Chapter 4

Facing his parents' questioning, Edward dropped a shocking bombshell. "Because the child she's carrying is mine." Luca and Sapphire were stunned by his words. "That's nonsense!" Luca retorted. "She just arrived today, and this is the first time you've met her. How could her child be yours? If anyone else heard this, it would be a scandal." Edward didn't rush to explain. He waited for Luca to calm down before speaking. "Three months ago, I went to the countryside to look into Elijah's background. While I was staying at an inn, I was drugged and ended up sleeping with a woman. "Although I wasn't fully conscious, I remember her face. I'm certain it was Melanie. When I woke up, she was gone. I searched for her for a long time without any luck and eventually returned to Haywood." Luca and Sapphire remembered Edward's investigation trip three months ago. Edward was young, but he was already a counselor and had gained recognition from his superiors after returning from abroad. Many people kept a close eye on him, so it wasn't impossible for someone to frame him while he was out of town. Fortunately, Melanie had left before they could be discovered, sparing him from a scandal and possible repercussions for his career. Luca and Sapphire both fell silent. Who could have imagined such a dramatic turn of events? Now they understood why the usually composed Edward was so eager to marry Melanie. Clearly, there was more to the story. Since Melanie was carrying Edward's child, it was only right for them to get married. Although Luca and Sapphire had hoped Edward would marry someone who could support his career, the current situation forced them to change their minds. Luca was quietly mulling things over. Xavier was about to turn 80 years old, and his health was no longer as good as before. Although he already had great-grandchildren, they were all girls. Nellie was also a girl. Even though Xavier hadn't said anything, he hoped to have a great-grandson before his time came. So, the family had discreetly consulted a fortune-teller. The fortune-teller told them that while the Grayson family's fortune ran deep, much of it had been used up by the grandsons' generation. It would be difficult to have boys in the future. This was why everyone was so eager to have a baby boy, which would surely win Xavier's favor. Luca thought that if Melanie was carrying a boy, that would be great. Sapphire felt the same. Edward was their most promising son and had good fortune. There was a chance Melanie really was carrying a baby boy. "If that's the case, your mom and I have no objections. Let's start preparing for the wedding. We'll try to find out the baby's gender. If it's a boy, your grandpa will be thrilled." Luca compromised but didn't forget to remind Edward. Edward frowned slightly, somewhat disagreeing, but he didn't say anything. After the conversation ended, Edward left the room. He saw Yaeger and Sophie waiting in the living room. Yaeger quickly stood up and said, "Edward, I've thought it over. If marrying her is going to harm your future, then let me marry her instead." He clenched his fists, obviously feeling this was a significant sacrifice. Edward looked at Yaeger and patted his shoulder. "No need to worry. It's already settled. From now on, Melanie is your sister-in-law. You don't have to like her, but you do need to show her basic respect. Got it?" Sophie's face twisted with frustration. "Edward, you'll regret this! Isn't Gabrielle better than her? You're lowering yourself too much! Melanie's just using Elijah's death to guilt us all into taking her in. Why not just keep the baby and kick her out?" Sophie's voice was loud enough for Melanie to hear from her room. Nellie, still not used to her new surroundings, had been clinging to Melanie. Nellie was already five years old and could understand their conversation. She could tell Melanie wasn't welcome here. But why? Melanie was such a good mother. Why didn't anyone like her? The smile on Edward's face disappeared. His gaze suddenly became sharp as he stared at Sophie for a few seconds before saying coldly, "Have we spoiled you too much? Don't let me hear that kind of talk again." Sophie's face went pale. She felt even more frustrated. She was only trying to save his reputation, but he didn't see it that way. After Edward finished speaking, he walked straight to Melanie's door. Just as he was about to knock, he paused and buttoned the top two buttons of his shirt. Then, he knocked on the door. Melanie got up to open the door. She wasn't surprised to see Edward standing there. She had heard what he had just said and felt a bit more favorably toward him. He had handled things thoughtfully and shown her respect. "Can we talk?" Edward asked. Melanie nodded and stepped aside to let him in. Edward took a seat on the couch in the corner, while Melanie sat on the bed, facing him. He cut to the chase and said, "Let's get ready over the next two days. We'll get the marriage license first. I'm free this afternoon, so I'll take you out to buy some things. You can make a list later and see what's missing. "I have a busy schedule with my work, so I may not always be available, but my family will be here to take care of you and Nellie. If you need anything, you can contact me at any time." Melanie was beyond pleased. Edward was perfect as her second husband. She knew she was being a bit selfish, given that the baby she was carrying wasn't Elijah's and marrying Edward would make him a cuckold. But she had to put herself and Nellie first. "Okay, I got it. By the way, do you have a girlfriend? I realize this might seem sudden. I don't want you to feel forced to go along with this because of Elijah." Although she wasn't a particularly good person, she had her principles and would never snatch someone else's boyfriend. Edward shook his head. "No need to worry about that. I don't have a girlfriend. You should rest with Nellie for now. When you wake up, I'll take you out to buy things. In the evening, we'll visit my grandfather. He's eager to meet Nellie." Melanie nodded. Their conversation didn't sound like one between newlyweds but more like business partners. After Edward left, Nellie looked up at Melanie with her big eyes. "Mommy, is he going to be my daddy now?" Melanie nodded. "Yes. How do you feel about him?" Nellie thought of Elijah, feeling a bit sad. But then she nodded and said, "If you think he's good, then I think he's good too." Just as they were about to lie down and sleep, there was another knock on the door. Melanie opened it to find Yaeger standing outside.