Chapter 4

Linda finally deigned to look at me, but she didn't tone it down one bit. Instead, she looked me up and down with pure disdain.

'Hmph, she might be dressed to impress, but she's still just a barren woman who can't give my son an heir. If it weren't for her family's money, a woman like her wouldn't even be good enough to tie my son's shoes.'

That vicious inner monologue was exactly the same as what I'd heard in my previous life.

At that time, it was her relentless insults and emotional abuse that pushed me into depression, giving Victor the perfect chance to exploit me.

But this time, I didn't take it lying down. I stood up and met her gaze with a calm smile. "Hello, Linda. Please, take a seat."

My composure caught her off guard. She let out a heavy grunt, sat on the sofa, and crossed her legs. "Charlotte, I came here today to ask you when exactly you are going to give Victor a son.

"The Grant family line cannot end with you."

Victor was sweating bullets, desperately shooting her warning looks.

'Good Lord, Mom, keep your voice down! Once I get my hands on those shares and get rid of her, you can have all the grandsons you want. Don't go rocking the boat now.'

I picked up the coffee pot and poured a cup for Linda, handing it over to her. "Don't worry, Linda. Victor and I have been working very hard on that."

As I spoke, my wrist gave an "accidental" jerk. The scalding coffee splashed right onto the back of Linda's hand; not a single drop missed its mark.

Linda let out a blood-curdling shriek and bolted upright. A nasty red welt began to rise on her skin instantly.

"I'm so sorry, Linda. I didn't mean it." I frantically grabbed some tissues. In my "hurry" to wipe it dry, I "accidentally" brushed right against her burn.

"Get away from me!" Linda snarled, her face contorted with pain as she pushed me away.

Victor rushed over, grabbing Linda's hand and blowing on it to cool the burn while shooting me a pained, reproachful look. "Charlie, how could you be so careless?"

'Serves the old hag right! Maybe this will teach her a lesson to keep her trap shut and stop messing up my plans.'

He was scolding me with his mouth but cheering in his heart.

I looked at the pair of two-faced mother and son, the chill in my gaze deepening.

"Linda, I truly didn't mean to. How about I take you to the hospital?" I said, my face full of guilt, my eyes brimming with tears.

Linda swiped Victor's hand away and glared at me with pure venom.

'Stop putting on an act! You did that on purpose. You spiteful woman. You can't have a child of your own, so you can't stand the thought of me having a grandson.

'Just you wait. Once my son gets his hands on your fortune, the first thing he'll do is divorce you, you barren woman.'

Her inner curses were more vicious than the last.

"I don't need your crocodile tears." Linda took a photograph from her bag and slammed it onto the desk in front of me.

In the photo, Sophie was cradling Adam, both of them beaming with happiness.

"Take a look at that." Linda pointed at the picture, her voice reaching a shrill peak. "This is one of Victor's distant relatives. She's so young, yet her son is already this big. Then there's you, just a dog in the manger."

Victor nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw the photo.

'Mom, are you out of your mind? Why on earth would you bring their picture out now?'

He lunged forward to snatch it away, but I was quicker and grabbed it first.

As I stared at the boy's face, a spitting image of Victor, a sharp, dull ache throbbed in my chest. It was the last lingering trace of the old Charlotte, the ghost of the woman I used to be.

I looked up at Victor, whose face had gone white as a sheet, and let my eyes fill with "shock" and "heartbreak." "Victor... who... who is this?"

Victor's mind was racing, frantically hunting for an excuse.

'Crap, crap! How do I talk my way out of this?

'Wait, I've got it! I'll say he is the orphaned kid of my cousin who died young. Yeah, this will work.'

He opened his mouth to speak, but I beat him to the punch. I covered my mouth with a sharp, stifled gasp. "Oh my goodness... this child looks exactly like your... your poor cousin who passed away so young."

I handed him a perfect excuse on a silver platter, a cover story even better than the one he'd cooked up himself.

Victor was stunned, then felt a surge of joy inside.

'Exactly! Why didn't I think of that? She actually believes it. This fool is way too easy to trick.'

He instantly played along, putting on a sad expression. "Yeah, Charlie. That's my cousin's only flesh and blood.

"He and his wife were killed in a car crash a few years back, leaving this poor kid behind. The woman holding him in the photo is just the nanny they hired."

"A nanny?" I pointed at the hundred-thousand-dollar Patek Philippe watch on Sophie's wrist in the photo and asked with wide-eyed innocence, "Are nannies so well-off these days?"

That watch was a wedding anniversary gift I had given to Victor.

Victor's face turned whiter than a sheet in an instant.