Chapter 2
When Stella was dealing with morning sickness, he took a red-eye flight just to be with her and look after her.
When the kid had a fever, he stayed by their side all night, not sleeping for a second.
When Stella got upset and said she didn't want to keep living like this, he reassured her, "Just hold on a little longer. I'll give you and Ethan a proper place in the family."
I scrolled back to three years ago.
That was when I had just married Lucian.
On our wedding night, he held me close and promised he'd always treat me well.
On the very same day, Stella texted him: [You really got married?]
Lucian replied: [Just wait for me. Sooner or later, you'll be Mrs. Bates.]
My tears dropped right onto the screen.
Back then, my dad took a bullet for his grandpa. On my dad's deathbed, he asked the Bates family to look after me. The old man arranged for me to marry into the family, and I thought I'd finally found a real home.
But to Lucian, this marriage was just a debt he had to pay back.
I heard footsteps outside, so I quickly put the phone back where it was.
Lucian walked in, holding a bowl of soup from my favorite place.
I looked at him and asked, "Lucian, would you ever lie to me?"
He paused for a moment, then smiled. "If I ever lied to anyone, it wouldn't be you."
I nodded, but didn't say anything else.
But in my heart, the truth was crystal clear.
From today on, I'll learn to play his game too.
The night I was discharged, Lucian was fresh out of the shower, sat down beside me on the bed, and wrapped his arms around me.
"I know you're hurting right now, but we still have to carry on," Lucian said softly. "Joanne, there's something I need to discuss with you."
My heart went cold, but I forced myself to say, "Go ahead."
"Stella's coming back home," he said.
He took my hand, his voice steady. "She's been raising her kid all alone overseas for years. She's had it tough. Now she can't hold on anymore and just wants to come back and take a break.
"Her son is about the same age as our child," he said, pausing on purpose. "If you want, you can take care of him for a while. Maybe it'll help ease the pain."
I looked up, my eyes growing red and misty.
He thought I was about to break down, so he gently wiped my tears away.
"Joanne, just listen. You need something to keep you going," he said.
I lowered my head, my voice barely above a whisper. "Alright, you can make the arrangements."
He pulled me into his arms almost instantly.
"Joanne, I always knew you were the sweetest girl," he said.
Sweet. That'd always been me.
Everyone always said I was the sweet one, ever since I was little.
When my parents divorced, I ended up living with my grandma—nobody wanted me, so I just kept quiet and tried not to cause trouble.
After joining the Bates family, I was terrified of being a nuisance, so I kept everything to myself and never complained.
Now, even after losing my own child, I still had to force a smile and nod, because that was what being sweet meant.
What a joke.
Once Lucian was asleep, I slipped out of bed as quietly as I could.
I pushed open the study door and immediately spotted the document on the desk.
It was a "Child Custody Transfer Agreement."
The child's name was written on it: Ethan Bates.
Next to it was a paternity test form, with Lucian and Ethan as the tested parties.
Turned out he'd already mapped out his backup plan.
Let me raise the kid for now, and when the timing was right, he'd swoop in and claim him as his own.
I sent a message to someone I hadn't spoken to in ages. [Eldon, I promise, I'll be back by the end of the month.]
This time, I was really leaving. But before I go, I was going to give them a parting gift they'd never forget.
*****
When Stella came back, Lucian went to the airport to pick her up himself.
I stood in the living room, watching as Stella walked in, holding the child's hand.
She looked even thinner than in the photos, and the moment she stepped inside, her eyes were rimmed with red.
"Lucian, sorry for being a bother again," she said.
Lucian took her bag from her, his voice low. "It's good to have you back."
The kid, Ethan, was hiding behind her, only half his face peeking out.
The resemblance to Lucian was uncanny; he was practically his little twin.
Anne, Lucian's mother, rushed over and scooped Ethan up in a big hug, her eyes crinkling with joy. "You're finally back. Grandma missed you so much."
At dinner, Stella kept her head down, looking nervous and awkward, like she didn't know where to put herself.
Anne kept piling food onto her plate, saying she looked pale and telling her to settle in and not worry about anything now that she was home.
Lucian sat right beside her, passing her tissues and helping Ethan clean up whenever he needed it.
I held my bowl, forcing myself to eat, but everything tasted like nothing at all.
Halfway through the meal, Ethan suddenly started coughing, his face going beet red.
Stella panicked, dropping her fork in a fluster.
Having grown up helping my grandma take care of kids, I instinctively got up, walked over, and picked Ethan up, patting his back.
He had half a meatball stuck in his mouth. After a couple of pats, he spat it out and immediately burst into tears.