Dumped When Pregnant, Chased by Ex-Husband

Edward Harper's slight guilt toward her that had just arisen evaporated in an instant.

He let go of her hand in anger and walked straight toward the dining room.

Bella Harper had intended to bump into Clara Knox to vent her anger, but after taking a few steps and looking back, she saw her own brother wrapped in an embrace with that annoying woman, exchanging deep looks. Infuriated, she snapped a photo and sent it to Aria Knight right away.

A table full of exquisite dishes was neatly arranged, and the nanny, Mrs. Wang, called everyone to come and eat.

The lobster prawns that Bella Harper had been craving were finally served and even placed next to Clara Knox. Taking advantage of the moment when Grandpa wasn't looking, she switched the prawns with a dish of pickles in front of herself.

After the old master picked up his chopsticks, everyone began to eat.

Clara Knox, head down, found a peeled shrimp suddenly added to her bowl.

Looking up, her uncle-in-law Julian Harper was kindly smiling at her from across the table.

Julian Harper was the late child of Grandpa Harper, while Edward Harper's parents had married and had children late in life. As a result, although Julian was of an older generation, he was only four years older than Edward Harper, making them close to the same age.

Julian had not been in good health since childhood and had spent years abroad for treatment, only recently returning to the country. He was a gentle and polite man, very different from the sharp-tongued Edward Harper.

Clara Knox returned a polite smile,

"Thank you, Uncle Julian, I can manage myself."

"Don't mention it, I'll peel some more for you after you finish," he replied.

Clara Knox vaguely felt the atmosphere was a bit strange. She glanced to the side and saw Edward Harper staring at her with a deep and seemingly warning look, as if to say, "Dare to eat one and see what happens?"

She suddenly lost her appetite for the shrimp in her bowl.

Eating it felt wrong, but leaving it there felt just as awkward. She was caught between a rock and a hard place.

Grandpa Harper noticed the commotion and called out to the kitchen,

"Where did the rest of that big box of prawns go? We only have a few here."

Hearing this, Mrs. Wang quickly brought over a large plate of prawns and placed them directly in front of Clara Knox, explaining, "There wasn't enough space on the table earlier to fit everything."

Bella Harper's mouth twitched as she saw the pile of prawns and petulantly reached out to grab some from the opposite side. As she raised her hand, Chloe Thompson nudged her with her chopsticks,

"Don't you have some right in front of you?"

Grandpa Harper glanced at his eldest grandson, who was only focusing on his own meal, and lectured him,

"Peel some shrimp for your wife, would you? I can't see why Clara saw anything in you when you're so oblivious."

Clara Knox's palms sweated. Edward Harper hated peeling shrimp and crabs because he found them troublesome and usually didn't eat them. At home, it was always her who peeled them and placed them in his bowl before he would eat.

To her surprise, he actually picked up a shrimp and started peeling it. In no time, a small peak of peeled shrimp appeared in Clara Knox's bowl. Thanks to Grandpa's intervention, for the first time in her life, she ate shrimp peeled by Edward Harper.

Halfway through the meal, Edward Harper's phone rang again. He wiped his hands with a paper napkin, took his phone, and walked to the living room balcony.

Clara Knox watched his retreating figure on the phone with a bad premonition.

Sure enough, about two minutes later, he grabbed his suit jacket and headed for the door, his expression extremely anxious.

Grandpa Harper became somewhat angry, "You're leaving without finishing your meal, where are you going?"

As he spoke, Edward Harper had already put on his shoes and was about to open the door.

When Grandpa asked, he didn't dare to delay,

"A friend is having a heart attack, I need to go check on him."

Clara Knox felt a pang in her heart. Heart attack!

Grandpa Harper knew better, "Don't make up an excuse about a friend. It's that woman, isn't it? I'm warning you, the Harper Family knows only one daughter-in-law. Stay away from that woman. What kind of heart disease strikes every day without being fatal? If she's having an attack, call the emergency number. Are you a doctor? It seems to me she should first get her head checked for pestering a married man incessantly."

Right now, Edward Harper was too anxious to argue with Grandpa and hurriedly walked out the door.

The old man was so upset that his appetite vanished. The air grew tense, and the circle of people around the table dared not move their chopsticks.

"Ignorant fools, the Harper Clan will sooner or later be ruined by him and that woman."

The festive atmosphere of the family dinner was shattered.

Bella Harper seized the opportunity to pour fuel on the fire, not missing the chance to slap Clara Knox's face,

"My brother probably won't come back tonight. Aria Knight just returned to the country yesterday, and they must have a lot to talk about. You all don't know, do you? Yesterday, Julian even organized a gathering to welcome her back. After being apart for three years in different places and still being deeply in love, it's quite touching."

Thinking about getting on Clara Knox's nerves made her unrestrained with her words, exaggerating the description.

Chloe Thompson tried to pull her back, but to no avail.

The old man slammed down his chopsticks, his breath unsteady with anger, and scolded Bella,

"You are also forbidden to get close to that woman, and don't go out recently. Stay at home and learn how to speak properly."

At that, Bella Harper completely shut up.

The meal ended on an unhappy note.

Clara Knox wanted to sneak away while Edward Harper was absent; her luggage was still in Isaac Turner's car. Just as she thought of this and before she could act, Chloe Thompson pulled her aside to chat.

Chloe Thompson was of a gentle and soft disposition, and she spoke tenderly.

Clara Knox couldn't understand how such a pleasant mother-in-law could give birth to a son like the cold and distant Edward Harper and a spoiled and arrogant daughter like Bella Harper.

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law did not interact much usually, and there weren't many conflicts. Chloe Thompson seldom visited Brocade Garden to disturb the young couple's life.

Clara Knox was somewhat overwhelmed by the sudden warmth from her mother-in-law.

"Clara, don't leave tonight. Mom bought pajamas for both you and Bella while shopping last time. I'll give them to you to try on later."

"Thank you, Mom."

Mentioning gifts, Clara Knox recalled the ruby necklace Edward Harper gave her in the car. Knowing Chloe Thompson liked red, she took the box out of her bag and offered it as a gift,

"Mom, this is the new design that Ah Deep is promoting next season. I think it suits your temperament better."

Chloe Thompson's eyes lit up with surprise, and she took an immediate liking to it.

"This pendant's style is quite different from previous Harper designs, but it's even more stunning."

Clara Knox smiled helplessly, "It's from a new designer Ah Deep brought over from overseas."

Chloe Thompson, unaware, held the necklace and lavishly praised the designer, exalting his talent as if none could compare on earth.

Later in the evening, back in her room, Clara Knox stared blankly at the period-tracking app on her phone. Her period was over two weeks late, and she hadn't noticed.

At that moment, touching her lower abdomen, her heart was filled with trepidation.

Thinking about the pregnancy test report Aria Knight had sent, any trace of faint hope in her heart was swept away.

Even if she was pregnant, it wouldn't matter to him; he would only be looking forward to the child Aria Knight might carry.

It was highly likely that Edward Harper wouldn't come home tonight.

Clara Knox felt irritated and went alone to the roof terrace to catch some air.

In the northern weather of May, the nights were still a bit cold, and Clara Knox wrapped her shirt tightly around herself.

The night sky spread like a curtain, with a crescent moon and a handful of stars visible.

The tranquil environment made her think of her deceased mother and the mysterious car accident that still had no leads to date.

The police concluded it was a brake failure, but Clara Knox was convinced it wasn't that simple.

The car her mother was driving when the accident happened was newly bought, and such a basic malfunction seemed highly unlikely unless there was intentional sabotage.

Lost in thought, Clara Knox was brought back to reality by the sound of keys locking a door. Turning around, she saw Bella Harper holding keys and making a face at her.

Suddenly realizing something, she pushed the terrace door, but it wouldn't budge.