Chapter 42

Against the deep blue night sky, the second floor of Waterside Residence glowed with warm light. Charlotte stood before a full-length mirror, dispensing a pump of anti-stretch mark oil into her palm. After warming it between her hands, she gently massaged it onto her belly. Her reflection revealed fair, delicate skin, still flushed with a soft, rosy glow from her hot shower. Once she had carefully covered every inch of her belly, she reached for her body lotion and smoothed it over her limbs. This winter, perhaps due to pregnancy, her skin dried out easily—especially her arms and legs. If she skipped lotion, fine flakes of dryness would soon appear. At dinner, Errol had mentioned that the young lady from the Hart family was named Elise Hart. The moment she heard it, a thought flashed through her mind—could her mom be Elise Hart? It wasn't an unfounded suspicion. Elyse was nothing like someone raised in an ordinary household of that era. She could play chess, dance, and master t