I pursed my lips and closed my eyes.

"I understand."

Jay hadn’t expected me to be so calm. He knelt on my bed, his hands gripping mine tightly, pressing them against his heart.

"Believe me, no matter what happens between us, I will always stay by your side. We will only adopt one child, and in the future, everything I have will be given to them. After that, I will accompany you around the world, okay?"

Beneath my hands was supposed to be his heart.

I truly wanted to see if he really had a heart.

His phone rang twice. Jay’s expression changed slightly as he carefully watched me.

"Mandy, it's a banquet hosted by one of our business partners. This time, both husband and wife are required to attend, so I... "

"I’m fine. Since our marriage is a secret and no one knows about our relationship, you can just bring another date."

Originally, he had promised to make our relationship public at this event.

But now, it no longer mattered.

Jay let out a sigh of relief, though he still didn’t seem to understand why I had agreed so easily.

"Mandy, this is only temporary. Once you recover..."

Just then, a friend sent me a document for an electronic signature.

Jay barely read the beginning before he reached out in an attempt to take my phone.

"A transfer contract? What are you selling, Mandy?"

Instinctively, I turned off the screen and pretended to be indifferent. "It’s just a small company that’s been in a deficit. You said yourself that I need to focus on my recovery."

A trace of guilt flashed across Jay’s face. He didn’t press the matter and instead let out a sigh.

"I was just too worried about you. From now on, you can stay home and be Mrs. Lawson. I will take care of you for the rest of your life."

Seizing the moment, I asked to be discharged from the hospital, but Jay immediately refused.

"Don’t be ridiculous! You need proper rest and recovery!"

But I forced my eyes to redden, gazing at him with a fragile, broken expression.

"But I don’t want to stay here anymore. Every time I open my eyes, I think of the child who never got to be born. Jay, I want to go home."

A flicker of guilt flashed in Jay’s eyes. After I kept bringing up the child, he finally agreed reluctantly.

Even so, before I was discharged, he still followed through with his original plan—bringing the child to me.

"Mandy, look! We found this little baby abandoned outside the hospital room. Maybe… maybe it’s fate, tying him to us!"

His face was filled with feigned surprise, but the way he held the baby was far too practiced.

It was obvious he had rehearsed many times before.

He called it an abandoned baby, yet the child was dressed in designer clothing and wrapped in expensive blankets.

I had also wanted to give my child the best of everything, so I recognized these brands immediately.

Perhaps convinced that I would accept the child, Jay didn’t bother hiding the tenderness on his face anymore.

But I, Mandy White, was not someone who turned a blind eye to deceit.

Not only would I refuse to accept this child— I would also abandon Jay.

"Mandy, come and hold him!"

Jay reluctantly placed the baby in my arms, but just as he was about to let go, the child started crying loudly.

He immediately picked the baby back up, his heart aching as he coaxed him for a long time before finally remembering me.

"It must be fate that brought this child to us! Mandy, maybe he is the reincarnation of our own child?"

I felt nothing but mockery in my heart.

Such a lie—only a fool would believe it.

I reached out my hand.

"Let me hold him. Look at his features—he looks just like you."

Jay stiffened, but he still tried to cover up his reaction.

"All babies look the same."

"Do they? What a coincidence, then. Just after my miscarriage, a child like this conveniently appears. Jay, I also think he and we are deeply connected."

The baby seemed unfamiliar with me and started crying even louder the moment I touched him.

Jay looked at the baby’s red, tear-streaked face with obvious distress. He shot me a displeased look.

"Don’t let him cry too much. Since he seems to like you so much, you should take care of him for now!"

After hesitating for a moment, Jay picked the baby up again.

"I’ll take him to see a doctor first. Mandy, wait here for me. I’ll be back soon!"

I watched him leave, then immediately changed out of my hospital gown.

This entire floor consisted of VIP wards. Following behind him, I saw him enter the VIP maternity suite next door.

Just then, two nurses walked out, pushing a cart.

I hid near the door and listened to their hushed conversation.

"Same father, different fates. Even though both are Mr. Lawson’s children, one is born into wealth, while the other never even got the chance to be born."

"I heard that Ms. Bundred is his true love. When she came for her check-ups, Mr. Lawson stayed by her side every step of the way. And they say he plans to give all his assets to this child!"

Pain stabbed through my heart, and tears streamed down uncontrollably.

Walking up to their hospital room, I peeked through the slightly open door and saw their intertwined shadows.

"Jay, our little one is still so tiny. I really can’t bear to leave him."

"I know, Riley. Don’t worry. I will bring him to see you often. Even if we can’t be together, I will always protect you."

Jay’s voice was gentle and filled with regret.

"I will cherish our child and take good care of him. You don’t have to worry. Mandy is a soft-hearted person—she will definitely treat him as her own. This is a property deed, my compensation to you."

Riley gazed at him through misty eyes, gently pounding him with her hand.

"Why are you giving me this? You know I never care about these things. But you—if Mandy finds out, she will definitely misunderstand us again."

Yet, the smile in her eyes was unmistakable.

Jay held both the baby and Riley, looking completely content.

At that moment, the doctor arrived for routine check-ups. Seeing me at the door, he called out, "Ms. White."

The two inside immediately pulled apart.

Jay quickly set the baby down and rushed toward me, guilt flickering in his eyes as he avoided my gaze.

"You’re still unwell. Why didn’t you wait for me? By the way, Riley happened to be hospitalized due to illness. Since I have no experience taking care of a baby, I came to ask for her advice."

Riley cradled the baby, her face overflowing with happiness.

"Mandy, don’t blame Jay. He is just being a responsible father and doesn’t want the child to suffer."

I looked at their happy little family, swallowed my pain, and forced myself to appear magnanimous.

"Then I’ll leave it to you. I won’t intrude."

I turned to leave, but Jay grabbed my wrist.

"Mandy, listen to me. Riley used to be a nurse at this hospital. I was just afraid I wouldn’t take good care of you and the baby, so I asked her for advice. If you don’t like it, I won’t contact her again!"

I looked at his anxious expression and found it utterly ridiculous.

The baby was Riley’s.

To make room for their child, he had even gone as far as having my womb removed.

When would he ever tell me the truth?

"I’m not mad. You’re right. Given my current condition, I’m not fit to care for a child. Learn well from her and strive to be a good father."

Jay lifted me into his arms and carefully carried me downstairs.

Even with my eyes closed, I could hear the whispers around us.

They were all laughing at my foolishness.

But I had never been clearer-headed than now.

Everything had been settled as quickly as possible.

It was time to leave.

The Lawson family was preparing a grand welcoming ceremony for Jordan.

Using the excuse that I needed rest, Jay trapped me in our private courtyard.

Standing on the balcony, I saw the main house where Riley held the baby, surrounded by Jay and the others, basking in everyone’s admiration.

Jay carried the baby attentively the entire time, allowing Riley to hold onto his arm, his smile gentle.

He proudly announced to everyone that Jordan would be his sole heir after his passing.

Riley could hardly conceal her delight.

"But you will have other children in the future. I’m afraid Jordan might get jealous."

"That won’t happen."

Jay gazed at Jordan with certainty.

"Other than Jordan, I will never have another child."

So, he had no hesitation in getting rid of mine.

I finally saw through Jay’s hypocrisy.

Turning back into the house, I packed up all my belongings.

Anything I couldn’t take, I simply threw into a bin bag.

But I hadn’t expected Riley to come to the courtyard.

She looked at me smugly, like a victor.

"I told you long ago, Mandy, you can’t win against me. So what if you secretly married Jay? Your child still died, and now you’re just a useless woman who can’t have children. Everything in the Lawson family will belong to my son in the future. How does that feel? Doesn’t it hurt?"

My eyes burned red as I stepped forward and slapped her.

"You have no right to mention my child!"

But in the next moment, I saw the triumphant smile on Riley’s face.

She casually tossed a lighter to the ground.

In an instant, the room caught fire.

Riley screamed in terror and was quickly swept into Jay’s arms when he rushed over.

"Mandy, you’ve disappointed me! Riley came to comfort you out of kindness, yet you tried to burn her alive!"

The Lawson family’s elders arrived with dark expressions, putting out the fire, but the way they looked at me was as if they were looking at an enemy.

Riley cowered weakly in Jay’s embrace.

"It’s all my fault. I just wanted to persuade Mandy not to be upset about me attending the banquet with you. I just didn’t expect her to react so strongly."

I stared at the scorched remains of the room, suppressing the itch in my throat.

"Whose child is Jordan?"

Jay instinctively pushed Riley away, thinking I had discovered something.

"Jordan was just a baby I found! The hospital staff can vouch for me! Jordan prefers Riley over you because she is gentler and more understanding. Mandy, you should reflect on yourself. Now, apologize!"

I couldn’t stop coughing, but the elders of the Lawson family only looked at me with disdain.

"A barren woman—it’s such bad luck to have you as a member of the Lawson family!"

"Jay, take Jordan and Riley away. Lock her up here and let her reflect on herself!"

Jay still hoped I would surrender, but I bit my lip tightly.

Watching them lock the doors, I sat on the ground in tears.

I sent a message to my friends, and they soon pried open the gate and took me away.

On the way, I received a message from Jay.

"Darling, just stay home and rest. You don’t need to worry about anything. I’ll take care of it all. Riley is just a stand-in for you. Once everything is over, I will explain everything to you. Don’t be sad. I’ll bring the baby to reunite with you soon."

Even now, he was still lying to me.

But I no longer wanted to be entangled with him.

I sold off all my shares and assets.

Jay was too busy with the banquet to notice I had disappeared.

On the day of the banquet, I stood at the boarding gate and sent him one last message.

"Where are you now?"

Jay, occupied with his "wife" and child, didn’t have time to call me until just before the banquet had started.

"Mandy, everything will be resolved soon. From now on, it will just be us three—me, you, and Jordan. I promise, there will be no one else!"

He casually reassured me while signing the property transfer documents.

Riley was Jordan’s real mother. No matter what, he had to ensure her future.

I looked at the departing plane and sneered. "Congratulations on your family reunion."

Jay hesitated for a moment, then chuckled helplessly.

"Jealous again? We are the real family of three."

But before he could finish, I tossed my phone away.

Hearing the sudden silence on my end, he tried calling again, but no one answered.

Anxiety crept over him.

He immediately ordered someone to check on me at the courtyard.

"Watch Mrs. Lawson closely. She is not allowed to leave until the banquet is over!"

But he didn’t expect that halfway through the banquet, just as he was introducing Riley as his wife, his secretary called. "Mr. Lawson—something happened! The Lawson family villa is on fire, and Mrs. Lawson is still inside!"

"What? Impossible!"

Jay staggered, shoving Riley aside, and ran out of the banquet hall in a daze.

"The fire started in the courtyard. The gates were locked at the time, so there was no way for anyone inside to escape..."

A chill ran down Jay’s spine.

"Where is Mandy? Was she rescued?"

Riley followed him outside.

Hearing his furious roar, she carefully grabbed his hand.

"Jay, what’s wrong? Don’t worry. Maybe this is just a misunderstanding?"

But Jay suddenly turned his head and glared at her with burning hatred.