Chapter 612

Oliver circled his arm over Grace's head, his fingers pinching her cheeks as if petting a kitten. Yet, his attention stayed on the book, effortlessly balancing both tasks. Grace glanced up at Oliver who was ignoring her. Scooting closer to him, she eventually drifted off. About 20 minutes later, Oliver looked down to find Grace, who attempted to talk to him earlier, was now sound asleep. He closed his book, carefully adjusted her position, and tucked a blanket snugly around her. He then quietly left for the study to handle his work. The next day, the campus buzzed with a noticeable change in tone. Gone were the whispers about Grace being neglected during her pregnancy. Instead, everyone was abuzz with stories of Oliver's unexpected appearance on campus the day before. With Oliver absent, Grace, Hazel, and James felt a rare sense of freedom. As Hazel savored a cream puff, she noticed Grace watching her with a longing gaze. "Grace, why not just have a lick?" she suggeste