Chapter 327: She’s Pregnant

“Ms. Claire Prescott, actually…” Grace had been meaning to tell Claire, but now, by coincidence, Claire had overheard. Unable to hold back any longer, she suddenly dropped to her knees in front of Claire with a soft thud.

“The truth is, a distant relative of Grace’s passed away. She was around the same age as Grace and me, and like us, she had a difficult life. When Grace heard about it, it reminded her of everything that happened back then…” Elizabeth cut her off before she could continue. “It just made her feel so sad and she cried. It’s nothing serious. You know how it is—when you get older, you can’t help but feel these things. Especially when you see people close to you passing away. It makes you think about your own life.”

Grace barely had a chance to speak again before Elizabeth swiftly interrupted. “Oh, I see. But you really scared me! Grandma, if you’re feeling unwell, you must tell me right away.” Claire, feeling relieved, finally relaxed.

“Don’t worry, if anything happens, I’ll call you immediately.” Elizabeth smiled reassuringly.

“Alright. Grandma, I’ve packed everything. I’m just here to let you know I’m going back to Halfmoon Manor with Frederick. I’ll keep an eye on the things you asked me to do.” Claire didn’t suspect anything.

“Good. Go on now, and take care.” Elizabeth smiled sweetly, looking as though nothing was out of the ordinary.

Once Claire left, Elizabeth turned to Grace with a sharp gaze. “Grace, you’ve been with me for years. You know when to speak and when to hold your tongue. If something like this happens again, I’ll ask you to leave.”

“Madam Prescott, I understand. I’ll never overstep again, I promise.” Grace, still full of concern, wanted to say more, but the words caught in her throat. She had been with Elizabeth for so long—she knew all too well. Once Elizabeth made a decision, it was never easily changed.

Downstairs, Claire and Frederick finished packing and left for Halfmoon Manor. Robert and Margaret had planned to wait until after lunch to leave, but Harrison spoke up first, saying they had other matters to attend to, so Robert and Margaret didn’t push it.

By 11:30 AM, Frederick and Claire arrived back at Halfmoon Manor. As they entered, Caroline, who had just finished getting ready, was coming downstairs with a cup of water in hand.

With Claire away and the news that Harrison had taken her to Crimson Lane, Caroline had assumed Claire would never return. Crimson Lane was a notorious women’s prison in Kingleren. Zachary had said that no woman who went there ever walked out alive. Caroline had been enjoying herself these past few days, thinking that since Claire was gone, she didn’t need to worry about her. She could take her time with Frederick. But now, just when everything seemed perfect, it all came crashing down.

When Caroline saw Claire, it was like a thunderbolt had struck her. Her eyes widened in disbelief. She couldn’t process it. The cup in her hand slipped, crashing to the floor. The sound of the cup shattering caught the attention of both Claire and Frederick.

“Claire, Frederick, you… you’re back?” Caroline snapped back to reality, bending down to pick up the shards. Her distracted state caused her to cut her hand on the broken pieces.

“Ms. Beaumont, are you alright? Let me wrap that up for you.” The butler, Bailey, came down the stairs and gently helped Caroline down to the lower floor to bandage her hand, while the others cleaned up the mess.

“I’m fine.” Caroline shook her head, still in shock, but her eyes were fixed on Claire. Seeing Claire standing there, perfectly unharmed, only made her more confused. After all, no one who ended up in Crimson Lane ever made it out unscathed. Even if they survived, they were never the same. Yet here Claire was, not only alive but brought back to Halfmoon Manor by Frederick. Why couldn’t this woman just die? Caroline clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms.

“Are you alright?” Frederick’s voice snapped her out of her trance as he walked over to check her wound.

“I’m fine, Frederick.” Caroline shook her head, though her mind was far from clear.

At that moment, Claire, remembering how Caroline had pushed her off a cliff, was about to step forward when suddenly a wave of nausea hit her.

“Ugh! Ugh!” She clasped her mouth and rushed to the bathroom. Though Claire had occasional stomach issues and was prone to nausea, she had never felt this way before. She knelt over the toilet, vomiting violently as if her insides were being torn apart. It went on for what felt like forever. When Claire finally pulled herself up, the world seemed to spin. She had to grip the bathroom wall for support.

“Could it be… Ms. Prescott might be pregnant?”