Chapter 1997

With a caring friend by her side, Mavis' mood improved significantly, and her appetite was better too. Nathaniel was busy with the company's pressing matters and only managed to visit the hospital a few times a week. However, his visits were usually brief, and he barely exchanged more than a few words with Mavis. A month flew by, and Mavis' belly had grown even larger. "Ella, listen, he's kicking me again. He's quite strong!" Ella pressed her ear to Mavis' belly, feeling the baby's movements with a smile. "Such a lively little one! He's going to be an active, energetic little guy for sure!" Mavis shook her head, "Just because he's active doesn't mean he'll be a boy. Look at Adora. She's so lively while Asher is quiet and mature." "That's true," Ella agreed with a laugh. As they chatted, Ella helped Mavis peel an apple and kept counting the days on her fingers. "I've calculated it, and you have maybe two months left until your due date," Ella stated, glancing up at Mavis. Mavis leaned back against her pillows and nodded. Ella continued counting, saying, "Nathaniel hasn't been here for days. He leaves you in the hospital, relying on the nurses, nutritionists, bodyguards, and me to take care of you. He's enjoying his time off." The thought made Ella angry on Mavis' behalf. Mavis' smile slowly faded, and she fell silent. Mentioning Nathaniel always seemed to dampen her spirits. "Mae, I can finally understand why you want to leave him. A husband like that isn't worth it. You're working hard to carry his baby, and he barely makes an effort to visit." Mavis had become somewhat indifferent to the situation. "It doesn't matter. It's actually better that he doesn't come. I don't want to see him anyway." Moreover, Nathaniel did not know the baby might be his, which, in a strange way, eased some of her psychological stress. Ella took Mavis' hand and reassured her, "Don't worry, Mae. I'm always on your side. Whatever you decide to do, I'll support you." … Meanwhile, on a remote, uncharted island. A young fisherman found a few beautiful seashells by the shore and waved them over to a girl nearby who seemed as gentle as the sea. "Callie, look what I found!" Kai called out. The girl named Callie was delicate and beautiful, with eyes as sparkling as stars. She smiled as she ran toward Kai. "Do you like them?" Kai asked, placing the small shells into her palm. "I'm going to make these into a bracelet tonight and use it as our wedding token. What do you think?" On this small island, people lived off fishing and lacked technology. The residents had never even seen diamonds before. Kai and Kristen had been a couple for a few months since he found her, and their relationship grew stronger each day. Kristen paused before answering. She stared at the white shells in her palm. They were pretty but using them as a wedding token felt a bit hasty and cheap. Yet, she agreed, "Alright. After all, a token is just a formality. I can accept it however it is." As she spoke, she took an old, colorful newspaper from her pocket that she had stumbled upon a few days ago at a neighbor's house. The date was quite old, and the headline was about the new richest person in Froania. Pointing to a woman with an impeccable demeanor on the paper, Kristen asked Kai, "Do you think I look a bit like her?" Especially their eyebrows and eyes. Kristen felt there was at least fifty percent resemblance. The main difference was the aura they each gave off. Kristen's was far less striking. Kai took the newspaper and studied it carefully. "You do look similar."