Chapter 5

He strode toward me, his face full of displeasure. "What are you doing here?"

Tara smiled. "Did you come looking for Damien? Geez, Victoria, you're keeping too close an eye on him. I just wasn't feeling well, so I asked him to come with me to the hospital."

Damien said impatiently, "Is it really necessary to monitor me this closely? You're pregnant, yet you're running around the hospital for no reason. Don't you know that's bad for the baby?"

"This child is so unlucky to be in your belly!"

"Haven't I told you? Our child is perfectly healthy and capable. He's going to be the next Alpha of Myrren pack!"

Yes. In his version of the past life, we had a smart, healthy child.

But why did things turn out this way?

I instinctively clutched the small box tighter.

I had already contacted a priest and asked him to pray for forty-nine days.

I hoped my child could find peace in heaven.

"Daddy."

A childish voice interrupted my thoughts. Leo stared at the box in my arms and suddenly reached out to grab it. "I want that box!"

"Don't touch it!"

I slapped his hand away hard, holding the box protectively.

The sharp sound echoed through the corridor. Leo froze for a moment, then burst into loud wails.

Damien's face showed a flash of shock, but he immediately scowled. "What are you doing?!"

"He's just a child! Why are you fighting with him? You hit him!"

I held the box tightly and glared at Damien. "Damien, I hate you. I hate you so much!"

I spoke each word deliberately. My mouth tasted of blood. He seemed stunned that I—who had always been obedient—would say such a thing. He frowned. "Victoria, you're being completely unreasonable."

With that, he pulled something from his pocket. "I'll trade you this for that broken box. There, happy?"

It was a jade watch.

I had once mentioned wanting to buy one for our child. He had only told me to focus on my pregnancy and not think about trivial things.

"You always wanted to give this to the baby, right? Here, take it..."

Before he could finish, Leo cried out, "Daddy, that's mine! You ordered it for me!"

Damien's face flashed with embarrassment. He said calmly, "I'll get you something better later."

"No!! You can't give away my things!"

Leo suddenly rushed forward and shoved me hard. I had barely slept the night before and was dizzy. I had no time to react.

I fell heavily to the ground. The box flew from my hands.

"Give it back!"

My pupils shrank in despair as Leo grabbed the box, ran to the end of the corridor, and hurled it down the garbage disposal chute.

In that moment, I felt like I'd gone mad. I lunged toward it, but Damien held me back tightly.

"Enough! It's just a box! Are you going to hurt Leo again? That broken box belongs in the trash! Now apologize to Leo and Tara!"

The chaos quickly attracted medical staff. My attending physician rushed over.

Seeing this, Damien immediately acted as though he'd found new ammunition. "Your doctor is here. Are you going to keep embarrassing yourself?"

"Victoria, I'm telling you—I will NEVER accompany you to prenatal checkups again!"

"Not only that, but when you give birth, the child will be mine. You'll never see him again!"

The doctor froze, then said instinctively, "Prenatal checkups? But Victoria already had a miscarriage..."