Chapter 5
I looked at Edward, a smile slowly forming on my lips. "As long as you know in your heart.
"Edward, I wish you two happiness. Let's never meet again."
With that, I took the divorce papers and quickly left the Stone residence.
"Where do you think you're going? If anything happens to my precious grandson, you'll pay for it!" Olivia shrieked, yanking my arm.
"Mom, let her go." Edward's eyes darkened, and he squeezed the words from his throat.
"She has no family left in this world. Let's see how far she can get," Edward snapped, his voice full of contempt.
My parents died in a car accident when I was a teenager.
I became a pathetic, homeless wretch.
Edward seemed convinced I was destined to be a parasite, clinging to him for life.
He was certain I was just throwing a tantrum and that after a few days of hardship, I would come crawling back to admit my mistake.
But he had no idea.
I had long ago prepared an escape route for myself.
This time, I was taking it for real—gone for good, slipping out of his world forever. Not in this lifetime, not ever.
Vivian was hospitalized for seven days to protect her pregnancy.
During those seven days, Edward was by her side every day.
He cared for Vivian with the utmost dedication, and the doctor would always go through Vivian's test results directly with him.
But that day, a doctor whom Edward didn't recognize walked into the room.
Holding the latest ultrasound report, the doctor's face was grave as he spoke."Mr. Stone, Ms. Clark is already 24 weeks along. Once she's discharged, make sure she gets plenty of rest—try not to let her walk around too much, and have her lying down as much as possible. That's the only way to keep this baby safe."
At those words, Edward's expression instantly shifted. "24 weeks?"
The doctor nodded. "Yes, her pregnancy is already quite advanced. If something went wrong and she miscarried, it could be really dangerous for her—"
"You mean she's 24 weeks pregnant?" Edward cut in harshly.
The doctor's face went pale, realizing he had misspoken.
But the cat was already out of the bag, so he had no choice but to come clean.
"Yes, it's 24 weeks," he admitted.
Edward snatched the ultrasound report from the doctor's hands, his eyes narrowing as he went over every single word.
Clear as day—24 weeks.
That was three full weeks earlier than when Vivian told him she was pregnant.
Edward burned with rage, seizing the doctor by the collar. "You must have made a mistake! Are you even a real doctor? Where's the one who was here before?
"You can't even count the weeks? I'm reporting you for malpractice!"
The doctor, pissed off, broke free from Edward's grip.
With a snort, he shot back, "I've been doing this for twenty years—this isn't my first rodeo. Maybe you should ask Ms. Clark if she's been unfaithful."
Edward froze, fists balled at his sides, gritting his teeth as he forced out, "Where's the doctor who was here before?"
"On vacation," the doctor snapped with a huff and turned sharply to leave.
Edward stood dazed for a long while before finally pulling out his phone to call the doctor he knew.
"Just tell me," he threatened, "how long has Vivian really been pregnant? Either you come clean, or you're out of a job..."
Yet before he could even finish his threat, the other side panicked and blurted it all out.
"Mr. Stone, I swear, this wasn't my idea!" the other side confessed. "Ms. Clark threatened me—said if I didn't fake the report for her, she'd have you kick me out of the hospital."
Edward's strength left him in an instant. Numb and hollow, he walked back to Vivian's ward.
Olivia was busy packing up Vivian's things when Edward walked in.
"Edward, now that Vivian's pregnancy is finally safe, you really owe her a proper wedding once the baby arrives," she said, flashing a big smile.
Edward never lost his temper in front of his mother, but this time, he couldn't hide his irritation.
"Mom, my wife is and will only ever be Lily," Edward replied, his voice cold and resolute.
Lying in bed, Vivian's expression changed—tears shimmering at the corners of her eyes, ready to fall but hanging on for effect.
She gazed at Edward with a pitiful look, her voice trembling. "Edward..."
Edward's expression soured even more.
The sight of Vivian reminded him of the resolute way I had turned and left seven days prior.
And even more, it reminded him of Vivian's deceit.
He, who had thought himself clever his whole life, had hurt the wife who loved him so deeply for a woman like Vivian.
At this thought, he couldn't stop himself from slapping his own face. "Edward, you deserve a beating!"
He hadn't believed a single word from the woman he'd loved for seven years, yet he had protected the woman who deceived him.
He hung his head in remorse, his heart filled with a sour ache.
How is Lily doing?
She had left without any money, and in all these days, she hadn't touched the card I gave her.
Where could she have been these days?