Time flew by, and three months passed in the blink of an eye.
Deanna and Julia's bellies had visibly grown. Especially Julia, who was expecting twins; her eight-month belly looked larger than that of most pregnant women. Because of this, Lionel didn't dare let her go out, fearing she might get hurt. However, staying indoors wasn't an option either. The doctor had advised that Julia needed to move around a bit to ensure a smoother delivery. In the end, Lionel couldn't control Julia at all.
Every day, Julia would come to see Deanna. The two pregnant women together were more troublesome than children, especially when they craved something.
"Missus, Mr. Mercer said you can't have ice cream!" Sam rushed to the back garden after being informed by a servant, only to find the two pregnant women squatting behind a bush, each holding an ice cream tub as big as their faces. Scattered around them were various snack wrappers.
"Oh no, we've been caught! Deanna, hurry up and eat," Julia said, shoveling the remaining ice cream into her mouth as if she were eating rice. Deanna followed suit.
It wasn't entirely their fault; Deanna's body had been weak due to the medication she had been making, and Lance had been controlling her diet. But people are strange creatures; being restricted often breeds rebellion. Pregnant women are naturally prone to cravings, and the combination was unstoppable.
One day, after another round of sneaking ice cream and snacks with Julia, both ended up with stomachaches and were sent to the hospital.
Coincidentally, both parties met at the hospital. Initially, Lance and Lionel thought it was just a coincidence. But after the doctor's examination, they realized it wasn't.
"The expectant mothers are fine; they just ate too many mixed snacks, which caused the stomachaches. Make sure they don't eat junk food anymore. I won't prescribe any medicine since it's not good for the babies," the doctor advised Julia and Deanna against indulging in cravings at the expense of their health.
Lance and Lionel didn't know what to say to them and could only take action to prevent them from eating snacks. This led to the earlier scene.
Sam watched Deanna and Julia's actions, feeling his forehead veins throb. "Miss King, Mr. Mercer said if you keep leading our Missus astray, you won't be allowed to see her anymore!"
"Deanna, your husband is threatening me!" Julia immediately complained to Deanna.
Deanna was about to say something when Sam's voice interrupted again, "Missus, Mr. Mercer also said if you don't behave, he will stop covering for you and let Master Gregory and Miss Chloe handle you!"
This struck a nerve with Deanna. Despite her cravings and several mishaps involving snacks, she had been hiding it from the kids to maintain her dignity.
Finally, Deanna backed down. "Julia, maybe we should call off our alliance. I don't want to lose face in front of Gregory and Chloe."
Julia looked at her friend with a resentful gaze but understood there was no choice. She left with a heavy heart.
That night, Deanna couldn't escape Sam's report. Lance listened to Sam's account with a mix of helplessness and amusement.
Sam didn't notice and expressed his concern for Deanna. "Young Master, I think it would be best to keep Missus and Miss King apart until they give birth. Otherwise, they'll keep getting into trouble."
Lance rubbed his temples but didn't agree. He knew that if he separated Deanna and Julia, Deanna would surely cause a fuss.
"We'll have to endure for now, Sam. I'll also contact Lionel to keep an eye on his wife," Lance said before dismissing Sam.
True to his word, he called Lionel. "Your wife got my Deanna to eat all sorts of junk again today."
"... So you're calling to complain? Do you think I can control her?" Lionel replied helplessly. "Besides, given Deanna's current state, do you think she wouldn't find a way even if Julia didn't bring those things? Don't blame my Julia for your wife's actions; at most, they're partners in crime."
Lance was left speechless and took a deep breath before reminding Lionel, "I remember your wife is due in a month. Are you sure you want her to keep eating like this? The doctor said it's bad for both mother and child."
"I can't stop her. If you have any ideas, I'm all ears," Lionel replied, indicating he had given up trying to control Julia's snacking habits.