Chapter 3

When I returned to the estate, I busied myself packing my suitcases.

That evening, Jason sent me a message.

[I'm sorry, Chloe. Vivian isn't doing well. She doesn't know anyone else here, so I have to stay by her side.]

[Okay.]

After sending that one-word reply, I didn't bother writing another message.

An hour later, I heard the doorbell ring.

It was the therapist Jason had hired for me.

Over the years, Jason and I had tried countless ways to have a child.

Back then, I had genuinely looked forward to starting a family with him.

I gently touched my lower abdomen.

But from now on, this child would belong to me alone.

I told the therapist I was exhausted and sent him away.

Just as I was about to go to bed, I received a video from an unknown number.

I opened it.

Jason was watching a movie with Vivian and Lily. Vivian was holding a bouquet of bright red roses, with a card tucked among the flowers.

It read:

[A family of three, happy forever.]

[So what if you married Jason, Chloe? You can't give him a child, and you'll never earn the werewolves' acceptance. But he and I have an adorable daughter together.]

Werewolves valued bloodlines above all else.

Yet Jason had once told me he loved me and would continue loving me even if I could never have children.

The truth was that he had used the Pack's so-called winter tradition as an excuse, leaving me alone in our empty home every winter.

Meanwhile, he had been enjoying the warmth and happiness of another family without the slightest guilt.

He had deceived me for five whole years.

I once believed Jason and I were destined to be together.

It all started that year in Los Angeles, when we met on the street. I took a bullet for him, and he was slashed three times protecting me.

At the hospital, he watched as the wound on my arm was bandaged, while I looked at his body covered in bandages.

We both laughed.

"Jason, after everything we've been through, I'd say we're destined to be together, don't you think?"

Looking back now, it had simply been another obstacle in my life.

I put the memories away, composed myself, and went to bed.

For the next three days, Jason never came home. Sometimes he blamed work, other times Vivian's recurring illness.

Yet he still sent me messages at regular intervals every day, asking how I was feeling.

That afternoon, I was playing my violin in the courtyard.

Suddenly, I heard applause.

Then Lily came running toward me.

After receiving my previous gift, the little girl had become much friendlier toward me.

"Auntie, can you teach me how to play the violin?"

I politely declined.

"You can ask your mommy to hire a professional violin teacher for you."

Lily scratched her head.

"But Mommy said you're already the violin teacher hired for our family!"

I froze and lifted my eyes to meet Vivian's provocative gaze.

Just then, Jason hurried back and picked Lily up.

"Chloe, don't listen to the nonsense she's saying."

I lowered my head and adjusted my violin without responding.

But the more silent I became, the more nervous Jason seemed.

"Well, considering Vivian's poor health, I've decided to let her and Lily stay here for a while."

As he spoke, Jason placed Lily back into Vivian's arms.

"Lily really likes the violin. She wants you to be her teacher."

His tone wasn't asking for my opinion. He was simply informing me that I had no choice.

For the sake of leaving peacefully, I agreed.

"Sure."

Jason let out a long sigh of relief and wrapped his arm around me.

"I knew you'd understand. You're always so considerate."

I maintained a faint smile and said nothing.

Satisfied, Jason immediately instructed the servants to prepare rooms for Vivian and Lily.

Then Vivian pointed toward one of the bedrooms.

"This room is so beautiful. Why don't we make it Lily's room?"

It was the nursery I'd prepared for my future child.

Not being able to conceive had always been a sore spot for me.

That's why I'd had this room decorated, with Jason personally designing and overseeing the renovations.

"Of course."

Jason agreed without even bothering to discuss it with me.

The mother and daughter smiled happily.

Vivian walked over to me, pretending to be grateful.

"This room was meant for your future baby, wasn't it? Thank you for letting Lily have it."

"That's all right. It's been sitting empty anyway. Lily can have it."

I was leaving soon.

And as for my baby, I'd create a brand-new nursery for us.