Chapter 3

A man who looked very similar to Jenny—the first person who came to mind was Soren.

After four years, I removed Soren from my blocked list.

As soon as the call connected, the man laughed softly.

"I thought you'd be willing to go your whole life without contacting me."

I stood in the cold wind, gripping my phone tightly.

"Where's the child?"

As I spoke, Jenny's innocent laughter came through the phone.

Soren's voice was like a snake's tongue.

"Ella, is the child mine or not?"

I still didn't hesitate at all.

"No, Soren. Give me back my child."

He scoffed.

"It doesn't matter if you won't admit it. I can do a paternity test. You remember what happened when you lied to me."

Yes. Four years ago he said I lied to him, so he severed our mate bond. I nearly miscarried. My child almost died.

I still often dreamed about that night. Those dreams seemed to mock me for loving a man I shouldn't have loved.

Thinking of this, I crouched on the ground in pain, supporting my swelling eyes.

Soren decisively hung up. After a moment to recover, I got up and rushed to his house.

After four years, I set foot in his home again, memories surging through my mind.

I remembered the first time I moved in, shaking Soren's hand and asking him what would happen if someone tried to throw me out.

His smile had been gentle, brooking no argument.

"You're my woman. Who would dare touch you?"

Later, he was the one who ordered people to strip off all the clothes he'd bought me and throw me out of his house.

Heavy snow fell. I walked through it, my whole body purple, tears frozen on my face.

He stood on the second floor, looking down at me as I struggled step by step through his front gate.

To this day, photos of me naked still circulated online.

The comments either cursed me as getting what I deserved or assumed I was already dead, having gone to apologize to Soren's father.

I entered Soren's gate, head down as I walked the path to the villa, past humiliations flooding my heart.

I didn't notice that the roses I once loved still bloomed vigorously in the garden.

Soren was already waiting in the living room.

He wore a black suit, as if everything had been premeditated.

I stood far away, restraining my anger.

"Where's the child?"

"She got tired playing. She's sleeping upstairs."

Hearing this, I immediately ran upward. Soren was quick, grabbing my hand and pulling me into his embrace.

The familiar scent of cedar invaded my senses, making my hair stand on end.

"What's the rush? We haven't settled our accounts yet."

I thought he meant the incident years ago when I supposedly stole the gemstone necklace left by Fiona's late mother.

But I'd never even touched that necklace.

No one believed me.

In the end, Jack threw me out of Ashclaw Pack.

Before I left Jack's house, I kept insisting I hadn't stolen the necklace.

However, these past years had long since worn away my pride.

I pushed Soren away and fell to my knees with a thud.

"Soren, I know I was wrong about what happened back then. I've paid the price. If you still think it's not enough, I can kneel and apologize to Fiona too. Just please give me back my child."

My humility didn't earn the man's pity. He furrowed his brow, his tone icy.

"Get up."

I didn't move, speaking again with sincerity.

"Soren, you can humiliate me however you want, as long as you give me back my child."

Soren laughed bitterly, crouching down to look me in the eye.

"Your child? You and whose child?"

I froze for a moment, then answered decisively.

"My ex-husband's."

Afraid he wouldn't believe me, I pulled out a marriage certificate to show him.

"Soren, I'm not lying. I really got married. The child is mine and my ex-husband's!"

I really was married, though it was a fake marriage.

However, the man only glanced at the certificate before snatching it and tearing it to shreds, then yanking me to my feet.

"Ella, can't you see how much this child looks like me?"

I didn't dare look at him, struggling to go upstairs to find Jenny.

He grabbed me around the waist, threw me onto the sofa, pinned my hands behind my back and pressed down, his gaze sinister.

"I'll ask you one last time. Whose child is it?"

My eyes widened. I could barely breathe.

In a trance, I thought again of the gunshot Soren fired at me after his father died.

That bone-chilling terror struck again. My tears burst forth uncontrollably.

"Soren, I'm begging you to let me go! I really can't die. Jenny is still so young! She can't lose me!"

"She really isn't your daughter! If it makes you happy, you can do anything to me, just leave me alive, just don't take Jenny away!!"

He wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes, frowning.

"When did I say I was taking Jenny away?"

I froze. Suddenly Fiona's social media flashed through my mind.

Her daughter, like her, had congenital heart disease...

Could Soren want to take Jenny's heart for Fiona's daughter?!