Chapter 3

Before Henry left the studio, he printed out the divorce agreement before heading home.

Sure enough, Charlotte had gone to see Gavin again. The whole house felt empty, and she was nowhere to be seen.

The antique ivory fertility carving, which Charlotte had bought, sat quietly in the hall.

The butler, Gideon Thorne, smiled as he approached Henry. "Ms. Davidson is so thoughtful, isn't she? She knows you're looking forward to your recovery, so she got you a gift with such a wonderful meaning. Where would you like it to be placed?"

If it were before, Henry would probably smile in reply. But now, after finding out that Charlotte was hiding the child from him and had intended to keep it that way for who knows how long, he found it deeply ironic.

By some twist of fate, when he checked his phone again, the first post that popped up on social media was a photo of Gavin and Charlotte celebrating Gavin's birthday.

Charlotte had been keeping a straight face ever since she became an entrepreneur, but when she was around Gavin, she would make faces and reveal her childish side.

The two were even holding their child in their arms. The baby looked just like a mini version of Charlotte, and that fact alone spoke volumes.

Even the cake was a special edition from a pastry brand owned by Davidson Group.

Gavin said he was enjoying the perks of being "Charlotte Davidson's husband", and he was right.

A former classmate commented on the post, "Ms. Davidson, you and your husband look so happy together. What a wonderful family!"

Then, the former classmate quickly deleted the comment, probably because he realized he had gotten the wrong person.

Henry had watched it play out in real time. He gripped the divorce agreement so hard that he made creases in it. He felt like someone was stabbing a knife into his heart and twisting it.

Henry liked documenting his life after marriage. He would post photos he took with Charlotte on special days, and he had always received comments wishing them well. Later on, Charlotte said it would affect her image, so she told him to stop posting.

But in Gavin's case, she didn't seem to mind it much.

Henry was still staring at the screen. Instead of replying to the comments one by one, Gavin posted, "Thank you for the wishes. I've read every one of them. It's getting late, so we're going to bed now."

Henry knew then that he didn't have to get the hangover cure Charlotte had requested. After all, she wouldn't be coming home tonight.

Henry tossed and turned for a long while before he could fall asleep, but the next day, he was woken up by Charlotte dragging him out of bed.

She was surprisingly strong, and she sounded furious as she demanded an explanation.

Henry winced in pain and took a sharp breath.

Charlotte asked, "Henry, were you the one who spread the photos and news of my child? Do you know how many competitors I have in the industry? If you do that, he might get kidnapped! His life is in danger! If you're upset, just come at me. Why do you have to get a child involved?"

Henry couldn't wrap his head around what was happening. He didn't say a word and remained silent.

He had poured a glass of water the night before, and now Charlotte furiously splashed the remaining half right into his face.

As the cold water trickled down his body, he couldn't help but shiver. Still, it did bring him fully to his senses. "I never did that…"

Henry remembered that Charlotte never acknowledged what Gavin said at the college reunion. He only got a glimpse of the child on social media, so he couldn't possibly have been the one to spread information about the child.

But Charlotte was thoroughly convinced. "Gavin told me that only you would harbor such malice toward his child. You're trying to get revenge on him! How could anyone else do such a thing?"

Charlotte had always been a calm person. When it came to things she didn't want to admit, she would never let anything slip that might reveal any flaws.

For Gavin's sake, she lost her composure and acknowledged the child's existence without realizing it. She had never been this impulsive before.

Breaking free from her grasp, Henry let out a bitter laugh. His tone was as indifferent as it had always been. "So you're saying that the child in the photo last night was related to you?"

Charlotte was stunned for a moment.

She hadn't intended to tell Henry the truth, but now that her concerns had clouded her judgment, she realized that there was no other way to go about it.

Softening her tone, she said in resignation, "On the day I was supposed to abort the child, Gavin bribed the doctor and kept it a secret from me. By the time I realized I was still pregnant, it was already too late.

"Henry, the child cannot live in a place with low security. I'll bring him home, and we'll pretend he's your son. We'll raise him together. From now on, he will be our son. You don't have to get fertility treatment at the hospital anymore."

Henry felt cold.

He recalled how he had swallowed his pride to undergo fertility treatment, cooperating every step of the way, all just to have a child of his own.

But a single sentence from Charlotte would invalidate all his hard work, and all his efforts would have been in vain.

He wanted to retort, but when he remembered that he would be leaving soon, he decided not to say a word.

A while later, he wiped away the water on his face and said calmly, "Sure, but as compensation, I want you to sign this contract."

The divorce agreement had gotten all wrinkled now. Hiding the keywords, he handed Charlotte the document, his hand trembling a little from nervousness.

Charlotte took the pen and signed the document without so much as a glance at it. Then, she hugged him. "Just buy whatever you want. Henry, I'm so sorry for making you do this."

Her embrace was filled with the scent of the cologne Gavin always used. Henry hated it.

Henry closed his eyes and forced himself not to think about it. After all, he would be leaving soon.