Chapter 2

Claudia was tired. She couldn't set her pride aside to plead or bargain with Shawn anymore. She loved him for five years and cherished her parents all her life, but in the end, all they ever cared about was Emilia.

The warmth and love they showered Emilia with during the video call was a punch to Claudia's gut. They as good as stabbed her in the heart, and their scathing remarks ringing out from the other line didn't help.

Emilia interjected anxiously and apologetically, "I'm sorry, Claudia! I didn't know you were delivering the baby tonight. I'll stop the party and tell Shawn and the others to head to the hospital now! Please don't blame Shawn. Don't divorce him because of me!"

Samson was having fun when he heard this and threw a fit. "We're not going anywhere! Come on, Aunt Emmy, it's time to cut the cake! Ignore my mom. She's always trying to get Dad's attention by pulling tricks like that. Don't fall for her act. She won't divorce Dad."

Lorraine was indifferent as usual. "That's enough, Claudia. Shawn's already agreed to go to the hospital, so just stop the drama, okay? It's Emilia's birthday, and she deserves to enjoy it."

Peter was even more brutal with his words as he growled, "She's always playing the victim, and for what? How hard is it to pop out a baby? She acts like she'll die from it. Tell her to cut ties with the family before she dies; I don't want her ruining our reputation!"

At last, Shawn said impatiently, "You want a divorce? What about Samson? Don't you want him anymore?" He clearly didn't believe Claudia.

"No," Claudia bit out. Why would she want an inconsiderate, selfish, thankless child?

"Fine! Suit yourself. Don't come back crying to me when this is over!" With that, Shawn hung up on Claudia.

She barked a bitter laugh, suddenly feeling as lonely and untethered as a piece of driftwood out on a stormy sea. Her bleeding heart shattered.

She willed herself to breathe through the sharp, searing pain that tore through her chest and forcefully wiped her tears. However, more tears spilled.

A tight smile curled her bloodless lips as she half-grimaced at the doctor. "You heard it yourself, doctor. My family is as good as dead! Can I sign the consent form? My daughter is all I have now, and I must deliver her safely."

The nurse was close to tears as she reassured Claudia, "Don't worry, Ms. Lowell. We've got clearance for special cases like yours. You will deliver your baby safely."

Claudia was completely drained, and the sheets under her were soaked through with sweat. "Could you call the last person I spoke to on the phone and have him come pick me up?"

This wasn't her home. No one in that family ever loved her, even though she loved them fiercely. All her life, she tried to please them, constantly walking on eggshells around them and hoping that they would love her in return.

But all her efforts were to no avail.

Claudia loathed the idea of staying in that house with them even a moment longer.

As she drifted in and out of consciousness, she was plagued by a hellish nightmare. She saw her 18-year-old self arriving at Briarwood from Glenhallow after finding her birth parents. That was her first time meeting Emilia.

Emilia had the same dark, glittering eyes as her. To get over the grief of losing their daughter, the Lowells adopted a little girl who looked a lot like Claudia from the orphanage. Emilia was charming in all the right ways, and her new family adored her.

Claudia desperately wanted Lorraine and Peter to love her as much as they did Emilia, but she had a rude awakening when she realized there was no place for her with the Lowells.

When she and Emilia both fell into the water, Peter admonished her for being so wicked as to drag the weak and sickly Emilia to the swimming pool. He then accused her of wanting to kill Emilia.

When Emilia lost her necklace, Lorraine and Peter instinctively pointed fingers at Claudia. They believed she picked up the habit of stealing while growing up in the countryside and stole Emilia's necklace because she wanted whatever Emilia had.

After that, when Eric Faulkner, Shawn's grandfather, chose Claudia to marry into his family over Emilia, the latter's dream of marrying into wealth and prestige shattered. Everyone then vilified Claudia for stealing the man of Emilia's dreams.

From that moment on, the Lowells' hatred toward Claudia intensified. Even Shawn—the person she loved most—came to detest her.

Claudia watched as her love and dedication became a knife they buried in her back. Now, she finally grew tired of the mistreatment. It was time she stopped deceiving herself.

…

It was late at night when Shawn returned to Bloomside Bay with a worn-out Samson, only to find the house quiet and dark. Claudia was nowhere to be found.

She would usually leave a light on for him and Samson no matter how late they got home.

Claudia's pale and tired face from their video call earlier flashed in Shawn's mind. He frowned as he dialed her number, but she didn't pick up.

After tucking Samson into bed, Shawn pulled off the necktie that suddenly felt too suffocating and stormed downstairs. He was surprised to see Wanda Kepner, their housekeeper, at home.

"Why didn't you go with Claudia to the hospital? Where does she usually get her prenatal check-ups done?" he demanded gravely.

Wanda never cared much about Claudia. Going with the flow, she stammered, "I-I… Mrs. Faulkner wouldn't let me go with her!"

Shawn's face darkened at her answer.

It was two o'clock in the morning by the time he arrived at the hospital where Claudia was. He found the doctors and nurses in charge of her procedure.

While the nurse knew he was the regaled scion of the Faulkner family, she couldn't bring herself to be pleasant.

She said in a clipped tone, "Sorry, Mr. Faulkner, but you're too late. Mrs. Faulkner lost too much blood due to labor complications last night.

"Since her blood type is rare, the hospital blood bank didn't have enough blood for her. We couldn't save her or the baby girl in her womb."

With that, the nurse handed two freshly printed photographs to Shawn. He realized with a start that they were post-mortem pictures.

His expression grew grim in the dimness as he raised a brow and asked, "She's dead?"

He thought the nurse must be joking. Claudia had to be playing a trick on him.

But even as he tried to convince himself of this, the evidence of her death was clutched tightly in his fingers. His eyes were bloodshot as emotions overcame him.

The nurse resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Yes, just as you wished."

…

Two years later, Claudia was seated in the VIP lounge of a five-star hotel in Briarwood.

She looked feminine yet sultry in a black, fitted dress that hugged her hourglass figure perfectly. She carried herself with a soft, gentle grace, her womanly curves likely accentuated due to breastfeeding.

Crossing her legs, she leaned into the leather couch insouciantly as she politely appraised the young man before her. He had a devilish, lazy charm about him.

"I assume you knew about my conditions before coming on this blind date, young man."

Pheromones radiated from Ethan Brandt's strong and lean build. The top two buttons of his black satin shirt were undone, too.

He returned Claudia's stare and smirked mischievously. "You're divorced with a two-year-old kid, and you want to marry a man who can be a father figure to her.

"You expect the man to be a full-time stay-at-home husband. As long as he proves his loyalty and takes care of the kid like his own, you'll give him a monthly allowance of 50 thousand dollars.

"Here's my question, Claudia—are you looking for a husband or adopting a pet?"

Claudia appreciated Ethan's bluntness. "Is that a problem? Men who marry stay-at-home wives get to keep side chicks, so why shouldn't women be allowed that privilege?

"I heard your family is sick and you desperately need money. So, what do you say? Do the job well, and I'll take care of your family's medical bills. I have the money for it."

Ethan cocked a brow and nodded without hesitation. "It just so happens that you're my type." There was a tiny mole under one of his dark eyes, adding an irresistible charm to his face, one that was made for the bedroom.

"Then we have a deal."