Chapter 4

The next day, Damien took Claire to the gang's annual gala.

The gala was held at Riverside City's most luxurious hotel, and all the high-ranking members attended.

By custom, Damien should have brought his woman.

But he brought Claire.

Sophia learned about it from Marcus.

Marcus was Damien's driver and the only person in the Cross household she could talk to.

"Sophia, don't overthink it. Damien just..."

Marcus tried to comfort her, but halfway through, even he couldn't continue.

Sophia shook her head.

"It's fine."

She no longer felt hurt.

Or rather, she'd been hurt so much she'd gone numb.

Three days later, Claire demanded that Sophia hand-wash her underwear.

Sophia didn't refuse.

She took Claire's underwear to the laundry room and scrubbed each piece by hand.

The door suddenly swung open behind her.

Startled, she turned around and met a pair of cold eyes.

Damien leaned against the doorframe, a cigar between his fingers.

Through the curling smoke, she couldn't make out his expression.

"Marcus told me you're pregnant?"

Sophia's hand trembled.

She hadn't wanted Damien to know.

At least not yet.

She clutched the underwear tighter and nodded.

"Yes. Two weeks."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

The man's voice was heavy.

"I was going to wait until after the gala, when things calmed down, and we could..."

"Get rid of it."

Sophia froze in place.

She jerked her head up, thinking she'd misheard.

"What did you say?"

"I said, get rid of the baby."

Damien's tone was flat, like he was discussing something trivial.

"But why... It's your child..."

"Claire's depression is severe. She can't handle stress."

Damien exhaled a stream of smoke.

"If she finds out you're pregnant, she'll have a breakdown. You can get pregnant again later. It's not like this is your only chance."

Sophia felt her blood flowing backward.

She opened her mouth but couldn't speak a single word.

So her child, in Damien's eyes, was something that could be discarded at any time.

All because Claire couldn't handle stress.

"I made an appointment with a doctor for you. Tomorrow morning at nine."

Damien turned to leave.

"Damien."

Sophia called out to him.

Her voice was hoarse.

"Let me ask you one question."

"Go ahead."

"In these past six months, have you ever, even for a single day, liked me?"

Damien's footsteps stopped.

He didn't turn around.

"My heart only has room for one person."

He pushed open the door and walked out.

In the empty laundry room, Sophia suddenly laughed.

She touched her flat stomach. Her eyes burned and swelled.

"I'm sorry."

She whispered.

Then she lowered her head and continued scrubbing the underwear in her hands.

Her movements were slow and careful.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains, falling on her pale face.

Her eyes were dry. Not a single tear fell.