Meanwhile, Marcus was busy cooking up a storm in the kitchen, Leaving Rena and Melissa to share a heartfelt chat. Despite Melissa already being a mom, Rena gently shared her own child-rearing wisdom.

Finally, Rena murmured, "Matthew's off to kindergarten soon. With the new baby coming, you might feel swamped. But Melissa, if you want to keep working, we've got your back. We can help with the kids, or you can even move in with us."

Melissa was deeply moved.

Having heard Albert's tales about Rena and Waylen, Melissa felt they deserved to kick back after their eventful past. As for the baby, it was Marcus and her who truly wanted it. There was no need to burden the elders.

Melissa whispered, "I'll quit before the baby arrives. And about work..."

Gently stroking her belly, Melissa murmured, "Once this little one's off to preschool, I'll only be thirty. Still plenty of time for a fresh start."

Rena hesitated for a moment, but then broke into a gentle smile.

She murmured, “You must really adore Marcus.”

Melissa grinned back.

Whenever she grinned genuinely, a cute canine tooth peeked out.

Unable to resist, Rena remarked, "You remind me so much of Edwin's wife, Laura. Marcus and Edwin seem to have similar tastes."

She continued, adding, “Edwin and Marcus are tight. They do business together. You'll probably see more of Laura in the future. She's a quiet one, just like you. You'll get along."

Melissa nodded in agreement, and Rena kept the chat going for a bit before they headed downstairs for lunch together.

Just then, Shawn arrived.

He lugged in big bags filled with goodies from his hometown, some freshly dug from the ground.

Upon spotting Rena, Shawn's eyes widened. He'd never seen such a high-society lady from Duefron before. But he straightened up, not wanting to embarrass Melissa, and greeted with a smile. "Hey, Mrs. Fowler. I heard from my mom that Melissa's expecting again, so I brought her some stuff. Good for expecting moms."

Rena returned his smile. "How considerate of you!"

Scratching his head, Shawn said, “I hope she'll like them. I know I've been a bit of a hassle for Melissa."

Since Shawn was practically family, Rena gave him a nod of respect.

“Nah, we're all family here. It's no trouble at all."