prisci was perpetually displeased,ining about everything under the sun. Zane had no patience for her, and their entire home was filled with a toxic suffocating atmosphere. In alt the years she was with Zane, she''d never seen him and his mother share a warm moment like this, let alone enjoy such a happy family dynamic!


    Keaton was still talking to Janelle. "Why are you dressed so festively today? Is there


    a special asion?"


    Janelle gave him a meaningful look, her eyes clearly saying: *Go on. Keep pretending.*


    Keaton: "?"


    *Pretending about what?*


    Janelle ignored him and gently pulled Winona to sit down, the affection in her eyes practically overflowing. *Oh my god, my idol is carrying my son''s child!* This was something she wouldn''t even dare to dream of!


    Because she was so convinced Winona was pregnant, everything about her seemed to confirm it. Winona wasn''t wearing high heels? Because she''s pregnant. Winona''s stomach was t? Because it''s still early.


    Janelle was so happy she didn''t know what to say. She just held Winona''s hand and gazed at her. As she watched, her eyes started to well up with tears.


    Keaton and Winona were taken aback. They both spoke at once.


    "Mom, what''s wrong?"


    "Janelle...?"


    Janelle sniffled hard. "It''s nothing, it''s nothing. I''m just so happy."


    Winona assumed she was


    e''


    emotional because of the online drama from earlier in the day. "You must have seen the news online, she said. "Even though I got attacked at first managed to turn things around ande out even stronger. Please don''t worry about me."