Mrs. Howard was trying to come up with a plan for her daughter when she asked, "Patri, do you have a photo of that girl, Ellinor? I want to see what she looks like."
At the mention of Ellinor, Patricia's eyes gleamed with jealousy. "Mom, I can't stand her. Why would I have her picture? But I have to admit that even without makeup, she's not too shabby looking. I wouldn't be surprised if she's had some work done."
Mrs. Howard wasn't taken aback. "Theo's got good taste, so of course the girl he's into would be a looker. Patri, Theo's pretty smitten with her right now, so don't go stirring up trouble; it'll just make him resent you."
Patricia retorted, "Mom! Are you saying I should just let this slide? I love Theo, and I want to be Mrs. Blanchet. He's the only guy I know who has excellent looks, status, and brains. He's perfect for me, so there's no way I'm backing down!"
Mrs. Howard tried to soothe her, "Patri, cool your jets! When did you get so hot-headed?"
Patricia replied, "It's all because of Ellinor! She swooped in and stole the guy I’d been working on for years. You're telling me to chill out? How could I possibly chill out?"
Mrs. Howard said, "I'm just saying you should lay low for a bit, not give up. Patri, we need to bide our time. This isn't the right moment to break Theo and Ellinor up.
Trust me, I've been around the block a few times. A guy's infatuation with a new girl never lasts long. Once the novelty wears off, they'll naturally break up.
So, our first order of business should be to deal with the bun in Ellinor's oven. Best case scenario, we make it so she can't ever have kids again and nip it in the bud."
Patricia recognized the need to address Ellinor's pregnancy. "Mom! Remember when I asked my brother to help me so I could get Quinton to take Ellinor for an abortion?
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