Chapter 39: Chapter 39
On the third day, a woman claiming to be Quinn’s mother appeared online and started a livestream.
Through tears and dramatic sobs, she accused her daughter of being ungrateful, heartless, and unwilling to save her own family.
Although Dylan had managed to suppress the previous scandal and steer Bennett Group through the crisis, Quinn had foolishly assumed the matter was over.
What she failed to understand was that even if the posts had been deleted, the internet never truly forgot.
The moment Quinn’s mother mentioned her name during the livestream, the algorithm did the rest.
Countless viewers who had followed the original scandal immediately flooded into the broadcast.
On camera, Quinn’s mother cried so hard that she could barely speak.
She claimed Quinn’s father was critically ill and suffering from liver cancer. Their family had exhausted every possible avenue to raise money for treatment, yet they still couldn’t afford the medical expenses.
According to her, she and her son had personally gone to Quinn’s home and knelt outside begging for help.
Quinn had allegedly refused to even let them through the front door.
"She’s living a wonderful life now," the woman sobbed. "She lives in a luxury villa and drives expensive cars. We’ve never expected her to support us in our old age. But this time we truly have nowhere else to turn. Her father has liver cancer. We’ve sold everything we own and still can’t afford the treatment. I’m desperate. Please, I’m begging everyone, help us..."
The story ignited immediate outrage online.
Whatever remained of Quinn’s public image collapsed overnight.
Comment sections filled with criticism and condemnation.
To make matters worse, Quinn’s mother openly revealed Quinn’s current address during the livestream.
Although the wealthy residential district maintained strict security, preventing ordinary people from entering, journalists, content creators, and self media influencers quickly gathered outside the neighborhood gates.
The controversy spread like wildfire.
If it continued escalating, it would only be a matter of time before Quinn’s relationship with Dylan became a major topic again.
When Dylan’s call came through, Elise was sitting in Zoey’s car on the way to the hospital.
She glanced at the screen, then silently switched her phone to mute.
Zoey glanced sideways.
"Dylan?"
"Yes."
"You’re not answering?"
"No."
Elise’s expression remained indifferent.
"He’s probably calling to demand an explanation. Why should I bother listening?"
In truth, Elise had more pressing concerns. Over the past several days, her morning sickness had worsened considerably.
She was vomiting two or three times a day. Her appetite was disappearing. She worried that if it continued, her lack of nutrition might affect the baby’s development.
That concern was what had brought her to the hospital.
After a series of examinations, the results came back reassuring. The baby was healthy and developing normally. The only issue was Elise herself.
Her weight remained below the recommended range. The obstetrician referred her to the nutrition department, where she received a personalized meal plan.
The nutritionist advised her to eat smaller meals more frequently and explained that morning sickness was common during pregnancy. For most women, symptoms gradually improved after the twelfth week.
Only after hearing that the baby was perfectly healthy did the knot of anxiety in Elise’s chest finally loosen.
When they left the hospital, she asked Zoey to drive her straight back to her apartment.
She was exhausted. The last place she wanted to return to was Bennett Manor.
Besides, her worsening morning sickness made it increasingly difficult to hide the pregnancy.
Zoey agreed completely.
For the time being, staying away from Bennett Manor was the safest option.
After arriving home, Elise took a quick shower, changed into comfortable sleepwear, and collapsed onto her bed.
Meanwhile, Zoey still needed to return to the office.
Before leaving, she handed the nutritionist’s meal plan to Melissa, her new housekeeper, and carefully instructed her to take good care of Elise.
Then she left.
Exhaustion pulled Elise into sleep almost immediately. The sleep itself was restless and shallow.
Somewhere in the haze of dreams, she thought she heard Melissa speaking with someone.
The voice sounded strangely familiar... Almost like Dylan’s.
She couldn’t tell whether she was awake or asleep. At some point, she felt a hand gently brush against her cheek.
Later, that same hand seemed to settle over her stomach.
The touch was slow, careful, tender. The palm moved back and forth in a gentle caress.
Was it a dream?
If it was, why did it feel so real?
She could almost feel the warmth of the skin. The dry heat of a broad palm. Even the faint roughness of calluses.
Her brows knitted together. Her eyelashes fluttered as she struggled to open her eyes.
But her body felt impossibly heavy. Somewhere nearby, she thought she heard a low sigh.
Then the hand withdrew.
A few distant footsteps followed. A door closed softly. Silence settled over the room once more.
On the large bed, the tension gradually eased from Elise’s brow. Moments later, she drifted back into a deeper sleep.
When evening arrived, a gentle knock sounded at the bedroom door.
"Miss Elise, are you awake?"
Elise slowly opened her eyes. The bedside lamp was on; warm amber light bathed the room in a soft glow.
She rubbed her eyes and pushed herself upright.
"I’m awake."
The door opened and Melissa came in, wearing a warm smile on her face.
"Dinner is ready."
She hesitated briefly before adding,
"There’s a Mr. Bennett here to see you. He says he’s your husband."
Elise paused halfway through throwing back the covers. She had not expected Dylan to come looking for her personally.
It seemed Quinn’s troubles had truly unsettled him. Otherwise, he would never have rushed over so quickly.
"When did he arrive?"
"Just now," Melissa smiled nervously. "He carries himself like someone important, and when he introduced himself as your husband, I didn’t dare leave him standing outside. He’s waiting in the living room."
Elise slipped her feet into her slippers and stood.
"You didn’t tell him about the pregnancy, did you?"
"Of course not!" Melissa looked horrified. "Miss Zoey specifically warned me that your pregnancy was confidential. She even had me sign a non-disclosure agreement. I wouldn’t dare reveal it. I’d have to pay compensation!"
Only then did Elise relax.
"I understand. You can go. I’ll wash up and change before I come out."
Once Melissa left, Elise entered the walk-in closet and changed into loose loungewear.
After washing her face, she stared at her reflection in the mirror.
The nap had restored some of her strength.
Instinctively, her hand moved to her stomach. That dream resurfaced in her mind.
A helpless sigh escaped her lips.
As much as she hated to admit it, she knew whose hand it had been.
Dylan’s. She had actually dreamed of Dylan touching her stomach.
A chill crept down her spine.
No. He couldn’t know. He would never know.
This child belonged to her.
And Dylan had forfeited any right to be part of that secret.
A short while later, the bedroom door opened, and Elise stepped into the living room.
Dylan stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows, gazing out at the city lights. His long fingers curled around a phone. His voice was low and reassuring.
"Don’t worry. Oliver will handle things with your parents."
Elise crossed the room and sat down on the sofa. Her expression remained perfectly blank as she watched his back.
The person on the other end was almost certainly Quinn.
Apparently, Dylan was so worried about her that even while coming to confront Elise, he still found time to comfort his mistress.
"You stay home for now." His tone softened. "I still have things to deal with. Wait for me to come back."
The call ended. Dylan lowered the phone and turned around. His dark eyes met Elise’s icy gaze.
