LOGINThe moment Gideon opened his mouth, Lucille felt her heart drop straight into hell. "Gwen, stop trying to stir things up. Lucy is baby Connor's aunt. We're all family. If she can help, she should. There's extra milk anyway."'Baby Connor. He said the name with such easy intimacy, as if the boy were his own son. Yet his own daughter is already a month old, and he has not even thought to give her a name,' Lucille thought.She lowered her gaze to the IV taped to the back of her hand and let out a cold, quiet laugh. "I would feed it to a stray cat before I fed it to your Connor. Keep dreaming."A chill settled over Gideon's expression, but he forced himself to remain patient and took a seat.He set down the chicken soup he had brought, opened the thermos, ladled out a bowl, and held it in front of her. "I know you're angry, but I don't have much choice. Otto calls every day and tells me to look after Rayne and Connor. I'm honoring a friend's request."He lifted a spoon to her lips, hi
Gideon was just about to snap at Gwen."Gwen—" He broke off mid-sentence.His gaze shifted. He saw Lucille walking toward them and noticed the strip of tape over the IV mark on the back of her hand. His lips parted, as if he meant to speak.Before he could, Rayne suddenly cried out, "Giddy, I think a shard got stuck in my leg. It hurts so bad."She lifted her skirt. A piece of glass no bigger than a bean was embedded in her pale calf, blood already seeping around it.Gideon's eyes sharpened. He tore his gaze away from Lucille without hesitation and crouched to examine the wound."It’s in deep. That needs to come out immediately. You’ll probably need a tetanus shot, too." He grabbed Rayne's wheelchair and pushed it toward the ER without a second thought.The nannies gathered the baby and followed close behind.Lucille tugged at the corner of her mouth in a silent, mocking smile, her face etched with ridicule. By then, she felt numb, as if she had lost the ability to feel anythin
"Stop acting on impulse. Think it through before you bring up divorce again. I'm giving you three days." Gideon's expression stayed cold as he turned and slammed the door behind him.The crash jolted their sleeping daughter awake, and a sharp, frantic wail filled the room.From the moment he walked in to the moment he left, he never once looked at his daughter. He seemed to forget there was even a baby in the apartment.Lucille bit down hard on her lower lip. The hatred in her eyes deepened, and the pain inside her churned like a storm-tossed sea.That night, she barely slept. In the latter half, she woke twice more to nurse the baby.By morning, dark circles shadowed her eyes, and every inch of her body ached. She forced herself out of bed, but the room spun without warning. The next moment, she collapsed."Lucy!" Gwen had just pushed the door open. The sight drained the color from her face as she lunged forward to catch her. "Oh my God, why do you look this bad? Nancy said Gide
Gideon sat amid the wreckage of his living room and lit a cigarette. "Grace, haven't I treated my wife well enough? Did she really have to lose her temper like this?"Grace continued sweeping as she tried to soothe him. "You've treated her well, Mr. Prescott. In five years of marriage, I've never seen either of you raise your voices. But women often go through emotional swings after giving birth. Postpartum depression is common. More than anything, she needs her husband to be there for her."Gideon frowned. "You're saying this is postpartum depression? Other women have children and don't change this much. They stay gentle and considerate."Grace paused. "Other women?"He realized he had misspoken and averted his gaze. "I mean, my cousin gave birth recently too, but her temperament hasn't changed at all. She's still mild and never acts this unreasonably."A thoughtful look crossed Grace's face. "Well. I imagine she has her husband's full attention. Unlike Ma'am, who has carried eve
Gwen did not mention that Gideon had not replied to her messages. She did not want to upset Lucille any further.By the time Lucille was discharged, Gideon still had not shown up.After leaving the hospital, the four of them—Lucille, Gwen, Lily, and Nancy—moved into Evercrown Residences, a fully furnished apartment Lucille had purchased six months earlier.Gwen lived directly across the hall. They had made that promise back at university, and when the unit opposite Gwen's became available, Lucille bought it without hesitation.The apartment had all the necessary furniture and appliances, but it still felt slightly empty.Gwen quickly brought over bedding, a kettle, and other daily necessities from her own place. Lucille made a list, sent Nancy to the supermarket, and arranged for movers to bring over all the baby items they had prepared for Lily at Blossom Court.…By the time they finished settling in, it was fully dark. That was when Gideon finally called.Lucille saw the nam
After the examination, Lucille remained asleep.The doctor stood in the hospital room and explained her condition to Gwen. "The patient's body is severely depleted after childbirth. She has already suffered a major hemorrhage and undergone emergency treatment, so she is highly prone to hypoglycemia and fainting. Make sure she receives adequate nutrition, and do not expose her to intense emotional stress."Nancy sighed from the side. "Ma’am never truly recovered after the baby came. In the first half of the month, her breasts were so swollen and painful that she barely dared to eat. In the second half, the baby kept waking up at night crying from an upset stomach, and Ma'am insisted on nursing her herself."She hasn't had a single full night of sleep. During the day, she was still working. Her body never had the chance to recover."Gwen nearly lost her temper. She called Gideon again and again, but he never answered. In the end, she snapped a photo of Lucille lying in the hospital bed a







