Suddenly, a familiar voice caught Ana’s attention. She looked up to see Valeria Kingsley walking into the restaurant with her pregnant belly. accompanied by Whitney Stone.
Whitney looked at Valeria with concern. “Valeria, honey, you’re pregnant. Are you sure eating such spicy food is a good idea?”
“Mom, you worry too much,” Valeria said dismissively. “This baby is rock solid. I went horseback riding when I was pregnant and it survived that. A little Korean BBQ isn’t gonna hurt anything.”
Whitney still looked uncertain. “Maybe we could order it less spicy?”
“No way, I’m craving the heat,” Valeria insisted.
“Well… okay then.”
Whitney paused, then added, “You know, they say if you crave spicy food, you’re having a girl. Could this be a daughter?”
Valeria’s face darkened with displeasure. “Mom, that’s just old wives‘ tales. Totally outdated thinking that needs to change. Pregnancy cravings are just hormone–related taste changes–they have nothing to do with the baby’s gender.”
“I wouldn’t know about that, but the Hale family really wants a boy. What if this baby turns out to be a girl?”
Valeria’s movements paused. “Look, the sky isn’t falling yet. If it’s a girl, I’ve got options.”
“Options?” Whitney’s expression suddenly changed. “You’re not thinking of…”
Valeria quickly gestured for Whitney to keep quiet. “What you don’t say, and I don’t say, nobody knows.”
Whitney nodded. “Let’s hope it’s a boy.”
The idea of raising someone else’s child felt completely unnecessary to her. Blood wasn’t blood–you could never love a kid that didn’t come from your own body the same way.
That’s exactly why she’d been so determined to get Ana out of the Kingsley house years ago.
She’d taught Valeria this philosophy, though Valeria found her lectures annoying.
What they didn’t know was that Ana had heard every word of their conversation.
Aurora looked at Ana with curiosity and whispered, “The Ana they’re talking about–that’s you, isn’t it?”
Ana smiled, a hint of mockery in her eyes. “Yep, that’s me. Guess it’s true what they say about walls having ears.”
“Don’t worry about them. I’ve got your back from now on,” Aurora said supportively.
Even though Ana looked calm on the surface, Aurora suspected she was just putting on a brave face. What Ana probably needed right now was quiet
support.
She deliberately changed the subject. “Who the hell eats Korean BBQ when they’re pregnant? That’s insane, Spicy food like this can cause uterine contractions and hurt the baby.”
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