Chapter 3

"You don't know anything," I said, my voice cold.

Someone was calling my name from downstairs.

I held my baby close and walked down the stairs, step by step.

Sebastian stumbled after me, repeating the same words over and over. "Serena, you can't do this. You can't..."

I didn't look back.

Standing by the wedding car was a tall, lean man in a suit, his eyes gentle and warm.

When he saw me coming down, he hurried over, took the baby from my arms, and pressed a gentle kiss to her little cheek.

"You okay? Feeling tired?" he asked, concern in his voice.

"Nope, I'm fine," I said.

He freed up one hand and brushed a stray hair from my face.

"Come on, let's go. Mom's waiting for us at home," he said.

I nodded and slid into the wedding car.

As the door closed, I saw Sebastian standing outside through the window.

He stood there, motionless, like a statue forgotten in the rain.

The wedding car rolled away, slowly leaving the narrow alley behind.

My daughter stirred in my arms, her tiny hand clutching my finger, holding on tight.

I looked down at her and couldn't help but smile.

Sebastian, did you even realize?

The day you left me alone in the delivery room, I endured fourteen hours of agony.

Back then, I thought, if I could live my life over, I'd never fall for you again.

When I was bleeding out, I thought, if I could live my life over, I'd make sure we never crossed paths.

But then, I was sitting in the wedding car, holding our daughter, going to marry another man.

I didn't want another chance. Not anymore.

Because if I had to live my life over again, and still couldn't help but fall for you, what then?

In the rearview mirror, Sebastian's figure grew smaller and smaller until he finally disappeared at the mouth of the alley.

I lowered my head and kissed my daughter's forehead.

"Baby, let's go home," I whispered.

The wedding car cruised through the city, neon lights flashing by one after another outside the window.

My daughter was fast asleep in my arms, her tiny mouth slightly parted, peaceful as can be.

She had no clue today was her mom's wedding day, or that the man standing on the curb, looking utterly lost, was her real father.

"Serenie."

The man next to me gently held my hand.

I turned to him and met his warm, gentle gaze.

Lucas Whitmore, my college senior, pursued me for four years, and I rejected him every time.

After I became the woman Sebastian kept in the shadows, Lucas left the country, and we never spoke again.

Three months ago, he suddenly showed up outside my office.

I'd just come back from a prenatal checkup, alone, holding my ultrasound printout.

He called my name from the crowd, and when I turned around, I saw him standing there in the May sunshine—same gentle eyes, just a few more crow's feet at the corners.

"Serena," he said, "I'm back."

Later, he told me that when he heard about Sebastian and me, he went crazy and grabbed the first flight home.

He waited outside the Foster family's house for two days, but I never showed.

He asked around and finally learned I'd moved to an old apartment complex on the east side of town.

"Does Sebastian know you're pregnant?" he asked.

I didn't say anything.

He sat there in silence for a while, then said, "Serena, marry me."

I looked up at him.

"I'm not doing this out of pity," he said. "It's myself I pity. I chased you for four years, watched you love someone else for five, and I thought I'd finally moved on. But that day at the airport, when I heard you weren't doing well, the first thing I thought was. I have to come back. I have to steal you away."

He paused, his eyes a little red.

"Serena, maybe I'm being selfish. But I just...I really want to take care of you," he said.

I looked at him for a long time, and after a long pause, I said just one word.

"Okay," I said.

The wedding car stopped in front of an old foreign-style house.

This was Lucas's parents' home, and today's wedding reception was being held here.

There weren't many guests—just close friends and family from both families.

Lucas helped me out of the car, and my mom was already waiting at the door. As soon as she saw us, she rushed over and scooped the baby into her arms.

"Come on in, it's chilly out here," she urged.

I followed her inside, and as we passed the porch, I caught a glimpse of a familiar figure standing at the mouth of the alley.

No clue when Sebastian showed up, but there he was, standing under the streetlight, just staring at me, not saying a word.

I stopped for a beat, then headed inside.