Chapter 1

After seven years of marriage, Kayla Campbell had finally become pregnant.

But during her prenatal checkup, she noticed something was wrong. The space to fill in the name of the child’s father was blank.

She instinctively spoke up.

"The father should be Luke Hudson. Was it missed during registration?"

In Havenport's upper circles, almost everyone was aware of how devoted the head of the Hudson family was to his wife. He loved her so deeply that he had once been willing to undergo a vasectomy for her.

"Kayla, watching you take medicine and get injections again and again breaks my heart. You're everything to me. If having a child means you have to suffer like this, then I would rather never have one."

Perhaps the heavens were touched by them.

Luke was a man known for his decisive and ruthless nature. On the day they confirmed her pregnancy, he had knelt and pulled her into his arms, crying until his voice gave out. He had personally handled all the medical registration paperwork afterward.

With how carefully he treated her, a mistake like this made no sense.

The staff member was clearly new to the job, and she worked at the computer for a long while before finally nodding.

"The father's name was blank when the file was created."

As she continued checking, her expression changed slightly.

"But Mr. Hudson's name does appear in another patient's record. He's listed as the father of her child. The mother's name is Stephanie Campbell. Do you know her?"

Kayla froze.

Her thoughts went blank.

People in their social circle all knew Kayla's background. She had been adopted by the Campbell family. But when the family finally found their biological daughter, they accused Kayla of having taken their real daughter's place for years and kicked her out without mercy.

That biological daughter was Stephanie.

Chapter 1

Kayla Campbell clutched her prenatal check-up papers and felt completely lost. She didn't expect to run into Luke Hudson and Stephanie Campbell in the hallway just as she was leaving the clinic.

"Luke, isn't today Kayla's appointment too? Wouldn't it be better if you were with her instead of me?" Stephanie asked.

Luke noticed her shoelace was untied. Without hesitation, he knelt down and tied it into a perfect bow, his movements so practiced it was clear he'd done this countless times before.

"Look at you, you didn't even notice your shoelaces were untied. How am I supposed to trust you like this? As for Kayla, I've already told her to wait for me at home. Once I'm done here with you, I'll go with her to her appointment."

Sunlight streamed through the window, catching Stephanie's slightly rounded belly. It made her look radiant, soft, and unexpectedly joyful.

"So you came with me first. Does that mean you... care about me a little more? Oh! I think our baby is kicking, Luke! Can you feel it?"

Luke's expression immediately shifted to concern. Without a second thought, he swept her into his arms, holding her sideways in a protective embrace. But then, as he turned, his eyes landed on Kayla standing silently in the corner.

Panic flashed across his face. He opened his mouth, but no words came out.

Kayla stepped forward slowly, her hand swinging sharply to deliver a slap.

She put everything she had into it. Luke's cheek instantly swelled from the impact.

"Luke, explain yourself."

Before Luke could say a word, Stephanie had already stepped in. Her arms spread wide as if shielding a chick, her face full of defiance.

"I'm carrying Luke's child. He's here with me for my appointment. Who are you to hit him?"

At that moment, Kayla could no longer hold back her tears. Her chest ached so much she felt like she might collapse.

Luke immediately saw that something was wrong with Kayla. Without a second thought, he pushed Stephanie aside and held his wife tightly in his arms, his voice thick with concern.

"No, Kayla, don't cry. Stephanie's baby isn't mine. I just couldn't bear to see her suffer from the gossip about being pregnant out of wedlock. The father ran off, and she couldn't terminate the pregnancy because of her condition. I just wanted to help her.

"After all, she's your sister, isn't she?"

Kayla froze.

Even now, she could still remember the day Stephanie returned to the Campbell family. She had tumbled down the stairs all on her own, then had run crying to their parents.

"I don't blame Kayla. She didn't mean it. She was just afraid I'd take your love away from her."

Lara Smith had slapped Kayla hard, screaming at her for being malicious. She stripped Kayla of all her clothes and threw her out of the Campbell family's residence.

"You took Stephanie's life from her, and even your clothes belonged to her. You have no right to stay here. Get out!"

If Luke hadn't happened to pass by that night, Kayla might have frozen to death in the winter cold.

"She's not my sister!" Kayla cried, breaking down completely. Luke held her tighter, whispering soothingly.

"Shh, it's okay. Don't be upset, all right? My heart is breaking for you."

Stephanie noticed the prenatal checkup report in Kayla's hands and began to explain, her voice carrying an odd, self-satisfied edge.

"Luke was only worried will gossip about me, Kayla. I'm not as strong as you, and I really won't be able to handle it. That's why Luke agreed to be my baby's father.

"You know the Hudson family can only have one eldest grandchild. That means your child will have to start out without a father, but just for a while. I promise I'll make sure Luke adopts your child, and he'll never strip them of their clothes and chase them out of the house just because they're adopted. Don't worry, Kayla."

Chapter 2

The faint scent of Stephanie's perfume still clung to Luke.

Kayla shoved away the man she had loved for so many years, her eyes burning red as she screamed, "For Stephanie, you're willing to let our child grow up without a father? You worry about her reputation, but what about me? Doesn't my reputation matter at all?"

Luke stayed silent for a long moment, swallowing hard, his voice rough and hoarse when he finally spoke.

"If Stephanie hadn't come to warn me at the gala, you might have..." Luke's voice faltered, heavy with guilt.

"So I really can't just stand by and watch Stephanie be dragged through the mud."

At a gala three years ago, someone had slipped Kayla a potent drug. A group of thugs had almost taken advantage of her, and it was Stephanie who had alerted Luke, saving her at the last second.

Afterward, Luke had given the Campbell family dozens of projects and even added five million dollars in cash as thanks. But he still felt it wasn't enough.

For the past three years, he had been constantly helping the Campbell family. He managed their business affairs, secretly buying Stephanie several priceless pieces of jewelry, even rushing to care for her whenever she caught a cold.

Every time Kayla tried to stop him, Luke would cut her off with, "Stephanie saved you. I can't ignore her."

It was only now that Kayla bitterly realized the debt her husband felt toward Stephanie might consume his entire life.

And for the first time, she felt it. That heart which had once burned so fiercely for Luke was slowly going cold, bit by bit, until there was nothing left at all.

So this was what it felt like for love to fade.

Suddenly, Stephanie doubled over and screamed in pain.

"Luke! My stomach... it hurts so much! Our baby... is something wrong with our baby?"

Kayla felt the large hands holding her tense for just a moment. She allowed herself a bitter, hollow smile.

"Go ahead. Don't let yourself regret it."

Luke's expression was conflicted. In the end, he let go of Kayla and carried Stephanie straight toward the exam room.

Kayla wiped the last of her tears from her face and turned to take three decisive actions.

First, she scheduled an abortion.

Second, she contacted her lawyer to draw up divorce papers.

Third, she bought a plane ticket to fly across the ocean in two weeks.

Luke could let Stephanie ruin his own child's reputation, but Kayla couldn't. She would rather make sure this baby never saw the world.

As for her marriage to Luke, she realized it had no purpose left. In two weeks, she would leave this place that had broken her heart and never return.

The abortion was scheduled for three days from now.

When she picked up the appointment slip from the doctor's office, she ran straight into Stephanie.

"The baby in your belly is just a fatherless child. Do you really need a check-up?"

With Luke absent, Stephanie's true colors surfaced immediately.

"You didn't know, did you?" Stephanie said, a smug edge in her voice. "I made sure to schedule my check-ups at the same time as yours. Luke always chooses to come with me first. He won't rest until he's made sure I get home safely. I think there were several times he made you delay your appointment just because he came back too late, right?"

Kayla clenched her fists.

No wonder something always came up at the company whenever it was time for her prenatal checkups.

Last-minute emergencies. Meetings that stretched deep into the night.

How pitiful she had been back then. She'd pushed through her morning sickness and exhaustion, even when the nausea threatened to make her vomit, just to make a pot of hot stew for her husband so he would have it waiting when he got home from work.

The memory made her stomach churn, pain flaring up as anger and disgust swirled together.

She had no time for Stephanie's taunts. All she wanted now was to go back to bed and rest.

But before she could react, Stephanie's lips curved into a faint smile.

The next second, she pretended she lost her balance and fell backward.

"Stephanie!"

Luke lunged forward without hesitation, catching her just before she hit the ground.

Stephanie's voice trembled with quiet sobs.

"It's all my fault. That's why Kayla is so angry. She hates me... and she hates the baby in my belly. I don't blame her. She didn't mean it..."

It was the same kind of script all over again.

Kayla couldn't take it anymore.

"That's not true! I didn't—"

But Luke only looked down at Stephanie with a pained expression.

"Stephanie, don't blame Kayla, okay? I'll apologize on her behalf."

Kayla froze.

She couldn't believe it. Luke hadn't even given her a chance to explain. He had already decided she was guilty.

"That's not true! I didn't touch her! If you don't believe me, check the surveillance in the hallway!"

She pointed toward a hidden camera in the corner.

She hadn't expected there to be cameras here. Stephanie's face went pale, and she gripped Luke's arm so tightly her whole body shook.

Luke rubbed his forehead helplessly.

"Kayla, I know you're upset. I'm not asking you to apologize to Stephanie. Just... don't provoke her anymore, okay?"

At that moment, Kayla heard the sound of her own heart breaking.

The boy who had once carried her out of a freezing winter night, gently draped his coat over her shoulders, and promised he would always believe in her... had finally broken that promise.

Stephanie threw Kayla a triumphant smile before collapsing into Luke's arms, sobbing.

"Luke, I'm not feeling well. Can you take me back first?"

Luke's eyes flickered with hesitation, but he turned to Kayla.

"Stephanie's shaken. I'll take her to the car first and come right back for you. Stay here, okay?"

Without another glance, he scooped Stephanie up in his arms and hurried toward the exit.

A passing nurse watched them go, envy written all over her face.

"This man is way too good to his wife! We're on the sixteenth floor, and he didn't even wait for the elevator. He just ran down the stairs carrying her! When will I ever meet a husband like that?"

"Good husbands aren't easy to find. Look at that other pregnant woman over there. She's so pale, and her husband isn't even with her. Poor thing... wait, what's happening? Someone call for help! A pregnant woman just fainted in the hallway!"

Before Kayla lost consciousness, the last thing she saw was the nurse's terrified face.

Chapter 3

When Kayla woke, Luke was sitting by the bed.

He looked exhausted, probably from a sleepless night. His handsome face was shadowed with stubble, and he looked utterly worn out.

The moment he saw her open her eyes, he grabbed her hand, his voice trembling.

"Kayla, you're awake. Do you know what the doctor said? Your mood swings have already seriously affected the baby. If anything happened to you or the baby, what would I do? You'll be the death of me!"

Kayla felt dazed. She couldn't understand how the man before her could love her and their child so fiercely, and stab her heart over and over at the same time.

"The doctor says you need more vitamins. You love apples the most. I'll peel one for you, okay?"

As he spoke, Luke rolled up his sleeves.

He picked up the knife with practiced ease, handling it even more carefully than the multi-billion-dollar contracts he signed every day.

As he carefully peeled the apple, exposing the glistening white flesh inside, Kayla remembered that he hadn't known how to peel apples at first.

But ever since she had accidentally nicked her finger with a small knife, Luke had forbidden her from touching anything sharp. The pampered, wealthy young man who had grown up pampered and protected had clumsily taught himself how to care for someone else.

Even something as trivial as peeling an apple, he did with painstaking care.

Halfway through, Luke's phone rang abruptly.

The moment he answered, Stephanie's sobs filled the room.

Luke's expression changed instantly. He grabbed his coat from the sofa and rushed out.

"Stephanie's in trouble. I have to go see her."

In his haste, the door slammed behind him. The half-peeled apple fell to the floor, and Kayla felt her heart shatter along with it.

Luke kept saying he was doing everything to repay a debt on her behalf. But which of his choices had not placed Stephanie above her? And this time, what else was he planning to do for Stephanie in the name of gratitude?

It didn't take long for Kayla to find out.

Someone had filmed Luke carrying Stephanie down the hospital stairs yesterday and posted it online. Others had captured her own pale, fainting form at the entrance to the maternity ward.

Netizens were quick to condemn Stephanie, accusing her of shamelessly seducing her sister's husband.

Some people also noticed the slight swell of Stephanie's belly and began hurling accusations. They said she was pregnant out of wedlock, carrying a bastard no one even knew the father of. They called her shameless, loose, a woman anyone could have.

Gossip reporters and furious netizens crowded outside her home, shouting insults and shooting her furious glares. Luke hurriedly pushed through the crowd and shielded her.

He stood firm, a solid wall between Stephanie and the chaos.

In panic, Stephanie blurted out, "The baby I'm carrying is Luke's!"

A stunned hush fell over the crowd. Cameras whirred, microphones shoved in Luke's face.

"Is what Ms. Stephanie just said true? Is the baby really yours?"

Stephanie clung to Luke's sleeve, silent tears streaming down her face. Luke's resolve softened slightly, but he spoke firmly.

"Yes, I am the father of Stephanie's child."

The reporters erupted.

"Your wife Kayla has been photographed pregnant too. Are you saying Ms. Stephanie's baby is your illegitimate child?"

"Ms. Stephanie seduced her sister's husband while Ms. Kayla is pregnant. How is this any different from having an illegitimate child?"

"No!"

Just as someone lunged forward toward Stephanie, Luke couldn't hold back. His voice cut through the chaos.

"The baby in Stephanie's womb is not illegitimate. Kayla's child is!"

In an instant, everything was clear to everyone.

It had been Kayla who had cheated first, shamelessly carrying another man's child. That left Luke no choice but to have an heir with Stephanie.

In an instant, all the anger and insults that had once been aimed at Stephanie now exploded onto Kayla a hundredfold.

"Kayla is a wretch."

"Kayla's child is illegitimate."

"How many men has Kayla slept with?"

"Kayla's been used and discarded."

The cruel words came in endless waves.

When Luke returned, he saw Kayla being pulled at. Her clothes were torn as vicious insults rained down on her. Someone even shoved her roughly.

Luke surged forward instinctively, but Stephanie grabbed his arm.

"Luke, I'm scared," she whimpered.

Those few seconds of hesitation were all it took. Kayla's collar was ripped open, and she was thrown hard to the ground.

Luke didn't care about anything else. He shoved Stephanie aside and scooped Kayla into his arms.

"Kayla, are you okay?"

Then his hand felt something wet.

Blood. Kayla was bleeding!

"Kayla!"

Luke let out a raw, shattered roar, but Kayla had already gone limp. Her eyes were closed as if all strength had drained from her body.

Chapter 4

In a daze, Kayla thought she heard Luke's furious voice echoing around her.

"What kind of security do we have at the villa? How did those people get in?

"No matter what it takes, I will make anyone who hurts Kayla pay a hundred times over!

"And take those online posts down immediately! What's that? The situation's too big? What's the Hudson family's PR department for then? Just take it from my accounts, fifty million, five hundred million—I don't care. I never want to hear another word against Kayla!

"What do you mean her condition is serious? Neither Kayla nor the baby can be harmed. If anything happens, I'll make sure you all pay for it with your lives!"

When Kayla finally woke, the first thing she saw was Luke. Tears were streaming down his face, almost as if he might break apart.

The moment he saw her eyes open, he swept her into his arms like he'd just survived a catastrophe.

"Kayla, my love. Do you know how close you just came to scaring me to death? You're my life!"

He spoke with a sincerity so raw it couldn't be faked, but Kayla felt nothing.

The moment Luke had declared in front of the media that Stephanie's child wasn't illegitimate and Kayla's was, she had completely lost any feeling of love for him.

Seeing the light in her eyes fade, Luke felt a terrible instinct gnawing at him. Something precious was slipping away in a way he couldn't stop. His heart felt like it was being crushed, and breathing hurt.

"Kayla, what's wrong? Are you angry with me? But I had no choice! I couldn't just stand by and let Stephanie's reputation be destroyed. She saved your life, remember? Seeing you hurt nearly drove me crazy! Can't you try to understand me, just this once?"

It was then that Stephanie pushed the door open, holding Kayla's abortion appointment slip in her hand.

"Yeah, Kayla. No matter how mad you are, you can't just get rid of the baby in your belly!"

"What?"

Luke stared at the slip in disbelief, his breath catching, completely thrown off balance.

Malice flashed openly in Stephanie's eyes.

"You went out on purpose, didn't you? Deliberately letting those people find you, hiding that you weren't feeling well from Luke, stirring up trouble so everyone would be furious at you. You just wanted the baby to miscarry on its own. And even if it didn't, you already scheduled the abortion. How could you do this to Luke? You've gone too far!"

The appointment slip in her hand was already crumpled in Luke's fist. His throat tightened.

"Is this true, Kayla? Are you really willing to end our child's life?"

Kayla only felt bitter irony.

He was the one who didn't want this child in the first place.

In a sudden motion, Luke overturned the teacup on the table. Glass shards scattered across the floor.

"Why? How much pain did you endure for this child? How many nights did you sweat through the side effects of the injections? I even knelt on the floor begging you to stop taking them. And yet you still wanted our child. How can you now be so cold as to abort this baby? Kayla, do you even have a heart?"

Yes. Kayla had risked almost everything for this child. But how could Luke erase his name from the birth certificate so casually, just to protect the child in Stephanie's womb? How could he willingly let her reputation be ruined, let their child be labeled a fatherless bastard, all for Stephanie?

At that moment, the voice of a servant came from the doorway.

"Mr. Hudson, the lawyer just delivered a divorce agreement. He says Mrs. Hudson asked him to draw it up."

Chapter 5

Stephanie gave a knowing look to the servant, and the divorce papers were immediately handed to Luke. His name and Kayla's were printed in bold, glaring letters.

Luke's hands clenched. In a flash of anger, he ripped the papers in two. His voice was sharp, almost strangled.

"You can't divorce me. How could you even think of divorcing me?"

Stephanie put on a concerned expression.

"Luke, you've treated my sister so well, and she still wants a divorce. Could it be that... she's fallen for someone else?"

That was all it took. Luke completely lost control. He grabbed Kayla's wrist, gripping so hard it hurt.

"Luke, let go of me!"

"Never!"

His eyes were bloodshot, his breathing heavy with rage.

"Whoever that man is, I'll kill him myself. And you... Kayla, you will never leave me. You're mine. Forever!"

Of course, Luke never found this so-called other man. But from that day on, he no longer allowed Kayla to leave the house.

He claimed it was for her and the baby's safety, but in truth, it was imprisonment.

Around the villa, a twenty-four-hour automated security system was installed, along with rotating guards. No one was allowed in or out. Inside, all the servants were replaced with unfamiliar faces. After Luke discovered the flight information on Kayla's phone, he confiscated every communication device she owned, cutting her off completely from the outside world.

"I know this isn't fair to you," Luke said, his tone deceptively gentle. "But I will never let you end the child we fought so hard for. And I certainly won't let you hire a lawyer or file for divorce.

"Kayla, be good. I've spoken to the doctor. Your extreme emotions are just hormones from the pregnancy. Once you give birth to our child, you'll come to your senses."

Come to her senses? Did that mean accepting that her own child was being labeled a worthless illegitimate child by everyone? Or accepting that her husband was the father of another woman's child?

Kayla said nothing and only looked at Luke calmly. That quiet gaze alone was enough to strip the once-invincible businessman of all composure, forcing him to retreat from her room in disarray.

She was locked away for half a month.

She missed the abortion appointment she had scheduled.

She also missed the flight that could have carried her to freedom.

Not long after, Luke's mother, Katie Lloyd, arrived.

The moment Katie stepped through the door, she coldly ordered Kayla to kneel.

"You shameless wretch. Has Luke not done enough for you? For you, he went against his entire family. He begged them until they almost disowned him, took every consequence they threw at him, and nearly destroyed himself in the process. He ended up in the hospital for a month and almost didn't make it out alive. He even scheduled a vasectomy for you! And how did you repay him? You cheated on him. You dared to get pregnant with another man's child. How can a woman be this disgusting? I'll kill you!"

Stephanie stood to the side, putting on a show of concern.

"Please calm down, Madam Hudson. My sister just can't stand being lonely. That's why she kept sneaking around with other men. Please forgive her this once."

The more Katie listened, the angrier she became. She raised her hand to slap Kayla.

However, Kayla caught her wrist.

"My child is not illegitimate."

"What did you say?"

"I said, the child I'm carrying is Luke's."

Panic flashed across Stephanie's face. She rushed forward, grabbing Katie's arm.

"Madam Hudson, she's lying just to escape punishment. Please have someone shut her up."

Kayla swung backhandedly and slapped Stephanie hard. Then she looked straight at Katie and said, "The illegitimate child is the one in her belly. If you don't believe me, I can go with you right now and do a paternity test."

Chapter 6

Katie was still hesitating when Luke burst into the room.

The moment he heard from his staff that his mother had gone to the villa, he abandoned the meeting he was in and rushed back without a second thought. It was only when he saw Kayla standing there, unharmed, that he finally let out a breath.

The next second, Stephanie threw herself into his arms. She covered her swollen, reddened cheek and cried pitifully, tears streaming down her face.

"Luke, Kayla accused me and said the baby I'm carrying is an illegitimate child. I saved her back then, and now she's trying to destroy me. She's pushing me into a corner with no way out. If that's how it's going to be, I might as well die."

She turned as if to run out, but Luke caught her arm and pulled her back.

Kayla watched the man she had loved for so many years. Even though her heart had already turned to ash, she could not stop a small flicker of hope from rising. She hoped he would finally tell the truth. That he would give her, and the child she carried, a shred of justice.

Katie stared at Luke anxiously.

"Is what Kayla said true?"

Luke's eyes flickered with hesitation, only for a moment. Then he shook his head.

"Stephanie's child is not illegitimate."

He even looked at Kayla with something close to desperation, as if begging her to understand his struggle and pain.

The disappointment tore through her chest, leaving a hollow ache as cold despair poured in without mercy.

Katie flew into a rage and slapped Kayla hard across the face.

Luke stepped forward instinctively to stop her, but Stephanie held him back.

"After what she's done, your mother needs to vent her anger. Otherwise, it'll be bad for her health," she said softly.

Katie patted Stephanie's hand with affection.

"You're such a good girl. You're a hundred times better than that wretch. And now you're carrying the Hudson family's eldest grandson. You should move in right away so Luke can take good care of you."

She then turned, glaring at Kayla through clenched teeth.

"A shameless woman like you has no right to stay here. Divorce Luke immediately and get out of the Hudson family. Now."

Stephanie obediently agreed out loud, but when no one was looking, she shot Kayla a triumphant smile.

Just as she believed she was about to step into her rightful place as the lady of the Hudson family, Luke brushed her hand aside. He pulled Kayla into his arms and spoke with unmistakable resolve.

"Kayla will not divorce me. And she will not leave the Hudson family. Unless I am dead, I will never let her leave my side."

Katie clenched her fists in anger. Stephanie's face twisted with frustration, but she held herself back and offered a compromise.

"The child I'm carrying needs a father's care too. How about this? I move into the master bedroom with Luke, and Kayla can stay in the basement. That way, she gets punished for slapping me."

Luke of course refused.

Katie slammed her hand down on the nearby table.

"If you won't even agree to this, then get that wretch out of the house!"

And so, Luke personally escorted Kayla to a cold, damp basement.

"Don't worry, Kayla. Once Mom calms down, I'll bring you back upstairs," he promised.

During those weeks in the basement, Kayla could hear Stephanie's belongings constantly being moved into the house.

Stephanie wasn't comfortable in the master bed, so Luke dismantled the custom bed Kayla had spent an entire year commissioning from a master craftsman, replacing it with a latex mattress Stephanie liked.

Stephanie was allergic to pollen, so Luke uprooted all the sunflowers Kayla had carefully nurtured and replaced them with an infinity pool she preferred.

Stephanie even converted Kayla's music room into a nursery. She smashed the piano Luke had painstakingly refinished for Kayla, then set it ablaze until it was nothing but ash.

"Soon I'll completely replace you as the lady of the Hudson family," Stephanie sneered. "As for you and your child, I'll make sure the baby is born, despised by everyone, and left to die in misery."

Only then did Kayla finally understand why Stephanie had deliberately handed her abortion appointment slip to Luke.

Stephanie wanted Kayla to watch it with her own eyes, to see her child rejected by the world and pushed toward ruin.

The moment Luke appeared, Stephanie instantly changed her tone.

"I was only trying to persuade my sister to carry the baby to term."

Luke's expression twisted into one of anguish.

"Kayla, I can't believe you're still thinking about giving up our child. I am so disappointed in you!"

Kayla didn't even want to look at him anymore.

All she wanted now was to leave Luke and go somewhere she wouldn't be disturbed.

The only question was, how could she even reach the outside world?

Chapter 7

Kayla began to take the initiative with Luke. She would even take his hand and guide it to her belly.

"I heard that babies who grow up listening to their father tell stories become smarter," she said softly.

For the first time in ages, Kayla was no longer cold or distant. She was showing affection, even joy, about the baby. Luke was over the moon. He spent the entire day holding his wife, unwilling to let her go.

When Stephanie complained that her stomach hurt and asked Luke to stay with her, he refused without a second thought, saying he was too busy with work.

But the moment Kayla mentioned craving mac and cheese, Luke canceled his meetings, went into the kitchen himself, and cooked a full spread just for her. He even promised he would come every night to tell the baby a bedtime story.

Stephanie finally snapped.

She intercepted Kayla while she was walking in the backyard, her hatred spilling out through clenched teeth.

"You shameless wench. You stole eighteen years of my life, and now you want to steal my husband too!"

Kayla let out a cold laugh.

"First of all, you were the one who thought the Campbell family was too poor and willingly followed a trafficker just because he promised you a limited edition Barbie doll. You only came crawling back after hearing the Campbells had made it big, trying to snatch the real daughter's place. The shameless one is you, not me. Second, Luke's marriage certificate still has my name on it. I am his lawful wife."

Stephanie looked like she was on the verge of losing her mind, then a strange, twisted smile appeared on her lips.

"What do you think would happen if the two of us fell into the water at the same time? Who do you think Luke would choose?"

Kayla reacted faster than she did.

She grabbed Stephanie around the waist and dragged her straight into the pool.

"Kayla!"

Luke did not hesitate for even a second. He dove into the water after them.

Stephanie flailed helplessly at the surface, looking as though she might sink at any moment.

"Luke, I can't swim. I'm going to die!"

Luke had been swimming decisively toward Kayla, but he suddenly froze.

In that brief moment of hesitation, Stephanie clung to his shoulder. Her face was deathly pale.

"My stomach hurts so much. I can't hold on anymore. Luke, save me."

The glare of sunlight off the water made the hesitation and confusion in Luke's eyes painfully clear.

So this was the man who always swore Kayla would be his first choice. All it took was a few words from someone else, and he was already hesitating over whether to save his wife first.

So this was how it was. Even the firmest vows only held in the moment. With time, they turned into blades, cutting straight into Kayla's heart.

Driven by instinct, Luke still chose to save Kayla first.

But he only shoved her toward the edge of the pool. He didn't even help her out before rushing back to Stephanie, pulling her into his arms as if she were a priceless treasure he had almost lost forever.

Only after carrying Stephanie out of the pool, calling the family doctor, and confirming she was fine did Luke finally remember Kayla. She was still clinging to the railing with both hands, barely keeping herself from sinking.

When Kayla was pulled ashore, Stephanie was wrapped in the only cashmere blanket. She shot Kayla a smug look, watching her lips tremble blue from the cold.

A sharp wave of unease surged through Luke. He reached for his wife, wanting to drape his jacket over her shoulders, but his hand was knocked away without mercy.

"Kayla?"

"No need. I didn't die in the water, and I won't die on land either. I can walk back on my own."

Luke could sense he was on the verge of losing something precious, but Stephanie was tightly gripping his arm, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Luke, I don't blame you for saving my sister first. Really, I don't. But my stomach hurts so much. Can you take me to the hospital?"

Kayla returned alone to the basement. Only after locking the door did she pull a phone wrapped in plastic from inside her clothes.

She had stolen it when she dragged Stephanie into the pool.

In the chaos, the plastic had not been sealed properly. Fortunately, the phone still worked.

Kayla immediately dialed a number she had recited in her mind hundreds of times. After a few rings, a low male voice answered.

"Who is this?"

"It's me, Kayla. I'm willing to sell you the copyright to 'Celestial Bliss.' on one condition. You get me out of the Hudson family for good, away from Luke, as fast as possible."

Chapter 8

The Celestial Bliss jewelry line had long been Hudson Group's flagship brand. Last year alone, sixty percent of the company's total revenue came from that series.

When they released the preview for the new collection, "Moonlit Delight, " it triggered a rush of preorders. Industry experts predicted it would become the most profitable jewelry launch of the past fifty years.

What no one knew was that the entire "Celestial Bliss" series had been designed by Kayla.

On the other end of the line, the man's breathing grew noticeably heavier.

"I'll come to Harbor City myself within the hour. Wait for me."

Once Kayla got the answer she wanted, she finally let out the breath she had been holding.

She deleted the call log, then smashed Stephanie's phone and tossed the broken pieces into the trash.

Outside the door, the family doctor was still pleading anxiously.

"Mrs. Hudson, please let me take a look at you. If Mr. Hudson asks later, I really won't know what to say."

Just as Kayla hesitated, the doctor's voice abruptly stopped.

A bad feeling crept up her spine.

The next second, the basement door was kicked open. Stephanie's biological parents, Simon Campbell and Lara, stormed in. Their faces were dark with fury, and Katie followed behind them.

The moment Kayla came into view, Lara lunged forward and grabbed her by the throat.

"You cursed little leech. You stole half of Stephanie's life, and now you even dared to push her into the water, trying to kill the child she's carrying. I'll kill you!"

In panic, Kayla grabbed the nearest plate and smashed it over the woman's head.

Backed into a corner, she shouted hoarsely, "Back then, it was you who believed some so-called fortune teller and kidnapped me from the amusement park, all because he said I was born with a 'rich destiny.' When your business started doing better, you kicked me out of the Campbell family without a second thought. I didn't steal Stephanie's life. You stole mine."

They clearly had not expected Kayla to remember what happened when she was a child, much less expose it in public.

Simon Campbell and Lara's faces turned ugly. Seeing the shard of broken porcelain clenched tightly in Kayla's hand, they didn't dare move closer. Instead, they turned their pressure on Katie.

"Madam Hudson, Stephanie is carrying the eldest grandson of your family. If you don't give us an explanation today, we'll take Stephanie to the hospital right now and have the baby aborted."

Katie was in no mood to lose her long-awaited eldest grandson. She immediately slammed a divorce agreement down in front of Kayla.

"Terminate the baby in your womb, leave with nothing, and the Hudson family might let you walk away alive."

Kayla glanced at the dozen or so bodyguards surrounding her, ready to move at a moment's notice. Then, unexpectedly, she smiled. Without hesitation, she signed her name across the paper.

The family doctor looked uneasy and handed her a few pills.

"Take these first. It'll make things easier once you're on the operating table."

Kayla had long considered terminating the baby. But now that the moment had come, a hollow sadness rose in her chest. All the suffering she had endured, all the hope she had carried, had led to this child. Yet in the end, she would never meet the child.

"I said it before. I'm carrying Luke's child. Unfortunately, no one ever cared. Fine. Then I hope none of you ever regret this."

The pills went down. Soon, a searing pain shot through her lower abdomen.

The family doctor immediately called for a stretcher, ready to carry her to the sterile room for the procedure.

Halfway there, Lara suddenly lunged forward.

"She dared to push my daughter into the pool. There's no way we can let her get away with this!"

This time, Kayla had no strength left to resist. She could only watch helplessly as she was shoved into the icy water.

Cold swallowed her from all sides. It felt as though something inside her was being ripped away, leaving the water around her stained red.

Screams and shouts rang from the poolside, but amid the endless pain, Kayla felt a strange sense of release.

Before she closed her eyes, she heard the deafening roar of propellers above.

No matter the outcome, she could finally leave the Hudson family behind this time. She could leave Luke.

She could say goodbye to everything here.