Chapter 415

---- Chapter 415 Giselle and Dorothea were the only ones left to keep each other company at the dining table. Giselle didn't feel awkward, but the housekeepers and butlers nearby looked embarrassed on her behalf. Dorothea gave her a cold glance and said nothing. She calmly lifted a soup bowl, sipped it with practiced elegance, and set it back down. She carried herself with the elegance and commanding presence of a wealthy, upper-class matriarch. Then, Giselle noticed the exquisite, undoubtedly priceless emerald bracelet on her wrist. Breaking the silence with a warm smile, she said, "Mrs.

Kane, you just bought that bracelet , didn't you? It's stunning and suits you. You have impeccable taste!" Long used to flattery , Dorothea barely reacted to her remark and gave her a disdainful look. Giselle ignored the hint and kept going. "Your self-care routine is amazing. You have such fair, firm skin and such thick, glossy hair. To be honest, when we first met, I thought you were just in your 50s. If Don didn't look so much like you, Iwould never have guessed that you're his mother- especially since you had him after 40!" She leaned in a little and lowered her voice conspiratorially.

"' ---- Every time I mention buying you a gift, Don stops me. And it doesn't matter if it's clothes, jewelry, or cosmetics. He insists that with your refined taste and unique artistic perspective , my choice would inevitably fall short of your standards and that my time would be better spent just trying to learn from your example." At those words, Dorothea's face softened slightly. She kept a cold front , but deep down, her dislike for Giselle had eased. "Ts there any news on the baby front?" she asked coldly. "Not yet," Giselle replied.

Her confidence slipped when it came to the topic of children. "Still nothing ? How long have you two been together ? Have you never gotten pregnant at all?" Her desperation for a grandson sharpened her tone. "Have you even been to the hospital for a check-up? Are you even fertile?" she continued asking. At that, Giselle's smile faltered, and memories of past abortions pricked at her. "Tan," she replied, quickly pushing the thought away. She had no intention of telling Dorothea about the past. To secure her place in the family, she spun a grandiose promise without a hint of shame.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Kane. I'll see to it that the Kanes' family tree flourishes," Giselle vowed. "I promise you no fewer than five grandchildren. This place will be filled with laughter and ---- life, and you'll know nothing but the deepest familial joy." The promise pleased Dorothea, though she still sniffed. "Just have one first before you talk about five. There's no need for that many. The Kanes do not treat women as child-bearing tools, so two or three children would be more than enough." Her age made her yearning stronger.

Over 20 years had passed since she last held a baby, and now, all she dreamed of was a house full of grandchildren. Dorothea continued, "Grace is no longer of childbearing age, and Zachary isn't ready for marriage, so the family will depend on you for heirs. That makes bearing children your greatest duty for now. "T won't dwell on your past mistakes," she added. "Once you bear a child, I'll personally see to it that you and Donare given a proper and respectable wedding. Then, I'll make it official and welcome you into the family." Giselle suddenly felt under pressure.

She was only joking, but Dorothea took it seriously and looked at her with great expectation. Forced to respond, Giselle smiled stiffly and said, "Alright, I'll do my best." Upstairs in the study, Ethan leaned back in his chair and rubbed his temples. He was exhausted and torn. Meanwhile , Donovan leaned lazily against the desk. He was ---- silent for several seconds before asking, "Is Gideon your biological son?"