Too Late, Mr. Cooper: Your Bride Ran with Your Baby novel Chapter 23

The next day was Saturday.

Mrs. Hart came in early in the morning to wake Liliana up.

"Dearest Liliana," she said softly, "remember you have lunch at the Cooper's today. You're eating with the old man."

Liliana kept her eyes shut, groaning, "I'm not going."

Mrs. Hart assumed she was still fighting with Linton, something she was long used to. She coaxed her gently,

"Things were unpleasant at his seventieth birthday party. Just go over for lunch, make an appearance. You know how much Old Mr. Cooper dotes on you. The old man misses you."

Liliana was too sleepy to open her eyes. She frowned in annoyance but knew she couldn't refuse.

"Fine, I know."

Just as she was about to lie back down, a wave of nausea churned in her stomach, and she suddenly started dry-heaving.

"Liliana!"

Mrs. Hart was startled and quickly began patting her back.

"What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Liliana's body went rigid, and the jolt of fear snapped her awake. Her family could not find out about the pregnancy. If they did, her engagement to Linton would be set in stone.

"It's nothing," she said quickly.

"I didn't eat much last night, so I'm just really hungry this morning."

Mrs. Hart looked at her with pity, stroking her slightly pale cheek.

"You just wait here, sweetheart. Mom will make you some soup."

Liliana watched her mother leave, her racing heart slowly calming down. She let out a sigh of relief, her hand unconsciously moving to cover her abdomen, a complex expression on her face.

At noon.

The Cooper Manor.

"If she doesn't pay, I'll call the police and report her son for trespassing and property damage. We can let the officers calculate just how much she, as the mother, owes me."

"You!" Mrs. Cooper's eyes widened, her chest heaving with rage.

"You've gone too far! Isabella is Linton's sister! Is this how you behave as his fiancée? Without a shred of grace or magnanimity!"

"Well, she certainly doesn't act like a sister. Anyone who didn't know better would think Linton was her husband," Liliana retorted sweetly, not missing a beat.

"And you don't act like a mother, either, constantly trying to set up your own children. It's like you're afraid they *won't* commit incest."

"Liliana!" Mrs. Cooper shrieked, her eyes bulging with fury as she raised her hand to slap her.

"What is all this shouting about in the middle of the day?!" Suddenly, a powerful, aged voice boomed from the top of the stairs.

Old Mr. Cooper was descending, leaning on Linton for support. His sharp, weathered eyes were fixed on Mrs. Cooper, his tone dripping with displeasure.

"You're not young anymore. How dare you squabble with the younger generation like this! It's disgraceful!"