Beth's gaze shifted to Maggie's stomach. After several days, her stomach hadn't changed much. Even in the fitted dress, there wasn't much to see. She had hoped that by informing Clara, Maggie would lie low, or perhaps the Harrises would intervene and send her away. Unexpectedly, Nathael would soon appear publicly with her again.

"Not a surprise," Beth said gently, standing beside Maggie. "I came here to talk to you."

Maggie remained silent, patiently awaiting Beth's words.

"My family has arranged my marriage with Master Harris," Beth continued, glancing at Maggie. "Ms. Adam, you should know that for someone like Nathael, casual relationships are acceptable, but marriage is a significant commitment involving two families." Maggie was undeniably beautiful, possessing a lively yet haughty demeanor with a hint of coldness that easily attracted men. Maggie smiled, unfazed. "I expected something more creative, Ms. Bray. But you're sticking to the same old lines."

Beth's gaze sharpened. "If Nathael wants to trifle with you, I might ignore it. But eventually, he'll tire of you. There will always be someone younger and prettier." She paused. "As for me, I will be his legitimate wife, bearing his children and continuing his family line."

Beth spoke slowly, whether to convince Maggie or herself remained unclear.

Maggie Adam chuckled. "Bearing his children?" She glanced at Beth, who possessed an assertive aura. Though not extraordinarily beautiful, Beth's wealth gave her a certain charm, attracting suitors. But even the most accomplished individuals, when faced with unrequited love, lower their guard.

Even if Nathael didn't love her, being his wife would feel like a victory.

Seeing the mockery in Maggie's eyes, Beth's expression darkened.

Maggie smirked. "Nathael won't touch you if he doesn't love you. If you're aiming to bear children, you might want to look elsewhere."

Maggie admitted to feeling jealous and envious. She was jealous of Beth's time with Nathael and envious of her dreams of growing old with him and having a large family. Unfortunately, these were things Maggie couldn't have.

Beth's face contorted with anger. Her eyes darted to Maggie's belly. "Even if the Harrises agree to let you keep this child, he'll be illegitimate! Or perhaps I will raise him."

Maggie was taken aback. "So, that joke I made last time got you worked up. No wonder Nathael's parents rushed to see me. They probably heard gossip from you, thinking I'm expecting."

"Ms. Bray, are you watching too many dramas? Keeping the baby under your name? Let's put aside Nathael's opinion. According to today's laws, if I disagree, you'll have no custody rights."

"Do you think you can outmatch the Harrises and the Brays? Even with the Camerons' support, you can't beat the legal power of our families. Fighting for custody isn't easy," Beth said forcefully.

Maggie considered this, finding Beth's words reasonable. The Harris family's power, coupled with Nathael's potential lack of support, meant they could easily pressure her.

"Well, too bad."

Beth frowned. "What?"

"Too bad everything you said is speculation. You don't seriously think Nathael would willingly be a pawn, do you?" Maggie looked directly at Beth, with pity and mockery in her eyes.

Beth was startled. She knew Nathael didn't want to marry her.

"We've grown up with wealth and resources, things many only dream of. With that comes the responsibility to contribute to our families. It's part of our birthright." Beth believed Nathael would eventually come around, just as she would.