Everyone eagerly anticipated the news, especially Amelia, who understood Sylvia's struggles with conception. Although she would have been happy with either a boy or a girl, knowing the gender would bring peace of mind."Is everyone so concerned?" Eric's smile was infectious. "It's a girl!"A collective sigh of relief swept through the room.Henry joined in, his face beaming. "That's wonderful! Girls are cute and adorable and not as mischievous as boys. I prefer granddaughters!"Amelia was quick to challenge him, saying, "If it were a boy, you'd definitely say you prefer grandsons! When Sylvester, Brook, and Connor were born, you kept praising how good boys were! Have you forgotten how unhappy you were then?"Henry felt embarrassed under Amelia's direct scrutiny. "It's been so many years. Can we not bring it up anymore? Our family has a strong genetic predisposition for sons. It'd be a shame if we didn't have Sylvia, so granddaughters are great!"His words left Amelia unable to re
"Wow!" Winston exclaimed with immediate joy. "Congratulations! Finally, your dream has come true!"He remembered the struggles Eric and Sylvia had faced trying to conceive, recalling the couple's consultation with him. The absence of children in their family had always been a regret for Winston. He believed it would have made their family complete. Now, at last, that missing piece had been filled!Winston urged, "Your wife is pregnant, so you shouldn't linger here all day. Go back early this afternoon and spend more time with her."Eric nodded eagerly.However, the overwhelming number of infected people at the stadium made leaving early impossible. The stadium's capacity was limited, and despite distributing medicine to expedite recovery among the infected, their numbers continued to rise.Speeding up their recovery would free up space to accommodate new cases.Later in the afternoon, Eric received a call from Ruth."Eric, have you noticed any suspicious individuals?""Suspicio
However, Eric still harbored doubts. It seemed entirely unnecessary for the Oberdeens to orchestrate such a scheme. If they truly possessed a cure, a modest amount of promotion would guarantee market demand. Not only Dortmund City and Salt City but also other cities would likely vie to procure it.Contemplating this, Eric stumbled upon a dilemma. It occurred to him that perhaps the Oberdeens had foreseen the outbreak and subsequent spread of the virus well in advance. They could be waiting for the number of infected individuals to reach a critical threshold before introducing the cure, thereby maximizing their profits.Eric even dared to entertain the notion that the Oberdeens might have deliberately instigated the virus in Dortmund City, as it would directly benefit them the most.Yet, uncertainties persisted. If indeed the Oberdeens were behind this, why would they risk introducing a cure so hastily? Such actions would undoubtedly arouse suspicion!Eric shook his head and headed
Sylvia sensed that Amelia still had some tricks up her sleeve, especially since she had seen her engrossed in books like "Eight Things to Pay Attention to During Pregnancy.""Just hang tight for now and bear with it. The main issue is that there's nothing appetizing in the stadium cafeteria. But don't worry. I'll sneak some goodies back for you and stash them in the car. We can indulge secretly when everyone else is fast asleep," Eric assured her.Sylvia just sighed. This dinner was truly delicious, and she had devoured all three large chicken legs. It wasn't solely due to her pregnancy—she had always had a big appetite. But what frustrated her most was Amelia's decision to have them sleep in separate rooms.-The next morning, Amelia was puzzled to find two unwashed plates in the kitchen.For some reason, she went to the kitchen early in the morning."Do I still need to sneak in to eat?" Henry grumbled. "Maybe one of the service staff didn't have enough. You should talk to them
Grace put considerable effort into traveling to Salt City under the guise of a business trip.This marked Queenie's first encounter with Eric's family in King City. She had long been familiar with Grace's reputation. Among the major families of King City, Grace held even greater renown than Alexander.Naturally, some individuals looked down on Alexander. Despite being the eldest of the Montgomerys, he allowed a woman to manage the family business. However, Grace had proven herself adept at the task.Under Alexander's leadership, the Montgomerys might have maintained their position as a major family yet struggled to advance to the top-tier echelons.At present, the Montgomerys hovered between major and top-tier status, boasting substantial financial resources.There was also another scenario: had the Montgomerys entrusted Alexander with leadership, they might have descended to a second- or third-tier prominent family.Some admired Alexander's audacity—few among the prominent famil
"Sylvia is pregnant, and you didn't even bother to inform us. We only found out because of your mother-in-law. What? Are you trying to keep me from coming to Salt City?" Grace retorted impatiently.Eric scratched his head and remained quiet.-After dinner, Blake and Melinda sat aside. In fact, over the past few days, the two of them seemed somewhat distant. They simply weren't in the same social circle and couldn't engage in conversation together.Occasionally, Amelia would chat with them, ensuring they didn't feel neglected. When Eric wasn't around, Sylvia often showed concern, making them feel included in the Williams family.Grace was particularly attentive. She always held a grateful heart toward Blake and Melinda. She would call Nutikiville to inquire about their well-being, among other things. Although each call was brief, it demonstrated Grace's genuine care for them.Grace refrained from interfering in their lives, understanding that everyone had their own lifestyle.Bl
Eric headed to the stadium immediately after seeing Grace off.Since the outbreak in Dortmund City, he hadn't experienced a single day of rest. However, a sense of relief washed over him as he recalled Winston's reassuring words from the previous day and the news that Amelia was no longer restricting Sylvia's diet.Around noon, Kirk paid him a visit. He took advantage of the lunch break and discussed matters with Eric as the hospital was sending over some items.During their conversation, the topic of the newly established laboratory at the hospital arose."I've heard that Dortmund City has also set up a laboratory and has made significant progress in virus research," Kirk mentioned, his gaze fixed on Eric. "Hol. Johnson, do you think our two laboratories can collaborate? Our advancements could be substantial with such a partnership."Eric, though amiable, understood the importance of discretion. The Dortmund laboratory, being personally funded by the Combat Department, dealt with
Around 8:00 p.m., Ruth arrived in Salt City and headed directly to the Williams residence."Who do we have here? A lovely visitor," exclaimed Amelia with enthusiasm. "Have you had dinner? If not, let me arrange something for you."Ruth smiled appreciatively and replied, "Thank you, Mrs. Williams. I'm actually here to see Eric. There are some confidential matters I need to discuss with him.""Oh, I understand. Well, you two, go ahead and talk. Once you're finished, we can all have supper together!"Eric and Ruth entered Henry's study. Originally, the Williams had planned to construct a study for Eric, but he had declined the offer. Since he didn't permanently reside there, building a study seemed unnecessary.Accompanied by a few officers from the Combat Department, Ruth's demeanor turned serious as they settled in."Eric, we now have enough evidence to confirm that this is indeed a war."Eric's expression shifted slightly. He was aware that the landscape of warfare had evolved s