?<strong>Chapter 448:</strong>


    Elyse nodded and went upstairs to change her clothes before heading to the studio with her violin case.


    Upon arriving, she began to practice, but by noon she realized she was still alone. Confused, she messaged Gavin and others, only to learn they wouldn’t being to the studio today due to othermitments.


    Would she be the only one here today? With a roll of her eyes, she put down her violin and headed to the nearest pharmacy to buy a pregnancy test.


    Dressed in a ck down jacket and her face half-hidden by a mask, she entered the pharmacy cautiously, drawing a sharp nce from the shop assistant who mistook her for a potential thief.


    Elyse navigated through the aisles and casually picked up a pregnancy test. Uncertain of its reliability, she ended up choosing five different brands to ensure uracy.


    The shop assistant’s demeanor changed upon seeing her selections, and she offered help in a friendly tone, “Miss, do you need me to exin how to use these?”


    Elyse quickly declined, “No, thanks. I know how to use them.”


    After paying, she returned to the studio and locked herself in the bathroom to use the test.


    Her attempt to confirm she wasn’t pregnant was unsessful.


    Sitting in a chair, she covered her face with her hands and stared at the five pregnancy testsid out on the table. Each disyed two red bars, stirring a mix of emotions within her.


    She was both overjoyed and saddened by the reality of bing a mother-to-be. Most importantly, she was unsure of Jayden’s reaction. Would he be happy to learn that he was going to be a father and look forward to their future together?


    She sat in the chair, lost in thought, and neglected her violin practice for two hours.


    Suddenly the studio door opened, and someone entered.


    Startled, Elyse broke into a cold sweat. She quickly stashed the five pregnancy tests inside her violin case.


    Forrest noticed her hurried actions and asked in a childish voice, “What were you hiding?”


    Elyse was surprised to see him, “Why are you here? Shouldn’t you be at school?”


    Forrest replied earnestly, “I’m on holiday. I came here to do homework and practice the violin.”


    Nodding, Elyse reached into her purse and pulled out a chocte biscuit. “I brought some snacks. Would you like to share them with me?”


    Forrest’s eyes sparkled at the sight of the chocte, and he nodded eagerly. “Yes! I would love some.”


    Elyse smiled and handed him a packet of biscuits.


    Watching Forrest enjoy the chocte biscuits softened Elyse’s heart. She wondered if this was what it felt like to raise a child.


    Forrest, however, was taken aback by her expression. To him, her smile seemed eerily simr to that of a human trafficker.


    After sharing the biscuits with Forrest for a while, Elyse stood up and resumed her violin practice. Forrest quietly did his homework at the desk, asionally ncing up at her.


    Soon, he felt uneasy and rushed to the bathroom. There, he noticed several medicine boxes in the trash can and recognized the words on them.


    “Pregnancy test?” Forrest stared at the trash can, bewildered. “Is she pregnant? And with five babies?” he wondered aloud.


    He mistakenly thought that one pregnancy test could only test for one baby. With five medicine boxes in the trash, he concluded that Elyse must be expecting quintuplets.


    Shocked by his own conclusion, Forrest couldn’t believe Elyse might be pregnant with five babies.


    Meanwhile, Elyse, unaware that her secret was discovered, continued to focus intensely on her violin practice.


    Forrest stepped out of the bathroom looking more serious than ever. He tugged at the hem of her clothes and said firmly, “You’ve been ying the violin for more than an hour. Stop practicing. It’s time to rest.”


    Elyse, taken aback, replied in confusion, “I’m not tired. I don’t need to rest.”


    Forrest, who often acted mature, was particrly stubborn and insistent at that moment. “You can’t continue to practice. Come and sit here!” he demanded.


    Bewildered, Elyse sat down as instructed.


    Forrest exhaled loudly. “You are really a troublemaker,” he blurted out suddenly.


    Elyse grew even more confused. Why was she a troublemaker? Did the boy truly see himself as her senior?


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