Chapter 3

Vivian Sterling POV

Jonathan quickly placed the phone face down, a flicker of panic crossing his face.

But soon, his tender demeanor returned:

"There's an urgent matter at Hayes Group that needs to be handled right away. Honey, I might have to go work overtime tonight."

I didn't call his bluff.

I simply pulled my gaze back and used a tissue to dab the corner of my mouth:

"If you're busy, you'd better go handle it soon."

Jonathan looked visibly relieved, paying no mind to my unusual coldness.

Grabbing his coat, he pressed a kiss onto my forehead:

"Honey, you're so understanding. Go to bed early. Tomorrow morning, I'm taking you somewhere."

"Where?"

"To the hospital for a follow-up checkup," Jonathan said, his face full of concern. "The old injury on your lower abdomen always aches on rainy days. I had a friend book an appointment with a specialist to see if there are any new treatments."

Looking at his face brimming with concern, I sneered inwardly.

Treatment?

He probably just wanted one final confirmation to see if there was any chance I could still conceive.

In that brutal attack five years ago, my uterus had been removed.

No matter how advanced medicine was, could they conjure a uterus out of thin air?

Did Jonathan truly care about my health, or was he just searching for a convenient excuse for his betrayal?

The next day, Jonathan returned as promised and took me to the hospital.

Inside the consultation room.

The specialist flipped through the stack of medical reports, sighed, and said definitively:

"Ms. Sterling's trauma back then was too severe. She is permanently infertile. There is zero possibility of pregnancy in this lifetime. It is best not to harbor any illusions."

"Even if you consider surrogacy abroad, there are no viable eggs left to retrieve."

Hearing this answer, the hand Jonathan had placed on my shoulder visibly loosened its grip.

In that split second, the deep guilt and remorse in his eyes vanished entirely.

Without looking at me again, he let out a long breath, his tone turning detached and collected:

"I understand. Thank you, Doctor."

He stood up and took the lead out of the room to pay at the front desk.

I buttoned up my coat and slowly walked out of the room.

I waited in the hallway while Jonathan went to pay the bill.

A little boy around five years old came charging straight at me, crashing hard into my legs.

I gasped from the sudden pain, dropping the medical file in my hand as the documents spilled across the floor.

"Toby, slow down!"

A woman hurried over to help the boy up.

My pupils contracted; without even having to think, I recognized her.

It was Jonathan's secret mistress and his illegitimate son!

I never imagined they would actually dare to show up here.

Chloe Sutton apologized as she crouched down to help pick up the scattered medical papers.

Her gaze lingered for a couple of seconds on the bold words: *Permanently Infertile*.

Chloe stood up and handed the papers back, casually revealing the medical checkup slip in her own hand.

Under the guardian column, Jonathan Hayes's signature was clearly signed.

I saw it. I had to muster every ounce of strength to suppress the fury threatening to erupt inside me.

Yet even so, my eyes welled up with unshed tears.

Even though I had already known the truth, confronting it face-to-face made it impossible to stay completely unbothered.

Chloe straightened her son's collar, a subtle smirk curving the corner of her lips. "I'm so sorry. Kids are so naughty, always running around."

Looking at the toddler's face that resembled my husband so closely, a sharp pain surged through my chest.

But I bit my lip hard, tasting blood once more, and forced the tears back.

I was a daughter of the Sterling family. I would never show a hint of weakness or distress before this woman.

I reached out, pulled the medical slip back, and said in a voice trembling with coldness, "It's normal for children to be playful. I'm fine."

Seeing my calm expression, Chloe curled her lip slightly, took her child's hand, and walked away.

Before long, Jonathan returned after settling the bill.

Seeing my grim complexion, he assumed I was still upset about the infertility diagnosis.

He pulled me into his embrace, comforting me with his usual gentleness:

"Honey, I don't care whether we have children or not. All I want is for you to be healthy. Stop overthinking it. Let's go home."

Subconsciously, I wanted to pull away from his hug.

But not wanting to make it obvious, I could only let him lead me out of the hospital.