Chapter 2
My clarification was cut short.
Vanessa suddenly interrupted me, shaking Marcus’s arm as she purred, “Marcus, I can give you children! My illness is long gone. I can have as many as you want.”
Marcus affectionately pinched her nose, smiling. “You’ve just recovered, sweetheart. I can’t bear for you to go through that right now. You just need to be my little princess.”
Then, he turned to me, looking utterly disdainful.
“Aurora Hayes, for the past five years, Vanessa has suffered so much abroad, endured so much pain. And you? All you know is to compete with her, throwing tantrums all day, not even a single word of comfort. Someone as cold and heartless as you truly doesn’t deserve her kindness.”
I rolled my eyes at his words, completely speechless.
For the past five years, my email had been flooded with photos and videos Vanessa sent from all over the world.
In those pictures, she looked rosy-cheeked and full of life. Where was the sick patient?
I had no interest in saying more. I picked up the garbage tongs beside me and waved them in front of him.
This gesture instantly scared Vanessa, and she started crying.
Marcus looked me up and down, pinching his nose and frowning as he took a step back.
“Look at you now, a complete mess! You reek of garbage. What’s the difference between you and a homeless person? So you pretended to be dignified for five years? In the end, you still came crawling back to me, didn’t you?”
“Don’t think bringing a child here will make me take you back or start over. We ended things the moment you impulsively blocked me.”
My daughter in my arms was startled by his tone and burst into tears.
Marcus’s expression softened slightly, and he reached out to her. “Shh, don’t cry, sweetie. Daddy will take you home. Don’t stay with this crazy woman.”
What he got in return was Lily’s even more heartbroken scream: “I don’t want you to hug me! You’re not fit to be my daddy! You’re a meanie who bullies Mommy! I hate you the most!”
Publicly humiliated, Marcus’s face instantly darkened. He glared at me and said coldly, “Is this how you raise her? She has no manners whatsoever! I lived with you for five years, no wonder you’re full of flaws! My family won’t acknowledge such an ill-mannered child. Don’t show your face to me again until you’ve sorted yourself out.”
No one can tolerate someone speaking ill of their child like that.
I clenched my fists and spoke coldly, “You’re wrong. This isn’t your daughter. She has nothing to do with you.”
Marcus froze for a moment.
Then he scoffed, completely uncaring. “Aurora Hayes, always so quick with your words, aren’t you? I hate that fake innocent act of yours. It’s disgusting.”
“Still pretending at a time like this? If you don’t get down on your knees and beg me, then just get lost and spare me the sight of you!”
With that, he pulled a few bills from his pocket and slapped them against my face. “Look at how poor you two look. Take this and buy yourselves some decent clothes. Don’t go around embarrassing yourselves.”
Then, he put his arm around Vanessa and walked away.
I looked down at my old, orange work uniform and couldn’t help but curse his ancestors in my mind.
Marcus, of course, had no idea that the T-shirt I was wearing underneath was a limited-edition design by world-renowned designer Krena, priced at a staggering one hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
My daughter’s cartoon jacket was also a high-end luxury brand.
As for me, I had remarried four years ago and had another child. How could I ever go back to the past?
My special ringtone rang. I collected myself and answered. A gentle, deep voice came from the other end: “My dearest wife, you must be tired from your business trip. I’ve arranged the lounge for you. Take the baby in and get some good rest.”
“I really want to see you right now. I’ll come over right after my meeting this afternoon.”
My usually reserved husband was actually whining like a big kid, and my heart warmed.
After hanging up, I led my daughter to the lounge door. From inside, I heard faint, intimate sounds of heavy breathing…