Chapter 3

Five days later, the auditorium.

Voices buzzed. The air was filled with the mixed scent of tea and cigarettes.

I sat in a seat by the aisle. Andy sat quietly beside me, flipping through a book about ships.

Just then, Marcus sat down next to me with Vivian.

He lowered his voice.

"Laura, the test results are out. If you don't want this report to get out, cooperate with me on the salvage mission."

"And apologize to Vivian. Otherwise, you wouldn't want your child to have a shameful mother, would you?"

I closed the album in my hands, my tone casual.

"I'll certainly cooperate on the salvage mission, but not with you."

"As for apologizing...my way of apologizing is another slap. I wonder if she can handle it?"

Marcus looked at me with a dark gaze.

"So you don't care about your son's future?"

I blinked, a thought occurring to me, and changed tactics.

"I can agree to your conditions. After the meeting ends, burn the report. My child and I will have nothing to do with you, Marcus, from now on."

Marcus's gaze was mocking. He gave a cold laugh.

"Ha, now you realize this report can't see the light of day?"

"As long as you do these two things, I'll naturally destroy it."

Halfway through the meeting, the moderator announced.

"Now, let's have Colonel Marcus speak!"

Amid applause, Marcus walked steadily to the podium.

He adjusted the microphone, his gaze sweeping across the audience before finally settling on me.

"Today should be a happy occasion, but I must speak of something painful here."

His voice carried through the amplifier throughout the entire auditorium. The previously noisy venue immediately quieted down.

My heart sank.

Marcus took out a tan file folder from his briefcase and held it up high.

"This is a paternity test between me and the child my ex-wife was carrying seven years ago."

"As a soldier, I shouldn't discuss private matters on such an occasion. But when personal issues affect the military's image and the integrity of technical cooperation, I must stand up and clarify!"

"Today, I'm going to prove my innocence in front of everyone here."

He made as if to open the folder.

Just then, the projector at the back of the auditorium suddenly lit up...