Chapter 124



Kallie was cheerfully heading home, blissfully unaware of the online storm she was about to unleash.

Under Molly’s expert guidance, Kallie swiftly finished mending Rachel’s mother’s clothes.

As Kallie gathered her things to leave the room, a wave of dizziness struck her, almost causing her to stumble.

She paused, supporting herself against the sofa, and touched her still-flat belly.

It occurred to Kallie that she often became too engrossed in her work and neglected to eat. Skipping meals was one thing for her, but not for the baby growing inside her.

She made a silent apology to her belly, her heart twinging with regret. Her unborn child might never hear her voice, much less learn to speak from her.

Yet, the sadness was fleeting. Kallie went online, found some nutritious pregnancy recipes, and headed out to buy groceries.

She was now living in the home Jerome had arranged for her.

Wandering the supermarket aisles, focused on her shopping list, Kallie was startled by a child charging her way.

Kallie instinctively shielded her belly. Preoccupied with her own condition, she hadn’t noticed the child.

The child tumbled to the ground and burst into tears.

Kallie, visibly upset, cast a disapproving glance at the young boy throwing a tantrum on the floor. He looked to be about seven or eight, solidly built. Luckily, the collision was minor. A more serious one could have landed her in the hospital.

The child’s cries were sharp and contagious, drawing a crowd.

Disinterested in a confrontation, Kallie decided to walk away.

Just then, a sharp, cutting voice stopped her. “Stop right there! Do you think you can bump into my grandson and just leave? How does that make any sense?”

Kallie chose to ignore the outburst.

However, the elderly woman was relentless and quickly caught up, grabbing Kallie’s wrist.

The elderly woman’s grip was strong, but her nails dug in, scratching Kallie’s skin.

Kallie yelped in pain and turned, her expression darkening as she stared at the elderly woman.

The sight of Kallie ignoring her seemed to fuel the elderly woman’s anger even more, making her raise her voice. “Everyone, gather around! An adult is picking on a child! I witnessed her shove my grandson to the ground with my very own eyes, and now she acts as though nothing occurred. This defies all reason! Offer an apology at once!”

Kallie had to stifle a laugh. She shrugged off the elderly woman’s grasp and pulled out her phone to type a response. “Your grandson collided with me. He fell by himself. I had no part in it. If there’s any need for an apology, it should be from him to me.”

The elderly woman seethed with anger, then abruptly her expression softened, and she stared at Kallie with a puzzling look.

“Why don’t you speak? I understand now—” The elderly woman’s eyes gleamed with scorn and spite. “So, you’re mute. A person like you deserves to be mute.”

Several onlookers could no longer hold their peace.

“You’re crossing the line. This young lady is quite frail. Your grandson is far sturdier than she is. Moreover, she is unable to speak. Bullying her in this state is utterly cruel.”

“I witnessed the incident myself. Your grandson ran into this girl, and she didn’t make any scene over it.”

Realizing the crowd was not on her side, the elderly woman’s face flushed with anger as she tried a different approach. “Even if my grandson did bump into her by accident, wouldn’t it have been kind to help him up? Instead, she just watched him fall and walked away as if she saw nothing at all. Think about it, wouldn’t you be upset if your child encountered such indifference in the future?”

The elderly woman hoisted her grandson off the floor, simultaneously pointing at a red mark on his arm as she spoke. “Look at this, he’s bruised all over.”

However, the truth was the child had simply been lying on the floor, unwilling to rise, which resulted in the mark.

Amidst his loud cries, onlookers exchanged knowing looks, their expressions shifting subtly.

Kallie appeared unfazed by the woman’s accusations. Clutching her stomach, an instinctive response kicked in, and she nearly blurted out her pregnancy as an excuse for her lack of intervention. Yet, she paused, realizing these strangers didn’t need to know her personal circumstances.

Unexpectedly, the elderly woman had observed Kallie’s instinctive reactions. Her eyes narrowed, a sharp glint passing through her clouded eyes as she clicked her tongue. “Oh, what’s this? Are you pregnant? I noticed what you’ve been buying—all items for pregnant mothers. You live alone, don’t you? Pregnant and unmarried? One wonders who the father might be.”

A murmur rose from the crowd, tinged with disapproval. “That’s uncalled for. What business is her pregnancy of yours?”

The elderly woman’s voice rose sharply. “Why should this not concern me? You might not be aware, but she resides in the most luxurious condominium in our neighborhood. My son has been striving for months to acquire it, yet she obtained it suddenly. There is definitely something underhanded going on here. What makes her worthy of it? She doesn’t strike me as someone capable of earning much. She’s likely being supported by some wealthy individual. How disgraceful!”

Kallie’s complexion drained. The realization hit her hard. It wasn’t mere coincidence. It was deep-seated animosity.

This neighborhood was under the Hayes Group’s umbrella.

Jerome had been adamant about Kallie moving into that condominium, citing its enhanced security as a prime benefit.

Kallie had no choice but to comply, yet she hadn’t anticipated that this would ignite such intense resentment.

With a determined look, Kallie composed a text message to the elderly woman. “Your concerns about where I reside are unwarranted. If you continue to spread false stories, I will not hesitate to involve the police.”

The elderly woman’s confidence seemed to falter, yet she pressed on, questioning, “Are you willing to declare that you’re not pregnant? My observations are seldom wrong, and you most certainly appear pregnant.”

The elderly woman’s hands shook as she reached for her phone. “I’m about to snap a photo and share it in our group chat. Let everyone witness and steer clear of such a woman. To be with child out of wedlock… it’s absolutely scandalous!”

Kallie felt a surge of panic. Most of the residents had prominent backgrounds, and their exclusive circle was notoriously tight-knit. She worried about the potential repercussions for the Reeves family if word got out.

Despite Kallie’s desire to type out her thoughts, the elderly woman didn’t offer an opportunity.

In her urgency, Kallie managed to draft a quick message to the police while attempting to wrestle the phone from the elderly woman’s grasp.

During their struggle, the child saw his chance and shoved Kallie hard.

Kallie stumbled backward, slamming into a table that jutted into her waist.

Strangely, the anticipated surge of pain never arrived. Instead, as Kallie’s complexion grew deathly pale, she found herself caught in a comforting embrace.

Then, a chilling male voice broke the silence. “I’d like to see who dares to spread rumors about my wife!”

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