Hearing this, Cynthia finally felt a weight lift from her shoulders. She had been afraid that at thest minute, Karina would use the child to cause some new trouble.


    If Karina and Nic had refused to leave, Cynthia would have been in an impossible position. She couldn''t very well abort her own child.


    Her health had been poor since herst miscarriage. While it hadn''t affected her ability to conceive, another abortion could risk recurrent miscarriages, a regret she would never ovee.


    Thankfully, without the White family stirring up trouble, Karina had been much morepliant.


    "It''s tough, letting go like that, isn''t it?" Cynthia got up from the bed, walked over to Noah, and took his hand.


    Noah pressed his lips together, suppressing his emotions.


    Cynthia sighed deeply and said, "Noah, please don''t misunderstand. It''s not that I have a problem with Nic, but I just can''t stand seeing you entangled with your ex- wife. I''m just a normal woman. I get jealous, my mind races with insecurities, and sometimes I feel like I''m about to break down."


    Tears welled in her eyes, making her look fragile and helpless.


    "Cynthia, I..." Noah began to exin, but Cynthia shook her head, tears streaming down her face.


    "Noah, I know you miss Nic. When she''s older and doesn''t need her mother as much, we''ll bring her back. She''ll always be your daughter, and she''ll be our baby''s big sister. They''ll have a bond for life."


    Cynthia knew exactly how to soothe him.


    With just a few words, Noah''s eyes filled with emotion, and he pulled her into a tight embrace.


    ...


    When Yvonne Jones was six months pregnant, she went for a routine check-up, which included a 4D ultrasound.


    Yvonne and Bet Thompson weren''t in a hurry to find out the baby''s gender. It was their baby, after all, and they would be happy with either a boy or a girl.


    But during the scan, the doctor let it slip, remarking, "The baby will probably like pink."


    Yvonne was caught off guard.


    So, it was a girl.


    After the scan, Yvonne came out of the examination room.


    Bet was waiting for her just outside the door. He had a cigarette between his fingers, but since they were in a hospital, he hadn''t lit it.


    When Bet saw Yvonne emerge, he immediately tossed the cigarette into a nearby trash can and walked over to her.


    "All done? How did it go?" Bet asked.


    "Everything seems fine. The doctor would have told me if there were any problems," Yvonne said, showing him the ultrasound picture.


    "Look, this is our daughter''s picture. See her little round face? Her eyes are closed, and she''s sucking her thumb. Isn''t she cute?"


    Bet took the ultrasound photo. The technology really was advanced now; the color image showed the baby''s features with remarkable rity.


    bet


    "She looks like you-very beautiful. So the doctor told you she''s a girl Bet gazed at the photo, his thumb gently caressing the image of the baby s face


    "Yes. It''s a girl. Are you happy?" Yvonne asked cheerfully.


    Bet nodded, his gaze shifting from the photo to Yvonne''s face, his expression suddenly furning deep and serious "Vonne, I just want you both to be safe and sound"


    "I know. Don''t worry, the baby and I will both be fine," Yvonne said, smiling as she took his arm. "Let''s go find Mrs. Powell so she can look at the report, and then we can go home okay? I''m getting hungry. I''m Graving some roast duck and


    braised pork knuckles."


    Bet''s serious expression finally softened. He put an arm around Yvonne''s


    shoulder and said gently, "Isn''t that a bit too rich? You won''t feel sick?"