In the neighborhood, there was hardly a secret or a strange occurrence that Mrs. Thompson couldn't sniff out with ease. And more often than not, she had a knack for spinning tales out of thin air, based on little more than idle observations.

Coincidentally, Mrs. Thompson's daughter lived in the same block as Hertha and Spencer, which meant she often bumped into them. Once, she saw Spencer lugging a bunch of grocery bags, heading to the same floor with Hertha. If they weren't living together, what was their deal?

Plus, Mrs. Thompson had seen Hertha at the playground with a child more times than she could count. Digging around, she discovered Hertha wasn't married. A single woman with a child? The gears in Mrs. Thompson's mind started turning, and she came to a bold conclusion: That child had to be Spencer's! The thought process of the youth these days, wanting kids without the bonds of marriage, baffled her! Mrs. Thompson was the first to bring this gossip to someone else's wedding, voicing it out loud and without a shred of doubt. She was the first in history to do so. Emmeline and her father were on the brink of giving Spencer the benefit of the doubt, but Mrs. Thompson's words reignited their fury. Emmeline's father gave Spencer a withering look, grabbing Emmeline to leave.

That's when Hertha couldn't stand by silently any longer. She stepped forward, calling out to Emmeline, "Don't go! Don't listen to that woman's nonsense! Spencer and I have nothing going on!"

"Oh really? But wasn't it a fact that you two were nearly engaged three years ago?" Mrs. Thompson was convinced her deductions were accurate.

me who refused to marry Spencer because I didn't have feelings for him. I didn't want

the same neighborhood?" Mrs. Thompson

was purely coincidental. I

Hertha countered smoothly. Spencer had finally found someone

everything else, but what about the kids? Spencer must be their father. If he's not, livestream myself eating dog food!" Mrs. Thompson declared with

children's

their father? If you can name

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