Chapter 2

The room fell silent the instant I finished speaking. Everyone stared at me in shock, then burst out laughing.

"Oh, come on, Stella. Everyone knows you were obsessed with Liam! When he had kidney failure, you gave him one of your own kidneys. Do you really think someone like you would just marry someone else?"

"Seriously, can't you at least draft your angry words before blurting them out?"

A cold laugh bubbled up inside me as I listened to their gossip. I couldn't blame them for being shocked.

The old me truly did love Liam with all my heart. When he was diagnosed with kidney failure, I didn't hesitate to donate a kidney to him.

Even now, on rainy days, my left kidney still aches.

I always gave him the sweetest part of the watermelon and, knowing he didn't like the seeds in dragon fruit, I'd pick each tiny seed out with a toothpick.

Because I loved him, I even tolerated him going on dates with Scarlett again and again.

I tolerated him styling Scarlett’s hair and gently wiping her mouth right in front of me.

As long as he came home and remembered he had a wife, I thought it was enough.

Everyone knew I was a total simp for him, and they all instinctively assumed I was just lashing out.

Coming back to my senses, Scarlett picked up a bottle of wine from the table and walked towards me, saying casually, "Stella, I know you're still upset about what happened two years ago."

"It's all my fault. If I hadn't been diagnosed with a terminal illness, Liam wouldn't have tried to have a baby with me to fulfill my last wish.

If not for that, you wouldn't have been so upset that you hemorrhaged and lost your baby."

"Since everyone's here today, I'll punish myself with a bottle. Consider this my public apology!"

She grabbed the bottle and gulped it down. The harsh liquor made her choke and cough violently. Liam couldn't sit still.

He handed Leo to a colleague, rushed forward, snatched the bottle, and said, his voice a mix of anger and concern, "Scarlett, are you crazy? How could you drink so much? Even if your condition has been stable these past few years, you're still a patient!"

After comforting Scarlett, Liam shot me a haughty glance, his voice cold. "Stella, you've been throwing a tantrum for two years. That's enough!"

"Scarlett and I only did IVF; we didn't even *act* like a couple. Are you really going to be this petty about such a small thing for two whole years?"

The others chimed in. "Stella is just too stubborn. She got to be a mom without any of the pain, what a steal!"

"Liam has been looking for her all these years. She left for two years, and he looked for two years. It's time to move on from the past."

So, abandoning me at eight months pregnant to go have a baby with Scarlett was just a "small thing" in Liam's eyes? What surprised me, though, was that Liam had actually been looking for me? What for?

Lost in thought, I heard Liam continue, talking to himself, "Alright, Stella. Leo needs someone to take care of him.

Since you're back, you can take care of him from now on. Even though Leo isn't your biological child, you're his nominal mother, you should be responsible for him."

I actually laughed. Liam wanted me to be his baby nurse?

But I wasn't the Stella he could manipulate so easily two years ago. The moment he abandoned me and our baby to go have a child with Scarlett, my heart turned cold.

I left the country without a second thought. And I wasn't just talking out of anger earlier; I really was married with a child. After leaving the country, I found a new job, and before long, I met my husband, Julian.

He helped me through that dark period, and soon, we were married and had an adorable son. Thinking about Julian and Finn filled my heart with warmth.

Coming back to reality, I refused him coldly. "No, thanks. I have my own child to take care of. As for your Leo, perhaps his biological mother should take care of him."

Hearing this, Scarlett's eyes immediately welled up. "Stella, I know you resent me for causing you to lose your baby, so you don't want to take care of my child."

"I want to raise Leo myself, but my body just won't allow it… I trusted you, which is why I entrusted him to your care.

Leo is such a good boy, he doesn’t cry or fuss, he won't be much trouble. Please, I’m begging you, take pity on a mother like me and help me take care of Leo…"

Scarlett made a show of trying to kneel. Liam quickly helped her up and comforted her. Then he turned, giving me a cold glance.

"It's an honor to take care of Leo. Don't be ungrateful!"

His gaze fell on my clothes, and Liam scoffed. "Stella, I guess you didn't have it easy overseas these past two years, did you? You couldn't even bother to wear something decent to a class reunion."

"If you take good care of Leo, I can give you ten thousand a month for pocket money. That's way more than you'd earn from any job."

Scarlett, playing the hostess, chimed in, "That's right. You take good care of Leo, and Liam and I won't shortchange you. At least you won't have to wear off-brand clothes if you stick with us."

That's when everyone noticed my casual outfit. Immediately, sneers erupted. "How did Stella fall so low? She can't even afford proper clothes!"

"If she knew this would happen, why did she act so stubborn back then? I heard Liam's company really took off after she left. If she hadn't stormed off abroad, she'd be set for life now."

I just curled my lips into a cold smile. They had no idea.

The clothes I was wearing weren't off-brand at all. They were custom-made by a master designer, pure silk, each piece worth hundreds of thousands.

Seeing me smile, Liam mistakenly thought I had agreed to take care of Leo. He pulled out his phone, ready to transfer the money.

"Here's ten thousand. Go buy some decent clothes later, so Leo doesn't catch your poor vibe."

But as soon as he sent the message, a bright red exclamation mark popped up!