Chapter 3

It seemed to be the day he found out I was pregnant. Before long, he returned, holding hands with the jewel-adorned Quina.

Spotting me, Quina cooed in a sweet, delicate voice, “Mrs. Cerano, might I have a seat to rest my feet on? After all, I’m carrying two lives now. The doctor says I need to rest often.”

Even though I had long given up on Oliver, hearing that he had gotten Quina pregnant still sent a sharp pang through my heart.

After Oliver had completely indulged himself in his affair, he had made one promise to me.

He said, “Paula, I would never get any other woman pregnant. I owe you a child. It’s the thing I’m most sorry about in my life. Since you can’t have children, then I won’t have one either.”

Oliver tapped my nose, met my stunned gaze and said nonchalantly, “I’m getting on in years. It’s time for an heir.”

Quina peeked out from behind him. “Paula, Oliver worried someone might take advantage of me if I live outside. He wants to bring me back to Greenwich Manor to live with him. “

She stuck out her tongue. “This is Oliver’s love nest, crafted just for Madam Cerano. Outsiders aren’t allowed. Who’d have thought I’d get to live here too?”

“Madam Cerano, please take good care of me.”

Oliver gazed at her with indulgent affection, then turned to me. “You can help her manage her pregnancy diet and provide close personal care.”

He added, “Paula, this mother and child mean everything to me. They must never suffer the slightest hardship. Do you understand what I meant?”

I closed my eyes briefly and gave a soft hum. Only then did Oliver break into a smile, taking my hand. “Paula, I told you I owe you a child. Now I’m repaying that debt. This child will also call you ‘Mommy’ from now on. Are you happy?”

I said nothing, merely pushing his hand away. The auction items were brought up one by one.

I casually bid a few times, but each time I raised my paddle, Quina would try to outbid me. Later on, I remained silent throughout, watching Oliver lavishly spend to keep bidding for Quina.

Until the final piece was brought out, my face instantly drained of color. There was a cheap fake jade bracelet on the display stand.

The starting bid was a mere three hundred dollars. That was the keepsake of my mother, which I had been desperately searching for all this time, the one that had been pawned.

I jumped up, holding the number paddle, which I had almost crushed in my hand, high in the air.

“Three hundred thousand!”

Quina lifted her hand, her voice sweet as honey and said, “Three million.”

Meeting my furious glare, she shrank fearfully into Oliver’s embrace. “I’m sorry, Madam. It was my mistake. Oliver said to reward me for getting pregnant, I could have anything I wanted today.

“I just wanted to buy it as a teething toy for my baby, Ronald. But since you want this trash-quality jade bracelet, I won’t compete. I passed it.”

Ignoring her taunt, I pressed my lips together and raised my paddle to bid again. “Thirty...”

“Thirty million.”

Oliver cut me off, “I promised Quina that I’d give her anything she wants today. It’s just a broken bracelet, so let her have it.”

“The Royal Auction has several imperial green jade bracelets tomorrow. I’ll bid for them and give all of them to you.”

I said firmly, “Oliver, this is my mother’s keepsake!”

My voice trembled. “You can do whatever you want! But Oliver, you absolutely cannot take this away from me.”

For the first time, I begged him humbly, “I’m begging you, Oliver. For the sake of our past, for the sake of when I sold the only heirloom my mother left me to buy a ticket to New York.”