Chapter 4

The Harts looked reluctant, but since Julian was seeing them out, they had no choice but to leave.

Vivian gazed at Julian with deep affection.

The Harts caught sight of this and pulled Julian aside for a quiet conversation.

Julian glanced back at me, who was lying there barely alive, and finally nodded.

Once the room was quiet, Julian came back to my bedside and gently stroked my rough hand. "Serena, your tongue is injured, so you can't speak for now.

"Don't worry. If the Hart family doesn't want you, then the Grant family will be your family from now on.

"I'm the one who loves you, and that will never change.

"Just trust me, and everything will be okay, alright?"

I didn't say anything, as if I really believed Julian's words.

I was slowly regaining my strength at the Grant Estate.

Julian was as thoughtful as ever. He made sure the Harts couldn't visit me, and he even had every room in the house fitted with padded walls and sealed all the windows shut.

No sharp objects were allowed anywhere in sight, and all my meals were prepared ahead of time and delivered in paper boxes.

Caregivers watched over me day and night, making sure nothing dangerous could ever get close.

The night I was finally able to speak again, Julian scooped me up and carried me to the grandest padded suite on the top floor. There, we embraced each other.

Julian was tender with me throughout.

For a fleeting moment, I almost believed I was truly loved.

But after a few tender days, Julian called in the family doctor to give me a full examination.

The doctor's eyes lit up with excitement. "Mr. Grant, Ms. Mason is expecting."

Julian's eyes filled with tears as he looked at my belly, his expression full of the joy of regaining something precious. "Serena, we're going to have a baby.

"Once the baby is born, they'll be the heir to both families, and you'll always be my only wife."

I stopped talking.

Even though my tongue had healed completely, I became utterly quiet, spending my days gazing at the endless sky in a daze.

The doctor could only chalk it up to pregnancy. So many hormones were flooding my body, softening my temperament and making me quieter.

Six months later, Vivian and I were about to celebrate our birthdays.

Julian hosted a grand birthday party for me.

The entire Hart family attended.

Seeing how much I was showing, they all seemed satisfied.

But Vivian pulled me aside and sneered, "You really think Julian married you out of love?

"He did it all for me.

"I'm too fragile to have children myself, but you, sharing my rare blood type, are the perfect vessel.

"The baby in your body? It's actually mine and Julian's embryo.

"Once you deliver our child, all you'll get is the hollow title of Mrs. Grant.

"Nobody's ever going to love you.

"Mom, Dad, Andrew, Julian, and even the baby in your body—they're all mine."

I didn't even flinch.

I never bought into Julian's so-called tenderness, not for a second.

I just wanted to see what other tricks he had up his sleeve.

Now that I had my answer, it was time for the show to end.

I grabbed a wine glass from a passing waiter, cracked it over Vivian's head, then seized her frail wrist and held the broken glass to her throat.

Everyone's attention snapped to us, and Julian, not caring about anything else, shoved through the crowd toward me. "Serena, calm down. Don't do anything rash!"

Richard, Evelyn and Andrew panicked. "Vivian, be careful. Don't let yourself get hurt!"

I laughed.

I pressed the shard of glass to my belly and, after being silent for so long, finally spoke. "So the baby in my body is Vivian's child?

"Then what reason is there for this baby to exist?"

The Harts never expected Vivian to lose her composure and expose the secret arrangement between the Grant and Hart families.

No one knew what to say.

Evelyn said, "Vivian, you know how Serena is. Didn't we agree to wait until after the baby was born before talking about this?

"Once she gives birth, everything she's done to you should be forgiven. We'll still be a happy family."

Vivian's face turned ghostly pale, and she didn't dare make a sound.

Only Julian was in tears, shaking his head desperately. "Serena, no, I lied to them. The baby is ours.

"I'm the father, and you're the mother.

"It's our baby!"

I laughed even harder. "That makes it even more necessary for it to die.

"I told you, I would never carry your child again.

"Julian, it's all coming back to me. Did you really forget?"

I released Vivian's wrist and jammed the shard harder into my belly.

Blood gushed everywhere, and the room erupted in screams.

Those raw, primal memories finally snapped into focus in my mind.