Walking Away While Pregnant: Dear Ex-Husband, I Don't Love You Anymore novel Chapter 178

Chapter 178: Chapter 178

After returning to the guesthouse, Elise went straight to her room to catch up on sleep.

The live broadcast had been far more draining than their previous recording sessions. There had been no breaks, and she had to stay constantly engaged with the online audience—a considerably more taxing endeavor than filming.

Meanwhile, Rina had been glued to her phone ever since they got back. Calls were flooding in from advertisers, friends in the industry, and even producers from various shows.

All of them were reaching out for Elise.

The revelation that Elise was Selin—this shocking plot twist—had brought an overwhelming surge of publicity, far eclipsing the heat generated back during the Fleur incident. Even though the trending topic had been pulled down, interest in Elise within the industry hadn’t waned in the slightest.

Everyone wanted to strike while the iron was hot, offering astronomical fees in hopes of booking Elise for their own shows.

Rina turned them all down one by one, making it explicitly clear that Elise had no intention of entering the entertainment industry. This first appearance on a show was both her debut and her curtain call. It was Elise’s own wish, and Rina respected it entirely.

Just as Rina had feared, even after the trending topic was removed, public interest in Elise hardly diminished. Since the reality show wouldn’t air until next month, it seemed likely that fans and netizens would remain fixated on her for quite some time.

Left with no choice, Elise used Selin’s official account to post a statement.

She clarified that her original intention in posting short videos online was simply to promote and preserve the country’s folk art. She had never sought to become an influencer, nor did she ever plan to join show business.

However, due to the previous plagiarism scandal, "Selin’s" true identity had been called into question. To ensure that the public wouldn’t doubt her efforts in promoting traditional culture, she had chosen to reveal her identity.

She expressed her hope that, when it came to cultural heritage, people would simply remember the masked "Selin" and forget Elise.

Once the statement was published, the comment section was immediately filled with fans stepping up to offer their firm support.

Elise had hired paid commentators in advance, thinking they might prove useful if internet trolls tried to stir up drama. To her surprise, her fans and the general public were remarkably understanding. The scenario she had dreaded most never came to pass.

Rina let out a soft sigh of relief. "Your fans are remarkably supportive—this is about as good an outcome as we could have hoped for. Still, I’ve gotten dozens more calls from advertisers over the past few days. They all think you have the perfect look for the entertainment world. I rejected them all outright, but I don’t think this buzz is going to fade anytime soon."

Caressing her belly, Elise offered a helpless expression. "I didn’t expect it to spark this much attention either."

"To be safe, you shouldn’t stay at the guesthouse anymore," Rina advised. "This area is packed with tourists. If someone recognizes you one day, your peaceful life here in Rainport will be completely over."

"She makes a good point!" Mrs. Shaw Chimed in. "Besides, winter is coming soon and my guesthouse sits right on the coast where the winds get brutal. It’s really not ideal for a pregnant woman to stay here.

How about this: I bought an apartment in the city center a couple of years ago. It’s a little over a hundred square meters—not massive, but it’s fully accessible, with great transport links, and right next to the City Maternal and Child Health Hospital. Why don’t you move there for now?"

Elise gave Mrs. Shaw a warm smile. "Natalie, I truly appreciate your kindness, but I’ve actually already found a place."

"You’re buying a house?" Mrs. Shaw was taken aback. "You really plan on settling down in Rainport?"

"Mhm, I love it here," Elise said, gently stroking her stomach. "It’s a house in the development closest to the maternal and child hospital. It’s not a brand-new build, but a standalone villa with a private yard and a reliable security system. It’s a second-hand property—the owner renovated it and lived there for just a few months before the whole family emigrated abroad, so it’s been sitting vacant for years."

"A second-hand property is actually perfect," Rina agreed. "It’s not good for a pregnant woman to move into a freshly renovated home anyway. A place like that, left to air out for years after being decorated, is ideal for moving in right away."

"Yeah, that’s exactly what I thought," Elise smiled. "I plan to head over today to sign the contract. If all goes smoothly, the title transfer should be done in a few days."

"Alright then. Nat and I will go with you later," Rina offered.

"Sounds good."

The house purchase went off without a hitch. Just three days after signing the contract, the title transfer was finalized.

Mrs. Shaw and Rina insisted that a housewarming was essential to ensure good fortune and peace in the new home. Thus, Elise left all the housewarming arrangements in their capable hands, comfortably acting as a hands-off boss as a mom-to-be should.

Coincidentally, Madeline mentioned she had some free time over the next few days and wanted to come to Rainport to visit Elise.

On the day of the move, early in the morning, Mrs. Shaw arrived at the villa with several of her staff members. She bustled about with her crew decorating the place inside and out. Jessica and Madeline pitched in to help wherever they could.

Seeing the adults so busy, the two little toddlers, Robin and Lily, scampered around after them, eagerly competing to lend a hand.

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