Chapter 2

My mother, Willow Monet, paid me a visit on the fifth day. When she pushed open the door to my ward, I was leaning against the headboard, staring out the window.

The moment she laid eyes on me, her eyes misted over. "Why'd you lose so much weight?"

I flashed her a smile and reassured her I was fine; everyone went through the same thing after giving birth.

Mom didn't believe me. She threw off my covers to look at my incision, only to discover the gauze was completely soaked through with blood. In the blink of an eye, her tears spilled over, and she scrambled out the door to find a nurse.

I was helped into the examination room to be restitched. The moment the antiseptic touched my split-open skin and flesh, the pain made me inhale sharply, but I didn't make a sound.

Mom stood beside me, her hands shaking uncontrollably. "Has Craig been mistreating you?"

I didn't want her to worry. "No, Mom. He's sick, so he has his hands full."

Mom parted her lips, as if she wanted to tell me something, but she ultimately swallowed her words. "Your uncle will be arriving today. If you've been mistreated, tell him. He'll stand up for you."

I froze for a moment. My uncle, Winston Monet, was the CEO of Solas Group. In Hauston, if he so much as stomped his foot, the entire city would tremble.

Ever since I married into the Sinclair family, Uncle Winston and I hadn't been in contact. Mindful of not wanting to be a burden, I had never once asked him for help. However, this time, I feared I wouldn't be able to hold out on my own.

After Mom left to pick Uncle Winston up, I went to the restroom at the end of the corridor to wash my face. When I returned, the bassinet was empty.

"Where's my baby?" I asked the nurse anxiously.

Without looking up, the nurse responded, "Mr. Sinclair told me he was taking him over to his ward. He also said he wanted Verna to help take care of him."

My mind went blank. I spun on my heel and bolted toward Verna's ward, with Lyle hot on my heels. I had arranged for him to stay close by over the last few days, keeping watch.

The moment I flung the door open, I found Verna propped up against the pillows, her hospital gown partly unbuttoned as she breastfed Avery. Craig sat in the chair beside her, a faint smile playing on his lips.

I rushed over, ripping Avery straight out of Verna's arms. Jolted awake, he started crying at the top of his lungs.

Verna hurriedly covered her chest, tears welling up in her eyes in an instant.

"What do you think you're doing, Althea?" Craig rose to his feet, his expression hardening.

"Uncle Winston's here, and he wants to give the baby a welcome gift. So, I'll be taking him now." Holding Avery tightly, my voice was as cold as ice.

Craig frowned. "What's the rush? Vern's breasts are painfully engorged. Why can't you let our baby ease it for her?"

Ignoring him, I turned to leave.

The very next second, Verna dug her fingers into Avery's little arm, causing him to bawl his eyes out.

I shoved her away. "Did you just pinch my son?"

Verna recoiled, her waterworks turning on like a faucet. "No, I didn't... I only wanted to support him..."

Lyle had seen enough. He rushed forward, positioning himself between us. "Ma'am, the child is just a newborn; you can't—"

Before he could finish, two bodyguards stormed in through the door, tackling Lyle and pinning him to the ground.

Looking down at him with utter disdain, Craig sneered, "How dare a mere caregiver like you poke your nose into your employer's business?"

With that, he slapped Lyle thrice.

The latter's cheek puffed up in no time, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.

"Unhand him!" I tried to yank the bodyguard away, but another one grabbed me by the shoulders, rendering me completely immobile.

"Send him to the police station," Craig ordered. "He's really picked the wrong person's child to mess with."

He pried Avery out of my arms. Avery was still in tears, the red marks on his arm striking against his pale skin.

Craig lowered his head to take a look at him and froze. He turned Avery over, peeled back his clothing to bare his shoulder, and realized he didn't have a birthmark.

"Where is it? Where the hell did the birthmark on his shoulder go?"