Chapter 17
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Penelope frowned and said pitifully, “Gene, I tripped and fell while I was heading out today. It must have been the influence of the bad luck that’s been following me around.”
“What? Are you hurt anywhere?” Her words gave Eugene quite a scare. He quickly checked the area around Penelope’s lower abdomen. He was worried that they might lose the child.
Penelope shook her head. “I’m fine. I just feel a bit shaken
“I’m glad you’re alright.” Eugene breathed a sigh of relief. Then, he said in a reproachful tone, “I told you to stay put and avoid going out so much since it might be too risky Your number one priority now is to protect the child.”
When the conversation had not gone the way she wanted, Penelope grabbed onto Eugene’s hand and looked at him coyly.
“Gene, you didn’t have to be so careful and worried about every little thing. Once we have the gemstone necklace, I’ll be able to deliver our child safely, and you won’t have to feel constantly worried.”
Eugene knitted his brows. It filled him with remorse as he remembered how Jacklyn looked yesterday.
“Don’t you agree, Gene?”
Penelope’s voice rang in his ears. Eugene pulled his hand away and answered vaguely, “Let’s wait for a bit longer.”
Penelope’s lips parted. Yet, she had no choice but to concede. “Alright.”
With a bag slung over her shoulder, Jacklyn was doing some shopping in a mall. After Eugene had left for work, she took the opportunity to shop for some loose–fitting, comfortable clothes at the mall.
She had just entered a maternity and baby supplies store when someone some distance away said, “Mom, look over there.”
Penelope halted and pointed to the maternity and baby supplies store in the distance.
Rebecca looked in the direction where Penelope was pointing. She was quite surprised by what she saw. “Jacklyn? What’s she doing inside a maternity and baby supplies store?”
Penelope could not be bothered to figure out the answer to that. She placed one hand on her waist and walked slowly into the maternity and baby supplies store. She was making it painfully obvious that she was pregnant.
“What a coincidence, Jackie! You’re here, too!” She walked up to Jacklyn and greeted her with a bright smile.
Jacklyn merely cast her a sideways glance without saying anything. Penelope was only three months pregnant, and her bump was not showing yet. Jacklyn could not understand what she was trying to achieve by acting this
way.
Penelope continued even after being ignored, “I came here to get some maternity wear. My tummy is growing larger. Wearing tight–fitting clothes all the time is probably bad for the baby.
“You’ve always had a good eye for things, Jackie. Why don’t you help me pick out some clothes?”
Without pausing for consideration, Jacklyn randomly grabbed a nightgown and tossed it over to Penelope. “This one suits you.”
Penelope was not offended at all. Instead, she chuckled and picked up a sexy lace nightgown with spaghetti straps.
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She brought it closer to her body to check if it was the right size.
Penelope said mockingly, “Did you know that Gene preferred this type of naughty nightgown, Jackie? The one you’ve just picked is a bit tacky, and it suits you better. It’s not for me.”
Jacklyn slowly lifted her gaze and snickered. “You know so well what someone else’s husband likes. I’d expect no less from a foxy mistress.”
Jacklyn had not raised her voice. Yet, it was loud enough for everyone in the store to hear her.
The other customers started sending disapproving glances in Penelope’s direction.
“That lady is quite pretty. Why did she even have to resort to becoming a married man’s mistress?”
“I’m guessing the child she’s carrying is an illegitimate child.”
“There are still those who choose to become someone’s mistress in this day and age. These people have such a strange kink.”
Penelope flushed upon hearing those criticisms. She had no idea how to respond to them.
Rebecca quickly stepped forward and shielded Penelope from the others with her body when the latter had come under attack.
She barked furiously, “How could you say something like that, you ungrateful child! Your sister will be getting married soon. The child she’s carrying is not an illegitimate child. I’m going to hit you if you make any more of those slanders!”
Jacklyn felt extremely disheartened watching how exasperated Rebecca was and how fiercely she was trying to defend Penelope.
Was she not one of Rebecca’s daughters as well, just like Penelope?
Jacklyn calmed down and asked, “Oh? Can you tell us who the father of your child is, then?”
She would at least give Penelope credit for being ballsy if she could actually answer that in front of all these people.
Although she could be quite reckless, Penelope was not that dumb.
Forget marriage. She probably would not be able to see Eugene again if she were to mention his name to anyone.
Jacklyn fixed her gaze on Penelope and asked, unhurried, “What’s the matter? You don’t have the guts to do it?“.
Penelope was struck speechless. She gritted her teeth and shot back, “I’m warning you, Jacklyn! Don’t get ahead of yourself. The biggest winner is the person who can outlast everyone else!”
Just because she could not let others find out about her and Eugene’s relationship now did not mean Penelope would have to do the same in the future. As long as she had Eugene’s child, the right to be his wife would -eventually fall in her hands.
“Mom, let’s go!” Penelope was positively fuming as she turned around. She purposely hit Jacklyn with her elbow on her way out.
Jacklyn winced in pain and furrowed her brows. She had experienced some minor symptoms of early miscarriage after falling into the pool a few days ago. The doctor had advised her to take plenty of rest.
ཚན་འོལ་ཞལ་
She could feel a throbbing pain in her lower abdomen right after Penelope bumped into her. She tried her best to endure the pain as she sat on a bench in the mall. With her head lowered, she gently rubbed her belly to relieve the
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pain.
Suddenly, a familiar voice called out to her, “Jacklyn.”
Jacklyn lifted her head and met Liam’s worried gaze.
“What are you doing sitting here by yourself?”
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While she tried to ignore the pain, Jacklyn smiled and shook her head. “I’m just taking a break since I’m feeling tired.”
Liam noticed how pale she was. He asked out of concern, “Are you feeling unwell?”
“I’m alright.” Jacklyn waved her hand dismissively.
Liam seemed to have picked up on how she was not acting like her usual self. He sat down beside her. “How’s your plan going? Do you need any help from me?”
He was worried Jacklyn might not be able to handle everything alone.
Jacklyn was about to refuse the offer when she suddenly recalled something. “There’s one thing I need your help with.”
“I’m all ears.” Liam was getting slightly intrigued.
Jacklyn looked at Liam intently and said, “I need money.”
