If anyone was ever going to step into this kitchen after Margaret...It would be them.Not because they could replace her, nobody could.

But because they bring warmth into the room the same way she used to.

And suddenly I know.

There’s absolutely no way I’m letting them do this for free. I glance around the kitchen quietly while they continue arguing about whether too much pepper ruins soup.

Zane is definitely paying them.

Well. Maybe not directly, necause if I offer money outright, they’ll all look offended and probably throw vegetables at my head.

Especially Tessa.

So we’ll hav to be sneaky about it, maybe gift cards?Or fake "bonuses." Or honestly just forcing Zane to transfer money into their accounts without warning.

The thought almost makes me smile into my drink.

Then from upstairs, faintly:

"Elaine!"

I blink before groaning softly.

"That man has survived being shot and somehow still found the strength to become needy."

The girls burst into laughter immediately.

"Go answer your husband, we will bring the tea up when we are done." Lila teases.

I roll my eyes dramatically while sliding off the stool

"He’s literally incapable of resting."

————

A little over a week and a half passes after Margaret’s funeral and somehow life starts moving again. Nt normally though I don’t think anything about our lives will ever qualify as normal again but the house slowly breathes easier.

The constant tension eases just enough that people stop jumping at every sound. Security is still ridiculously tight around the estate, but at least there are no more gunshots. No more blood staining marble floors. No more late-night panic attacks jerking me awake every hour.

Even Zane is doing better, annoyingly better.

His strength returns faster each day, and now he’s back to stalking around the house acting like being shot was a mild inconvenience instead of nearly killing him.

The bruising along his side fades slowly. The stitches still bother him sometimes, especially at night, but he hides the pain better now.

Too well, honestly.

I catch him wincing occasionally when he thinks nobody is looking.

Typical Zane behavior.

Still, compared to how pale and weak he looked in that hospital bed? He’s a completely different person now.

Me, on the other hand...I’m a complete mess and I don’t understand why.

At first I blamed the stress, grief and everything that’s happened lately. But after over a week, things should’ve settled down at least a little.

Instead, I somehow feel worse, this morning proves it. I’m standing in the bathroom brushing my teeth when the smell of mint suddenly hits me weirdly. Not weird weird, biolently weird and my stomach turns so hard and so fast that I barely have enough time to yank away from the sink before nausea crashes through me.

"Oh my God."

I slap a hand over my mouth immediately as the dizziness comes next, fast and Sudden.

My entire body goes cold while my stomach twists painfully. What the hell?

I grip the bathroom counter tightly trying to breathe through it, but it only gets worse. The mint smell suddenly feels unbearably strong, like someone dumped chemicals directly into my nose.

I gag hard then immediately rush toward the toilet. Again.

At this point I’m honestly getting offended.

By the time I finish throwing up, my eyes are watering and my throat burns badly enough that I just sit there on the bathroom floor breathing heavily for a second.

"This is ridiculous," I mutter weakly.

Maybe I caught some weird stomach bug.

That has to be it.

Because there’s no way stress alone should make toothpaste smell like literal death.

I push sweaty hair away from my face tiredly before slowly standing.

The second I look toward the sink again another nauseating wave rolls through me instantly.

Nope. Absolutely not.

I physically recoil from the toothpaste tube sitting there like it personally attacked me.

What the hell is wrong with me?

I stare at the sink for another second before grabbing my phone with shaky y fingers.

Something is seriously wrong with me and for some reason, the first person that comes to mind is Ivy. I’m the older sister but she always knows what to do in times like this.

She h picks up on the second ring.

"Well damn sis," she says immediately. "Look who finally remembers I exist."

Normally I’d laugh. Today? I just groan weakly and slide down to sit against the bathroom cabinet.

"Why do you sound like you got hit by a truck?" she asks instantly, concern replacing the teasing.

"I feel horrible."

There’s rustling on her end like she’s sitting up properly now.

"What happened?

"I don’t know," I mutter tiredly. "I keep throwing up and everything just irritates me."

"What do you mean everything irritates you?"

"I mean everything." I rub miserably at my forehead. "Smells mostly. Toothpaste almost killed me just now."

She laughs then stops abruptly.

"Wait. Seriously?"

"Yes seriously."

I hear her shifting around more now.

"How long has this been happening?"

I blink slowly trying to think. Honestly the days have blurred together lately.

"A while," I mumble.

"How long is a while?"

"Maybe..." I pause. "Close to two weeks now."

Silence. Complete silence.

I frown immediately.

"Ivy?"

Nothing.

"Why are you quiet?"

More silence.

Then finally:

"Okay wait."

Her voice sounds strange now.

My stomach tightens slightly.

"What?"

"Uh..." She hesitates awkwardly. "Random question."

"I already don’t like that tone."

"Have you and Zane been... you know..."

I blink.

"Been what?"

"El."

Realization hits me.

"Oh."

"Yeah. Oh."

Heat immediately creeps up my face despite the nausea.

"What kind of question is that?"

"A valid one. Answer me."

"Yes," I say defensively. "Obviously yes."

"How long?"

"Oh my God, Ivy."

"Elaine."

I groan dramatically.

"Yes. We’ve been intimate for a while now. Happy?"

Another silence, much longer this time.

My chest starts tightening slowly.

"Ivy."

She exhales softly.

Then very carefully says:

"Sis..." 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Something about her voice makes my pulse suddenly speed up.

"I think you might be pregnant sis."