Chapter 3

They retrieved twenty-two eggs from me.

When I finally got off the hospital bed, my abdomen no longer felt like part of my body.

There were still countless procedures afterward—blood tests, imaging, implantation—and each one came with its own kind of pain.

Only after the fertilized egg was successfully implanted did Adrian finally relax.

“You’ve worked hard. Get some rest.”

Adrian was rarely this gentle with me.

His hand moved softly over my stomach, as if the embryo inside me already had a life of its own.

I felt completely satisfied.

I would have endured any amount of suffering willingly.

As long as Adrian was willing to take one step closer to me at a time, there would come a day when he forgot Vivian.

As my stomach grew, Adrian treated me better and better.

Sometimes he even took me out for walks.

There were also nights when he listened for the baby’s movements before going to sleep.

“Did the baby kick you today?”

His voice was warm. Every time he spoke, it soothed the anxiety that plagued me during my pregnancy.

I became addicted to his kindness, losing myself in his gentle smile.

But everything would eventually be shattered.

The life before me was nothing but an illusion.

Vivian was coming back.

The news spread through A City’s upper circle. Everyone was preparing a welcome party for her.

The young heirs and heiresses gathered together to discuss the details.

Naturally, Adrian became one of the organizers.

After I got pregnant, I became a canary Adrian kept locked away.

I received no news from the outside world, and he stopped taking me anywhere.

So Adrian had no idea I had come to find him.

“Why didn’t Adrian bring his little pet today?”

“Are you kidding? The princess is coming back. Do you really think he has time for her?”

The private room was loud with laughter and teasing.

I stood frozen at the doorway when I heard that Vivian was returning.

For a moment, I couldn’t react.

But it didn’t matter.

I touched my stomach and thought, I already have Adrian’s baby. So what if Vivian comes back?

The baby was my confidence. Proof that I was closer to Adrian than she was.

I was about to push open the door when Adrian’s careless voice drifted out.

In that instant, my entire body turned cold.

“You mean Nora? How could she ever compare to Vivian?”

“She’s nothing but trash. An illegitimate daughter who wasn’t even allowed to use the Hart name.”

“What, are you interested? I can bring her out for you to play with in a few days.”