Chapter 2

"Victoria, don't worry about it. Marmalade must've been startled." Ethan reacted instantly.

He handed the baby to the nanny before striding to Victoria's bedside, deliberately blocking her view.

"You just gave birth. You're exhausted, and the last thing you need is more stress. I'll have Martha wheel this medical waste out, then call a vet to check on Marmalade." His words sounded perfectly reasonable, his face the picture of a loving husband.

Cassandra immediately chimed in, walking toward the cart, "That's right, Victoria. The delivery room still smells like blood. It's not good for you or the baby. I'll throw this bag away so Marmalade stops obsessing over it."

She reached for the black garbage bag.

The moment I saw her hand stretching toward it, fury exploded inside me.

[You conniving little snake! You've been freeloading off the Sterling family under the guise of being Victoria's best friend for years!]

[Now you're trying to steal the Sterling family's baby too?]

[Touch her if you dare!]

I sprang forward with all my force.

Just as Cassandra's fingers brushed the bag, I shot through the air and swiped my claws straight across her collar.

"Ahhh!" Cassandra screamed.

My razor-sharp claws shredded the silk scarf wrapped around her neck. As the scarf fluttered to the floor, an exquisite sapphire pendant hanging from a delicate chain swung into view.

Victoria's eyes widened.

The sapphire was flawless, catching the light with breathtaking clarity.

But what caught her eye wasn't its quality. It was the tiny chip along the edge.

Three years ago, she'd spent nearly three million dollars at auction to buy that pendant as Ethan's 30th birthday present. He'd accidentally nicked it not long after receiving it and had been upset for days.

Victoria had comforted him, telling him the tiny crack would bring good luck instead.

So why was that one-of-a-kind pendant hanging around Cassandra's neck now?

Silence swallowed the delivery room.

Victoria's breathing became uneven as she stared at the pendant resting against Cassandra's chest.

"Cassandra." Her voice was icy. "Where did you get that pendant?"

Cassandra's face drained of color. She hurriedly covered it with one hand. "I... I bought a replica… Victoria, don't get the wrong idea. I just thought it was pretty..."

Cold sweat beaded across Ethan's forehead. He spun around and pulled Cassandra behind him, shielding her completely.

"Victoria, are you seriously questioning me?" Pain filled his face, his voice trembling with restrained anger. "I've spent the last three years dedicating myself to this family. I've worked myself to the bone and devoted everything to you.

"You've barely given birth to our daughter, and now you're doubting me over a cat that's lost its mind... and a necklace that merely looks similar?"

His eyes reddened. The performance was flawless.

"Cassandra is your best friend. She's been running herself ragged taking care of you, and this is how you repay her? Are you suffering from postpartum depression? Are you imagining things?"

Victoria's lips trembled. Looking at Ethan's wounded expression, doubt crept into her heart. He'd always treated her so well. So well that she'd never once found fault with him.

Just as her resolve began to waver, the imposter baby's voice echoed through my mind again.

[Daddy's amazing! A few words and he fooled this idiot all over again!]

[Hurry up and get rid of that garbage bag! As long as that little witch dies, I'll be the Sterling family's only heiress!]

My whole body shook with rage.

These two backstabbing snakes were treating Victoria like a complete fool.

I charged at the garbage bag again, clamping my teeth onto one corner and dragging it across the floor with all my strength.

[Victoria! Don't believe him! Look at the bag! Look at the bag!]

The bag scraped noisily across the tiles.

Then, through the tear I'd made, the faintest cry finally escaped.

"Waahh… Waahh..."

It was barely audible, yet in the deathly silent delivery room, everyone heard it.

Victoria's body went rigid. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the black garbage bag.

There was a baby inside.