Chapter 4

When Jane woke up, she could barely stop crying. She went quiet for long stretches, just staring at the wall.

It wasn't until I sat at her bedside spooning soup into her mouth that some light came back into her eyes. She patted my hand, her voice cracking.

She whispered, "What a wonderful girl you are. How could that fool of mine not see it?

"Olivia, you're pregnant. Please don't let yourself get too upset. It's not good for you or the baby.

"When that brat finally shows his face, his father and I will deal with him."

I knew what they were really hoping, that Edward and I would reconcile.

But there was zero chance of that happening. Looking at Jane lying in that hospital bed, fragile and heartbroken, I couldn't bring myself to say it out loud. "I'll take care of the baby," I said quietly. "I promise."

Edward might be worthless, but this child was mine. I had gone through hell to conceive. No matter what happened, I would protect this baby.

But Edward never came.

His parents went from furious to hopeful to quietly devastated, watching the door every time footsteps echoed in the hallway.

It hurt to watch.

Regardless of who was to blame for her collapse, Jane remained his mother. Does a son truly have no obligation to show his face when the woman who raised him is fighting for her health?

Tyson was standing outside the room again, staring at nothing.

I looked at Jane. She was doing the same thing, gazing out the window.

Edward was their only child. They had given him everything since the day he was born. His mother was lying in a hospital bed, but he couldn't be bothered to make a single phone call.

I couldn't take it anymore. I slipped into the stairwell and texted Edward: [When are you coming to see your mom?]

He replied instantly.

Somehow, that instant reply only fueled my fury. If he had time to text back in two seconds, he clearly wasn't busy. So why the hell wasn't he here doing his duty as a son?

I opened his message.

Edward: [What do you want? Are you really trying to use my parents again to force my hand?]

My blood pressure spiked. His mother had fainted. She was hospitalized. And he was sitting somewhere sulking about being embarrassed?

I took a deep breath and typed back: [Just tell me when you want to come. I'll make myself scarce. Please just visit your mom.]

His reply was almost instant: [Don't pull that routine on me. Once you're gone, my parents will rip me apart the second I walk in. And don't bother begging on my behalf.]

The pregnancy seemed to have set my internal temperature rising, leaving my hands flushed and warm.

Seeing his smug indifference, I couldn't take it anymore. I walked down two floors to a secluded spot and snapped, calling him immediately.

"Edward, are you even human?" I snapped the moment he picked up. "Your mother is in the hospital. Your parents haven't seen you in days. Do you seriously not care how much that hurts them?"

He sounded annoyed, yelling, "Let them wait a couple more days. They smacked me around because of you, remember? I'm still pissed."

For a heartbeat, I was genuinely confused, wondering if these were truly words a son could say to the woman who gave him everything.

He let out a mocking laugh, arguing, "Give it up, Olivia. You think cozying up to my parents gives you leverage over me?

"I am their only child, which means I'm their only option. They can only shower their affection on me, and they certainly can't leave their assets to anyone else.

"You see? No matter how many times I drive them to collapse, I will always be their precious son, and nothing you do can change that bloodline.

"Parents don't hold grudges against their kids. So stop wasting your time."

I finally understood. He didn't care whether his parents were hurt or not.

Being the only child meant he held all the cards. He was the only one who could inherit their legacy, the only one they could turn to in old age, and the only vessel for their lifelong emotional investment.

He used the bond of an only child as a tool for emotional extortion, proving that the years of devotion from his parents had only forged a weapon that would eventually be used to betray them.