She quickly threw off the blanket, hurried to freshen up, and opened the bedroom door.

At that moment, Laney was standing right outside, her hand raised to knock.

“Miss Holland, you’re up?” she asked with a warm smile.

Elissa nodded quickly. “I am. Why didn’t you wake me? Was Locke quiet this morning?”

“Oh, he was as lively as ever,” Laney chuckled. “Mr. Flynn was here and kept him entertained. He woke up early and asked us not to disturb you. He spent the morning with Locke until he went to school. You’ll find Mr. Flynn downstairs now.”

That answer took Elissa by surprise. It was already late in the morning, and Ernest still hadn’t left for work?

Curious, she made her way to the first floor, where she found Ernest deep in conversation with Quentin in the living room.

Elissa waved to Quentin. “We’ll finish this later.”

“Yes, Mr. Flynn,” Quentin replied immediately.

Approaching her, Ernest reached for Elissa’s hand and studied her face with gentle concern.

“You look rested,” he said approvingly. “Did you have a good night?”

“I did,” Elissa replied, feeling lighter. Ever since her last conversation with Hadley, a sense of peace had finally settled over her.

“Perfect,” Ernest said, guiding her toward the sunroom. “Are you hungry? Just hang on for a moment.”

“Hang on for a moment?” His words made Elissa blink. What was he up to this time? With a light laugh, Ernest helped her settle onto the sofa.

“Don’t give me that look. I’m not keeping food from you, I promise. It’s all for you and our baby,” he said, pressing a warm palm to her stomach. “The doctor will be here soon to check on both of you.”

“Mr. Flynn?” A servant appeared at that moment. “The doctor has arrived.”

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“Let him in.”

“Right away.”

A few moments later, the doctor and a nurse entered the room.

“Mr. Flynn, Mrs. Flynn,” the doctor greeted them.

The title caught Elissa off guard. Her eyebrows arched as she glanced at Ernest. Was this his doing? What was he trying to prove?

Pretending everything was in line with his wishes—she couldn’t understand the point.

“So, you’ve arrived.” Ernest showed no reaction to her look and nodded toward the newcomers. “I appreciate you both coming. My wife hasn’t eaten breakfast yet.”

The word “wife” nearly made her jaw drop. Elissa could hardly believe it. The nerve of him.

“Understood, Mr. Flynn.” The doctor nodded respectfully. “We’ll begin by taking a blood sample from Mrs. Flynn.”

He looked toward the nurse, giving her a slight nod. That was her cue to gather the necessary supplies and approach Elissa, offering a gentle smile.

“Mrs. Flynn, do you have a preferred arm for this?”

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