Chapter 3

"There are dozens of maids in this villa. They're more professional than I am."

The next second, Leonard's words pinned me in place.

"Quite a temper. You can leave, but think about your mother. If you won't do it, I'll have her do it."

My clenched fists loosened powerlessly.

I gritted my teeth and entered the primary bedroom, ready to collect my things.

But when our son came in after me, he simply threw everything I owned out the door.

Bottles and jars shattered across the floor.

When he looked at me, his face was full of righteous entitlement.

"Mom, cleaning up like that is too slow. Besides, all this stuff is old. It should've been thrown away already."

Leonard reached out, trying to pat my back and smooth things over.

"All right, Grace. I'll buy every ocean-view villa in the city and put them in your name. You like the sea, don't you? Stay there for a while."

His grand, polished words made me sick.

I avoided his hand, finished cleaning the room, and left at once.

Half an hour later, a scream came from the primary bedroom.

Several bodyguards dragged me upstairs.

A bright needle lay half-hidden on the bed.

Ruby was buried in Leonard's arms, crying pitifully.

"Leonard, I'm so scared. It almost touched my belly. Will the baby be okay?"

Leonard patiently comforted her. When he turned to me, his eyes were full of disgust.

"Grace Murtaugh, when did you become this vicious?

"And you're supposed to be a teacher. Don't you have any tolerance at all? I told you Ruby wouldn't threaten your position. Why do you have to target her?

"You hid a needle that long in the bed. Were you trying to kill her?"

I was baffled.

"What?"

Before I could react, our son, who had been silent in the corner, rushed at me.

The next second, pain tore through my wrist.

That shining needle had been stabbed into my right wrist.

My right hand nearly went numb at once.

Still unsatisfied, my son swung his fists at me.

"Bad Mom! Bad Mom! You wanted to stab Aunt Ruby with this needle, so I'm stabbing you for her!"

His blows weren't strong, but my tears still fell.

I had always thought my son was too mature, too silent, too much like Leonard.

I had always hoped he could act like a real child, that he could cry, laugh, lose his temper.

But I never imagined the first time I saw him lose his temper would be for an outsider, and against me.

I looked up at Leonard. My eyes had never held such disappointment.

"Do you really think I did this?"

Leonard did not answer for a long time.

Then Ruby suddenly cried out.

"Mr. Pitt, my stomach hurts. Is something wrong with the baby?

"If I lose this child, what's the point of living?"

Leonard held her and comforted her. When he looked at me again, the last hesitation was gone.

"Today's incident is your fault. Our son doesn't know better, so endure it."

Seeing the wound on my wrist, he rubbed his temples.

"Besides, it's not a serious injury. Take care of it yourself.

"Don't worry about your mother. I won't take my anger out on her. I have a medical team watching her twenty-four hours a day. Nothing will happen."

With that, Leonard carried Ruby away.

A sudden cramp twisted through my abdomen.

I instinctively called after him.

The man turned around, his face full of impatience.

"What scheme are you trying now?

"Ruby is already like this, and you're still competing for attention. You've been pregnant before. How can you be this selfish?"

His scolding blocked every word in my throat.

The pain in my lower abdomen grew sharp and heavy, and I couldn't stop Leonard from leaving.

I could only reach out to my son, hoping he would help me up.

But he pushed me away in disgust and turned to chase after Leonard.

My stomach slammed hard against the edge of the coffee table.

I could feel blood slowly running down between my legs.

Driven by instinctive terror, I used the last of my strength to call after him.

"Owen Pitt, stop right there. Your little sister is in my belly. Save her."

My son's footsteps finally stopped.

Hope flickered back to life in my chest.

I softened my voice and asked him to call 911.

But a mocking curve appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"Mom, you're a liar. Dad said you can't have children anymore. How could you have a little sister in your belly?

"My little sister is in Aunt Ruby's belly. Stop pretending, Mom. It's gross."

The pain in my abdomen felt like a knife twisting inside me.

I tried to explain, but my son had already left without looking back.

In the end, a kind maid sent me to the hospital.

When I woke up, all I saw was the doctor's regretful face.

"I'm sorry. You were brought in too late. We couldn't save the child.

"Please don't be too sad. You can have another child in the future."

My hand rested on my flat abdomen.

Somehow, there wasn't much grief left.

There would be no future child.

And there would be nothing left between Leonard and me either.