Chapter 344

---- Chapter 344 In Gideon's arms was a tiny puppy, wrapped snugly in a small blanket. It hadn't even grown fur yet -clearly just a few days old. "Twas about to knock when you showed up," he said with a smile, completely unaware of everything she'd been going through lately. "Take a look at the surprise I brought you today." "This..." Giselle approached him and glanced at the puppy. " Where did you get it? What breed is it?" "Let's go inside first. I'll explain." She pressed her fingerprint on the lock and opened the door, letting Gideon step in. "Aren't you the expert vet?

Can't you tell what breed it is?" he teased as soon as he entered, still cradling the pup. Giselle bent down for a closer look. "Honestly, I can't. It looks like a mixed breed." "Exactly." Gideon chuckled, carefully placing the puppy in her arms. "It's a mix, alright -but here's the catch. It's Eastin's pup. "Think of it like a child born after the father has passed. This little one was born just two days ago. thought you'd want to raise it." ---- "Huh?" Giselle still couldn't believe her ears. "What do you mean?" Only then did Gideon finally tell her what Eastin had done.

It had often slipped away to visit his dog, and inevitably, they'd mated. His dog became pregnant not long after. But what he didn't expect was that Eastin had passed before the pup was even born. And now, this puppy was carrying Eastin's bloodline. He thought it was only right that Giselle raised it. "Is this real?" She stroked the tiny creature, her heart aching as she reeled from the surprise. Eastin had never been neutered, but she'd always been careful. She never let it mate with strays. But with Gideon's dog, though, she'd let her guard down. After all, they knew each other well.

Little did she imagine that it would lead to this. "Of course it's real," Gideon reassured her. "I never let any strays near Chipper. Eastin was its only companion, and I was the one who watched them mate. "Considering you and I will end up together one day, it only made sense. No reason to keep them apart, right?" Giselle's hand lingered on the puppy, and with it came a bittersweet comfort. The fact that this puppy was carrying Eastin's bloodline reminded her that Eastin's life hadn't ended completely-some part of it had lived on.

---- But the mention of marriage made her chest tighten again. "Thank you, Gideon," she said sincerely . "You always know exactly what I need... You always manage to give me comfort when I need it most. But I-" "What is it?" Gideon caught her sad eyes, his expression turning confused. "Don't you want to keep this puppy?" "Of course Iwant to," she said quickly. Her gaze dropped back to the tiny pup, though her heart felt weighed down by a heavy stone. After a long pause, she finally forced herself to speak. "There's something I need to tell you." "What is it?"