The bathroom door burst open and a figure in a white bathrobe emerged. His hair was slick with water, droplets dripping to the ground as he stepped out.Pierre first saw Mercer standing in his house, then looked at Calla clinging to the couch. He was momentarily stunned by the unusual sight.At that moment, Pierre stood there in a loosely tied bathrobe, revealing his broad chest. Witnessing this only fueled Mercer's anger.Without warning, Mercer lunged forward and grabbed Pierre by the collar of his robe. "Pierre, you've been hitting on my woman time and time again. What's your game?"Though embarrassed, Pierre remained defiant. "Is Calla your woman? Then what about Sophie? As far as I know, you and Calla have been divorced for a while!"Pierre's words sent Mercer into a fury. He charged at Pierre like a bull, pinning him against the wall and bellowing in anger, "She's carrying my child now!"Pierre froze for a moment. Then, he let out a low, derisive chuckle, his eyes locking o
"I can make Calla my wife right now, provided she says yes. I'll love and care for her child as if it were my own," Pierre stated with absolute certainty."You... you've gotten together?" Mercer spun around, his eyes boring into Calla.She knew she had to make a decision now. She couldn't allow Mercer to hound her any longer, or she would never have peace.After a moment of hesitation, Calla slowly stood up and walked step by step toward Mercer.She looked up at him and answered, "My child needs a father and a stable family life!Enraged by this, Mercer lost all reason. He seized Pierre, his fist recoiling in preparation to strike. But at the last moment, Mercer shoved Pierre away. His fist slammed hard against the wall.A muffled groan echoed, and the wall shuddered at the impact.Calla turned her face away, unable to bear the violence.Pierre was a little shocked, but his eyes remained fixed on Calla.Then, Mercer tilted his head back and laughed. "Wishing you a lifetime of
Calla was consumed by guilt. She couldn't even be angry at Mercer; her pregnancy was unstable enough as it was. If anything happened to the baby, she would regret it for the rest of her life.The doctor's face remained neutral as he hung the stethoscope around his neck. Pierre's eyes were fixed on him. "Doctor, how is she and the baby?"Calla kept her eyes trained on the doctor, giving her full attention to his diagnosis.The doctor adjusted his glasses and replied, "There are signs of miscarriage."Hearing this, Calla sat up in shock and pleaded, "Doctor, please save my baby!""Doctor, is there any way to save the baby?" A somber look settled on Pierre's face.With a grave expression, the doctor said, "She needs to stay calm and remain on bed rest for at least two weeks. I'll prescribe some medication and give her injections to prevent a miscarriage—but I can't guarantee that it will work.""Alright, doctor," Pierre quickly replied.After seeing the doctor off, Pierre returned
Afterward, Pierre went to the nearest hospital to get medicine for Calla.Meanwhile, Calla rested in bed with peace of mind. She stared blankly at the ceiling, willing herself to abandon thoughts of Mercer. She wanted to stay calm for the sake of the baby.Calla remained bedridden for two full weeks. During that time, Fiona never left Pierre's house. She made nutritious meals for Calla every day and watched over her to ensure she took her medicine on time. Pierre was always attentive, bringing fresh fruit home for her daily. He even bought flowers to brighten up her room and lift her spirits.Calla's heart overflowed with gratitude for Pierre, yet she didn't know how to pay him back. She could only cherish this feeling in her heart, hoping for a chance to return the favor someday.After a month or so, Pierre brought Calla to the hospital for a prenatal check-up. Calla held a stack of test reports in her hand as she and Pierre walked out of the hospital, chatting and laughing as
As Calla looked up slightly, she was met with Peggy's gaze. At that moment, Peggy's eyes were filled with a flaunting attitude. With her chin slightly raised, she had a cold smirk at the corners of her mouth.Pierre finally caught on and jokingly remarked, "Really, Mr. Yule? Did you actually get her pregnant before marriage? Wow.""Don't make it sound so bad. We've already decided to get married next month. You must come. Ms. Sherman, you're invited to our wedding as well." Zayden corrected Pierre and then turned politely to Calla.Hearing this, Calla gave Zayden a polite smile without confirming her attendance."Well, congratulations! By the way, have you met each other's parents? No objections from them?" Pierre suddenly asked.Zayden replied with a smile, "We just found out about the pregnancy. I'm taking Peggy to meet my parents tonight. They've been dreaming of having a grandchild. Now that their dream has come true, I'm sure they won't object."Seeing how confident Zayden
Offended by Peggy's words, Calla calmly replied, "I'm not interested in your affairs."With that, Calla turned to leave. Now that she was pregnant, she didn't want to create unnecessary trouble for herself.However, Peggy swiftly blocked her path. She crossed her arms as she sneered. "You're feeling embarrassed because you can't compete with me, huh?""I'm not as self-absorbed as you are," Calla coldly responded. She couldn't understand why women like Peggy existed. If she had found herself a rich man, she should just enjoy her new life quietly. But Peggy had to announce it to the world, not realizing the danger of it all."Hmph, even though Mercer married you when you got pregnant, you didn't even have a wedding. Then, he divorced you immediately after your child died. You really got the worst of it, didn't you? "Not only did you gain nothing, but you ended up as a remarried woman. But I must say, I admire your seduction skills. "You even managed to snag Pierre. So, tell me. W
Pierre and Calla were at the dinner table. As Pierre was finishing his meal, Calla suddenly spoke up. "Pierre, I have something to discuss with you.""What is it? Go ahead," Pierre replied, looking up with a smile.Calla carefully began, "The doctor said I'm healthy now, and the pregnancy is stable. I think it's time for me to make some plans of my own. After all, I can't stay here to have the baby, right? "Even if I don't mind people gossiping, I'm worried it might affect your chances of finding a girlfriend in the future. Don't you think so?"She used a playful tone on purpose, hoping Pierre wouldn't disagree.As expected, Pierre's expression darkened, and he put down his cutlery. He had completely lost his appetite."You said your mother doesn't know about your pregnancy, right? Where could you, a pregnant woman, possibly go on your own?" Pierre asked, frowning deeply."I was thinking of going to Greendale. I'm familiar with the area, and it should be quiet if I rent a small
Two days later, Pierre drove Calla to Winona Price's house, their car loaded with luggage. After about an hour's drive, Pierre pulled over in a scenic area. The place was nestled between hills and a flowing stream, its waters so clear that you could see tiny shrimp and fish swimming within.It was fall, the season of harvest, and the apple, persimmon, and plum trees were heavy with ripe, reddish fruits. Among these trees stood an old, tall house, its blue bricks and white walls making it look like something out of a painting.Standing on this piece of land, Calla felt as if she could breathe easier. The beauty of the surroundings made it hard to look away. No wonder Pierre's grandmother liked living here alone—it was a secluded paradise. The thought of staying here for several months made Calla feel a little excited."Not bad, huh?" Pierre remarked with a smile as he knocked on the small courtyard door in front of them."I didn't expect there to be such an undeveloped place near
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