Love, No More

It took them exactly 20 minutes from start to finish. They must have practiced extensively to achieve such precise timing.

As Regina got dressed, Jared reached out and pulled her into his arms.

Flirtatiously, she wrapped her arms around his neck. "Miss me already, Mr. Hampton?"

Unfazed, he picked up a lacy piece of underwear and tossed it at her face. "Stop leaving things around. You're taking too long—Vanessa will be back soon."

Regina's smile froze. She harrumphed. "Yeah, yeah. How could I possibly compare to Ms. Geis, hmm?

"Isn't it sad? How my unborn child will always be someone lesser…"

Jared smiled at the mention of her child. "You're pregnant?!"

He kissed her cheek, lifted her into the air, and twirled her in delight.

Then, as if struck by a sudden thought, he cautiously set her down on a chair and caressed her stomach.

Regina smiled and leaned into the nervous man. "It's been two years. Don't you think something would've taken by now?"

'Two years, huh…'

Two years ago, there was the car accident that damaged my eyes. When I opened them again, my vision was never the same.

All I could see were blurry shapes.

Jared wrapped his arms around her with a smile, his gaze fixed on her stomach.

"Vanessa is my wife. She's blind, so I still have to be tactful. But you are my beloved. Why would you be someone lesser?"

Regina pouted and punched him softly. "Hmph. You're just saying that to make me happy.

"If I'm not anyone lesser, then my son will still be your illegitimate child!"

Unable to refute her, Jared hesitated before replying, "I won't let that happen. He will be respected.

"Once he's born, I'll have Vanessa adopt him. Then, the three of us can live happily ever after. He'll inherit my business. He'll be my son."

Regina smiled, but I shuddered with disgust.

I trusted this man with my life, yet he had done nothing but scheme against me and betray me.

'Very well, Jared. Very well.'

I waited until the door closed before walking out of the closet, lips pursed.

When Jared turned back after seeing Regina off, he immediately saw me in the living room.

A frantic expression flashed across his face. "V-Vanessa! When did you get back?"

"I didn't go out today."

He looked visibly nervous. "I see… Did you, by any chance, hear anything?"

He waved a hand in front of me. I feigned ignorance, shaking my head calmly. "No. Did something happen?"

His tense features relaxed as he realized my eyes were still unfocused.

He sat beside me and held my hand lovingly. "It's nothing. I had workers come by to fix something earlier, and I was worried they might have disturbed you.

"I love you, Vanessa."

Then, as if nothing had happened, he prepared my medicine and fed me dinner. He blew on every bite to make sure it had cooled before offering it to me.

I watched how meticulous he was and wondered for a moment if I had imagined everything that had happened earlier.

Reality hit me in the face the very next second.

"Vanessa, what do you think about adoption?"

I paled. He quickly tried to comfort me. "It's alright. We don't have to do anything you don't want to!

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up out of the blue… I'm sorry."

But that didn't mean he had changed his mind. After all, Regina's child couldn't stay in her womb forever.

An adoption was non-negotiable.