Chapter 3

That afternoon, Xavier said he needed to go out alone and told me not to follow.

I already knew what he was up to, and I had something urgent to take care of as well. I went to a pharmacy and bought a pregnancy test. My heart pounded so hard I thought it might burst as I recalled the recent changes in my body.

When I saw the two bright red lines, I exhaled in relief. In this game, I still had leverage.

At that moment, my phone rang. "Claire Portman? If you don't pay your debts, there will be consequences. Mr. Wright is in my hands now. If you don't want him to die, come to this address."

I rushed over and saw Xavier's back. He was tied to the railing of an abandoned cargo ship, with his hands cuffed behind him.

One of the abductors grinned maliciously. "I only gave you 20 minutes. You're too late—he's already done for."

Right before me, he cut the ropes, and Xavier plunged into the sea, with his hands still bound. My eyes went wide, and without thinking, I leaped in after him.

The icy water stabbed at me, and the world around me went dim. In the blur, I saw the figure I thought was Xavier wriggle free and swim toward the shore with ease.

I couldn't help but smile inwardly. The stand-in didn't even look like him, but I had leapt anyway, risking my life on a single gamble.

The icy water drained my strength fast, and I started sinking. Just when I thought all was lost, a figure dove in after me. I barely opened my eyes and saw the image seared into my memory—Xavier's panicked face, unlike anything I had ever seen.

When I regained consciousness in the hospital, my body was numb from the cold.

A doctor was scolding Xavier beside me. "Do you realize she's pregnant? You took her somewhere so dangerous. How can you call yourself her boyfriend? Thankfully, the baby is fine, but her body is severely malnourished. If you want this child, you need to care for her more."

Xavier said nothing. He looked at the unconscious me with a complicated expression. "Claire, do you really care for me so much that you would risk your life to save mine?"

I opened my eyes, and for a brief moment, our gazes locked before I looked away. I weakly said, "Doctor, I want to terminate this pregnancy."

Xavier froze. "What?"

I looked down. "This child shouldn't exist. I'll end it. Your eyes were fine long ago, so why lie to me? You no longer need me, so I can leave. If you don't care for me, just say so. I won't cling where I'm not wanted."

"I never meant it that way," Xavier said, studying my pale expression. After a pause, as if making a decision, he said, "Claire, let the child be born. I'll marry you."

"I'm not marrying you," I whispered, looking down. "We don't have the means to raise this child. Why drag him into a life of hardship?"

After a few quiet seconds, my phone buzzed. A message confirmed that five million dollars had been deposited.

Xavier walked over and placed his hand gently on my stomach. "I promise he won't feel a thing."

I listened in disbelief as he revealed everything. No one else knew, but my hands hidden beneath the blanket trembled slightly with excitement. I had won the gamble.

…

I moved into Xavier's villa. The Wright family was far wealthier than I had imagined. Every piece of decor could cost more than a lifetime of my earnings. Under the attentive care of the staff, I gave birth safely a few months later.

Xavier's parents, Peter Wright and Anna Parker, had been hesitant at first, but the moment they saw their plump, adorable grandson smile at them, they softened immediately.

They gave me 100 million dollars as pocket money. From the moment he was born, the child inherited several properties, which I managed on his behalf.

I counted the balance in my bank account and grinned even in my dreams. When the baby reached seven months, I returned to the old house to take care of some matters.

As I stepped out, someone yanked my hair and slapped me hard across the face. "Where do you think you're going? Do you know how long we've been looking for you?"

It was my mother. Her hair was a mess, and her glare was sharp. Behind her, a disheveled Amanda and my father lingered.

Shock and envy flashed in Amanda's eyes as she looked me over. She smiled and hooked her arm through mine. "Claire, did you land yourself a rich boyfriend? How lucky for you!

"I had to deal with a poor, blind man. Thank goodness I dumped him long ago. Now that we're through all that drama, why don't you introduce your future husband?"

She ran her fingers over the designer bag I carried, obviously scheming to take more from me, just like she always did. I felt my face heat up as I looked past them.

Xavier had just pulled up and overheard everything. I smiled faintly. "No need. He's already here."