Calla frowned at Zayden's words. She remembered Pierre mentioning a messy breakup between Zayden and Peggy. That breakup had led Zayden to flee the country. But that had been before Clover was born, almost a year ago. Had this drama been going on all this time?"Are you still involved with that harpy?" Pierre asked, just as surprised.Zayden slouched in his seat, his shoulders slumping with despair. "Getting involved with her was the biggest mistake of my life. I've been hiding for over a year. "I thought I was safe so I came back for the holidays. But Peggy somehow found out and tracked me down. She's been chasing me all week. I'm going crazy!""You—" Pierre started to say, but Zayden cut him off.He peered out the window, then hurriedly ducked down. "There she is! Don't let her see me. I'm toast if she finds me."Calla followed his gaze, spotting a woman in a fur coat standing a few feet away, scanning the street. It had to be Peggy, searching for Zayden.It had been a
Pierre and Calla laughed in unison, unable to refuse.The bridal boutique Pierre had chosen was renowned in Riverford. It boasted luxurious decor, exquisite gowns, and impeccable service.The attendant led Pierre and Zayden to a private lounge while Calla was escorted to the VIP dressing room.Calla slipped into the gown Pierre had custom-ordered for her from Uscaria. She walked to the full-length mirror, and her jaw dropped at her reflection.The dress was a masterpiece. A plunging neckline, a fishtail skirt, and a flowing veil that stretched for what felt like miles. It was adorned with countless sparkling rhinestones and pearls, creating a dazzling effect."Ms. Sherman, this gown is a work of art, designed by Uscaria's most celebrated designer. It's perfect for you," the attendant gushed, smoothing out the fabric."Isn't the neckline a bit low?" Calla asked, feeling self-conscious. She could practically see her cleavage."Not at all! Many brides wear even lower necklines. It'
With a burst of courage, Zayden shoved Peggy aside and smoothed down his collar. He declared, "Fine! If you're not worried about your reputation, why should I be? Call the police! Go ahead!"Peggy was taken aback. She had been counting on his fear of a scandal to manipulate him. But now that he was willing to face the consequences, she wouldn't get anything out of this, especially considering his family's influence.Knowing Zayden wasn't serious about calling the police, Pierre stepped in. "Zayden, I think you and Ms. Horn should settle this privately. The police have better things to do. Why don't you find a place to talk things over?"Emboldened, Zayden retorted, "What's there to talk about? The worst she can do is accuse me of sexual harassment."Peggy stood there, silent. She didn't want to escalate things, because it wouldn't benefit her. She wouldn't get what she wanted if she pushed too hard.Pierre saw right through her facade and gave Zayden a nudge. "This situation is em
That certainly did the trick. Peggy had been searching for Zayden for so long that she wouldn't let a fight with Calla derail her opportunity.She pointed a finger at Calla. "We'll see how this plays out!" Then, she turned and ran out of the boutique.Pierre approached Calla, taking her hand in his. "You look beautiful in that gown.""I didn't see that coming," Calla said, glancing in the direction Peggy had disappeared."She's no match for you anyway. So just sit back and enjoy the show," Pierre said."Zayden's mother..." Calla began, her voice laced with curiosity."Zayden's mother suddenly fell ill and passed away six months ago. That's why Peggy's so bold now. Zayden, being a rather timid and proud man, is no match for her. I don't think he'll be able to get out of this easily," Pierre said with a chuckle."Peggy's not about to let such a juicy opportunity slip away. She'll milk it for all it's worth," Calla said, knowing Peggy all too well. If money was involved, Jill an
Pierre's face hardened at that moment. Casper immediately started rubbing his eyes, tears welling up.Calla's maternal instincts kicked in and she scooped Casper into her arms. She looked at Pierre with a reproving tone. "Lower your voice, you're scaring the kid!"Having been chastised, Pierre shut his mouth.Calla quickly switched to a soothing voice, trying to comfort the little boy. "Don't cry, the mister was just a little loud. We'll ignore him, okay?""Okay!" As soon as Calla finished speaking, Casper's face broke into a wide smile.Calla was amazed at how easily the child's mood shifted. But then again, children were usually like that, so she didn't think much of it.Yet, the instant Calla took a closer look at the child's face, she was struck by a sudden realization.The boy's facial contours and features were incredibly familiar. But she couldn't place where she had seen this face before."Honey, where are your mommy and daddy?" Calla believed that this child was lost,
"You are my mommy! You are!" Casper argued."I'm not!" A scowl crossed Calla's face as she felt both embarrassed and angry.Her anger wasn't directed at Casper but at Mercer. She had no idea what game he was playing this time. But she wasn't afraid because Pierre was just around the corner. If she called out, he'd be there in a flash. Mercer wouldn't dare try anything."Daddy said you're my mommy!" Casper was getting anxious, his eyes welling up with tears.It was understandable that he was so distraught. He'd been longing for his mother for so long. Now that he'd finally found her, she was denying him. He was on the verge of tears.When Calla saw tears welling up in Casper's eyes, her heart softened.She decided not to argue with the child anymore. She walked toward the mastermind behind this.Calla stopped three feet away from Mercer, still wary of him."Mercer, what's the deal with bringing me here?" she asked, her voice laced with anger.Mercer reached up and removed his s
The next moment, Calla turned to Mercer with a look of reproach. "Mercer, Casper is only three or four years old. Please don't use a child to get what you want. It's not good for his mental health, and will set a bad example for him!"Calla then crouched down and took Casper's hand that was tugging at her clothes. "Casper, I'm not your Mommy. Don't call me that again."As she stood up, Calla saw the tears welling up in Casper's eyes. She turned and walked away, determined not to look back.Casper's pitiful and dejected expression lingered in Calla's mind. Yet, she told herself not to turn back, or she wouldn't be able to bring herself to leave."Calla, Casper is our first child. He didn't die when he was born," Mercer's voice called out from behind her.Calla's steps faltered, but she didn't turn around.Those words had a significant impact on her. The loss of that child had been a huge blow. Even now, in the dead of night, she was often haunted by the memories of the child, and
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
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