05

Haley grinned bitterly. With her nails digging into her palms, her speech was hardly audible. "All right. Whatever you say.

One thought crystallized in her thoughts with a terrifying clarity. Just few days.

Few days. That's all that remains.

You want the house? The man? The business? It'll be all yours soon Lydia’ Haley thought.

*****

Haley was really cold when she got back home and to her room.

She was unable to stand properly. She used all of her remaining strength to open a drawer that had been closed for years.

Memories poured forth when it opened.

A teddybear in the shape of a heart from their first beach excursion.

A faded postcard from their vacation to England.

For their last Christmas travel, Kieran gave her a silver necklace with trepidation.

Additionally, a bundle of Kieran’s love letters was beautifully tied with ribbon.

Every piece had been meticulously preserved and treasured by her.

They felt hollow and ridiculous now, like props in a badly crafted lie, after what she had witnessed.

False.

The three years had all been a lie.

None of it was worth keeping.

Haley swept everything into the trash without saying anything.

Her temples throbbed as if they might burst open, and her vision whirled wildly.

After a time, she got dressed and fell onto the bed.

The door forcefully banged open the following second.

Wearing a pink tulle dress, Riley ran to the bedside and grabbed Haley’s arm, giving it a vigorous shake. "Auntie Haley, get up and play horse with me, just like before!" she exclaimed. "I want to be a knight."

Excitement flushed her face.

Haley was abruptly reminded of their first night a few months prior.

She had been engrossed in the fantasy of belonging to a family. Without hesitation, she would drop to her hands and knees on the carpet and allow Riley to clamber onto her back as if she were her own daughter.

Riley would chuckled with delight. Now remembered, Riley’s laughing sounded intolerably piercing. Haley had been unaware, even cooperative.

She felt sick to her stomach at the idea that she had ever seriously thought taking Riley as her goddaughter.

Haley forced herself to stand and gave her a steady gaze.

"Riley," she muttered, "have I been good to you?"

"Yes!" Riley gave a forceful nod. "You're the best! I wish you could be my real mommy!" she said happily.

"But you already have a mommy," Haley replied cautiously as she stumbled to her feet and seemed to be perplexed. "Why would you want me to be your mom?"

"Because I don't want you and Daddy to have a baby," Riley said naively, tilting her head. “Daddy will only adore me if you don't."

Abruptly, she gave Haley a strong neck embrace. "Please adopt me. I'll be good. I'll earn a lot of money and look after you when you're old and I’m grown up."

No three-year-old could have thought up such words on their own. She had been instructed by someone.

Haley’s blood became icy.

She shoved Riley away as a stinging sensation of bodily disgust swept through her.

Stunned, she collapsed backward into the carpet.

The moment Missy realized something wasn't right, she sprang onto the bed. Whimpering, the small Pomeranian nestled her warm body into Haley’s side.

Haley repeatedly caressed Missy until the constriction in her chest subsided, burying her hands in her fur.

"I have Missy," Haley whispered softly, shaking her head as she gazed down at Riley, who was sitting still on the floor. She had a disconnected, soulless expression. "I think that's plenty. Adopting a child is not something that interests me. I apologize, Riley.”

Riley stood there in shock for a short while.

She then let out an ear-splitting howl that reverberated throughout the room as her face crumpled.

Abruptly, she threw herself at Haley, slamming with startling power into her stomach. She clamped her jaws down on Haley’s arm and gave her a violent bite before she could recover.

Haley’s entire body trembled as she gasped. Sweat trickled down her face and dripped on her forehead.

The door banged against the wall, partially open.

With a terrified expression on his face, Kieran stormed into the room. "What's going on? Why is Riley sobbing on the ground?

"Daddy!" Riley exclaimed, rushing directly to Kieran without even looking at Haley. Clinging to him like a lifeline, she cried. With a shaking finger, she gestured to Haley. "Auntie no longer wants me! She shoved me after saying that I couldn't be her daughter. I fell really hard. Ouch I’ve hurt my left hand.”

Riley was raised into Kieran’s arms. "Is that what happened?" he asked, his eyes icy and piercing as he turned to face Haley.

Haley leaned feeble against the headboard and met his gaze with reddening eyes.

Kieran seems to come to a realization. "I'll take her out first," he murmured, softening his tone a little without letting go of Riley. "Don’t worry . I'll stay with you when I return."

With the sobbing youngster in his arms, he turned and walked away.

Dead quiet descended upon the room.

With her limbs losing power, Haley slumped back into the cushion. Then it dawned on her.

The lightheadedness intensified, surging through her in powerful surges. When had her anemia begun? It was almost two years ago. immediately following Lydia’s return from her maternity leave with Riley.

She had been fainting frequently at the moment for no apparent reason. Kieran had insisted that she take time off to recuperate because he was so worried. So Haley had agreed and resigned from working at Kieran’s company.

Back then, Haley had been friends with Lydia. Good pals. She personally recommended Lydia to Kieran, taught Lydia ensuring she understood everything, and made sure she could fully meet Kieran’s needs as vice president.

She had never questioned it. Never once.

However, something didn't add up now.

"Jude," she whispered said after taking her phone and calling Jude, "the hospital still has samples from my previous tests. Send them for a more in-depth examination.”

"I get it. Ma’am.” Jude responded.