Broken Memories, Intertwined Hearts novel Chapter 229

They arrived at the Galeana family's house around six-thirty in the evening. Emma was munching on some fruit in the living room when they walked in. She paused for a moment before saying, "Izzy, Ethan, you guys made it."

Both Ines and Ethan sensed a change in Emma's tone; it felt more genuine than their last encounter which seemed pretty phony.

"Take a seat, guys. Dad and Silas are upstairs handling some stuff. Dinner will be ready soon." Emma said with a smile.

The change in Emma's demeanor caught them off guard, so they just plopped down across from her.

Emma glanced at Ines, struggling to find the right words. After a moment, she managed to say, "Thanks, Ines."

Ines didn't respond, so Emma dropped the subject.

After a while, Shirley sauntered in. Her attitude was a stark contrast to their previous encounter when she greeted them with a fake smile. This time around, she didn't say a word, just shot them a glance before heading upstairs to fetch Hunter and Silas.

Ines couldn't help but glare at Ethan. She knew coming here would only ruffle her feathers. They would've been much better off chilling at the Base.

Ethan brushed it off, patting her hand to signal that she shouldn't sweat the small stuff.

Soon enough, Hunter and Silas descended from upstairs. Hunter didn't seem surprised by their presence, just gave Ines' belly a quick glance.

"Thank you for coming," Silas said with a smile.

They both nodded. Hunter turned to Ines and asked, "Still dealing with morning sickness?"

Ines didn't reply, creating an awkward atmosphere. Ethan quickly chimed in, "After taking your advice, the morning sickness has subsided and her appetite has improved."

Ines was a bit irked by Ethan's friendly exchange with Hunter, shooting him a disapproving look.

"That's good. Your mom had severe swelling in her limbs during the later stages of pregnancy, Ethan. Make sure to give her plenty of massages, or she'll get cramps at night," Hunter advised.

Ethan nodded.

Hunter was in an unusually good mood today, patiently offering advice even though Ines remained unresponsive. This sudden change got Ines' heart pounding.

Before Hunter could continue, Eda announced that dinner was ready. She walked over to Ines, studied her for a moment, then said with a smile, "You're looking good, Ms. Ines."

Ines responded with a quiet "Thank you."

Ethan handed a prepared gift to Hunter, "This is a gift Izzy picked out for you. We hope you'll find some time to relax by the river."

Ines shot Ethan a disapproving look, but he didn't mind.