Chapter 33: Chapter 33
There are countless things in this world that science has yet to fully explain.
One of the more curious beliefs passed down through generations is that toddlers who have only recently learned to speak possess an uncanny ability to predict a baby’s gender.
Elise had heard the saying before from Old Madam Bennett. At the time, she had been skeptical, half believing it and half dismissing it as an old wives’ tale.
But now, as she lowered her gaze to the tiny hand resting against her abdomen, she found herself wondering if there was some truth to it after all.
Lily was not a child who spoke often. Yet moments ago, she had suddenly placed her hand on her stomach and called the baby "little sister."
More importantly, Elise had never told anyone about her pregnancy, too.
Not even Dylan knew.
Gently stroking Lily’s soft cheek, she looked into her bright eyes and asked in a quiet voice, "Lily, Godmother didn’t quite hear you. Can you say that again?"
The girl nodded obediently.
"Little sister is in Mommy’s tummy."
Her small fingers patted her stomach as she spoke, her expression so earnest that it was impossible to mistake his meaning.
This time, Elise believed her completely.
Across the table, Lexander finally pieced everything together. His eyes widened slightly as he stared at her.
"Miss Harper... are you pregnant?"
Elise pressed her lips together, uncertainty flickering across her face. She hesitated, torn between revealing the truth and keeping it hidden.
The answer, however, was already written all over her expression.
Alexander understood immediately. Afraid she might misunderstand his intentions, he hurried to explain.
"Miss Harper, I know this is deeply personal, and I shouldn’t pry. But as your attorney, I need to be fully informed. Although you and Mr. Bennett have already signed the divorce agreement, there is no mention in that agreement regarding custody of a child."
His words swept away the last of Elise’s reservations.
He was right. Alexander was her lawyer. The more he understood about her circumstances, the better equipped he would be to protect her interests.
Meeting his gaze, she finally nodded.
"I am pregnant."
Her voice was soft, but there was no wavering in it.
"However, Dylan doesn’t know."
Silence settled between them.
As a divorce attorney, Alexander had encountered similar situations before.
When a marriage collapsed, many women found it impossible to give up their children, no matter how much pain the relationship had caused.
Provided they had the financial means, most mothers fought with everything they had to keep their children by their side.
After a moment of careful consideration, he spoke again.
"Miss Harper, as your lawyer, I need to know what your plans are."
A calm determination appeared in her eyes.
"Once the divorce is finalized, I intend to leave the country and stay abroad until the baby is born. After that, I may remain overseas with my child for several years."
She paused briefly before continuing.
"I have no intention of letting Dylan know this child exists."
Alexander nodded, his expression turning serious.
"I understand. But as your attorney, I also have a responsibility to make sure you’re aware of any potential legal complications in advance."
"Please, go ahead."
Adjusting his glasses, Alexander said, "If Mr. Bennett discovers the child’s existence in the future, he will still have legal rights as the biological father. Even after the divorce, he could pursue custody through the courts."
"I know." Elise’s answer came without hesitation.
"I’ll keep it hidden for as long as I can. As long as I leave the country safely and have the baby abroad, I won’t consider returning home for at least five years."
A faint but resolute smile touched her lips.
"And if one day he truly decides to fight me for custody, then we’ll settle it in court. We’ll each rely on our own abilities."
Five years was a long time. A great deal could change in five years.
Perhaps by then, Dylan would already have built a new life with another woman and have children of his own. If that happened, he might not even have the time or desire to fight her for custody.
Alexander studied the woman sitting across from him.
Madeline had once told him, in confidence, about what Elise had endured.
Five years ago, she had lost a pair of unborn twins, a boy and a girl. The devastating loss had shattered her, leaving her trapped in grief for years.
Only recently had she finally found the courage to let go of the past and try once more to build a family with Dylan.
Instead, she had been rewarded with betrayal.
Bennett had cheated on her. Worse still, the woman he chose was someone Elise herself had once sponsored and helped through hardship.
Before meeting her, Alexander had imagined he would find a woman on the verge of collapse, consumed by bitterness, heartbreak, and resentment.
He had expected tears. Anger. Desperation.
Instead, the woman before him was composed. Quietly wounded, perhaps, but far stronger than he had anticipated.
There was sadness in her eyes, yet no trace of self-pity.
She sat there with remarkable calmness, carrying the weight of her pain with a grace that made it all the more heartbreaking to witness.
Every conversation Alexander had with Elise left the same impression.
She was calm.
No matter how difficult the subject matter became, she remained composed and rational. Her thoughts were always organized, her arguments clear and logical. Not once had she allowed her emotions to spill into the discussion, nor had she uttered a single unnecessary word driven by anger or resentment.
After their very first phone call, Alexander had already realized what kind of person she was.
Elise possessed a rare inner strength.
People like her could be broken, wounded, even brought to their knees by life, but they would never stay down forever. No matter how devastating the blow, they eventually found a way to rise again.
Looking at her now, Alexander’s gaze softened behind his glasses.
"Since you’ve already made your decision and planned everything carefully, I’ll respect your wishes and keep this confidential. I sincerely hope everything turns out the way you want it to."
For the first time that afternoon, a genuine smile curved Elise’s lips.
"Thank you."
After lunch, Lily was reluctant to go home and insisted on visiting the children’s amusement center.
Elise had little waiting for her at the office that afternoon, and the thought of returning to the Bennett Residence so early filled her with an inexplicable reluctance. In the end, she and Alexander accompanied Lily to the indoor playground on the fourth floor.
The afternoon passed peacefully amid the laughter of children.
As five o’clock approached, Elise’s phone suddenly rang.
The caller ID showed Mrs. Lander.
Stepping away from the play area, Elise found a quiet corner before answering.
"Mrs. Lander?"
"Mrs. Bennett just woke up," the woman explained hurriedly. "She couldn’t find you and has been giving Mr. Bennett a hard time ever since. She wants to speak with you."
"Please put her on."
"Of course."
A moment later, Old Madam Bennett’s anxious voice came through the phone.
"Elise, where did you go? Why did you leave? Did Dylan upset you again? Don’t worry. If he bullied you, I’ll deal with him myself."
A faint warmth spread through Elise’s chest despite everything.
"Grandma, I’m fine," she said gently, her voice instinctively softening as she comforted the elderly woman. "I’m at the office. There were some matters that needed my personal attention."
"You silly girl. You’re still making excuses for him."
The old woman let out a long sigh.
"I already know everything. Dylan handled this terribly. Even if Robin is his late brother’s child, that doesn’t give him the right to pressure you into adopting him. If our Elise wants children, she can have children of her own. We don’t need you becoming someone else’s mother."
Elise pressed her lips together, unable to respond immediately.
It seemed Dylan could no longer wait to bring Robin back into the Bennett family officially.
He had chosen to reveal the truth about Robin’s identity, even knowing it would earn him his grandmother’s disapproval.
"Grandma, thank you for understanding me."
Taking a slow breath, Elise forced her emotions back under control.
"I don’t object to your family acknowledging Robin. He’s part of the Bennett bloodline. He deserves to know where he belongs."
"I told Dylan the same thing," Old Madam Bennett replied quickly. "Robin can return to the family, but only as your late brother-in-law’s son."
Elise remained silent.
Something in the older woman’s tone carried a hint of guilt.
Sure enough, the hesitation soon surfaced.
"It’s just..." the old woman continued cautiously. "Robin is still so young. Dylan has raised him as his own child all these years, and the boy has always believed he is his father. If we suddenly tell him the truth now, I’m afraid he won’t be able to handle it."
Her voice grew quieter with every word.
"Elise, I know this isn’t fair to you. I would never force you to accept Robin as your adopted son. But he’s still a child. He needs his parents. I was thinking... perhaps we shouldn’t tell him the truth yet. What do you think?"
Elise listened quietly. A deep exhaustion began spreading through her chest, seeping into every corner of her heart.
Robin was innocent. Just a child.
Yet his existence carried such overwhelming weight.
She was the one who had been deceived from the very beginning. She was the one kept in the dark. She was the one who had suffered the betrayal.
And yet somehow, she had become the person standing trial.
Everyone placed her on a moral pedestal and looked up at her expectantly. They coaxed her with kindness, pressured her with reason, appealed to her compassion and patience, all waiting for her to swallow her hurt and smile graciously.
All they wanted was for her to say it: It’s okay. Let’s all be happy.
Dylan had done it.
Now even Grandma was doing the same.
Elise slowly closed her eyes. For the first time in a long while, she felt truly exhausted.
Not physically, but emotionally.
The kind of exhaustion that settled deep in the soul, born from carrying disappointment for far too long.
She was tired of being understanding. Tired of being reasonable.
Tired of being the only person expected to sacrifice her feelings so everyone else could have their happy ending.
