Nicole, looking as if she might flip the table—or, worse, use a dessert to pie Anneliese''s face—if she didn''t get the juicy gossip, leaned forward expectantly.


    With Melody''s trial just a week away, Anneliese had no reason to hold back. She considered her words for a moment, then simply and concisely exined the whole dramatic backstory.


    Nicole listened, wide-eyed and utterly enthralled.


    "Wait, so your connection to Mr. Fullbuster actually began over ten years ago? And your foster father died saving Mr. Fullbuster? And Melody killed your foster mother and then tried to silence a witness?"


    Anneliese nodded. Nicole gulped, realizing the sheer intensity of this scoop.


    After a long pause, she gave Anneliese a thumbs-up.


    "You are incredible," she dered. "Seriously, you are the first love of Jonathan Fullbuster, the Prince of Halden. My deepest respects."


    The teasing warmth in Nicole''s eyes made Anneliese blush, and she nervously stirred her coffee.


    Nicole, resting her chin on her hand, scooted closer.


    "But something doesn''t add up," she mused. "If Mr. Fullbuster has been pining for you all these years, how did he let Zacharias sweep you off your feet?"


    Anneliese paused. She and Jonathan hadn''t actually discussed that gap in their history. But she recalled that Jonathan had been out of the country when she and Zacharias started dating.


    She shook her head, about to voice her thoughts, when a soft, doughy little creature suddenly darted over and threw herself against her, wrapping her arms around her leg.


    Anneliese froze, looking down at the tiny tot buried in herp, clinging to her leg.


    It was a little girl with two small pigtails sticking straight up, her face hidden.


    Anneliese instinctively nced around the room, searching for the girl''s family. Across from her, Nicole''s eyes went huge.


    "No way! Don''t tell me you and Mr. Fullbuster are secretly hiding a daughter this big?"


    Anneliese was speechless.


    "What are you thinking? That''s impossible!"


    Nicole had to admit it was a long shot, but after hearing about the mix-up with the genuine and fake


    heiresses, the discovery that hermet


    childhood sweetheart was from the family that killed her mother and now finding out Anneliese was the Prince of Halder''s first love all these unbelievable twists had happened to Anneliese. Could a secret daughter really be that much of a stretch?


    "Sweetheart, why are you running around all by yourself?" Anneliese gently stroked the little girl''s hair.


    The girl finally lifted her head from


    Anneliese''s embrace. Her delicate, doll-like face held a pair ofrge, watery eyes shimmering with


    unshed tears She looked


    up,-


    seemingly using Anneliese of not


    recognizing or remembering her.


    When Anneliese finally got a clear look at the little girl, a delighted gasp escaped her lips.


    "Ellie! Is that you, you little rascal!"


    Recognized atst, Ellie took a shaky breath, blinking her eyes to keep the tears from falling.


    She suddenly became shy, rubbing her little cheek against Anneliese''s arm, her expression a mix of affection, dependence, and pure happiness.


    Anneliese''s heart melted. She gently lifted Ellie and ced her onto herp.


    She then pulled over the small cakes and exquisite cookies she had ordered. "Ellie, which one do you want?"


    Ellie''s eyes scanned the sweets and finally settled on the mango pancake. Anneliese handed it to her. Ellie epted it without hesitation and, sitting sweetly on Anneliese''sp, began eating it in neat, tiny bites.


    Nicole watched them from across the table, clicking her tongue.


    "Are you sure this isn''t your daughter with Mr. Fullbuster? That little girl is practically the mini version of you."


    Anneliese shot her a warning re. "Stop with the nonsense. This is the little princess of the Malones. Her dad is someone look up to Don''t you dare start a rumor! Besides, you saw her at the Goldings'' part you?"


    didn''t


    Nicole truly felt Anneliese and Ellie looked like mother and daughter, especially


    when they were viewed in profile—the resemnce was uncanny.


    However, Anneliese''s reminder jogged Nicole''s memory.


    There was a little girl who had been glued to Anneliese at the previous dinner party, and it must have been this one.


    That night, Anneliese had worn heavy makeup-eyebrow filler and eyeliner-toplement her gown, which had obscured the simrity.


    But today, Anneliese waspletely bare-faced, and the likeness to Ellie in her arms was undeniable.


    If Anneliese didn''t look so young-hardly old enough to have a child of Ellie''s age—- Nicole would have absolutely suspected Anneliese was lying to deny her daughter.