Joanne's eyes widened in shock, tears welling up as she looked at me in disbelief, "Eleanor, what are you saying? You're ... carrying Gerald's child?"
Her lips quivered as she continued, the picture of heartbreak, "No wonder you've always disliked me. You must have feared that my presence would affect your relationship with Gerald."
"If that's the case, Eleanor, I'll book a flight abroad right now. I'll agree to the arranged marriage my parents have planned for me and I swear I'll never appear in front of Gerald again in this lifetime!" With a forlorn glance at Gerald, she reluctantly pulled out her phone and pretended to search for a flight.
"Joanne, stop this nonsense! There's no way Eleanor is pregnant with my child!" Gerald's voice broke, revealing a trace of panic.
He wiped away Joanne's tears and for the first time, his gaze turned menacing, a side of him I'd never seen before.
"If you don't believe me," he said coldly, "I'll open up Eleanor's womb right here and show you whether or not she's carrying a child."