Forced to Be Godmother Chapter 2

I... was speechless.

She looked at me with wide, expectant eyes. "Chloe, could you bring an extra portion for me tomorrow? You're already packing a lunch, so one more serving wouldn't be too much trouble, would it?"

Alarm bells went off in my head.

Packing lunch for a pregnant woman? If anything she ate made her sick, I'd be the one to blame. No thank you.

I forced a smile and quickly deflected. "Felicia, this is just how my mom cooks for me—lots of oil and salt. It might not be suitable for a pregnant woman."

There was no way I was agreeing to this. My mom already worked hard enough making my lunch; why on earth would she cook for Felicia?

Felicia's face fell, her voice instantly turning pitiful.

"But I really can't eat anything else, and the baby needs nutrients..."

"Please, Chloe, just help your big sister out. Help the baby. We can discuss payment."

I remained unmoved, continuing my gentle refusal.

"How about this, Felicia? I can send you the recipes later. They're all simple home-cooked meals, so your family can make them for you. It's always safer to eat food prepared at home."

"Besides, I've heard there are a lot of foods pregnant women should avoid. It's better to have control over what you're eating."

"My husband doesn't know how to cook!" Felicia retorted, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "He's a man! Why would he go into a kitchen and come out reeking of grease?"

Her logic was so absurd it was almost funny. So, it was beneath her husband to cook, but my mother was expected to?

Before I could say anything else, she reached out, and in a flash, snatched a piece of salmon from my lunch box and popped it into her mouth.

I was completely stunned.

I never imagined she would just grab food from my container. I was too shocked to even react.

She chewed a couple of times, her eyes lighting up.

"Oh, it's fully cooked! This is delicious! My appetite is so off right now, this is exactly the kind of flavorful food I've been wanting."

"Chloe, just bring me a portion tomorrow!" Her tone was no longer a request; it was a demand. A knot of frustration tightened in my chest.

The contents of that forum post echoed in my mind again.

I deliberately furrowed my brow, my expression full of concern. "Felicia, you have to be extra careful when you're pregnant. You can't be casual about your diet!"

"And my mom's cooking... she's not the best. Sometimes things are undercooked, or she adds too much salt. What if you eat it and don't feel well?"

Felicia waved her hand dismissively.

"Then just tell your mom to be more careful. Make sure it's cooked through and not too salty. It's not a big deal."

She paused. "Are you worried I won't pay you?"

"I'll give you five dollars a day for ingredients. That should be plenty, right? Vegetables at the supermarket are only a few cents a pound on sale."

When I didn't respond, she added, "Besides, I'm always looking out for you. Remember that apple I gave you last week?"

I almost laughed out loud.

That apple was from the company's complimentary afternoon snack cart. She had just passed one to me. Now it was some grand gesture of generosity?

And five dollars? That wouldn't even cover a corner of this piece of salmon.

I took a deep breath and put on a righteous, responsible expression.

"Felicia, this isn't about money. The main thing is that my mom's cooking isn't standardized. What if she uses something you can't eat? I can't take that responsibility."

"We both need to be cautious. And didn't you say this morning that your in-laws are placing a lot of importance on this baby?"

With that, I turned to our colleague Brenda, who was eating at the next desk. "Brenda, you've had kids, you have experience. Isn't that right? A pregnant woman's diet needs to be carefully managed, doesn't it?"

Brenda nodded thoughtfully.

"Chloe has a point. Felicia, you can't be too careful with food from outside, especially from someone else's home kitchen. What if you have an allergy or a bad reaction? That would be serious."

Several other mothers in the office chimed in.

"That's right! You care so much about the baby, you can't just eat anything!"

"Chloe's young and can eat whatever, but you're pregnant. Your body is different. You really do need to be particular."

Every word was reasonable, leaving Felicia with no room to argue.

She had spent the whole morning bragging about the "precious heir" in her belly. She couldn't very well turn around and say, "Oh, it's fine, I can eat whatever."

Still, she wouldn't give up. "But just once or twice..."

"Not even once!" I cut her off immediately. "Felicia, you have to be responsible for your baby! Safety first!"

An idea sparked in my mind, and I pulled out my phone.

"Oh, I know! Let me recommend a professional meal delivery service for expectant mothers!"

"I saw an ad for it. Scientifically balanced, nutritious meals... It's a bit pricey, over a hundred dollars per meal, but the baby's health is what's most important, right?"

Over a hundred dollars?

Felicia's lips twitched violently.

With everyone watching, she couldn't deny that her "baby was precious," but she clearly wasn't willing to spend that kind of money.

She stood there, frozen, and forced a dry laugh.

"Well... in that case, never mind. I... I don't think I have much of an appetite anymore."