Miley shot Neville a glare, her tone sharp. “You’re not even thinking straight. We’ve always been careful, so if I really were pregnant, shouldn’t you be worried first? Why are you so focused on planning a wedding instead?”
Neville’s face darkened with irritation at her words. Furrowing his brow, he retorted, “Miley, don’t say things like that. Throwing around something Like this could hurt your reputation.”
Seeing the seriousness in his expression, Miley realized she had crossed a Line.
She stopped teasing and lightly pushed him away as she stood up, preparing to return to the kitchen to continue making the soup.
But before she could leave, Neville grabbed her hand, his gaze steady and filled with intent. “Babe, honestly, I think we should consider having a baby. Look at it this way, Miley paused, her thoughts racing, before shaking her head firmly.”
“Neville, our relationship is stable right now, but you know how your mother feels about us. I don’t want to use a child to force her to compromise. Even if we ended up married, there’d always be unspoken tension.”
Her voice softened, the weight of her thoughts evident in her tone.
Neville immediately realized his mistake-he had let his emotions take over without considering hers.
His voice grew gentle as he tried to comfort her. “Babe, don’t overthink this. A child doesn’t matter-I love you. I’ll handle the situation with my mother soon. You don’t have to worry about anything. You’re the only one I’m going to marry, and nothing will ever change that.”
Hearing his words, Miley felt some of her tension ease and gave a small nod.
Sensing the shift in her mood, Neville decided to steer the conversation in a different direction. “Alright then, if you’re not ready to have a baby right now, we’ll let it go. How about I make dinner instead?”
Miley waved him off. “No need. You go do your own thing. I’ll just finish making this soup. Besides, I won’t be joining you for dinner tonight.”
Neville’s brow furrowed, surprised by her sudden statement. “Why? Why aren’t you having dinner with me all of a sudden?”
Miley nearly let Stella’s situation slip but managed to stop herself just in time. Quickly, she composed a response.
“Oh, it’s because I’m taking this soup to the hospital. I also promised Stella I’d have dinner with her afterward. She’s had such a rough day, and I want to check in and make sure she’s okay.”
Neville didn‘t seem to suspect anything. He gave a thoughtful nod and said, “Alright. Just do your best to comfort Stella and help her unwind. We’re already investigating this matter thoroughly. To be honest, it’s possible Stella wasn’t even the intended target.”
Miley’s eyes widened in surprise. “Not the target? Then what’s really going on?”
Neville’s expression grew grim, and he paused briefly before deciding to reveal some information to her.
“You know about Matthew’s memory loss, right? We believe the real target was Matthew, but when they couldn’t get to him, they went after Stella instead-likely as a way to gain leverage or access through her.”
Miley was stunned, her mouth slightly agape as she struggled to process his words. After a long pause, she finally stammered, “What? How. how could this happen? That’s horrifying!”
Neville placed a steadying hand on her shoulder, his tone soft yet firm. “Don’t worry, We’re handling it. But promise me you won’t tell Stella yet. She’s already under enough stress, and her health isn’t strong enough to deal with more right now. What she needs most is rest.”
Miley gave a quick nod, her face serious. “I understand. I wont say a word.”
That night, Lindsay stayed secluded in her room, consumed by her own thoughts.
She only emerged for dinner after Katelyn knocked on her door.