Davina Woods had just given birth when she unexpectedly began to hear the inner thoughts of her husband, Neil Morris. Not only was Neil planning to use her to raise another woman's child, but he was also trying to unfairly accuse her of infidelity, a claim she couldn't possibly disprove in her post-birth exhaustion.
Amid her confusion, Davina vaguely heard Neil's voice, not realizing she was tapping into his internal monologue. "Janiyah suffered in the past due to rumors surrounding a child. I can't let that happen again, even if it means being harsh to Davina. She loves me so much; she'll forgive me eventually."
Davina's eyes fluttered open, spotting Neil at the edge of the bed. "Neil, what did you just say?"
Momentarily caught off guard, Neil quickly gathered himself. He gently brushed a strand of her hair away, his expression soft and attentive. "I didn't say anything, Davina. You must be exhausted from the delivery."
As his fingers drifted softly through her hair, she heard his voice once more, though his lips didn't move. "Please forgive me, Davina. Once I settle things with Janiyah, I promise I'll make everything right."
Davina's eyes widened with shock, realizing she could hear Neil's thoughts. As she lay there, trying to process the revelation, she noticed the nurses outside her hospital room peeking in as if she was some kind of spectacle.
"I heard someone mention a woman gave birth to a mixed-race baby. Who would have thought it was Mrs. Morris?" one nurse whispered, snickering.
"She always seemed so quiet and composed. Who knew she had this kind of life behind the scenes?" added another.
Their mocking laughter pierced Davina like daggers, each comment a blow to her heart. She finally comprehended the meaning of Neil's inner thoughts.
Turning sharply to Neil, she locked eyes with him. Evasive and guilty, he looked away. "Davina, I'm sorry, but my love was all yours in a previous life. This time, I need to share some with Janiyah," his thoughts echoed, though outwardly he remained calm.
Neil's gaze softened as he kissed her forehead gently, his words tender yet chilling. "Davina, no matter what you've done, I'll stand by you."
The physical pain of childbirth was overshadowed by the emotional turmoil she felt. Gazing at the man she thought she knew, her eyes brimming with tears of betrayal.
"Neil Morris, why are you accusing me?" she managed, her voice raw with anguish.
Neil feigned innocence, his expression perplexed. "Davina, what are you talking about?"
His eyes darted toward the door, his thoughts betraying his anxiety. "Where are the reporters?"
Just then, a crowd of journalists burst in, cameras flashing like lightning, their lenses trained directly on her.
"Mrs. Morris, why did you cheat? Is Mr. Morris not treating you well?" one reporter shouted over the commotion.
"Now that you've given birth to a mixed-race child, do you feel ashamed?" another chimed in.
Panicked, Davina's face turned ashen. She desperately wanted to defend herself, but her voice escaped her, leaving her to shake her head, tears coursing down her cheeks.
Turning to Neil, she pleaded, "Neil, please tell them I'm not unfaithful. I didn't have a mixed-race child."
Neil hesitated for a moment, then wrapped her in his arms, offering a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, I'm here," he whispered, unusually gentle.
For a brief moment, Davina thought Neil might defend her. But his next words plunged her into despair.
"Please stop filming. My wife made a simple mistake. There's nothing newsworthy here."
His words, though seemingly protective, condemned her as guilty in the eyes of the world. Her heart sank; the man who once professed undying love now chose to betray her for another woman's sake.
As her heart shattered, Davina realized the absurd fragility of love. Her resolve hardened when she saw the cold, dismissive look in Neil's eyes.
If he no longer loved her, then she would no longer want him.
Neil Morris glanced at Davina Woods, her face marked by sorrow, and for a fleeting moment, a wave of guilt washed over him. But he quickly steadied himself. "There's no reason to regret," he thought. "Compared to the injustices Janiyah suffered, this is nothing. Besides, Davina still has me."
Davina, tuning into Neil's thoughts, gave a bittersweet smile, her eyes reflecting profound sadness. She pulled the blanket over her face, unwilling to face the harsh reality before her.
Seeing her retreat, Neil felt a sudden irritation. His expression hardened as he faced the journalists nearby, his voice dropping to a threatening, icy tone. "What are you filming for? Get out!"
The hospital room went silent, and the journalists, cowed by Neil's anger, quickly left the scene.
Returning to Davina's side, Neil's voice softened with a compelling warmth. "Davina, it's all clear now. I've sent the journalists away."
A deep sense of bitterness twisted Davina's heart. If she hadn't heard Neil's inner thoughts, she might have been completely taken in by his sincere facade.
From beneath the blanket, Davina's voice came, tinged with sorrow. "Why didn't you stand up for me just now?"
Even though she knew the answer, she yearned to hear Neil's reasoning.
Neil stayed silent for what felt like an eternity, and just when Davina thought she wouldn't hear a response, his reluctant voice whispered in her ear. "Davina, I wanted to speak up, but you gave birth to a black child. How was I supposed to explain that the child is mine?"
Davina was outraged by Neil's response, tears streaming. He knew well that the child was Janiyah's, yet he pinned the blame on her.
"What if the child isn't mine?" she challenged.
"Davina, I understand you're upset, but you need to face the truth. You gave birth to a black child."
With Neil's rebuttal, his internal monologue surfaced once more: "Davina was diagnosed with mild delusional disorder during her pregnancy. The doctor said repeated suggestion might lead her to believe things she hadn't done."
Davina's pupils constricted, feeling a sharp sting in her heart. Perhaps Neil had forgotten that the doctor also mentioned that her condition could deteriorate if she continued fabricating events, until she lost her grip on reality.
"Don't worry, Davina. I don't blame you. We all make mistakes sometimes."
Neil's voice grew softer, but it only chilled Davina more. Suddenly, a crucial thought struck her: Neil had swapped Janiyah's black child with hers—so where was her own child?
"Neil, where is my child?"
Neil continued to placate her with a soothing tone, "Davina, I know accepting the black child is tough for you, so I've already sent him to an orphanage. But if you want him back, I can arrange it."
"No, I'm asking about my child, not the black child!"
Davina was frantic, grabbing Neil's arm and shaking it desperately. "Give me back my child!"
"Davina, stop this. You have only the black child. There is no other child."
At that moment, Neil's innermost thoughts surfaced again: "In the past life, Janiyah's child was raised in an orphanage. In this life, I've placed Davina's child there for now. When the time is right, I'll bring him back."
Hearing Neil's thoughts, Davina was paralyzed with disbelief. She couldn't accept that Neil would sacrifice her own child for another woman's sake.
Looking at Neil, he felt like a stranger. "Davina, the journalists were here earlier. More people will soon arrive. Let's go home."
Davina remained silent, her mind consumed by thoughts of her child. The notion that her newborn had been sent to an orphanage by his father was unbearable.
As she glanced at Neil, an idea took root: once she reclaimed her child, she would leave Neil for good.
Lost in thought, Neil gently carried her out of the hospital room. As they entered the hallway, Davina heard the disparaging whispers of passersby.
"Neil's woman is a disgrace. Neil treats her so well, yet she cheats with a black man. She's the shame of womanhood!"
"Absolutely, a man like Neil is a rare find, and she still doesn't appreciate him. It's repulsive."
"She may seem decent, but who would've thought she was like this behind closed doors."
As the crowd gathered, Neil took off his suit jacket and covered Davina's face, as if she were something to hide in embarrassment.
"Davina, just hold on. We'll be in the car soon."