Chapter 2

The exquisite feather brooch rested quietly in Jack's palm.

The man on the couch trembled, and his eyes instantly turned red.

"This... This brooch! I had a craftsman custom-make it as a birthday gift for my sister years ago!"

In the living room, the man, who was as cold as ice up to that point, had tears in his eyes like a child.

My fingernails dug deep into my palms, and my mind went blank.

That feather brooch's design was a doodle I made when I was five and was the only old possession I had.

Before Steve went on his overseas trip, I personally gave it to him, hoping it would be his good-luck charm.

Now, it had become the evidence Alice used to impersonate me.

I gritted my teeth and abruptly pushed the door open, ready to rush out.

But suddenly, the child's voice yelled sharply in my mind, "Mom, behind you!"

I turned around in a panic, but before I could see clearly, a sharp pain shot through the back of my neck, and I lost consciousness.

When I woke up again, I found my hands and feet bound, and my mouth stuffed with a rag that reeked of engine oil.

"Steve, didn't I tell you not to hurt Wendy?! She's pregnant!"

It was Alice's voice, tinged with displeasure.

"It's her fault for peeking through the door crack. What if Lucas saw her?"

I could tell from the voice of Steve – no, it should be Jack now – that he was suppressing his anger.

"Enough. Keep an eye on her for the next few days. We'll deal with her once everything settles down. Lucas Shaw is obsessed with the brooch. We can't afford to make any mistakes..."

His voice faded further and further away.

My head was splitting. I struggled to sit up, and just as I was about to call for help, I fainted again.

I had no idea how long I was out for. I was woken up by the sound of an argument from the next room.

"...When did you get a vasectomy? Why didn't you tell me? Are we not going to have any children? Shouldn't you be even happier with me?"

From next door, Steve's deep, cold voice drifted over, "Alice, having you is enough for me. I don't want any trace of her left in our lives. As for the babies, I'll find a way to get rid of them. You just need to be Miss Shaw."

It turned out he had everything planned out.

Not only did he want Alice to steal my identity, he also regarded our babies as mere trash!

I felt cold, like I'd fallen into an ice cellar. I recalled the child's words earlier.

One of my children would get his legs broken, the other would starve to death.

The thought of that made my blood rush to my head!

I gritted my teeth, protected my belly, and with all my strength, slammed my wrist hard against the sharp corner of the bedside table.

Bang! Crack!

The excruciating pain of dislocated bone shot through me.

I convulsed with pain, and my vision blurred repeatedly.

I bit down hard, not letting out a single sound. Enduring the intense pain, I freed my hands from the ropes.

Without a moment's rest, I immediately untied the ropes on my feet and pulled out the rag from my mouth.

I rushed out of the room and stumbled out of the apartment.

The streets were deserted at night, and I desperately ran toward the city center.

I had no idea how long I ran. After a while, a black Bentley suddenly pulled up beside me.

The car window rolled down, revealing a cold yet familiar face.

Tears welled up in my eyes, and the tip of my nose tingled.

With my last ounce of strength, I called out, "Big brother..."

"Big brother? Miss, I think you're mistaking me for someone else. Are you alright? Would you like me to take you to the hospital?"

The man got out of the car and quickly walked over to support me.

I stared at him. That face, which bore a slight resemblance to mine, filled me with a strong sense of familiarity and warmth.

"How does Mommy know he's her brother?! Did Mommy also get reborn? I need to tell Mommy that Uncle Lucas is going to take that fake woman back to the Shaw family mansion tonight! After today, she'll never get to reunite with her family again!"