?Chapter 1290:


    Not wasting a second, Brenna said, “I hear you, Grandma. I just feel uneasy about her intentions. Even if Rosie meant what she said, I won’t hold it over her head.”


    Shepard joined the conversation. “We all get it. Rosie’s dealing with her problems, and she slips up with her words sometimes. There’s no point turning this into something major.”


    Rosie sat there, fuming. Her appetite vanished. It felt like everyone had already made up their minds that she was in the wrong.


    Frustration burned inside her, but she kept silent, worried that speaking up would only make things worse. It was so infuriating.


    Morning brought a new day, and Brenna skipped work to visit Ellie’s shop. Brenna soon pulled into the parking lot of Ellie’s newest location. The store was massivepared to the old one and boasted a roomy sewing studio. Ellie concentrated on slicing fabric, her brow knitted with frustration; she looked unhappy with what she was doing.


    “Who are these clothes for?” As Brenna wandered through the store, she paused. She saw the shelves crowded with new fabrics and realized Ellie’s order list was growing. There were even a couple of new faces bustling around. Clearly, Ellie had brought on extra help.


    Without missing a beat, Ellie set down her scissors and said, “That’s for Mr. Hall from Plomond. Never mind that. Come on. Let’s get to the hospital.” She caught sight of Libby nearby, immediately sensing something unusual about her presence.<fna7e9> The source of th?s content is </fna7e9>


    Ellie pointed her scissors in Libby’s direction. “Who’s that? I don’t think I’ve seen her around before.”


    “That’s my bodyguard,” replied Brenna, keeping her answer short and offering nothing more.


    Ellie chose not to dig deeper. She simply picked up her purse and headed out of the shop with Brenna. As they walked, she remarked, “Your bodyguard looks like she means business.”


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    “She seems tough, but I’ve yet to see what she can really do,” Brenna shrugged, ncing at Ellie’s stomach. Then, she tossed out a question. “If someone’s belly is just beginning to show and you can tell they’re pregnant, how far along are they?”


    That hint of gossip caught Ellie’s attention. “Probably past three months, maybe closer to four. Why, who’s expecting?”


    “Gracie,” Brenna replied with a nod. “I think she might be pregnant.”


    “Wait, didn’t she always chase after Ethan? How’d she end up carrying someone else’s child? Do you know who the father is?” Ellie’s eyebrows shot up.


    “No clue. Most folks think it’s Waldo. You met him once, during that tennis game.”


    The drive was short, and soon, they reached the hospital.


    Patients filled every seat in the lobby, but Brenna relied on her family’s influence to jump the queue and book Ellie with the hospital’s top obstetrician. There was no denying the reality—Ellie’s results showed she was pregnant, nearly six weeks along.


    While Ellie met with the doctor to finish up paperwork, Brenna lingered near the door.


    The obstetrics and gynecology departments sat right next to each other. As Brenna waited, her eyesnded on someone leaving the neighboring room—a figure she recognized in an instant. It was Gracie.


    A man walked alongside Gracie. Although he tried to keep his identity hidden behind a baseball cap and a mask, Brenna recognized him immediately—Waldo. There was no doubt about it now; Gracie really was carrying Waldo’s child.


    Pulling out her phone, Brenna discreetly snapped a few photos. She managed to capture Waldo’s back as he gentlyforted Gracie, who seemed worried and happened to be facing her.


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