For the time being, Evangeline focused solely on resting and enjoying the serenity of her pregnancy. She didn’t need to worry about the wedding arrangements; Oliver Brown had already taken a team to decorate the seaside villa in the western suburbs. The date was set for the fourteenth—a day auspicious for everything.

On that afternoon, Evangeline was sprawled carelessly on the sofa, popping grapes into her mouth, when a familiar voice echoed from the hallway. Mrs. Harrison bustled in, her arms laden with shopping bags.

"Evangeline, dear! I picked up some high-quality prenatal supplements, and these are some gifts I’ve prepared for your dowry. Oh, and here are a few things for the baby..."

Watching Mrs. Harrison fuss over her with the devotion of a mother, Evangeline felt a complex swirl of emotions. She rose to steady the older woman’s arms. "Mrs. Harrison, you really didn't have to go to so much trouble."

"How could I not? I watched you grow up. It’s a great regret that I never got to hear you call me 'Mom,' but you’ll always be a daughter to me."

The warmth and sincerity in Mrs. Harrison’s voice caught Evangeline off guard, and her eyes welled up. Ever since the split with Jonah, she hadn't reached out once. She had always found it difficult to move past that emotional wall, and in doing so, she felt she had failed to honor the woman’s kindness.

"Thank you, Mrs. Harrison," she whispered.

The older woman gently wiped a tear from the corner of Evangeline's eye, pulling her into a maternal embrace and stroking her hair. "Don't be a stranger, dear."

"I won't."

Marilyn Montgomery stood by, a look of quiet relief on her face. The group sat and exchanged pleasantries, all of them tacitly avoiding any mention of Jonah. Evangeline noticed Mrs. Harrison’s hesitation, the way she seemed to want to say something but held back, yet she chose not to open the door for that conversation.

After Mrs. Harrison finally departed, Marilyn let out a melancholy sigh. "I never imagined our families would end up in such an awkward position."

"Don't let it weigh on you, Mom. It’s just that the engagement didn't work out."

Her mother knew only about Jonah’s betrayal of their relationship. If she knew that in a past life, he had personally thrown her into the sea, how much more would she hurt? Evangeline wasn't ready to share those horrors; she could still vividly recall her mother’s descent into madness from grief in that other life. She clenched her fists, working to suppress the sudden surge of agitation and anger.

In the past, she had been too busy to dwell on the details, but now that life had slowed down, her peace was constantly interrupted by whispers of "Never forget! Never forget!"

Sensing a change in her daughter’s expression, Marilyn assumed it was just pregnancy-related discomfort. She tucked a pillow behind Evangeline’s waist. "Are you feeling unwell?"

The memory receded, and Evangeline looked at her mother, shaking her head.

Marilyn rested a hand on Evangeline’s bump, her voice soft and tender. "What a well-behaved little baby. Not giving its mother any trouble at all."

"Mom, did you have a hard time when you were carrying me?"

"Oh, absolutely. I was nauseous right up until the day you were born. I had aches and pains everywhere. Originally, your father and I wanted two children, but after seeing me suffer so much, he couldn't bear it and went off to have a vasectomy."

Evangeline’s jaw dropped. "Dad is really something else."

Marilyn smiled, looking happy and slightly bashful. "At the time, the entire family was dead set against it. They called him a disgrace to the family name. In a fit of rage, he severed ties with the Montgomery patriarch and moved us out to live as a family of four on our own."

"Dad has real backbone!"

"He does. Being able to marry him was the greatest fortune of my life."

"You’re stunningly beautiful, kind, and virtuous, Mom. Dad was just as lucky to have you!"

Marilyn chuckled, playfully tapping the bridge of Evangeline's nose. "You’ve always had such a silver tongue."

The warmth of the mother-daughter moment washed away the dark, haunting thoughts that had been plaguing Evangeline. For the first time, she felt a profound, genuine sense of happiness.

That night, after retreating to her room, Evangeline began sorting through the items Mrs. Harrison had brought. She arranged them neatly, but when her eyes landed on a tiny, pastel-pink outfit, a strange ache tugged at her heart. She lifted the fabric to her nose, inhaling deeply; she could almost imagine the scent of baby powder. Unable to put it down, she folded the garment and placed it by her pillow.

Then, tucked inside the jewelry box that served as part of the dowry, something caught her eye. She recognized this small case. She had seen it years ago when visiting the Harrisons; Mrs. Harrison had pulled it out and told her it would be hers once she married into the family—an heirloom.

Despite her inner resistance, curiosity got the better of her. She opened the lid to find a translucent, lustrous jade bangle resting inside.

She snatched it up and bolted toward her mother’s room, not even pausing to knock. "Mom, Mrs. Harrison gave me the family heirloom!"

Marilyn took the box, examining it carefully before passing it to Mr. Montgomery.

"Look!"

Mr. Montgomery furrowed his brows, deep in thought as he weighed the Harrisons' intentions. A moment later, he said sternly, "Tomorrow, prepare a gift. We are going to the Harrison estate to return this."

"Yes, of course," Evangeline nodded eagerly. The bangle felt like a scorching coal in her palm.

She returned to her room, but her mood was ruined. She flopped onto the bed, limbs spread wide, her mind a chaotic blur. After a long while, she let out a sigh of resignation. "Fine. Once we go tomorrow, the Harrison family's intentions will be clear enough."

The next morning, Marilyn accompanied her to the Harrison estate. As soon as they sat down, Marilyn got straight to the point, sliding the box across the coffee table.

"This is far too valuable. Evangeline cannot accept this."

A flash of embarrassment crossed Mrs. Harrison’s face. "Don’t overthink it. This was meant for Evangeline all along. There’s no hidden meaning."

"Mrs. Harrison, I know the significance of this bangle," Evangeline said, her tone respectful but unwavering. "It does not belong on my wrist. Please, take it back."

Seeing the resolve in her eyes, Mrs. Harrison realized there was no point in pushing. She didn't say another word, though bitterness welled up in her heart. "Evangeline, Jonah he..."

A baby’s cry cut her off. A nanny hurried in, placing a precious, squirming infant into Mrs. Harrison’s arms. "Ma'am, the young master seems to have some gas. He won't take his bottle and just keeps crying."

Evangeline’s gaze was immediately drawn to the rosy-cheeked baby. Perhaps it was the burgeoning instinct of a mother, but she couldn't suppress the urge to hold him. "May I hold him?"

"Of course."

Evangeline took him carefully. A comforting, milky scent wafted up—identical to the clothes from the night before. Perhaps he had been wearing them; she found herself instantly fond of him.

"Hey there, little one," she cooed.

She slipped a finger into the baby’s tiny palm, and the boy stopped crying, letting out a soft, babbling sound. "He's so adorable."

Watching the scene, Mrs. Harrison was overcome with conflicting emotions. *If only this child were Evangeline and Jonah’s,* she thought. *Ever since he was brought home, Jonah hasn’t spared him a single look. This boy is truly more pitiful than one without parents.*

Evangeline laid the baby on the sofa and caught his tiny feet in her hands, expertly beginning a series of infant colic massages. After only a couple of movements, the baby released a loud, series of consecutive, resounding farts. She finished the routine, then tapped gently on the baby’s tummy, listening closely to the sound.

"There, all done."

The display left everyone in the room stunned.

"Evangeline, how did you know how to do that?"

"I learned it for the sake of the baby in my own belly."

Marilyn touched her daughter’s face, looking pleased. "Our darling will make such a wonderful mother."

Mrs. Harrison looked on, her expression unreadable.