The Prison-Made Queen novel Chapter 506

Sitting across the table, Josiah's gaze casually swept over her slightly trembling fingers, then lingered on how she deliberately avoided the greasier dishes.

This was definitely morning sickness, wasn't it?

He took a calm sip of his water, his mind racing.

If Tamara was genuinely pregnant with Milford's child, then no matter how much the Sherwoods despised the Sloans, they wouldn't drive them to absolute ruin for the sake of the baby. They might even step up and support the Sloans again to protect the child's future.

At that thought, a sharp, calculating glint flashed in Josiah's eyes.

But he wasn't in a hurry to expose her. Right now, Hackett was in a phase of unconditionally trusting the Sherwoods, to the point where he wouldn't even listen to his own son. If their father found out Tamara was pregnant with a Sherwood heir, he wouldn't think twice before immediately informing them.

Setting his cup down, Josiah spoke to Tamara in his usual tone. "Tamara, wait up after this. I need to talk to you."

Tamara's head snapped up. "Josiah..."

He had just chewed her out this afternoon. Why did he want to talk to her again?

Josiah gave her a meaningful look. "I just noticed something quite interesting and thought I'd share it with you."

Tamara gripped the hem of her shirt, her fingernails digging so hard they almost pierced her palms. Had Josiah noticed something?

She forced herself to maintain a composed facade, squeezing out a tight smile. "Alright, I'll wait for you in the back garden."

Having agreed to meet him, Tamara quickly freshened up and took a shower before hurrying to the garden to find Josiah.

To her surprise, by the time she arrived, Josiah was already standing beneath the wisteria trellis. A cigarette was pinched between his fingers, the smoke curling upward into the twilight. He had clearly been waiting for a while.

"Tamara." Josiah let out a heavy sigh and crushed his cigarette into the stone table. "I'm your older brother! Even if I knew the truth, what exactly would I do to you? We're family! Do you seriously think I would try to hurt you?"

He took a step closer, lowering his voice. "Or do you think I'd be stupid enough to lay a hand on the Sherwood family's bloodline?"

Since he had laid it all out so plainly, Josiah wouldn't believe her even if she kept denying it.

Red-eyed, Tamara looked up at him, her lips trembling. It took her a long moment to finally squeeze out a sentence. "Josiah, how did you figure it out?"

If Josiah could see right through her, wouldn't Hackett notice something was off too?

Josiah scoffed, easily reading her anxiety. "Do you take me for Dad? You think I'm that blind to the obvious?"

Josiah sat back down in his wicker chair, his tone softening slightly as he began his interrogation.