Chapter 2

In the past, Simon had been so against having a child with me that he had even come up with the most ridiculous excuses. Yet, he was now willing to break his principles, all for the sake of that bastard child.

When I remained silent, Simon assumed that I was agreeing to his suggestion.

However, I suddenly said, "I can pretend as though this never happened, and we can return to what we were like before."

Surprise and delight crossed Simon's face. He was so excited that he hugged me voluntarily.

"But I have one condition: that baby has to go."

I wasn't so magnanimous that I could accept someone else's child. Besides, with that baby out of our lives, we could just start over.

Unexpectedly, he was particularly stubborn on this matter and insisted that he wanted to keep the child.

"No way! I went through much effort and begging to get that child, so I'm definitely keeping it! I can fulfill any other condition of yours but that."

Simon was truly too much! I was already making the biggest concession I could, yet he absolutely refused to budge on his stance.

Infuriated, I stormed out of the house.

Simon's voice rang out behind me. His words were sharp, and they were an order. "Melanie Lowe, stop right there!"

Nonetheless, I continued forward without a backward glance, leaving him to shout, "If you don't come back here right now, you can forget about coming back ever again!"

For the next few days, I slept at the office. Just in case, I also headed to the finance department to tell them to transfer this month's salary to my bank account.

The finance department employee was rather bewildered. After all, in the past, my salary and bonus had always been transferred directly to Simon's account.

Though Simon didn't lack money, I had always been aware of my role as his wife.

"Er… I have to inform Mr. Sader about this…" The employee had a conflicted expression on her face.

As she reached out to dial the landline phone, I stopped her. "Don't I have the right to decide where my own salary goes?"

The employee nodded. "You do, Ms. Lowe, but Mr. Sader informed us just the day before that your salary was to be transferred directly to him."

Simon was clearly forcing me to behave and accept his terms. He was well aware that I didn't have much money, so he was deliberately using this method to get his way.

At that moment, the hospital called to ask why I still hadn't paid the hospitalization fee for my mother this month.

Since Simon used to be responsible for this, I had no choice but to hurry to the hospital to handle it.

Unfortunately, when swiping my card to pay, I was informed that I didn't have enough balance. The shrill notification had the people nearby glancing over curiously.

Despite trying all the cards I had, none had enough money to pay the bill.

"Swipe this." Simon suddenly appeared at the payment counter like some sort of savior rescuing me from my predicament.

My phone chimed with a notification saying that I had received 100 thousand dollars from Simon.

However, his next words swiftly extinguished the gratitude that had been welling in me.

"You could've just told me that you didn't have money. Why did you have to humiliate yourself at the finance department? Don't forget that you're a general manager. How is it that you still haven't changed all those cheap habits of yours after so many years?"

Disdain dripped from his every word. Although I had come from a poor family, that didn't mean that I had no pride.

Before I could say anything, Simon's phone chimed with a message notification.

A silly grin spread across Simon's face once he had read it. "I have to accompany her to a prenatal checkup in the afternoon. I've already had my secretary clear your schedule, so you have to come with us. After all, you're a first-time mother."

Again with the baby!

Just how deep were his feelings for the baby's mother for him to love the baby that much? It was to the point that he would even disregard me, his wife!

At last, all the emotions that had been accumulating in me burst forth like a broken dam.

I demanded loudly, "Just who is the baby's mother?"

"Is that important?" Simon avoided answering the question. "You just need to treat it like it's biologically yours. As long as you and I remain silent, no one will ever know the truth."

It seemed that he loved the baby's mother so dearly that he wouldn't even allow her to be brought into this conversation, yet he was adamant about me accepting that baby and pretending to be blind and mute.

When I didn't speak, Simon's expression turned frosty, and he warned me, "Don't even think about looking into the baby's mother. Otherwise, I won't guarantee that you'll get the money for your mother's medical bills next month."