Chapter 35: Elena Ward Kept Her Head Down

Elena Ward kept her head down, fingers clutching the hem of her shirt. "Uncle, this... is too much trouble for you. I don’t even know how to repay you."

Helen Reed pulled Elena into a tight embrace, patting her back gently. "Silly girl, stop talking nonsense! From now on, if you need anything, just ask. Our Pinehaven Village has your back!" She paused, her voice firm. "Remember—we don’t go looking for trouble, but we won’t let anyone push us around either."

Elena’s eyes reddened slightly as she carefully tucked her acceptance letter into a hidden pocket sewn inside her undergarments, secured with a safety pin.

Just as she reached the courtyard gate, she nearly collided with Emily Reed, the mayor’s daughter. As they passed each other, Emily sneered, "Stop pretending!"

Helen quickly smoothed things over. "Don’t mind her—she’s in a bad mood today."

But Elena suddenly tugged at Helen’s sleeve, lowering her voice. "Auntie... there’s something you should know. Please don’t be angry."

She remembered clearly—in her past life, this was the year Emily had gotten involved with Harold Martin, a factory worker from town. When Emily became pregnant, Harold’s mother had seized the opportunity to demand marriage without paying a single cent in dowry. Stubborn and desperate, Emily had secretly gone to an underground clinic for an abortion—and never came out alive.

Just now, when they brushed past each other, Elena’s healing force had already sensed the tiny life inside Emily—barely three weeks old.

"Auntie... I think Emily might be pregnant," Elena whispered, her voice almost inaudible. "You need to keep an eye on her. Don’t let her do anything reckless."

Helen froze as if struck by lightning, her fingers digging into Elena’s arm unconsciously. Only when Elena gasped in pain did she snap out of it and let go.

"How... how do you know?" Helen’s voice trembled.

"Take her to a proper hospital for a checkup," Elena said, rubbing her reddened wrist. "Whatever you do, don’t let her go to one of those back-alley clinics. It could cost her life."

Helen’s face turned deathly pale. Now that she thought about it, Emily had been complaining about nausea lately, often retching for no reason...

"Elena, this matter..." Helen’s lips quivered, her words stumbling.

"I don’t know anything," Elena said firmly. "Go check on Emily."

Watching Elena leave, Helen suddenly spun around and stormed back into the courtyard, slamming the gate shut behind her.

Emily was hurrying toward the house, one hand clamped over her mouth, when her mother yanked her back.

"Mom! What are you doing?!" Emily struggled, her face ashen.

Without a word, Helen dragged her daughter inside. Martin Reed, hearing the commotion, rushed over to intervene. "Honey, talk to her properly—"

"Talk? Talk about what?!" Helen shoved Emily onto the bed, her entire body shaking. "You’re going to tell me the truth—whose bastard is this?"

Martin stiffened in shock.

Emily clutched her stomach in horror, her voice cracking. "H-how did you know?"