Nicole laughed softly. "Then I'll have to marry your daddy first before I can be your mommy. Do you want your daddy to marry me?"

"I'll make him divorce Mommy right away so you can be my mommy instead!" Nathan said proudly.

Amelia listened from the doorway with a cold smile tugging at her lips. Nathan had no idea that Nicole was his birth mother, the very same woman who had abandoned him to Christopher years ago.

Nicole was shrewd, Amelia had to give her that. She had managed to protect her studies and her career, and still hold on to the man she wanted.

"I thought you wouldn't come to the hospital."

A low, detached voice came from behind her, laced with a faint edge of mockery.

Amelia turned and saw Christopher standing there in a sharp black suit, looking elegant and untouchable as always.

Once, she would have lit up at the sight of him and rushed to please him.

Now, all she felt was the sting of anger as she frowned deeply.

If it hadn't been for his years of neglect, Evelyn would never have stood waiting for him on that freezing, stormy night, burning with fever until pneumonia claimed her life.

Even today, he had walked out of the kindergarten with Nathan in his arms and left Evelyn behind, burning with a fever of her own. Whether he knew it or not, it didn't matter. If he had truly cared about his daughter, he would have noticed.

His gaze swept over her, taking in her rain-soaked clothes. "So this is what you've become after leaving the Zephyr family. Pathetic.

"Nate is inside. You can go see him if you want."

Amelia drew in a long breath, then let out a cold laugh. "He isn't my son. Why would I?"

Before he could react, she turned on her heel and walked away without a second glance.

In this life, she would never again pin her hopes on Christopher. She would never again wait for him to turn back and notice her and their daughter.

It was his indifference that had killed Evelyn in Amelia's last life.

She would never let history repeat itself.

Just then, Nicole opened the door. She caught sight of Amelia's retreating figure and asked, "Is Mia upset with me again? Is it because she doesn't like me being here?"

Christopher turned away and replied, "It's no big deal."

"The doctor said Nate's stomach is weak. The lactose intolerance is what caused the vomiting and diarrhea, and the dust mite allergy triggered the hives. His bloodwork also showed that he's completely stopped using the herbal baths for his allergies recently."

Nicole tilted her head, watching him. "If Mia refuses to come home, I can go over and give Nate his bath."

Christopher didn't refuse.

-

When Amelia returned to the room, Evelyn asked, "Was Daddy here? I think I heard him."

The way her daughter's face lit with hope made Amelia's chest tighten painfully.

How could she tell her that Christopher had come only for Nathan, not for her?

She sat down beside Evelyn and softly said, "Mommy knows you like Daddy, sweetie, but he's busy with work and doesn't have time to see you."

Evelyn looked down, her little hand twisted in the sheets. "Daddy doesn't like me, does he? No matter how hard I try to please him and Nate, they still don't like me. Is it because I'm not good enough?"

Amelia stroked her daughter's head. "Evie, you're more than good enough. You can't make the whole world love you, and no one is obligated to. So don't waste your heart chasing after the approval of others, not even your father's.

"If someone chooses to dislike you, that doesn't change who you are. You don't need to bend yourself just to earn their love."

For a four-year-old, these words were probably hard to fully grasp, but Evelyn could sense their weight. Amelia didn't want to repeat the past, and she refused to let her daughter keep longing for a father's love that would never come.

Evelyn lowered her head, tears blurring her vision. She half-understood her mother's words, yet her heart ached anyway.

Her daddy would come back someday, wouldn't he? All the other kids had their fathers.

Tears rolled freely down her cheeks as she hiccupped. "B-but Nate said I'm not really part of the Zephyr family, that I'm an illegitimate child... is that true?"

Amelia's chest tightened. "Don't listen to him. That's nonsense."

Her gaze darkened. Nathan was just a child, so someone must have whispered that poisonous thought in his ear.

Amelia had worked like a mule for the Zephyr family, only to have dirt thrown at her in the end.

It was easy to see just how hollow and unbearable those past years of marriage and family life had been!

-

Evelyn spent the night in the hospital. By morning, her fever had broken, and her condition was stable.

As she got out of bed and moved through the ward, she happened upon Nathan in the hallway, absorbed in flying a remote-controlled plane.

She looked up, her eyes widening. So this was Nicole's gift to him? It really looked amazing and incredibly cool.

Nathan spotted Evelyn in her hospital gown and immediately exclaimed, "Evie, you're a copycat! Even when I'm sick, you have to imitate me!"

"I'm not!" Evelyn protested.

Nathan snorted. "Too bad Daddy doesn't even come to see you."

He bent over the remote, maneuvering the toy plane toward Evelyn.

Just as the plane was about to crash down on her, Amelia swooped in, breakfast in hand, and scooped Evelyn out of the way. The plane smashed heavily onto the floor.

Evelyn's heart raced as she clung to Amelia. "Mommy..."

Christopher's coldness toward Evelyn—refusing to let her call him Daddy, favoring Nathan over her throughout the Zephyr family—had made her cautious, always watching everyone's expressions before acting.

Evelyn knew the truth. In the Zephyr family, no one cared for her except Amelia. She also knew she couldn't compete with Nathan, so she had learned to be well-behaved.

Amelia's chest tightened. She had failed in guiding her daughter. She had always assumed Evelyn was just shy, forgetting how lively she could be when no one else was around.

"From now on, no matter who bullies you, you stand your ground. I've got your back."

Nathan tightened his grip on the remote when he saw Amelia, sensing the fierceness in his mother's gaze.

Amelia looked at him steadily. "Apologize to Evie."

"I-It was an accident! It's not my fault she was standing there!"

With Christopher and Nicole both away, Nathan didn't have much courage to face Amelia.

Nathan hated his mother. She was annoying, and was always trying to lecture him and control him.

On second thought, Christopher didn't want Amelia or Evelyn anyway, and Nicole would always back him up.

He wasn't afraid of his unsophisticated, country bumpkin mother one bit!

Nathan gathered his courage and shot back, "If she ruins the plane Ms. Nikki made me, you can't even pay for it!"

Amelia lowered her gaze to the toy plane on the floor, her expression calm and indifferent. It was just a cheap little toy. Anyone could make one if they had the instructions. She didn't want to argue with a child over something so trivial.

But today, she had to stand up for Evelyn.

Amelia turned to Evelyn. "Fine. If he won't apologize, do whatever you want with him."

Amelia had always taught her not to hit or yell at people, that it was rude.

Evelyn's little hands itched with the urge to act. But if she hit or scolded her brother today, would her father hate her even more?

She thought back to what Amelia had told her last night—sometimes one had to have the courage to be disliked.

With that in mind, Evelyn stepped toward Nathan.

Nathan was startled.

Nicole returned with a pot of hot water and immediately took in the scene. She stepped forward, shielding Nathan behind her, then looked at Amelia sharply.

"Mia, why are you being so harsh with Nate? Can you even teach a child properly if this is how you act as a mother? It's just kids roughhousing. No need to make such a big deal out of it. You even scared Nate."

Christopher had just returned from buying breakfast, and he arrived just in time to hear Nicole's words. He looked at Nathan, trembling and cowering behind Nicole, and he frowned.

Amelia let out a bitter laugh, about to retort, but a cold, low voice cut through the tension from behind her.

"We don't need you here in the hospital. Take Evie and go back."

Christopher's cold, detached voice cut through the air, sharp and grating.

Amelia turned and met his dark, unreadable eyes. He was still the same, blindly believing she and Evelyn were in the wrong, standing unconditionally on Nicole and Nathan's side.

Christopher didn't wait for Amelia to speak. His gaze shifted to Nicole, and his cold, hard tone softened just slightly. "Let's go in and have breakfast."

He didn't even glance at Evelyn. Without another word, he stepped into the hospital room with them and closed the door behind him.

Amelia stared at the closed door, fists clenched so tightly her nails nearly dug into her palms. Christopher's indifference made her eyes grow even colder.

How had she endured that kind of neglect for so many years? The thought was almost laughable. If she hadn't clung so desperately to getting a response from him and had left earlier with Evelyn, maybe her daughter wouldn't have faced such a tragedy in her last life.

"Mommy, I feel a lot better now. Can we leave the hospital today?"

Amelia looked down at her sweet, obedient daughter, and her chest tightened even more. "No matter who ever tries to bully you, you can't just endure it, do you understand?"

Evelyn nodded earnestly. "I understand."

-

After finishing the discharge procedures, Amelia took Evelyn to see her own mother, Claire Lane.

Claire lived in a villa out in the suburbs. It was a little far from the city, but the air was fresh and the scenery beautiful.

Amelia's parents had long been on the verge of divorce, but her father, Jonathan Sinclair, had refused to agree. In the end, Claire simply moved out and made a home for herself.

Amelia liked bringing Evelyn over to chat with Claire and spend some time together.

Evelyn was overjoyed to see her grandmother and ran into her arms, cuddling up and acting like a pampered child.

Claire laughed as she scooped Evelyn up. "Oh my little granddaughter, you've grown taller! What do you want to eat today? Grandma will make it just for you."

"I want smoked ribs!"

"All right, Grandma will make it for you."

After a few minutes of coaxing Evelyn, Claire let her run upstairs to watch TV on her own.

Then she turned to Amelia. "It's Wednesday. How did you find time to come by?"

Amelia settled into a chair. "How's business been lately?"

Claire managed her own enterprises, but recently things hadn't been going well. Profits were down, and she was practically operating at a loss.

Her business was also why Jonathan had been dragging his feet on the divorce. They had been married for years, and dividing their assets was complicated. Their interests were deeply intertwined, and ending the marriage wasn't easy.

Jonathan had long had a mistress, who had given him two children, which explained his ongoing dislike for Amelia.

After Amelia married Christopher, Jonathan tried to win her over, hoping to leverage Christopher's connections for his business. But Christopher had never cared for her, so he naturally had no interest in her family affairs.

Because of that, Jonathan flew into a rage, yelling at Claire for giving birth to a worthless child.

Claire just shook her head. "Same as always."

Amelia looked down at her hands. Over the years, she had sent extra money to her mother whenever she could, but she hadn't paid much attention to the details of Claire's business.

In her previous life, she had thrown herself entirely into Christopher. It wasn't until two days before Evelyn's death that Claire's business finally declared bankruptcy.

Amelia said, "I'll send you another sum in a while. You can use it to adjust the company's internal operations. The old model is outdated and can't keep up with the times. You could also invest in emerging industries like new energy. Any old-fashioned leaders in the company? Replace them if needed."

Claire frowned at her. "Where did you get the money? Did Chris—"

Amelia cut her off sharply. "No. I'm planning to divorce him."

After so many years of marriage, Christopher had never cared about the Sinclair family's affairs. Even when her family was on the brink of bankruptcy, he never lifted a finger to help. Meanwhile, Nicole had gone abroad to study and ran out of money, and he had wired her millions without a second thought.

If it hadn't been for Amelia's uncle stepping in, her mother might already have been buried under billions in debt.

Claire's eyes softened as she looked at her daughter, tinged with pain. She sighed. "It's my fault for not being capable. If someone had your back in your family, you wouldn't have suffered so much in the Zephyr family."

She turned her face away, tears glistening in her eyes. "You had to endure all this before even thinking about a divorce."

"It's all in the past."

Amelia shouldn't have insisted on marrying Christopher back then.

A woman in love always thought that running the household and raising the children would make a man fall for her.

-

Amelia left Evelyn with Claire.

Her resignation had been approved, and she was heading to Zephyr Group to complete the process.

In the company lobby, she ran straight into Christopher.

He was dressed in a black suit, striding purposefully toward the exit, as if something urgent had come up.

Amelia's expression was calm and neutral as she stepped aside to let him pass.

Christopher had always treated her as if she were invisible, habitually ignoring her. No matter how she greeted him or tried to make herself seen, he acted as though she didn't exist.

"Chris, over here!"

Outside the main doors, Nicole waved cheerfully at him. "Why are you coming down to meet me? I could've gone upstairs myself."

For a moment, Amelia thought of how he had never once shown such thoughtfulness for her, not in wind or rain. It seemed that as long as it was someone else, Christopher's attitude would always be different.

She calmly looked away, no longer caring about what was happening between them.

Then she stepped into the elevator and rode up to the fifth-floor HR department to submit her resignation.

Emily Caldwell from HR looked a little surprised. "You're really resigning? I thought you were just joking around."

Everyone knew Amelia was just a lowly assistant, and she didn't handle any real projects. Most days, she was fetching tea and coffee for meetings, running errands. Because she had to go home and take care of her daughter, complex tasks were out of the question.

Even though Christopher barely acknowledged her, she had always followed him eagerly. Now, suddenly wanting to leave without any obvious reason seemed impossible—like the sun rising in the west.

Amelia didn't want to say more. Her face was cold as she simply replied, "Yes."

Emily couldn't help rolling her eyes internally.

Amelia was just a small-time assistant, yet she was acting all high and mighty. Today, Christopher's girlfriend had come to the office and the entire group chat had exploded. Everyone was talking about how poised and impressive she was. She was freshly back from studying abroad, holding dual PhDs in financial technology and aerospace engineering.

She and Christopher were truly a power couple.

Emily figured Amelia probably realized she couldn't compare, felt small and insecure, and decided to quit because of it.

Emily said in a serious tone, "Your resignation is processed. Mia, just a piece of advice. Wherever you go next, don't waste time thinking about people you shouldn't."

When Amelia heard that, she was silent. For the first time, she realized how unworthy her former self had really been.

All this time, she had loved Christopher so deeply. Yet to everyone else, it had looked like nothing more than one-sided obsession and foolish infatuation.

Everyone could see it but her, and she was only now waking up to it. Maybe the last life had been God's punishment.

Amelia took a quiet, deep breath.

She cast Emily a calm, measured glance. "Thanks for your concern, but I don't need any advice regarding my career."

Stepping out of HR and down into the lobby, she saw Christopher and Nicole still there.

In the past, she would have wanted to run into Christopher every day. But now, the sight of him just made her feel annoyed. She stepped forward, intending to leave.

Unexpectedly, Christopher called after her in a slow, deliberate voice. "Amelia, take a cup of coffee up to my office for Nikki."

Nicole immediately chimed in. "Chris has been telling me for ages that you make amazing coffee, Mia. He says you're perfect for these little tasks and that you're so capable. I could never do all the delicate things women do.

"Oh, and the coffee has to be hand-ground. I can't stand instant coffee," Nicole added.

Amelia paused mid-step and glanced at her. "Actually, I think instant coffee suits you better. It's cheap and easy, just like you."

Nicole hadn't even had a chance to react.

Amelia simply turned and stepped into the elevator.

She didn't get a chance to say anything, so she looked at Christopher instead. "Chris, your wife is seriously fiery. Can you handle her? No wonder Nate's afraid of her.

"Also, she seems a little upset. Aren't you going to calm her down?"

Christopher calmly looked away and said, "She'll be fine once she cools off on her own."

Nicole smirked. "You really aren't afraid she'll run off, are you?"

-

When Christopher returned home that evening, the house was dark, with not a single light on.

Nathan wasn't home, and Anna didn't need to care for him, so she naturally had a leisurely evening and went to bed early.

Christopher switched on the lights, and the huge room felt especially cold and empty.

He climbed the stairs to the master bedroom, which was also empty.

He rarely came back here.

He didn't seem to care whether Amelia had returned. Passing by her vanity on the way to the bathroom, he didn't glance at it once.

If he had looked, he would have seen a single document lying there.

-

That weekend, the Aerospace and Defense Technology Expo was in full swing.

Crowds had gathered, some even standing outside because they couldn't get tickets, just to catch a glimpse of the excitement.

Amelia had arrived early with Evelyn, and they were waiting outside the entrance for Jasper.

Evelyn stood obediently beside Amelia, her wide eyes taking in the lively surroundings. Everywhere she looked, there were posters of airplanes and informational displays.

Amelia had never brought her to places like this before, and trips to amusement parks were even rarer.

Noticing her daughter's fascination, Amelia bent down and gently pinched Evelyn's cheeks. "Do you like it here? If you get bored, I can call Grandma to come pick you up and take you to her house."

"I like it. I really like it." Evelyn's small voice was soft and sweet. "Mommy, you never took us out to play before."

Amelia's chest tightened at Evelyn's words.

In her previous life, she had been too busy assisting Christopher, taking care of the Zephyr family, and trying to raise Nathan properly. She had overlooked so many small, meaningful moments.

Christopher would occasionally take Nathan out, while Evelyn stayed home, eating cold meals and playing with toys Nathan had abandoned.

Christopher would buy gifts and toys for Nathan, but never a single one for Evelyn. Amelia had tried to buy her toys, but Evelyn had said she didn't like them.

Now Amelia realized how absurd that was. What child didn't like toys?

"I'm sorry, my darling," Amelia whispered, her voice heavy with guilt and regret. She vowed that from now on, she would never miss another moment of her daughter's growth.

"Ha! What are you doing standing at the entrance, Evie?"

From a distance, Nathan strutted toward them in a little suit, his face full of pride and arrogance.

"Do you want to go in and see the real fighter jets too? There's no way Mommy can take you in. If you really want to go, you can beg me. Then maybe I'll plead with Daddy and Ms. Nikki for you, and Mommy can stay home to cook and do laundry."

"No need! Mommy will take me in!" Evelyn shot back, her little cheeks puffed in defiance. "Mommy's not your servant!"

Nathan froze. Amelia couldn't possibly take Evelyn in. She only stayed home to cook and clean, she had no experience with anything this fancy.

Christopher and Nicole trailed behind Nathan at just the right distance, neither too close nor too far. Both wore shades of brown that looked so coordinated it could be mistaken for a couple's outfits.

Amelia had once dreamed of wearing matching clothes with Christopher, feeling that first flutter of youthful excitement. He had never cooperated, never worn them, and hadn't even glanced at the clothes she bought.

Nicole spotted Amelia and stepped forward confidently, completely at ease. "Mia, Evie, you came too? Why didn't you say anything? You could have ridden with Chris and me."

At that moment, Christopher stepped aside to take a call, not even glancing at Amelia. Evelyn's eyes kept flicking toward her father, anxious and hopeful.

Facing Nicole's provocatively teasing tone, Amelia's lips curved into a cold, sharp smile as she replied bluntly, "No need to trouble yourself."

"Really?" Nicole raised an eyebrow. "Chris and I have been best friends since we were kids. You don't need to be polite with us."

Nicole said the words as if she were claiming her territory, and it made it clear she already saw herself as Christopher's wife.

Amelia thought back to her previous life. She had been foolish not to notice how this woman had been eyeing Christopher from the start.

Before Amelia could say anything, Christopher returned from his call. He walked past Amelia without a glance and addressed Nicole. "Let's go. We're heading in."

It was clear he had no intention of bringing Amelia and Evelyn inside.

Nicole smiled at Amelia, her eyes glinting with amusement. "We'll go in first, Mia. If you really can't get in, just call me. I'll come get you."

Amelia watched the three of them disappear, a mocking smile tugging at her lips. This time, she wanted to see just how well this little trio could really get along.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. Something at the institute ran a bit late." Jasper hurried over.

Amelia chuckled. "No problem."

He looked down at Evelyn with a warm grin. "Here, I brought you some snacks and toys."

Evelyn's eyes lit up instantly. "Thank you, Mr. Jazz!"

It was the first time she had ever received a gift.

Jasper held an internal staff pass in his hand and led Amelia and Evelyn inside.

The sun was bright and high today. The sunlight was so bright it almost hurt her eyes, so Amelia casually put on her sunglasses.

As they walked, Jasper said, "This defense expo only happens once every three years. It's huge, as you know. I might be a little busy later, but feel free to explore around. At noon, we can meet with the professors for lunch."

Amelia nodded. "Okay, go ahead. I'll be fine."

The atmosphere at the expo was electric. Everywhere they turned, there were crowds of people.

Evelyn's eyes were wide with wonder.

"Mommy, this plane is so cool!" she tugged at Amelia's hand. "Can you take a picture of me with it?"

"Of course," Amelia said with a smile, pulling out her phone. "Step over here for me."

Just as Evelyn was about to move, a surge of people pressed in, jostling Amelia and Evelyn. Amelia frowned and quickly steadied her daughter.

"Ms. Randall, I hear you're planning to pursue further studies domestically, and Mr. Zephyr mentioned you might join Institute 511. Can you share your thoughts on this industry?"

Reporters with cameras in hand crowded around, and a swarm of onlookers jostled in behind them.

Nicole stood in the center, radiant and confident, soaking in the attention. "Let me introduce this plane to everyone. I designed it initially, but I had to leave the project to study abroad. Now that I see it perfectly completed and unveiled, it fills me with pride.

"That just goes to show our country never lacks talent."

A man near Christopher nudged him with his shoulder.

"Isn't that your wife? What's she doing here? She's always at home worrying about groceries and chores. Does she even understand this stuff?"