Chapter 1

The day my pregnancy was diagnosed, the illegitimate daughter changed her usual tune and began showing concern for me. It was a far cry from her usual contempt for me.

I was wondering where this sudden change came from when a child's voice echoed within my ear. "Don't fall for it, Mom! She knows you slept with the Quintons' heir! The Quintons only have one heir every generation, and I'm their only ticket to the top!

"They set up a death trap for you after you gave birth to me in your previous life. That woman pretended to be my mom after you died. She used me to marry into the Quintons, to wealth! You need to call Dad and stomp these people straight down to hell!"

I steeled myself, quietly shook her hand free, and went into my room.

Chapter 1 The Truth

"You can hear me! You can hear me, right, Mom?" The voice spoke again, belaying an unmistakable undercurrent of worry and panic.

I brought my hand to my flat belly. "Yes, I can."

"Yes! A reply! It's going to be different this time around! We don't have much time. You have to move! Now!" The voice was now filled with joy.

I inhaled deeply as memories crashed into my mind like waves. My family was teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. So, my father wanted to make me sleep with our business partner, an obese guy called Mr. West.

I risked my life to get out of his room only to run into another. It was dark, and all I could remember from that encounter was a pair of deep-set eyes. When dawn came, I fled before that man woke up.

My father was livid when he found out I hadn't slept with Mr. West, but he started singing a different tune when he saw the marks on my neck. He stopped making me sleep with Mr. West, but he secretly pulled up footage of that night.

That explained everything.

Since the day I escaped, the 'freedom' they gave me was a mask for tighter surveillance. It explained why they put on the act of a loving family the moment my pregnancy was confirmed.

The voice in my belly turned solemn. "That's right. My father's Anthony Quinton, and he's the heir to the Quintons. It's hard for them to have children, and they only have one heir every generation. To them, children are sacred.

"The Shaws found out he's the guy who slept with you. They're being so nice to you because they've found out that you're pregnant with his kid. They want to use me as a hook to latch on to the Quintons."

I had assumed that my father would at least spare my life despite how biased he was.

The voice in my head was now speaking with resentment in its voice, "Don't even think about it. You think this is bad? They're planning far worse! They want to lock you up until you give birth to me. They're going to keep you frail.

"They… even said you died from excessive blood loss during childbirth. Selune pretended to be my mother and brought me to the Quintons. After they did a paternity test, she used their love for children and care for family to reap the rewards of your labor!

"The Shaws leeched off them as well. We're not repeating that mistake this time, Mom!"

Sorrow and hatred nearly overwhelmed me as I recalled their abnormally friendly attitude toward me after I came home from the hospital. To think something that dark and insidious was hiding underneath all those warm smiles…

"What do we do now, Mom?" My baby's voice pulled me out of hatred's mire.

I walked to the stairs and watched the Shaws discussing things on the couch with a sardonic smile curling my lips.

"They're trying to use you to rise and kick me out of the picture, right? That means they'll have to keep me under lock and key for now. Don't worry. They're not the only good actors here. We'll have to keep them happy for now.

"Once they let their guard down, I'll find an opening to call your father."

The baby happily agreed to my plan, "Yeah! We can make them pay once we get a hold of Dad!"

Still, that was a problem. How was I going to get in touch with Anthony? Even though I couldn't see things clearly that night, the presence he radiated was still suffocating. Plus, I was so focused on escaping that I didn't exactly have the presence of mind to get his number.

Now that the Shaws were keeping all their gimlet eyes on me, how would I ever get the chance to contact a bigshot like Anthony?

I couldn't help but voice my worries, asking, "How are we going to get in touch with him? I don't even know where he is, and I'm not exactly what you would call a free woman right now."

Chapter 2 An Act

I frowned in dismay.

"Don't worry, Mom. I can help. The Shaws are going to attend some upscale wine-and-dine in a couple of days. They asked around and found out Anthony might show up as well. That's your ticket to freedom. We just need to lay low until then."

A wine-and-dine? My heart squeezed. That meant I'd have to meet the man who could decide my baby's and my fate under the Shaws' supervision.

Just as I was drawing up plans with my little tactician, someone knocked on the door. "Are you alright, Diana? I made something for you that'll be good for the baby." Selune's cloying voice echoed from beyond the door.

Our conversation stopped immediately. My baby warned me, "She's definitely got something planned. Be on the lookout, Mom!"

I took a deep breath and put on a nonchalant smile as I opened the door. Selune was holding a bowl, scanning my face with concern. She looked as if she was evaluating how pristine a breeding mare was.

"I'm fine, just a little tired. I was going to catch some sleep," I said softly and turned away to let her in. I acted as docile as I could.

"That doesn't mean you can ruin your body. You're the family's top priority now." Selune placed the bowl on the table and tried to hold my hand as a gesture of closeness, but I casually moved my hand away.

Her act was making my stomach churn in revulsion. If I hadn't found out the truth, I might've bought her act hook, line, and sinker. Now, I understood just how I'd been lured into their perfectly crafted trap in my previous life.

I lowered my eyes to hide the hatred festering in them. Then, I sat down and asked my baby in my head, "Can I drink that? I have a feeling that I shouldn't..."

"Your gut's right! Don't drink that! That's why you died from excessive blood loss after labor in your previous life!" my baby screeched frantically.

I paused and gave Selune a genuine-looking smile. "Thank you for your kindness, Selune, but the smell's making me nauseous. I'm afraid morning sickness is part of the deal for my pregnancy. You should have it instead." I slid the brew over to her, telling her to finish it.

A hint of nervousness flickered in Selune's eyes as she hastily pushed the bowl away. "You deserve all the good stuff. You can just put it here and have it later. By the way, Dad's having the family physician over tonight so you can have a more thorough checkup.

"After all, we have to make sure you and the baby are alright."

She had that eager look in her eyes when she said the last sentence. I knew right then just what they were up to. They wanted to find out if the baby was growing well and if the vessel, that was me, was in good condition.

"Dad really went out of his way, huh? I'll see the doctor, then." I nodded, acting docile as I played up my gratefulness.

Selune was satisfied with my obedience. She put on another act of concern before leaving. My smile vanished the moment the door swung shut behind her.

I looked at the bowl of brew as if it was poison.

My baby was impressed as it exclaimed in relief. "That was a job well done, Mom!"

"This is only the beginning," I said quietly as I flushed the brew down the toilet.

Their so-called thorough check was another evaluation of an object's condition. I played along and calmly answered every question.

"Keep this up, Mom! The more of a doormat you are, the easier they think you can be controlled. That'll keep us safe and under the radar!"

"You should stay at home for the time being, Diana. Tell me if you need anything. Don't keep any of that stress bottled up, you hear? I don't want you and my grandchild to suffer."

The grandchild was the point, not me. Still, I nodded like the obedient daughter they thought I was. "I'll keep that in mind, Dad."

However, a look of hesitation flashed on my face as I parted my lips to speak, seemingly recalling something.

Chapter 3 At the Event

"Dad, I remember you bringing up a… What was it again? Oh! Yes, a wine-and-dine in a couple of days."

Mike looked at me sharply. "How do you know that, and why do you want to know about it?"

Rachel Willow, my stepmother, and Selune shot me looks of judgment. I put on the perfect look of trepidation and anticipation, my fingers twirling the hem of my shirt for good measure.

"I-I heard it's a very upscale event with tons of powerful people there. I've never attended that kind of event. Now that I'm pregnant, it'll be hard for me to go out and about in a couple of months. Can't I go? Staying home all the time can be suffocating."

I made sure my voice trailed off the longer I spoke, adding in a dash of hurt as I continued, "It'll be even better if I get to know someone who can help our business."

That did it for Mike. After all, he was trying to expand his connections, and the event was an opportunity. Besides, he figured that keeping me close was better than leaving me alone at home with zero supervision.

Rachel wanted to say something, but Mike held his hand up and silenced her. "Are you sure you can do this? And you promise you won't cause any trouble?"

I swore, "I won't! I promise I'll do as you say, Dad!"

After a beat, Mike gave his okay. "Fine, but you'll stay close, you hear? And don't you say anything you shouldn't when you're there. Don't look at anyone you shouldn't, either."

"Thanks, Dad!" I put on a smile of pleasant surprise.

Eventually, they left me to my own devices. Once they were gone, I couldn't help but let out a sigh that I'd been holding in. I could feel my shirt sticking to my sweaty back because of all the anxiety.

"Yay! That's the first step done, Mom! But we have to be careful. They're going to keep an even closer eye on you now."

I caressed my belly reassuringly. "You're right. The event's an opportunity. The question is, how do I approach Anthony?"

"It's okay, Mom. I remember some of the details, but we'll have to wing it!"

On the day of the event, Selune picked an oversized, almost anachronistic dress just in case I stole her thunder. I barely held back a sneer, but I wore it anyway.

The venue was resplendent. Whenever Mike ran into someone, he would introduce me. "This is my daughter. She's here to get some experience."

I played along with a smile, but my eyes were frantically searching the area.

Just then, I saw those familiar eyes.

That man was standing by the window, his profile cool and aloof. He was also surrounded by a group of sycophants, who were eagerly buttering up to him.

His figure overlapped with the silhouette I saw that night, causing my heart to skip a beat. The baby also became excited. "That's Dad!"

I only had one shot at freedom. I took a deep breath and held up my juice. Just when I was about to approach him, Selune showed up beside me like a wraith. She held my arm tight enough to stop me from moving, a fake, loving smile plastered across her face.

"You must be bored all by yourself. Dad told me to talk to you."

Her voice wasn't loud, but I could hear the underlying warning. "There are a lot of eyes here, so watch yourself. If anyone thinks you're trying to latch on to someone, you'll be dragging the family's name through the mud."

I tried to break free from her grasp, but her grip only coiled tighter around me like a python.

My baby started to panic. "Do you think she noticed what we're up to, Mom?"

I soothed my baby, "It's alright. Trust me. I have this handled."

"Let go. I was just getting some fruits," I said lowly.

Selune was still smiling, but she moved and blocked my way. "You can tell me what you want, and I'll get it for you. You're in a delicate state right now, so we can't afford any accidents. It'd be terrible if someone bumps into you or you trip and fall."

Our little back and forth had gotten Mike's attention. He shot me a warning look that told me to stay in my lane.

Due to that delay, I saw Anthony turning to leave. He'd probably wrapped things up on his end when I was busy trying to get Selune off my back. It was now or never. I was in a time crunch, and hesitation meant death.