Chapter 3

My unusual silence threw William off, making him a bit uneasy.

Feeling guilty, he hurried off.

I tailed him quietly and saw him making a call at the end of the hallway.

He said, "Maybe we should think it over again. Liam might not be the right choice.

"I'll keep searching for a suitable kidney donor for the kid."

He was trying to talk the person on the other end into it, sounding really patient.

I could hear Ruby shouting furiously on the other end.

She snapped, "It's not like it's her first time losing a child. What's one more?

"Our kid's blood type is so rare. Other than Vivian's child, there's no other match. Are you really going to just stand there and let our child die?"

From a distance, I saw William sigh as he gazed out the window, lost in thought.

With my heart in my throat, I hurried to make all the arrangements for my escape.

Liam spent three days recovering in the hospital, and in those three days, I managed to get everything ready.

That afternoon, I told the driver and bodyguards at the hospital that I was taking Liam out to buy him some new clothes.

I said, "William said he's taking us out for dinner tonight. I can't let him lose face."

I gave a goofy grin, my voice brimming with affection for William.

My act made them drop their guard, and they let us go.

Right before we left, I could almost see the sympathy written all over their faces.

Once we stepped out of the hospital, I jumped straight into the rental car and, without wasting a second, rushed to the airport with Liam.

To avoid raising any suspicion, I didn't even pack a bag.

Liam was so quiet and obedient.

He didn't say a word the whole ride.

It wasn't until we were sitting in the departure lounge that he finally looked up at me, his eyes red, and whispered, "Mom, does this mean I'm not going to die?"

I fought back tears and pulled Liam into a hug.

"Don't worry, baby. I'll always keep you safe," I whispered.

Just as I was boarding the plane with Liam, a swarm of reporters was already swarming around at Crimson Creek Bridge.

Meanwhile, William, feeling conflicted, called the private hospital.

He said, "Cancel the surgery. I'm coming to pick up my wife and son and take them home."

After saying that, William breathed a sigh of relief.

Just picturing Liam's sweet little face brought a soft, loving smile to William's lips.

But then, the person on the other end of the line suddenly said, "Mr. Smith, turn on the news now. Your wife and son just jumped off the Crimson Creek Bridge."

The phone suddenly slipped out of William's hand before he could even react.

With a loud bang, it broke into pieces on the floor, and William snapped back to his senses.

He stared at the TV screen, hanging on every word.

The reporter said, "At around three o'clock this afternoon, witnesses saw a woman leap off the bridge with a boy who looked about five years old.

"Police have pulled the woman's clothes and ID from the river. They are now being displayed on screen. If anyone has information, please contact the police immediately."

The moment William saw my ID pop up, he totally freaked out.

He stood there, frozen, unable to move for a long moment.

It wasn't until his assistant came in and said something that he snapped out of it, snatching the assistant's phone in a hurry.

He shouted, "We're going to the police station right now. There's no way Vivian would jump into the river with Liam."

He called for his driver and assistant, just about to leave, when Ruby rushed over and stopped him.

Ruby stormed out of her car, full of attitude.

She demanded, "Did that woman really jump into the river with your kid?

"Is the boy still alive? Are his kidneys still usable?"

Ruby was pacing anxiously, clearly on edge.

But her anxiety wasn't because she gave a damn about Liam or my life.

She was only worried that Liam's kidneys wouldn't be available to her.

William frowned. He and Ruby didn't see eye to eye on this.

He said, "Ruby, I told you, the surgery is on hold for now. I'll look for another kidney for our kid."

Ruby's expression turned ugly.

She said, "Forget it. Vivian's kid is the best possible donor for our child. Didn't we already run all the tests? Liam is a perfect match for our kid, isn't he?"

Ruby grabbed William's hand, using her charm as always, stubbornly trying to sway him.

She said, "Didn't you say you'd do anything to save our child? How can you go back on your word?"

Tears welled up in her eyes as she played the emotional card, shifting from tough to vulnerable.

She choked out, "William, we love each other. We can't just stand by and watch our child die."

Ruby was the woman William had truly loved for years. It wasn't until I accidentally got pregnant with William's child that I finally learned the truth about their past.

William's parents never liked where Ruby came from, so they tore the two of them apart.

That's when I showed up, planning to confess to him, just as William was drowning his sorrows.

That night, I just wanted a drink to work up courage, but before I knew it, I was totally wasted and ended up in William's bed.

When I sobered up, William told me the truth: some woman had spiked the drink for him, but I drank it by mistake.

Feeling ashamed and worthless, I ran away. I didn't even get to tell him how I really felt.