Chapter 2

I didn't know if someone's love could be a facade for seven years.

The videos I saw and the conversations I overheard at the hospital, combined with all these baby decorations in front of me, made my stomach churn and my face turn pale.

Amelia came over and affectionately took my hand.

The swelling in her hands and feet and the backache from pregnancy were noticeable now. Just standing for a moment made cold sweat break out on her forehead and nose.

My assistant Alex Wills whispered that Amelia had put up all these decorations herself, saying she didn't want anyone else touching our seventh-anniversary preparations.

Amelia pulled me into the office, where her male best friend had already prepared a cup of hot water for her.

"Tonight's family dinner. Dad finally agreed to let me bring you!" That was her surprise.

"Don't be mad that I announced at work that the baby is ours. How else could we fool Dad? It is perfect! We can use the little one to get his approval finally."

As a poor guy who married a rich man's daughter, I'd gotten nothing but cold shoulders from her family for seven years. Amelia had been caught in the middle, and thinking about that made my heart soften a bit.

Michael leaned in with a grin, arm around her shoulders. "Hey, you should be thanking your friendly sperm donor here. Charlie's shooting blanks, after all."

My supposed infertility was just a lie we made up when Amelia was afraid of having kids, and I got a vasectomy to back up the story.

Before I could object, Amelia glared at him and pointed her finger in his face, demanding he apologize to me.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to touch me? I'm a germaphobe! Anyone but my husband makes my skin crawl!"

Michael quickly threw up his hands in surrender.

This act had been performed hundreds, thousands of times in front of me over the past seven years. I truly believed they were just best friends, never seeing anything wrong with it.

Now, it just makes my eyes ache to think about it.

I could finally hear the challenge hidden beneath his playful tone.

Amelia excitedly told me, "I really took one for the team this time! You wanted that land in the south district, right? Well, he said he'd give it to us directly. And about that bidding process, you've been stressing over. I'll sweet-talk him tonight. With this baby, my dad will definitely help you out."

Over these two weeks, she'd traveled across half of the country for me, compiling detailed market research, leaving nothing out.

Michael made a snide comment about her taking care of herself, "Some people, hmph, they're so eager to help their husband that they ignore their morning sickness. Wonder who was throwing up bile the other day?"

I kept my eyes down, unsure how to react. "Get rid of it," I suddenly said. "The infertility certificate was fake. On our wedding day, you cried and told me your mother died on the operating table during childbirth. So I got a vasectomy and made up that lie. Your body isn't suited for pregnancy. Please terminate it."

Amelia clutched her stomach, shaking her head repeatedly.

I started to pull out the medical report from my pocket.

But then I heard her say sadly, "Michael has kidney cancer. It is his only chance to have a child. Honey, can't we just help him out?"