Chapter 4

The rewards the elders gave me were almost shocking.

Grandpa gave me an oceanfront villa.

Grandma brought out all her treasured jewelry, set after set.

Jack directly transferred five percent of Knight Group's shares to my name, making me the youngest member of the board overnight.

Lucas's mother was even more thoughtful—she gave me a private island in the Maldives and said I could go there to relax once I recovered.

I smiled and accepted everything.

These were what I deserved.

They were what I'd traded for my child's life.

No one knew that in the deepest corner of that luxurious walk-in closet, I had a small hidden space.

There were no expensive bags or designer clothes there.

Inside were the tiny wool shoes I'd knitted by hand but could never give away, and a few pitifully small baby clothes.

Every night when it was quiet, I would lock myself in that closet.

"Baby, Grandpa and Grandma bought so many toys today. If you were here, you'd have them too."

I never cried loudly. I just let the tears fall silently.

Lucas also returned to the estate, but he didn't dare come near me.

In front of everyone, Grandpa pointed his cane at him and called him an asshole, saying I had just "given birth" and instead of being with me, he was making me angry.

He probably couldn't understand how I—who once loved him desperately, whom he controlled completely—could suddenly change like this.

He occasionally came to the bedroom to keep me company, but more often, he went to see the child.

He would clumsily hold him, feed him, his eyes showing something unfamiliar—something called "fatherly love."

He stood behind me, silent for a long time, then suddenly spoke.

"Nina, about that night, I was wrong. I was drunk."

"Emily... she just depends on me too much. Don't hold it against her," he added.

I slowly raised my head and looked at our reflection in the mirror.

He was tall and handsome. I was thin and haggard.

"Hold it against her?" I let out a soft laugh.

"What right do I have to hold it against anyone? I couldn't even protect my own child."

His face instantly darkened, as if my words had wounded him.

"That was an accident!" He raised his voice.

"Why do you keep bringing it up! I've tried my best to compensate you!"

Compensate?

I was born into wealth. Money was the most useless thing to me.

I didn't want to argue with him anymore. I pushed him toward the door.

"Nina, what exactly do you want?"

"What do I want?" I looked at him, my tone mocking.

"I want you to stay away from me."

In the end, he let go.

From that day on, he rarely entered my room.