CHAPTER 54 - WHOSE GENES IS SUPERIOR?"What's the real reason you asked me to go home first?" asked Harriet.
Liam blinked innocently at Harriet and gently teased her waist. "I told you I bought some surprises."
Liam's answer only made Harriet suspicious.
"Okay. I just stopped by a boutique store and made an announcement. You love fashion and clothes. So I'm planning for Almandine to be the sponsor for the boutiques in this city who are in need of funding, and link them all to you when you want to create a particular fashion project," explained Liam.
Harriet stopped her hand drying Liam's hair and widened her eyes.
"Milord," Harriet didn't know what to say.
Liam took Harriet's hand, which was still resting on his towel, and held it in front of him.
"I know, I know. You're busy, and you don't have time. You probably won't have time to design anything either, but when you have time, in years or whenever it is use the facilities I've prepared from now on, just like what you did in the capital with your acquaintances," Liam explained.
"For God's sake," whispered Harriet.
"Fashion investment will not harm us. They also know they have to be careful with investment money from Almandine, so don't worry," Liam said soothingly.
"I know," Harriet took a deep breath. The young woman went and opened the lid of the tray, making the smell of that evening's dinner fill the room. "And in whose name did you invest?"
Liam shrugged his shoulders, sitting on the couch to eat.
"Madam Almandine," he answered.
"Madam Almandine, huh?" asked Harriet.
"Madam–?" and he realized.
Harriet looked at Liam, who had raised his fork to grab a piece of potato. The man noticed Harriet's blushing reaction and then smiled with satisfaction.
"Should I say Madam Goldlane? But the money came from Almandine, so I said Madam Almandine," Liam replied.
Harriet didn't know if this was a tease or if she should take it as a debt. Was this man just wrapped her up in a dubious business contract?
Liam laughed at Harriet's complicated expression.
"Madam, I was joking. All of Almandine's money is yours too," Liam said, pulling Harriet closer. The man fed food to his wife who narrowed her eyes at him.
"Oh," Liam remembered something and was surprised. The man suddenly became serious and looked deeply at Harriet.
"Madam, wait a moment. I didn't think about this before, stupid me," Liam said, making Harriet raise her eyebrows high.
"What about the Goldlane heir?" Liam then asked carefully.
Harriet blinked, and then laughed amusedly.
"Oh, Milord, there's no need to worry," she said cheerfully. "For generations, the Goldlane lineage was passed down through the daughter line. This happened because of the many births of twin daughters in the Goldlane lineage from generation to generation, and it was rare for a male heir to be born. Even my mother..." Harriet slowly stopped herself from speaking.
Noticing the change in Harriet's mood, Liam quickly tried to change the flow of the conversation.
"Ahh, so as long as there is a daughter born under the name Goldlane, she will inherit the family title?" the man asked.
The young woman nodded. "That's why Heath and Miriam had to work a little harder to produce a Goldlane heir," explained Harriet. "They must give birth to at least a little girl as Goldlane heir and a boy as Amaryllis heir."
Harriet's explanation made Liam chuckle.
"Hmm," Liam thought for a moment and looked at Harriet mischievously. He said, "But if we work hard too, maybe the Goldlane heir and the Almandine heir can come from both of us too."
Harriet laughed in amusement. "Oh, of course, if you can."
Harriet shoved a piece of steak into Liam's mouth, who was still laughing mischievously.
"Now listen to me," Liam said seriously as if he wasn't kidding, but Harriet caught the man's mischievous look on her. "You're saying that Goldlane's descendants produce twins? You are Goldlane's daughter. You can carry the genetics, can't you?"
"You jinxed it," Harriet felt half annoyed half interested in Liam's argument. She knew the man in front of her was joking, but now Harriet had a little hope for that.
"I, yes, I jinxed it," Liam shrugs with sparkling eyes. He said, "Not that it's a bad thing. Doesn't Madam want to have twins? Twins or not, boy or girl, Madam, you will give birth to an Almandine heir."
"Even if I give birth to a girl?" asked Harriet, looking Liam straight in the eye.
Liam nodded.
"Grandpa did say that the heir of Almandine is usually one boy who is an Alpha. But…" Liam's eyes turned mischievous again.
Harriet pushed Liam's lips away with the steak on the fork. The man ate his steak and chuckled.
"Once you get pregnant and give birth, we'll know whose genetics is stronger. Your Goldlane genes, or my Almandine genes," Liam said, stopping his teasing at his wife by making the young woman laugh.
Harriet was still smiling at the effect of Liam's joke, then slowly sighed.
"It would be great if I could give birth to a pair of twins," said Harriet quietly.
Liam glanced at Harriet, raised his eyebrows, and gave his wife a meaningful look. The man fed Harriet a piece of steak, and then cleared his throat.
"Okay, then I really have to work hard," Liam said while drinking his water.
Harriet, who didn't react to Liam's words that he intended to tease her made Liam blink in surprise. The man saw Harriet's fork stop in midair, and the woman's frozen expression with her eyes wavered.
"What is it?" Liam asked quickly and touched Harriet's chin to face him. He said, "Is there something wrong? Tell me."
"Milord, I don't…" Harriet almost stuttered, as the young woman slowly drew in her breath to compose her sentence. Finally, she muttered under her breath, "Milord, I've never been late before."
Liam blinked. He thought he had misheard her. What did she mean by... late?
"Late?" Liam asked, confused.
"Wait, they said it could also be due to stress…" Harriet tried to calm herself, and slowly stood up.
"What is it? I don't understand." Liam looked at Harriet even more confused.
Harriet looked at Liam with shaking hands.
"Milord, I should have had my period about two weeks ago."