Chapter 3

When I returned to the villa, I found myself walking into Mia's room without thinking.

Everything inside was neat and unchanged, exactly as it had been when we left that morning.

But the laughter that once filled this space would never return.

My eyes moved slowly across every inch of the room until they finally settled on the doll by the bed.

It was the birthday gift I had given Mia, one that could record voices.

The moment I pressed the playback button, her familiar voice filled the room.

"Wow, the doll Mommy gave me. I'm going to hug it every night when I sleep. Love you, Mommy!"

Each word struck my heart like a heavy blow, again and again.

At last, the tears I had been holding back for so long burst free.

I clutched the doll tightly to my chest and curled up on the bed, as if doing so might let me feel the warmth Mia had left behind.

I regretted everything.

I regretted handing Mia over to Gabriel that morning.

I regretted not divorcing him five years ago.

Most of all, I regretted ever falling in love with him.

I gripped the small container hanging against my chest.

Mia, wait for me a little longer. Mommy will take you away soon.

Tears slid from the corners of my eyes and disappeared into the darkness.

Early the next morning, as soon as I went downstairs, I saw that there were two extra people in the living room.

Gabriel was holding Sophie's hand, where there was a small cut, carefully applying antiseptic with a focused expression.

Sophie's eyes were slightly red, but she turned her head away stubbornly, refusing to look at him.

"Mr. Price, don't think that being nice to me will make me give in and hand over Nathan's custody. He is my son alone."

Even faced with her cold words, Gabriel showed no sign of anger. He gently blew on the wound, then carefully wrapped it with gauze before meeting her gaze with a helpless look.

"I'm not trying to take Nathan from you. But he is our child, and you can't deny that. I just want to make up for the five years you and Nathan lived without me."

My hands at my sides clenched so tightly that my nails dug into my palms.

Make up for it?

What Gabriel owed them, why should it be repaid with Mia's life?

Gabriel caught sight of me from the corner of his eye. He immediately set down the gauze and walked over, pulling me into his arms as he spoke gently.

"Charlotte, Sophie just wanted to use the kitchen to make some chicken soup for Nathan. She accidentally cut her hand, so I helped treat the wound. Don't overthink it.

"Where's Mia? Has she woken up yet?"

My eyelashes trembled.

"No."

Mia would never wake up again.

Gabriel froze for a moment.

It had only been anesthesia from the surgery, so why was Mia still not awake the next day?

He was about to say something more when a notification sound interrupted him.

After reading the message, he frowned slightly.

"Charlotte, something came up at the company. I need to step out."

Then he turned to Sophie and spoke with patient concern.

"Be careful not to get the wound wet. Once the chicken soup is ready, I'll come back and take you to the hospital to see Nathan."

Hearing the gentleness in his voice, my heart felt like it was being gripped tightly, making it hard to breathe.

That softness used to belong only to Mia and me.

Now it had extended to Sophie and her son as well.

After Gabriel left, only Sophie and I remained in the living room.

The expression on her face returned to its usual coldness.

"Mrs. Price, you can rest assured. Even though Mr. Price saved Nathan, I have no intention of letting my son live as an illegitimate child. I will never give up his custody."

"There's no need to keep pretending. It's just the two of us here."

My face turned cold as I tore away her facade without mercy.

"You're right, you don't want him to be an illegitimate child. What you really want is for him to become the rightful heir of the Price family."

Five years ago, Gabriel not only gave Sophie a large sum of money as compensation and to keep her quiet, but he also had a bodyguard buy emergency contraception and told her to take it.

Yet Sophie still became pregnant, and she chose to give birth and raise the child.

Five years later, she returned to apply for a position at the Price Group and "coincidentally" let Gabriel discover that they had a child together.

I grew up in a wealthy family. There was no way I could fail to see what Sophie really wanted.

Sophie's expression stiffened for a moment, but in the next second she shot to her feet, looking as if she had been insulted.

"Mrs. Price, please don't judge me with the filthy mindset of rich people.

"I just couldn't bring myself to give up a life. And Mr. Price recognizing Nathan was never something I planned."

I looked at her coldly, at the righteous look on her face, and said nothing more. I turned and went upstairs.

Whatever her true intentions were, they no longer mattered to me.

If she wanted the title of Mrs. Price, she could have it.

I went back to Mia's room and started packing.

Everything here still carried traces of her. I wanted to take it all with me.

My eyes fell on the photo album on her desk. I walked over and opened it.

Inside were photos of the three of us over the past few years.

Under Mount Silvermist, Gabriel held Mia in one arm and my hand in the other. On the beach, Mia and I ran and laughed while Gabriel stood behind us, watching with affection in his eyes.

In every photo, the three of us wore the same bright smiles, as if happiness might spill right out of the images.

But now, those moments were gone forever.

I took out every photo and, one by one, tore Gabriel out of them and threw the pieces into the trash, leaving only Mia and me.

Halfway through, a sharp, pungent smell hit my nose.

I frowned, and the moment I opened the door, the odor grew even stronger.

I had barely taken a few steps when a sudden wave of dizziness hit me. I staggered forward and had to brace myself against the wall to stay upright.

Through the haze, my mind snapped into focus.

It was a gas leak.

I soaked a towel and pressed it over my mouth and nose, then forced myself downstairs.

As soon as I reached the living room, I saw Sophie unconscious on the couch.

The dizziness grew worse, and I could no longer hold myself up. My legs gave out, and I collapsed to the floor.

I tried to reach for my phone to call for help, but my eyelids were growing heavier by the second.

Just before I lost consciousness, I heard the door open.

I bit down hard on my tongue to stay awake and reached out toward Gabriel.

"Gabriel, help me."

"Sophie!"

Without hesitation, Gabriel rushed to Sophie and lifted her into his arms.

"Hang in there. I'll take you to the hospital right now."

He moved quickly, not noticing me at all as I lay nearby, reaching out for him.

I lay on the cold floor, watching the man who once promised to protect me for life carry another woman away. Then my eyes slowly closed.