Chapter 2

I walked to a bench by the roadside and sat down, opening SnapChat.

The first image was the missing page. The signature on it belonged to Harrison.

I knew this was coming, but it still hurt so much.

Harrison's patient, comforting voice seemed to echo in my ears.

What had he been thinking then? Did he feel even a shred of sympathy for me? Or was he laughing at me?

I opened the second photo—a birth certificate.

My heart contracted painfully. I looked at the father's name.

Harrison!

I compared the handwriting on both signatures. Identical.

One signature had severed my chance at motherhood. The other had made him a father.

Tears streamed down uncontrollably. Hatred surged through my chest.

I sat outside for a long time before going home.

My mother-in-law was watching TV on the couch. Seeing me return, she immediately ordered me to cook dinner.

Because I couldn't have children, I'd always felt guilty. I once cooked dinner even with a 104-degree fever.

But this time, I refused.

Seeing I wouldn't obey, my mother-in-law immediately went to my father-in-law's portrait and began crying.

She wailed that I couldn't give them children, leaving their family without an heir.

She sobbed that Harrison wouldn't listen to her and refused to divorce me.

Over seven years, I'd heard this accusation over and over.

Each time, I'd felt guilty while being grateful my husband hadn't abandoned me.

Now, watching her performance, I suddenly wondered—did she know she had a grandson out there?

I must have stared too long and too intently. My mother-in-law couldn't keep crying. She turned and called my husband instead.

I ignored her and walked into the bedroom.

After searching carefully, I couldn't find any of my medical records from the checkups.

I'd undergone IVF three times, all failures. Each time I wanted to see my medical records, Harrison would say he didn't want to upset me and wouldn't show them to me.

I'd been so touched then. Now I realized it was all a joke.

I closed my eyes and lay on the bed, completely drained.

Before long, Harrison pushed the door open.

He walked naturally to my side, trying to kiss my cheek.

I turned my head away. He didn't seem to mind.

"Honey, feeling better? Come eat dinner first."

He reached out to pull me up.

Looking at his outstretched hand, I had an impulse to reveal everything.

But no—there were still things I hadn't investigated. I couldn't tip him off.

I obediently took his hand and let him lead me out.

After dinner, Harrison crouched in front of me, looking at me with deep affection.

"Honey, you just had surgery. I didn't want to bring this up, but the company really can't hold on anymore."

"What's wrong?"

I played along.

"A rival company cut off our supply chain. The bank pulled our loan. The company's going bankrupt."

Before I could respond, my mother-in-law erupted in fury.

"Why did the bank pull the loan? Because you can't have children!"

"Mom, this isn't Anna's fault."

He turned back to me.

"The bank assessed that I have no heir, making it too risky. When problems arose, they immediately pulled the loan. Honey, this company is our life's work. I don't want it to go bankrupt."

Yes, this company was started with my father's investment.

As soon as he established the company, he immediately gave me eighty percent of the shares. That's why I never doubted him all these years.

"No heir? Then adopt one. People find solutions."

My mother-in-law's booming voice rang out again.

"Right, honey. Could we adopt a child from an orphanage? With a child, the bank will continue lending to us."

His gaze held pleading and pain. But I no longer believed him.

"I'm tired."

I lowered my eyes.

"Okay, honey, rest first. We'll talk about this later. I'll think of another way."