Chapter 2

I was just about to walk away when a loud thud echoed through the house, pulling my attention back instantly.

Dad suddenly put down his cutlery and said, "You should just divorce Whitney and settle down with Felicity, Henry."

I stopped in my tracks and looked at Henry, who was still eating with his head lowered. His movement faltered for a moment, but his expression remained completely impassive.

Upon noticing Henry's hesitation, Mom chimed in, saying, "Joseph's got a point. Whitney has never been able to conceive, and Lillian is getting older. It makes no sense to keep her at the orphanage any longer, Henry.

"I understand your hesitation, but Whitney has always been very understanding. Joseph and I will come up with an excuse to help you out when the time comes."

Henry's expression grew increasingly impatient, causing Felicity's expression to shift instantly. "That's enough, Mom and Dad. You guys shouldn't make things difficult for Henry. I'm already grateful enough that he has allowed me to keep Lillian."

Upon hearing her tearful voice, Henry's expression softened slightly. "I'm not planning on divorcing Whitney right now. Lillian was an unexpected surprise, and I'm the one to blame, so I have no right to just walk away from her. You can rest assured that I'll take care of Felicity and Lillian."

At those words, everyone's expressions soured, but they managed to put on forced smiles and said, "You're right. Whitney is truly blessed to have landed such a good husband like you, Henry."

Having lost his appetite, Henry was about to get up from his seat when he suddenly spotted me by the doorway. His face blanched as he frantically rushed over, asking, "How long have you been here, Whitney? Why didn't you say anything when you came in?"

It was then that everyone stood up and rushed out.

I noticed the flicker of hostility in Felicity's gaze as she said, "You sure picked the wrong moment to come home. You see, you came back just as dinner was nearly over. I could still heat up some leftovers for you if you'd like, Whitney."

I could tell from her biting remark that her patience had finally run out. I leveled a cold gaze at her and said softly, "That won't be necessary."

Having said that, I simply walked past Henry and approached the dining table.

Henry paused, staring at his empty hand in surprise. He then hurried to my side and tenderly touched my damp hair, whispering, "You're not a child anymore, Whitney. How could you go out without an umbrella? I'd be so worried if you caught a cold."

Henry was so close that I could smell Felicity's perfume on him again.

It was a rather familiar scent. Only a few days had passed since Henry had nuzzled into my neck and whispered, "You smell so lovely. What perfume is this, Whitney?"

Then, the following day, Felicity was wearing the same perfume.

I pushed him away right after that thought struck me, my brow furrowing tightly. "You don't have to concern yourself with me."

Henry stared at me in disbelief. I had never once shown him such treatment; indifference was rare, let alone outright dismissal. His expression then hardened as he asked, "What is this all about, Whitney?"

"What is this all about, huh?" I asked with a sneer before turning to face Lillian, who was glaring at me from the dining table.

Henry's expression stiffened as he followed my line of sight. He then quickly explained, "It's Christmas soon. I was thinking of bringing Lillian home to celebrate with us. You've always doted on her the most, haven't you?"

I did dote on her and treated her like my own daughter, even though she was never kind to me. I once flew to another country just to get her a limited-edition doll, only for her to throw it in the trash can right in front of my face.

There were other children at the orphanage who referred to their benefactor as "Mom," yet Lillian would only refer to me as "that woman."

I had continued my sponsorship merely because her features reminded me so much of Henry. I recalled the day when we were looking for a child to sponsor, I pointed at Lillian's photo and teased Henry, "You know, someone would actually think she's your daughter, with how much she looks like you."

Henry averted his gaze then, a flicker of discomfort passing over his features.

In hindsight, I was nothing more than a clown, manipulated by them at every turn.

I stared at Lillian, whose eyes were filled with nothing but hatred, and found the whole situation rather ridiculous—almost comical.

It seemed like my stare had terrified her, as Lillian immediately burst out crying.

Felicity immediately shoved me aside, pulled Lillian into her embrace, and murmured, "It's alright, Lillian. Mommy's right here."

Upon hearing the word "Mommy," everyone present fell silent immediately.

"Mommy?"