Chapter 2

After I hung up, the baby in my belly started celebrating as if it had just won the lottery. "Yes! Dad's coming! We're saved!

"You got totally duped by Lyla before, Mom, but at least your brain decided to work today."

I listened to my unborn child roasting me, completely speechless. However, as I looked down at my still-flat stomach, questions flooded my mind.

If I could hear the baby's thoughts, could it hear mine too?

I placed both hands on my abdomen and tentatively thought, "Baby?"

"M... Mom!" After a moment of shock, the baby responded with pure joy.

"Mom, you can actually hear me! This is amazing! At least dying once wasn't for nothing!"

I froze. Then, suddenly, the baby kicked my belly.

A flood of memory fragments surged into my mind. One memory showed the horrifying abuse I'd endured after leaving the Jackman family with Logan.

In it, I was eight months pregnant, lying in ragged clothes among piles of garbage. Logan, who'd once sworn he'd treat me well, now stood over me. He grabbed my hair and yanked my head up, pressing a knife against my swollen belly.

"I've been generous in letting this bastard live under my nose for six months. Now, it's time for the little bastard to repay me."

In the memory, I begged him, "Please spare my baby. I'm begging you... You can hit me, yell at me, whatever you want. Just please spare the child."

Logan slapped me across the face in response.

"Elara Jackman, you still think you're the Jackman family's precious daughter? What gives you the right to tell me what to do?

"Someone's paying 20 grand for a stillborn. Black market organ trade. 20 thousand dollars! Only an idiot would pass that up!"

For 20 thousand dollars, Logan had sliced open my belly with his knife. He carved out my baby while it was still alive and killed it with a single stab.

I'd bled out shortly after, dying filled with rage and grief. The memory made me want to scream.

The baby told me that after its death, it had somehow returned to my womb and gained consciousness. That was why it could communicate with me now.

Thinking about what would happen if I left with Logan, I clenched my fists until my knuckles turned white. If Lyla and Logan wanted to destroy me, I'd make sure they got exactly what they deserved.

I used the room's intercom to call the villa's security. "I just saw someone lurking around the back gate. Go check it out."

Within minutes, chaos erupted in the living room downstairs. Then, I heard Lyla's voice crying out.

"Ma'am, I swear I'm innocent! I didn't let any strangers in. Logan's not a thief. He's Ms. Elara's friend! If you don't believe me, just ask her!"

"Ask me what?" I descended the stairs and stared coldly at Logan, who was pinned to the ground by security guards.

"I do know him, but when did I invite him here?

"Lyla, I know Logan's your college classmate, but you can't be this irresponsible. Don't forget that you're just a maid in this house."