Chapter 3

Sebastian looked delighted, hugging me with a vow-like promise: "I'll treat you well for the rest of my life, Nora. When the child grows up, we'll travel everywhere.

You've always wanted to go back and see where you grew up, right?"

He rambled on about a beautiful future, not knowing this perfect new life would never begin, because I was leaving.

Sebastian was extremely eager.

Within two or three days, he brought Mia and the baby back home and threw a celebration.

"I figured at least Mom and Dad should know, and you probably miss them too." Sebastian watched me carefully, afraid I'd be angry.

At the Nora villa, Nora's parents, Susan and David, fussed over little Asher, their faces full of joy.

Mia sat beside them, still like a little girl.

Susan cooed over the baby while stroking Mia tenderly: "Mia suffered so much abroad. Don't worry, this child belongs to the Nora!"

I felt my eyes stinging but kept smiling as I stepped forward to greet them.

Susan and David's attitude immediately turned ice cold.

"Why the gloomy face? Trying to upset us?

Look at Mia—she's so much more considerate than you. I don't know what you were thinking, eating random things so close to your due date.

Now the baby's gone, and in the end Mia has to clean up your mess.

You knew the Quinn family would be here today, yet you wear all this drab gray to spite us? You never bring honor to this family.

We shouldn't have brought you back—it's kept Mia away all these years, getting bullied abroad."

I knew my parents looked down on me.

They thought I couldn't bring them glory, that I wasn't worthy of being the Nora heiress.

Unfortunately, Mia—the daughter who made them so proud—wasn't their biological child.

Only after Mia went abroad and the Quinn family insisted on me did they reluctantly accept reality, becoming even more dissatisfied with me.

At the wedding, David didn't walk me down the aisle.

Susan sat in her seat with a sour expression.

Sebastian used to defend me, but now his eyes were glued to Mia, full of tender affection.

He'd completely forgotten that my baby died because he slipped abortion drugs into the food, exploiting my trust.

Mia walked over holding the baby, smiling sincerely: "Look at little Asher. Isn't he adorable?" He really was adorable.

His eyes looked just like Mia's, his lips and chin carved from the same mold as Sebastian.

My fingertips brushed the child's cheek, overwhelming hatred rising in my eyes.

But why should he live well and enjoy a wealthy, beautiful life when my baby was poisoned to death without ever seeing this world!

"Asher?" My mouth tasted bitter as I forced a smile: "It really is a nice name." Noticing something wrong with the baby, my hand slid toward his neck.

Before I could do anything, Mia screamed: "What are you trying to do to my child?"

The next second, Sebastian violently shoved me to the ground, roaring at me: "Nora, what are you trying to do to Asher?

Just because your own baby died, you want to harm your sister's child? Are you even human?"

I sat sprawled on the floor, my palms scraped raw against the ground, the pain tearing through me.

But Sebastian didn't even glance at me.

He and Mia each held the crying child, like a real family of three.

Susan and David glared at me angrily, jumping to conclusions without asking questions: "Nora, look at yourself. What about you compares to Mia? You're so petty and dark-hearted, you won't even spare such a small child.

You're an animal! What are you still doing on the floor? Get out of here. Don't ruin our mood. You've completely spoiled the day."

The Quinn family elders who'd just arrived asked what happened, their eyes filled with disappointment: "We don't blame you for accidentally losing the baby. Even though you can't have children anymore, the Quinn family never planned to divorce you.

But why would you go after a tiny infant? Whether you agree or not, Mia's child must be our family heir. That's unchangeable fact. Go home and reflect on yourself."

In that moment I wanted to say nothing, but ultimately considering the child's life was innocent, I said softly: "Babies can choke on jewelry." Mia opened the baby's collar and found red marks.

Her face immediately filled with shame.

Sebastian told me not to take it personally. "Mia was just worried about the baby. She wasn't targeting you."

Susan said impatiently: "If there was really a problem, why didn't you say so earlier? Making yourself the victim for what?

Your own child died, and Mia kindly lets you raise her baby. You should thank her!"

Everyone stood on Mia's side, condemning me for her sake.

My vision blurred with tears.

Without a word, I went upstairs and fed the printed divorce papers into the shredder.

No more divorce.

They didn't love me or trust me.

So forget it.

I would completely disappear from their lives.

I didn't want them anymore.