Reborn, Reawakened, Rekindled novel Chapter 556

"Stomach troubles? You need to rest," I said, glancing at Alicia as she clutched her abdomen. A worrying thought crossed my mind. "But hey, I gotta ask, is your period on schedule?"

Alicia paused, then burst into laughter, making no attempt to hide anything. "Spot on, as always. Just had it a few days ago."

I sighed in relief. The last thing she needed was a pregnancy complicating her already messy relationship with Sean.

With caution, I advised, "Whatever's going on with you and Sean, just remember, if you're getting intimate, you gotta stay protected. Ending things between adults is one thing, but a baby complicates everything."

"Ha, got it, got it. You think I'm a rookie? Always careful," Alicia reassured me with a pat on the shoulder, her smile wide. "When I finally hit it off with someone and get engaged, you'll be the first to know. It's been ages since we all hung out. Let's plan something soon!"

"Absolutely," I agreed, giving her a thumbs-up.

Just then, Alicia's phone buzzed. One look at the caller ID, and her expression shifted slightly. I immediately suspected Sean.

"Can you believe him?" she said, showing me the screen. "He's got a fiancée back in Ylandia, arranged by his mom. And his dad wants him to find someone locally. Men, always wanting what’s in the pot while eating what's in the bowl. Ridiculous, right?"

I couldn't believe Sean was engaged. What a jerk!

"You gotta stay strong, don't cave," I encouraged Alicia.

"Exactly. If this doesn't work out, I might as well join a convent and leave all this behind!" Alicia joked, proving she wasn't in too bad of a state.

We chatted a bit more before parting ways.

Back at Hiram's hospital room, I was surprised to find Faith still there. She had been with Hiram for most of the day.

Hiram was animatedly sharing stories about Transformers to Faith, his usually pale face bright with excitement.

Seeing me, Faith smiled sheepishly. "Irene, now that you're back, I'll head out."

"Grandma, I don't want you to go," Hiram said, grabbing Faith's sleeve softly.

Faith looked at him, a mix of helplessness and sympathy in her eyes. After all, Hiram wasn't her biological grandson, not carrying the Whitmore bloodline.

Confused, especially since Louis had already caused a stir that was supposedly handled by Whitmore Co.'s PR, I went to find the news myself. Louis had challenged the paternity test commissioned by Ryan, claiming only his test, done with both parties' knowledge, was valid. He then exposed a slew of Whitmore Co. scandals, which, given his upbringing within the company, he was uniquely positioned to know.

Ryan and Faith, despite presenting a united family front with Neil, couldn't shield their sprawling, influential family from the fallout of Louis's revelations. His inside knowledge painted a stark picture of the secrets hidden within the walls of the Whitmore dynasty.

Now, he's turned all those scandals into a publicity stunt, throwing everything out there to stir up drama and boost the profile of himself and the Whitmore family.

And it turns out, he nailed it.

The buzz around Louis and Whitmore Co. has skyrocketed to the top, dominating headlines across several platforms.

"Glittering on the outside, rotten on the inside. The world of the wealthy is all the same, all glitz and glam on the surface but filled with the ugliness of human nature beneath!"

"I've always found it odd, with an empire as vast as Whitmore Co., could Ryan Whitmore really be satisfied with just his wife? Many successful men have a wife at home and a parade of mistresses on the side. Ryan's no different!"

"Their public displays of affection were all an act, tsk, what a performance."