Zayden glanced at his gold watch and then smiled at Pierre. "Sorry, we bought tickets for the movie that starts in half an hour. Next time, let's play golf together and catch up!""Sure." Pierre nodded as he waved them off."Help yourselves to anything, it's on me." Zayden smiled at Calla, then wrapped his arm around Peggy's waist and left.Pierre chuckled as he watched them walk away. "That idiot's standards have sunk to a new low!"Calla frowned and asked, "Who is he?""My childhood friend. He studied abroad in Morvenia and comes from a wealthy family. They own many hotels and restaurants in Riverford. Your enemy has hit the jackpot this time." Pierre couldn't help but laugh at the thought."Well, she's got skills," Calla muttered, feeling a wave of dizziness wash over her."What's wrong?" Noticing Calla was unsteady on her feet, Pierre rushed to her side and supported her."It's nothing..." Calla had barely managed to assure Pierre before her eyes rolled back, and she collap
Calla gave Pierre a curt "no".Pierre hesitated after receiving that firm refusal, his words catching in his throat. "Will that man be responsible for this baby?" he managed to ask.The words brought tears to Calla's eyes, and she replied, "He has plenty of money, but he won't marry me."Pierre's eyebrows knitted together, his right hand instinctively balling into a fist. Noticing his expression, Calla told him, "This is my problem, you don't need to worry about it.""Correct me if I'm wrong, but is this child Mercer's?" Pierre's face was now very grim.Calla chose to remain silent, neither confirming nor denying it.Seeing this, Pierre knew he had guessed correctly. He suddenly stood up and paced back and forth in the hospital room. Then, he suddenly turned to Calla. "I'm going to find Mercer. He must marry you!"With that, he turned to leave.As soon as Calla realized what was happening, she forgot about her dizziness and jumped out of bed. She seized Pierre's arm as she ye
Pierre looked at Calla with a helpless expression. "I was afraid that if I moved, it would interrupt your crying," he said.Hearing this, Calla burst into laughter while wiping her tears. "Get out of here!" Calla playfully pushed Pierre."I'm relieved to see you smile." Pierre then stood up and stretched his waist and legs. "My legs were so numb just now!"Watching Pierre try his best to cheer her up, Calla's heart ached with sorrow. If she had met Pierre first, would she have fallen in love with him? Alas, the world offered no room for "what if". If it did, then worries would cease to exist.Afterward, Calla stayed in the hospital for several more days. Pierre hired a caregiver to take care of her when he wasn't around. One day, Calla was lying on the hospital bed in her patient gown as usual. Pierre had just returned from court and was sitting by the bed, peeling an apple for her. "When can I be discharged?" Calla was on the verge of losing her mind, cooped up in that ward.
At this moment, Calla felt a deep sense of unease in her heart. She knew how much Pierre cared about her, yet she was too much of a burden on him. She simply couldn't give him what he wanted.Soon after, Pierre came out of the bathroom with a paper towel wrapped around his finger."Let me see if it's serious," Calla said anxiously."It's just a little cut, nothing to worry about," Pierre replied nonchalantly.Since he was so adamant about her not inspecting the wound, Calla relented. She lowered her head and only spoke after a long pause. "I'm sorry."Hearing this, Pierre chuckled. "Why are you apologizing to me?""I'm sorry to trouble you again." Calla looked up to meet his casual gaze.After a moment of thought, Pierre said, "Calla, I'm only trying to help as a friend. Believe me, I have no other intentions. I only want to help you and the baby. I hope everything goes well with the pregnancy."Calla saw the sincerity in Pierre's eyes. She couldn't deny that he was a good man—
The next morning, Pierre picked Calla up from the hospital.Stepping into Pierre's home, Calla was truly amazed. The 1600-square-foot, three-bedroom apartment was very spacious and located in Riverford's most upscale neighborhood. The modern living room was pleasing to the eyes. The master bedroom was large, while the second was roomy. The third bedroom served as a quiet study that was walled in by books, a space that felt like a reader's sanctuary."So, what do you think? Satisfied?" Pierre asked as he watched Calla tour his home."The home of a renowned lawyer is unlike any other—simple, clean, and filled with a scholarly vibe." Calla turned and remarked with a smile."A housekeeper regularly comes over to clean. I don't have time to tidy up, you see." Pierre placed a cup of hot milk in Calla's hands.Calla looked down at the warm cup, feeling touched that he had thought of such a small detail.Pierre, however, chuckled and said, "My part-time housekeeper is very thoughtful
Pierre left for work early and returned home late every day, which gave Calla a lot more freedom.Fiona, the housekeeper Pierre hired, came by daily to clean and cook delicious meals. Calla was grateful for Pierre's help during her most difficult time.Day by day, Calla noticed a marked improvement in her health.One day, while Fiona was in the kitchen making lunch, Calla started tidying up the living room. She'd been freeloading long enough and thought to do her part of the chores.As soon as Fiona turned around and saw Calla sweeping the floor, she hurried over. Snatching the broom from Calla, she anxiously said, "Ms. Sherman, how can you be doing chores? Please sit down, sit down!"At Fiona's insistence, Calla could only sit on the couch."Fiona, I'm fine. I can still do light chores like sweeping." Calla thought Fiona was getting too worked up over nothing.Wearing a garish floral coat and gripping a broom, Fiona nervously uttered, "That won't do. Mr. Garland gave me strict
After Fiona's endless chatter, Calla returned to her room. Sitting on the soft bed, Calla felt uneasy. She had tried not to impose on Pierre, but she seemed to be causing him more trouble with each passing day. She hadn't expected him to get up so early every day to buy her fresh meat and vegetables. With his busy schedule, he was always leaving early and coming home late. She was sure he wasn't getting enough sleep.But Calla knew that even if she protested, Pierre would just smile it off and continue doing it anyway. Calla understood that she had to be compliant, ensuring she ate and slept on a regular schedule. She figured that only when she was healthy would he feel assured enough to let her leave on her own terms.A hint of bitterness crept into Calla's heart. How different things could have been if Mercer had been as kind and attentive. The three of them could have been a very happy family.Calla shook the thought out of her mind. What nonsense was she thinking? Why was
Hearing the last sentence, Calla couldn't help but smile. Pierre also laughed cheerfully upon seeing the amusement on Calla's face.Then, Calla asked, "What did you plan to tell Zayden, anyway? Were you going to spill all of Peggy's dirty secrets?"Pierre rubbed his nose and replied, "Yes, that's what I was thinking. But when I saw how inseparable they were, all lovey-dovey, I changed my mind.""You're afraid Zayden won't buy it, and that you'll lose him as a friend, huh?" Calla frowned, speculating.Pierre shook his head. "No, I know Zayden well. He can tell right from wrong. Even if he doesn't believe me, he'll still be my friend. Besides, I'd only be telling the truth. If he's still got his wits about him, a simple investigation will clear things up.""Then, why?" Calla asked in puzzlement.Pierre stood up and paced the living room. "I'm worried that if I told him the truth about his girlfriend, he'd be too proud to admit it. So, I'm keeping quiet for now. Let Zayden enjoy h
Seeing Pierre's expression, Calla realized that a few words wouldn't dispel his suspicions. She reached into her bag, unzipped it, and pulled out the knife.Pierre's eyes widened as he noticed the gleaming knife Calla was pulling out of her bag. He furrowed his brows in concern. "What are you—"Calla explained, "Mercer told me that Casper is my son, that he wasn't stillborn as I was told. I didn't believe him at first, but I was afraid he might be telling the truth, so I went to his house to see him."But I was afraid he might have ulterior motives toward me. As a woman, I'm naturally no match for him. In a moment of desperation, I had to grab this knife from the kitchen for protection. If he dared to do anything to me, I wouldn't have hesitated to use it on him."Her expression was intense, reflecting her genuine fear and resolve.Pierre looked deeply at Calla, then gently touched her cheek. He took the knife from her hand and placed it on a nearby table.Calla then rushed into
Suddenly feeling Mercer's hand on her shoulder, Calla instinctively recoiled. She swatted away his hand and shouted, "Don't touch me, Mercer!"The harm he had caused her was too profound. Even though she now understood his desperate reasons, she still felt immense aversion toward him."Fine, I won't touch you." Mercer retracted his hands and left them suspended in the air."Don't think you can use Casper to threaten me, Mercer. I will never be manipulated by you!" Calla shouted at him.Mercer's expression turned pained at her words. He took a step back, and his eyes filled with profound anguish. "Do you really see me as someone who would use my own son as a bargaining chip?""Yes," Calla replied sternly.Mercer's body swayed slightly, then he turned away in dejection. "If that's the case, then you should leave."Seeing his forlorn figure, Calla felt a pang of sadness, but she couldn't bring herself to trust him again. She turned and walked out of the house.She stumbled out of
At this moment, Mercer clenched his fists. Even with his resolute nature, his eyes seemed misty."This is where I feel most sorry toward you and Clover. Clover is my daughter too. Of course, I wanted her to come into this world healthy. But I couldn't let Casper disappear from this world either."His condition worsened so severely at that time. I was afraid he wouldn't make it to your due date, so I had to take drastic measures..." Mercer struck his fist hard against the wall.Seeing the despondent and remorseful Mercer before her, Calla felt a twinge of compassion, but she still couldn't accept all his explanations.Glancing at the reports in front of her, Calla placed her hand on her cheek. She could feel her fingers trembling.Suddenly, she looked up and asked, "You kept searching for me in Greendale to get me pregnant so you could use the baby's umbilical cord blood to save Casper?"From the timeline Mercer had explained, Casper's condition must have been severe by then.Cal
Mercer smiled bitterly. "I knew that you wouldn't believe me, so I prepared a copy of Casper's medical reports. You can take a look." He pulled out several thick envelopes and set them on the coffee table. Calla frowned upon seeing those envelopes which were all an inch thick. She opened one of them and flipped through the documents inside, frowning as she read. The envelope held reports of Casper's hospitalization in both the city and state hospitals, spanning two years, starting from when Casper was a year old. They were records of Casper's illness and his recovery process.Calla couldn't help thinking about his adorable, chubby face, and she felt her heart clench. She wondered how Casper had managed to triumph over his illness after two years. She couldn't even fathom how painful and difficult the process must have been.Suddenly, Calla noticed something in Casper's surgery reports—a note about how a newborn baby's umbilical cord blood was miraculously compatible with Casper.
"My heart is already in pieces because of you. So what if I hit, cursed, or even stabbed you now? What's the point of doing all that? I beg this of you, Mercer, please let me live my life quietly and stop bothering me!"Stop making up all these ridiculous justifications too. I'm tired—exhausted! I don't want to deal with you anymore," Calla sobbed, tears running down her face.She knew that she shouldn't have cried in front of him. It wasn't just a sign of her weakness, it might also fuel his assumption that she still cared for him. However, she couldn't control it. Whenever she thought of the suffering she'd gone through in the past couple of years, tears ran uncontrollably down her face."I want nothing more than for you to let me tell you the truth in its entirety. I want you and Casper to not miss out on the chance to reconnect as mother and son. "I promise that I'll respect your choice once I'm done telling you everything, and I won't bother you again in the future!" Mercer l
Calla's eyes widened as she remembered everything that had happened in the past. She stumbled over her words as she said, "B-But we were going to get married after we were back on good terms with each other, and I'd already met Casper at that point. Why didn't you tell me about him back then?"Mercer looked at Calla meaningfully. "Do you remember when I told you, on the day we were about to get our marriage certificate, that I had a big surprise for you?"Calla thought about it, then nodded. He had indeed said that he'd prepared a big gift for her. Could the gift have been Casper?Facing Calla's doubtful look, Mercer nodded. "Yes. I wanted to tell you after we received our marriage certificates, but I didn't expect something else to happen on that day."Calla sneered. "'Something else' is a nice way of putting it. You didn't go to get the marriage certificates done with me, because you chose to hold a press conference with Sophie instead, announcing your marriage with her."When
Mercer's face fell. He sat on an armchair before asking Calla, "Do you dislike me that much? Are you not even willing to stay by my side for one minute?""I don't dislike you—I hate you. Also, one minute is too long—I can't even bear to stay by your side for one second!" Calla replied without hesitation.As memories—filled with love and resentment alike—flashed in Calla's mind, she felt an intense hatred for Mercer. If not for Casper, she would never have stepped inside this place again, much less take a seat across Mercer to have a conversation.Calla's words hurt Mercer. He sat there for a while with his head lowered before lighting up a cigarette and taking a long drag.Calla couldn't help coughing when the acrid smell of smoke entered her nose. Realizing that he'd made her cough, Mercer quickly stubbed the cigarette in his ashtray. Calla didn't want to waste any more time with him. She asked impatiently, "Why did you have me come here? Who is the woman you had Casper with?"
Calla finished getting ready, slung her bag over her shoulder, and walked over to Clover. She gave her a quick peck on the cheek and then turned to Fiona. "Fiona, I'm going out to meet a friend.""Okay," Fiona replied with a smile, then continued feeding Clover some water.Calla left the apartment and was about to press the elevator button when Pierre emerged from the opposite door."Hey, aren't you supposed to be off work today? Where are you going this early?" Pierre asked, noticing Calla was heading out."Oh, I'm meeting Alicia. She's going back to work tomorrow, so we're hanging out later," Calla replied hastily, avoiding eye contact with Pierre. She had never been good at lying."She's going to be your bridesmaid. It's only right to express our gratitude," Pierre said with a smile, walking into the elevator with Calla."Where are you meeting her? I can give you a ride," Pierre offered."We're meeting at the department store. It's not on your way, so you should get going. I'
Calla was initially certain that Mercer's goal was to use Casper to ruin her marriage with Pierre.But as the night wore on, Calla's doubts grew. She couldn't shake the feeling that maybe—just maybe—Mercer was telling the truth. Perhaps Casper was indeed her child, the one she had given birth to all those years ago.She couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope. What if her child had not died? What if he was still alive and well?As the first light of dawn crept into the room, Calla made a decision. She would go see Mercer, no matter what his motives were. She had to get to the bottom of it.Calla gazed at Clover, who was still fast asleep. She gently stroked her daughter's cheek. "Clover, don't you think it would be wonderful to have an older brother to share your toys and adventures with?Clover's chubby face didn't move. Calla's eyes lingered on her for a moment before she spoke again. "I have to get to the bottom of this no matter what the outcome is. I have to find out if Casp