Chapter 5

Sophie coughed violently again. This time, the force of it left her unable to stay upright. She collapsed to her knees, and with a sickening sound, blood spurted from her mouth.

"Sophie!" Aspen's voice shook as she rushed to her side.

Sophie's face was burning with fever, and her lips were deathly pale.

She whispered weakly, "I'm okay, Mommy..."

Aspen immediately scooped her up. "No, sweetheart. Mommy's taking you to the hospital."

Sophie clung tightly to Aspen, her tear-filled eyes red. Aspen rushed to the hospital, barely stopping for breath. After a blood test, they sat outside the examination room, waiting for the results.

"Mommy... does Daddy hate me?" Sophie's small, fragile voice finally betrayed her inner fear.

Aspen froze, unable to answer. The question tore her apart. She wanted so badly to say, "No, Sophie, Daddy doesn't hate you."

However, the truth was far more cruel. If Sophie had been Gwyneth's child, Colin would have adored her. Aspen blinked away tears and forced herself to smile.

She replied, "No, sweetheart. Daddy doesn't hate you. He's just really busy."

Sophie smiled faintly, though exhaustion weighed heavily on her pale face. She reached up with her tiny hand and gently stroked Aspen's hair, saying, "Mommy, I want you to be happy..."

Those words nearly broke Aspen's resolve. She bit down hard on her lip, fighting back the tears threatening to spill over. Instead, she plastered on a strained smile, which was more painful than crying.

Just then, a cold voice echoed through the corridor. "Doctor—"

Aspen's entire body tensed. She and Sophie looked up at the same time to see Colin standing there unexpectedly at the hospital. In his arms, however, was another woman—Gwyneth.

"Daddy!" Sophie called out instinctively.

Colin's head snapped toward the sound, and he was shocked to see Aspen and Sophie.

Gwyneth also noticed them. Her grip on Colin's sleeve tightened as she whimpered softly, "Colin, it hurts..."

Colin's gaze sharpened, and he quickly refocused on Gwyneth. He reassured her, "The doctor will be here soon."

At that moment, a doctor hurried into the hallway. Colin spoke to him briefly, and then he followed the doctor without a second glance.

Sophie watched Colin's back retreat down the corridor. Her mind felt blank as she processed the scene.

She asked quietly, "Mommy, why was Daddy holding another woman?"

Aspen felt as though someone had stomped on her chest. She struggled to catch her breath but managed to force a weak smile.

"Maybe she's a colleague from Daddy's office who got hurt."

"Really?" Sophie murmured in confusion. "But we're at the hospital too. Why is Daddy worried about someone else and not us?"

Aspen's heart clenched painfully. No matter how many lies she told, reality always shattered them. Even a child could see how blatant Colin's favoritism was.

She swallowed hard and replied softly, "Maybe her situation is more urgent."

Sophie fell silent. The silence dragged on, unsettling Aspen in ways she couldn't explain. The weight of unspoken thoughts and disappointment felt suffocating.

An hour later, Aspen took Sophie to pick up her test results, only to run into Colin and Gwyneth, who was sitting in a wheelchair. The sight made Aspen freeze, her chest tightening painfully.

At that moment, she deeply regretted ever meeting Colin. She could endure the humiliation of his indifference and cruelty toward her, but she couldn't bear to see Sophie suffer the same.

"Daddy!" Sophie called out softly, breaking the tense silence.

Both Colin and Gwyneth turned at the sound. Colin's expression shifted slightly, though he maintained a composed exterior.

He greeted coldly, "Sophie."

Sophie's gaze wandered to Gwyneth, her eyes filled with innocence and curiosity. "Daddy, who is that lady?"

Colin's jaw tightened, and his handsome features darkened slightly. He said, "This is—"

He was about to answer when Gwyneth, gripping his hand, gave a weak smile and spoke first. "I'm your daddy's... friend."

Her voice was trembling as if she were barely holding herself together. Her pale, fragile appearance made even Aspen feel a flicker of pity.

Colin's expression hardened further before he finally said in a low voice, "Sophie, this is my girlfriend."

The words hit Aspen like a truck. She shouldn't have been surprised—Colin would never let Gwyneth endure even the slightest discomfort. Still, it took everything in her to keep her composure.

"Yes, Sophie, this is Gwyneth Sanders. She's your daddy's girlfriend," Aspen said, her tone eerily calm.

Sophie's face turned ghostly pale. Aspen knelt and gently cupped Sophie's cheeks.

"Sweetheart, there's something I haven't told you yet. Daddy and I aren't together anymore. But no matter how much time passes, he'll always be your daddy, and I'll always be your mommy."

Colin had initially assumed that Aspen was here to cause a scene—something she had done plenty of times before.

That was why he had introduced Gwyneth so bluntly, out of spite. But now, hearing Aspen speak so plainly, he couldn't help but wonder if he had misunderstood.

Sophie's mind swirled with confusion and sadness.

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she whispered, "But what about you, Mommy?"

Aspen froze for a moment. Then, Sophie's voice cracked with sorrow. "I still have both of you, but... you have no one. You don't have anything."

Aspen felt like her heart was being shattered into pieces, only for Sophie's tiny hands to painstakingly piece it back together. She really had no family left.

Soon, she wouldn't even have Sophie. She was losing everything.

Aspen stroked Sophie's hair gently and said, "But I still have you, sweetheart. Now, be a good girl and say hello to Gwyneth."

Sophie's small chest tightened with an overwhelming bitterness. It was hard to breathe, but Aspen had always taught her to be polite.

Holding back her tears, she looked at Gwyneth, who was holding Colin's hand, and forced a smile. It hurt far worse than it would have if she had cried her heart out.

"Hello, Gwyneth."

Gwyneth's smile faltered at the strained greeting. She nodded stiffly, forcing a polite response. "Hello, Sophie."

Colin's gaze flicked between Sophie and Aspen. Sophie quietly returned to Aspen's side, sitting without making a fuss. She didn't throw a tantrum or say anything more.

Aspen didn't even glance at him again. Despite the seemingly calm scene, an inexplicable sense of discomfort crept into Colin's chest.

At that moment, Riley arrived after handling the payment. Aspen handed Sophie to him and then turned to Colin.

She asked, "Can we talk for a moment?"

Colin's face hardened with irritation, and he snapped, "Are you really going to make a scene in front of the child?"

Without waiting for her to elaborate, he was already prepared to refuse.