Chapter 3

When I went upstairs, I saw the housekeeper Sophia packing loose dresses into a suitcase.

"Sophia, let me do it."

I took out the clothes she'd packed, one by one.

Since I'd decided to leave, I wouldn't take anything from this place.

Seeing what I was doing, Sophia couldn't help but sigh.

"Ma'am, why do this to yourself? As long as you don't agree, the master can't exactly drag you there by force."

"That woman is shameless to begin with. Having an illegitimate child and still wanting a good reputation."

"If you keep indulging her like this, I'm afraid in the future she'll..."

She didn't finish, but I could guess what she meant.

Nothing more than showing up with the child to force her way into the family and demand official recognition.

The position of Mrs. Foster? She could have it.

Seeing my silence, Sophia sighed even more heavily.

"Ma'am, you're just too softhearted."

"The tactics those legitimate wives in this circle use—every single one of them is fiercer than yours."

"No matter how capable those mistresses are, none have dared to openly give birth to an illegitimate child like this one."

I knew she genuinely cared about me, but none of this mattered anymore.

From the beginning, what I valued was Ethan's sincerity. Now that he'd given it to someone else, what was the point of trying to get it back?

Before Sophia could speak again, I pressed several pieces of jewelry I'd deliberately saved into her hands.

She tried to refuse several times, but I firmly insisted she take them.

Over the years, she'd practiced cooking in her spare time to help restore my health and made medicinal meals for me.

I truly wanted to thank her.

After urging Sophia to rest, I put several important documents in my bag.

Once dawn broke, I could leave.

However, the next second, my phone suddenly received several messages.

"Emma, even if you help me this time, I won't be grateful."

"Ethan said this child is only staying with you for a few days. In the end, he'll come back to me."

"Let me tell you—don't even think about stealing my son."

Stella wasn't like Linda from before—she didn't understand the meaning of knowing when to stop.

I sneered as I typed a reply.

"An illegitimate child? I'd feel dirty even holding him."

Right after I sent it, several more messages came through.

"So what if he's illegitimate? He'll be Ethan's only son in the future."

"Emma, even if you're Mrs. Foster, all you can do this lifetime is watch my son inherit the Foster Group."

Stella seemed triggered by the words "illegitimate child" and stopped hiding her ambitions.

When I saw the last few lines of text, my entire body froze in place.

"Emma, you don't know this, do you?"

"The car that hit you back then wasn't from Foster Group's competitors at all—it was from rivals who were following me."

"Ethan knew those people would crash the car, but he still made you switch vehicles with me."

"He never wanted your child. He didn't even want you."