The child Jarrod had brought home so suddenly was like a little bomb dropped right in the middle of the room, setting off a wave of tension.


    Before Rosemary hade over, her expression had been thunderous. But as she joined the others and finally got a look at the baby in Jarrod''s arms, she abruptly fell silent. Surprise flickered in her eyes, and she nced at Elodie, who stood calmly at his side.


    Maybe the others couldn''t see it, but Rosemary had watched Elodie grow up-she recognized those eyes immediately. The baby''s eyes were just like Elodie''s when she was little!


    But that was impossible. She struggled to wrap her mind around it.


    Henrietta arrived next, and before she even nced at the child, her palmnded sharply on Jarrod''s back. "Jarrod! You''d better exin yourself! Who is this child, and where did theye from? If you''ve been fooling around behind our backs, don''t think for a second I''ll ept it. No child of uncertain parentage is stepping through the Silverstein family''s door!"


    The old woman was genuinely furious. After all, Jarrod and Elodie had spent years with no children, and Elodie had been undergoing treatment for her health, with no ns for a pregnancy. For a child to suddenly appear out of nowhere— how was she supposed to ept it? How was she supposed to exin this to Rosemary?


    Henrietta''s p wasn''t gentle, and Jarrod winced from the sting. He nced down at Elodie, who was watching the scene unfold, clearly with no intention of rescuing him. There was a faint, knowing smile on her lips as she met his eyes, cool and unhurried. He realized Elodie was deliberately letting him take the heat.


    Then Lucinda stepped forward, sensing something wasn''t right. She carefully took the baby from Jarrod, examining her closely. Lucinda wasn''t the sentimental type, and children had never really softened her heart. But the moment she held the little girl, the baby waved a tiny hand and gifted her a beaming, impossibly beautiful smile. Lucinda froze, caught off guard, before her brow furrowed again. She refused to fall for this-no matter how adorable, she wasn''t about to wee a love child, even if it was her own son''s.


    "Exin," she demanded, ring at Jarrod as she turned the baby toward


    Henrietta, determined to get to the bottom of things.


    "Yeah, that''s right, Jarrod! I don''t want some illegitimate child


    showing up in our family. My friends would have a field day mocking me for having a niece or nephew with no proper status." Octavia, evero dramatic stamped her foot in protest her whole face twisted in annoyance.  s


    This wasn''t some trivial matter-suddenly producing a child out of thin air was a scandal!


    "Mr. Silverstein, I suggest you rify things," Emile added, his disapproval written all over his face. Judging by the baby''s age, she couldn''t have been born long ago. A year back Jarrod had still been with Sylvie Fielding, and Sylvie hadn''t been pregnant. Was there someone else? If that was the case, Emile would never allow Elodie to have anything more to do with Jarrod.  s


    Even Emile, normally soposed and gentle, was visibly losing his patience.


    At that moment, Elodie, the one at the center of the storm, finally spoke up. "You''re all mistaken. This child is mine."


    Her words hit like a thunderp.


    Rosemary looked even more stunned. She''d been the only one to notice the resemnce between Elodie and the child, but... how could she not know when Elodie had been pregnant or given birth?


    Octavia stared in shock, then<fn3777> Newest update provided by fin?novel</fn3777>


    scowled. "Elodie, don''t be ridiculous. Just because you say so doesn''t mean the Silverstein family will


    ept it. If you want a child will


    badly adopt one, or just wait a few years and I''ll give you one myself. What are you doing-trying to be a saint?"  s


    She simply didn''t get it. Had Elodie lost her mind? Why would she im another woman''s child as her own husband''s?


    Henrietta, unable to bear the sight of the baby in Lucinda''s arms, hurried over and took Elodie''s hand. "Sweetheart, don''t force yourself. We can talk about the childter. I never said I''d interfere in your lives, or that I''d be angry with you because of a child. You..."