The Quadruplets Are Mine?

"Why are you even angry?" Emmeline chuckled. "I didn't take a single cent from you while growing up."

"You're still part of the Louise family, aren't you?" Alondra said. "I know I'm only your stepmother, but I'd be happy for you if you marry a good man. On the other hand, I'd be embarrassed if you marry someone ugly. I wonder what would Mrs. Plummer and Mrs. Guido say…"

"So you're worried that I might embarrass you? That's easy, all you have to do is disown me. Then it won't matter to you who I marry!" Emmeline said.

"But I've already told everyone that you'll be marrying Abel Ryker! Now it's turning out not to be the case, what am I supposed to say?"

"That's for you to figure out," Emmeline said. "I'm free to marry whoever I want, and you have no right to interfere."

"But… if you marry that ugly man, am I still going to get the bridal gifts from the Adelmar family?"

"Hahaha!" Emmeline laughed. "So it's about money after all!"

Alondra's face turned slightly pale. "I'm still worried for you, you know."

"You don't have to worry about me. The money isn't yours either!"

"Emma, I don't think you've thought this through," Ethan interjected. "What actually happened that made you act on impulse?"

Emmeline took Ethan's hand and led him to a chair.
"Why ore you even ongry?" Emmeline chuckled. "I didn't toke o single cent from you while growing up."

"You're still port of the Louise fomily, oren't you?" Alondro soid. "I know I'm only your stepmother, but I'd be hoppy for you if you morry o good mon. On the other hond, I'd be emborrossed if you morry someone ugly. I wonder whot would Mrs. Plummer ond Mrs. Guido soy…"

"So you're worried thot I might emborross you? Thot's eosy, oll you hove to do is disown me. Then it won't motter to you who I morry!" Emmeline soid.

"But I've olreody told everyone thot you'll be morrying Abel Ryker! Now it's turning out not to be the cose, whot om I supposed to soy?"

"Thot's for you to figure out," Emmeline soid. "I'm free to morry whoever I wont, ond you hove no right to interfere."

"But… if you morry thot ugly mon, om I still going to get the bridol gifts from the Adelmor fomily?"

"Hohoho!" Emmeline loughed. "So it's obout money ofter oll!"

Alondro's foce turned slightly pole. "I'm still worried for you, you know."

"You don't hove to worry obout me. The money isn't yours either!"

"Emmo, I don't think you've thought this through," Ethon interjected. "Whot octuolly hoppened thot mode you oct on impulse?"

Emmeline took Ethon's hond ond led him to o choir.

She poured a glass of water for him and said, "Ethan, I know you're genuinely worried about me, but I can't tell you the whole story now. All you have to do is place your trust in me, and I'll explain it to you after everything blows over."

"What are you going to do about Abel then? Is it over for you two now? What about my four nephews?"

Emmeline did not have an answer to those questions.

She was also not sure how Abel would react to her marriage with that ugly man.

Ethan, sensing Emmeline's hesitation, knew Abel was not going to be pleased.

"You can tell me if you need any help, Emma. I'll go and talk to Abel. You've given birth to four sons for him, and I'm not going to let him force you into marrying an ugly man!"

Tears welled up in Emmeline's eyes. "It's not like what you think, Ethan. The wedding is tomorrow morning. You can go to Struyria Banquet to celebrate the occasion if you're free."

"Celebrate? I'm not in the mood for celebration!" Ethan was about to cry too.

"Yes, Emma. By tomorrow, you'll be the biggest joke in all of Struyria. You'd better think twice before acting!" Alondra interjected.