บททั้งหมดของ Second Life, Second Chance: บทที่ 1 - บทที่ 9

I had barely returned to the room when Damien and Vanessa stepped in together.Vanessa’s eyes locked onto my son the moment she crossed the threshold—wide, gleaming, hungry.“Oh my, what a beautiful child,” she cooed, lips curling into a smile too bright to be real. “So plump, so fair—look at those eyes. He’ll be brilliant, mark my words.”She took one look at the cotton swaddling I’d wrapped him in and gasped.“Cotton? How could you? It’ll chafe his skin.”Before I could speak, she unrolled a bundle of silk garments—rich, new, stitched with delicate thread.Then she leaned forward, arms outstretched, eager to take him from me.I pulled him closer.“He’s my son. I know how to care for him.”She was never going to take him. Her smile tightened as a flicker of irritation passed over her face—then vanished, replaced by something smoother, sharper.“You’re right,” she said, voice honeyed. “You’re well-educated. Of course, you’ll raise him well. He’ll make something of himse

I took the envelope calmly and tossed it into the fire.“My superior has tried more than once to have me transferred, but I have Kenneth now. How could I leave?“It’s just a notice. I’ve already rejected the offer.”I knew exactly what Damien liked to hear. The notice, useless now, burned with ease.He believed it immediately, his expression relaxing.“That’s good. A married woman should stay home and care for her child. With your skills, you can teach Kenneth well.“He’s nearly a month old, so I plan to celebrate with a small party. After all, he is the heir of the family.”I was rather delighted, so I smiled and agreed. The more lively it was, the better.Time passed swiftly. On the day of the celebration, Damien had pulled out all the stops.He booked the entire restaurant, invited many higher-ups and colleagues, and, of course, family and friends.He grinned from ear to ear, impeccably dressed as he welcomed the guests.Vanessa stood beside him in a stylish dress,

On one side, Vanessa screamed and raged like a lunatic; on the other, his superior demanded an explanation.Damien’s face went pale, cold sweat beading his forehead.He glanced around frantically until he spotted me holding Kenneth at the edge of the crowd.He immediately pointed at me and shouted, “I don’t know anything! It’s Tanya—this is all her idea!“She told me the baby had drowned. Poor Vanessa took pity on Tanya, so she let Tanya raise her son.“I never imagined that Tanya had swapped the children in advance, thus killing my nephew! We were all in the dark, tricked by her completely!”In a few sentences, he cleared himself and pinned the blame squarely on me.Some onlookers did not seem convinced and asked each other, “Is that true?”Damien answered firmly, “Yes! That’s exactly how it happened. How could I harm my own son? It’s all a misunderstanding!“Tanya is not in her right mind. You can’t trust what she says!”I watched him, my lips curling into a cold smile.“S

“If you don’t believe me, you can go to my place,” I said. “Their marriage certificate is in Vanessa’s room; a simple check will prove it.”In truth, there was no need for verification. Vanessa had practically revealed everything herself. She grabbed Damien’s arm and shook it desperately.“Damien, you call yourself a man?! How can you let them treat me like this?”Worn out by her constant pestering, Damien’s face finally showed a trace of impatience.“Enough. Is this really the time for that?”He felt overwhelmed, too weary even to placate Vanessa.His gaze turned to me, softening in a way I had never seen.“The past was truly a misunderstanding, Tanya. I didn't think things through properly, and I ended up hurting you.“I promise to treat you right from now on. Can you give me a chance to make amends?”I remained unmoved, my tone distant. “There’s nothing left to discuss. Step aside.”Damien tried to reach for my hand. “Don’t forget, we have a son together. How do