Chapter 1128
Listening to Miranda's vivid description, Juniper gave an awkward, strained smile. "Alright, then I'll be counting on you, Miranda."
"Yes, we'll be counting on you," Shanley chimed in, a teasing lilt in his voice. "Just make sure you don't overdo it and actually make yourself sick from crying."
"You little brat, I'm only doing this to save your future in-laws." Miranda swatted his arm, her brow furrowing deeply. "Make sure you protect her. Do you hear me?"
"If anything happens to her, don't bother coming back either."
"I know." Shanley squeezed Juniper's hand, his voice dropping to a serious, reassuring pitch. "I won't let you lose your daughter-in-law."
"Neither of you is allowed to get hurt." Miranda lowered her eyes, a sudden redness rimming them.
"We're heading out," Shanley said, gently squeezing his mother's shoulder before leading Juniper out the door.
The grand living room fell quiet.
Hayden Schwartz stepped up beside his wife, pulling her delicate frame into a gentle embrace. "Don't worry too much," he murmured, his voice slightly raspy. "Shanley and Juniper are both incredibly capable. I believe they'll be just fine."
"That poor girl." Miranda leaned into her husband's chest, the tears finally spilling over. "Honey, you'd better start practicing right now. You have to act like you've lost your son."
"If you don't prep, you might not be able to squeeze out a single tear when the time comes."
Hayden frowned, his deep voice rumbling. "I'm not an actor. I probably won't be able to cry on command."
"?" Miranda looked up at him for a moment, pouting, before a lightbulb went off. "Just imagine I'm the one who died. You'll definitely cry then."
Hearing that, Hayden's heart violently jolted. An overwhelming wave of grief washed over him, and his eyes instantly turned bloodshot.
"Don't say things like that," he pulled her tighter against him, his lips trembling
slightly. "Don't ever joke about something so morbid."
"Okay." Miranda hugged him back, rubbing her cheek against his chest. "None of us are going to die. I haven't even achieved my dream yet."
"Your dream?"
"Mhm." Miranda sniffled, her voice muffled against his shirt. "I want to hold a granddaughter."
"You will." Hayden's heart completely melted as he gently stroked her hair.
The two were so lost in their tender, romantic moment that they completely forgot about the elderly woman standing right next to them.
Until
"Ahem." Hannah couldn't take it anymore and cleared her throat loudly.
Miranda and Hayden jumped apart, suddenly finding the wallpaper incredibly fascinating.
"What about me? What if I can't cry either?" Hannah crossed her arms, looking genuinely distressed.
"Well..." Miranda thought about it seriously but couldn't come up with a good trigger for her mother-in-law.
"I know," Hayden said, straightening his posture and speaking in a calm, measured tone. "Just imagine that when Shanley and Juniper have kids, they only have boys. Not a single girl."
"Bite your tongue!" Hannah leaped up, pointing a furious finger at him. "It's going to be great-granddaughters! Great-granddaughters!"
It was a strange curse, but
throughout the centuries of the Schwartz family's history, they had exclusively birthed males. Because of this wanting a baby girl had become the family's greatest) unspoken obsession.
Back when Miranda was pregnant, Hannah and Kent had literally dreamt of having a granddaughter When she was wheeled out of the delivery room and the doctor
announced "It's a boy Hannah was so devastated she nearly passed
out.
Later, when Hayden's younger brother's wife got pregnant, Hannah prayed to every
deity she could think of, begging the heavens for a precious baby girl.
Ten months later, Kurt Schwartz was born.
Hannah was so furious she refused to eat for three days and almost starved herself into the hospital.
Three-year-old Shanley, seeing his grandmother so upset, waddled into her room carrying a bowl of soup.in his sweet, baby voice, he promised, "Don't be mad Grandma Whet grow up and get wife, I'll definitely give you a granddaughter.