Chapter 4

Carol struggled to pull us apart, but she couldn't.

She ripped the protective amulet from Mom's neck, growing exasperated.

"You're so undutiful. I wasted my life giving birth to you!"

"Even if you cling to the child, what good will it do? In outsiders' eyes, Tiffany is Liam's legitimate wife."

"If you don't want Chloe to be called a bastard, let go!"

Mom looked at the amulet, which her grandmother had obtained for her when she was recognized by her family at age ten.

Now, it lay tattered and mud-stained, trampled underfoot.

She finally couldn't hold back, and tears poured like a flood.

Dad frowned, walked over, and one by one, pried my hands off Mom's.

"Tiffany is educated and gentle. She'll take good care of Chloe for you."

There was a flicker of reluctance in his eyes, which instantly turned cold.

Rather than being laughed at for having a crazy, absurd, and unpresentable partner, he'd rather give all the children to the elegant and sophisticated Tiffany, acknowledging her as his wife.

"Evelyn will understand me."

Dad secretly convinced himself.

Mom collapsed onto the bed, suddenly coughing up a large mouthful of blood.

Her face was as white as paper.

I heard the system voice again: "Fake death accelerating. Eighteen hours remaining."

Dad, Richard, and Carol were startled by Mom's blood. They gathered around her in shock, urgently calling for a doctor.

Only Tiffany wrinkled her nose in disgust. "Evelyn's getting better at acting. If she doesn't want the child, she should just say so. Does she really need to use a blood pack?"

Dad suddenly understood. He remembered the medical report from a few days ago.

It said Evelyn was perfectly healthy. He almost fell for my mom's trick again.

He angrily stood up and roughly shoved Mom onto the bed, ignoring her wrenching coughs.

He only thought her acting was too good, and she was always putting on an act.

Dad's face was grim as he warned me and Mom.

"This is me telling you, not asking. Unless you haven't learned your lesson yet!"

I was forcibly separated from Mom.

I fell to the ground, my skinny wrist twisted unnaturally. But I bit my lip and didn't let out a whimper of pain.

Mom cried out, "If you want to hurt someone, hurt me! Don't torment my Chloe!"

Dad froze for a moment. He reached out, wanting to touch Mom's face.

To wipe away her tears, but Mom avoided his hand.

Tiffany clutched her slightly swollen belly and cried out:

"It's all my fault for making Evelyn angry. I'll leave right now!"

She covered her face, sobbing uncontrollably, and rushed out.

"Tiffany!"

Richard and Carol, leaning on their canes, shuffled after her.

Dad's expression changed dramatically.

He picked me up, ignoring my frantic kicks, and dragged me away.

The hospital room was instantly empty except for Mom.

Just like hundreds of times before.

That night, Dad's migraine flared up again.

He'd had this condition since childhood. When it struck, he felt like he wanted to tear open his skull and destroy the world.

But ever since he met Mom, she would massage him and give him pain-relieving pills from her 'system'.

Dad had long forgotten the agony of a migraine attack.

The long-absent symptoms made his head throb violently, causing him to smash everything in the mansion.

Finally, he brought Mom from the hospital and issued a command.

"Massage me. If you do it well, I'll let you see your daughter."

He looked arrogant, as if asking for help was a concession.

Mom gave a miserable smile. Her hands and feet were broken; she had no strength to massage him.

"I have no more affection points. I can't exchange them for your pills."