Lahat ng Kabanata ng Pregnant by My Ex-Boyfriend's Brother-in-Law : Kabanata 31 - Kabanata 40

Josie's Point of ViewStreamers rained down from above.Then the Hawthornes, young and old, closed in from every direction, each offering a word of congratulations.Even Scarlett, squeezed in among them, said reluctantly, "Josie, since you're carrying my little nephew, I'll wish you both well!"Walter, who had come with Scarlett, stepped forward and hugged me, the picture of a loving father. "Josie, Daddy is so happy you've finally married, and to such a fine husband. Be a good wife and respect your elders, all right?"I smiled at him. I wanted to play along with more feeling, but I couldn't make myself.Grandfather leaned on his cane, his eyes crinkled with smiles. "You went to the hospital this afternoon, didn't you? I had the butler call Director Ge, and she said you'd asked to announce the news yourselves. Everyone's here now, so go ahead and tell us the good news. Is the baby healthy?"The whole family looked at us with shining expectation.I gripped Colt's arm and edged closer.

Josie's Point of View Two days before the wedding. The Hawthorne family, the Callahans, who were still nominally my family, and relatives and friends of both sides all flew by chartered plane to France and checked into the hotels that had been arranged. Colt and I went together, bringing Daisy and Mindy. The mood on the way was so cheerful it felt like a vacation instead of a wedding trip. The plane landed in France on a clear afternoon, with warm sunlight that felt wonderful on the skin. From the airport, we drove to the castle where Colt's mother lived. I had worried there wouldn't be enough room for so many guests, but when we arrived, I saw the castle was truly huge. I couldn't imagine my mother-in-law living in such a vast place all alone. Didn't she get lonely? "A real castle!" Mindy squealed. After getting out, she dragged Daisy off to take pictures. "This is embarrassing. Come on!" Daisy couldn't stand it and slapped her arm away. I smiled and went inside w

Josie's Point of ViewI gave him a disappointed little smile. "I know I can't fool you. I'm just too dumb!""You're not dumb. You were gambling that if you didn't say anything, I wouldn't know, and the secret could stay a secret forever. Is that right?" Colt said, cutting straight through me."Colt..." In front of him, I felt like a woman streaking naked, with no place to hide my embarrassment. "Do you have to spell it out so clearly? Could you leave me a little face?""I'm only stating facts. Your attempt to cover things up is itself a reason for me to doubt. So don't complain that I don't trust you. If I misjudge, that's because you misled me, and your misleading shows a guilty conscience. Why would you have a guilty conscience? That's something you'll have to ask yourself." He was like a surgeon with a scalpel, dissecting me organ by organ.I nearly choked."Fine, it was all my fault, I misled you, I'm sorry. Could you stop analyzing me down to skin and bone?" I pulled his hand off

Josie's Point of View"Honey, I haven't taken a photo with Josie yet. I'll be right back," Scarlett said sweetly to Wyatt. Her golden skirt swayed as she walked toward me with a regal air.Over on the other side, Daisy, in the middle of posing for photos, noticed too. She yanked Mindy away from a handsome Frenchman she refused to let go of. Then she whispered something.Mindy peeked over timidly. And they started whispering to each other.Mindy was still tapping her two index fingers together, torn, when Daisy grabbed her arm and ran.Scarlett stopped in front of me. "Having a nice chat?"I turned and saw her standing behind me, posed proudly, wearing a smile that made my skin crawl.I didn't want to drag Gideon into it. He'd already become a target for the whole Hawthorne family just for speaking up for me once, and on a day like today I couldn't pull him in again."Gideon, please excuse me. I'm going to chat with Scarlett for a moment." I smiled at him and asked with my eyes that he

Josie's Point of ViewCompared with the noise of the first floor, the third floor was much quieter. Only a few guests stood whispering to one another.I nodded politely to them and headed straight for the balcony.As I drew closer, I heard voices before I saw anyone."Gently, gently. Ah, it hurts a little. Colt, could you go slowly?""All right, stop yelling. I'll be gentler. How about this? Does it still hurt?""Mm, much better than before. Don't press too hard. Slower, slower. I'm not used to it yet.""Bear with it. Almost done."I stopped at the corner and couldn't take another step.The air around me seemed to have been sucked dry. Every breath was hard, and my chest felt packed with iron filings grinding against each other, a hot, sharp pain I couldn't ignore.The woman's moans and the man's soothing murmurs kept going.Stay or go?Run away in defeat, or find the courage to turn that corner?After a fierce struggle with myself, I decided that whatever I saw, I would walk around i