Chapter 3

"Two million."

There were gasps in the crowd.

I saw Sean's hand gripping the armrest. His knuckles had turned white.

Beside him, Kayla's expression had become extremely horrid.

"Sean, that man–"

Sean ignored her. He turned his head and looked at me.

His gaze was sharp enough to pierce straight through me.

"Do you like it?"

My entire body stiffened.

The two little ones inside me held their breath too.

This was a lose-lose situation.

If I said I liked it, Sean would think I was greedy and that I was working with Steve.

If I said I didn't like it, I would seem fake.

Caleb analyzed the situation quickly. 'Say that you're not worthy of it. Make it sound like you're beneath everyone else.'

I bit my lower lip and gently shook my head.

"It's too valuable." My voice was soft. It carried a hint of humility and fear.

"I-I'm just someone who's here to give you children. I'm not worthy of something this precious."

Sean's expression changed instantly.

The sharp suspicion in his eyes faded. Instead, something complicated appeared.

He lifted his hand and intended to ruffle my hair like he usually did, but I flinched.

His hand froze in midair.

Inside the auction venue, the price had already climbed to three million.

The mysterious bidder was now fighting against another buyer.

Sean's phone suddenly vibrated.

He glanced at it and immediately narrowed his eyes.

He stood up abruptly and grabbed my wrist before dragging me away.

The force was so strong that it almost crushed my bones.

"Sean, what are you doing?" I cried out in pain.

He didn't answer. He only dragged me through the crowd. Under everyone's shocked gaze, he shoved me into the car.

After we returned to the villa, he threw me onto the sofa.

"Talk. What is your relationship with Steve?" He asked through clenched jaws.

The pain brought tears to my eyes. My wrist was already red and swollen.

"I don't know him! I have no idea who he is!"

"You don't know him?" He sneered. He then tossed his phone in front of me.

There was a text message on the screen.

[I'm determined to get the hairpin. I'm also very interested in your woman.]

The sender was Steve.

My mind went blank.

This was a setup within a setup.

'Mommy, don't panic! This is a false accusation!' Lily shouted anxiously.

'He won't believe you.' Caleb's voice was cold. 'He only believes the evidence in front of him.'

Sean leaned forward. His hands pressed against the sofa on either side of me. His shadow completely covered me.

"Anna, didn't I warn you to behave?"

I could feel his breath against my face. It reeked of tobacco and rage.

"I gave you the best life possible, and this is how you repay me?"

"That's not true!" I screamed back through my tears. "I really don't know him! This must be Kayla! She's jealous because I'm carrying your children!"

Feeling desperate, I could only redirect the blame elsewhere.

"Kayla?" Sean looked like he had heard the funniest joke in the world.

"Why does she need to be jealous of you?"

Those words felt like a knife stabbing directly into my heart.

He was right. Who was I to say that?

I was nothing but a surrogate tool for bearing his children, and I could be replaced anytime.

How could I ever compare myself to the woman he truly loved?

A sense of sorrow filled my chest.

Just as I was about to break down crying, Caleb's voice came like a tranquilizer. 'Mommy, don't just cry! Look into his eyes. Use the most innocent expression possible! Cry like you depend on him. Make him feel like he's your only lifeline!'

I immediately looked up. Ignoring the pain in my wrist, I reached out with trembling fingers and grabbed his sleeve like I was holding onto the only piece of driftwood keeping me alive.

I looked at him. Tears welled up in my eyes. My voice turned hoarse. "Sean, I'm not afraid of you. I'm only afraid you'll misunderstand me. I'm afraid you won't want me anymore. You're all I have."

My reaction seemed to surprise Sean.

His rage calmed a little.

'Mommy, don't give up! Keep crying! Make him feel sorry for you!' Lily encouraged me.

I cried even harder. My entire body trembled.

"Sean, I only wanted to give birth to our children," I said through choked sobs.

"If you don't believe me, then let's just get rid of them."

After saying that, I closed my eyes.

I was gambling on how much Sean cared about our two children.

I could feel Sean's breath close to me.

I didn't know how much time had passed. Finally, he straightened up.

"Don't let me find out you're lying," he said before turning around and slamming the door shut.

I let out a sigh of relief, but the fear still lingered.

'Mommy, you were amazing!' Lily cheered inside my belly.

Caleb immediately rained on our parade. 'Don't celebrate just yet. He's only temporarily convinced. The listening device is still there. He'll monitor you twenty-four hours a day.'

I climbed off the sofa, walked into the bathroom, and turned on the faucet.

The loud sound of running water temporarily blocked the recording.

I stared at my pale face in the mirror. My eyes were swollen from crying. For a moment, I couldn't even recognize myself.