Chapter 3
“What are you doing!”
Alexander’s voice suddenly rang out behind her.
Jennifer turned around and found him standing at the doorway, holding the hand of an unfamiliar child.
Right now, he was staring at her with a furrowed brow.
Alexander immediately fetched a bucket of water and poured it on the raging fire.
But his scrutiny of Jennifer didn’t lessen one bit.
“Uncle!
Why is auntie burning stuff here?”
The child beside him looked at Jennifer in surprise and asked.
Alexander’s face darkened, “I just picked up Nicole this afternoon. Is that worth getting so mad?
Burning everything?”
“I’m not mad!”
Jennifer replied flatly.
“Is auntie mad at my mom?
My mom said you’re my dad now, but a dad can only have one mom, so
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Chapter 3
auntie’s mad?”
Jennifer’s heart clenched. She hadn’t realized this kid was Nicole’s child.
And Alexander had actually brought him home.
“This is Nicole’s kid Edward. His father ran off, but I like him, so I brought him home.”
Jennifer couldn’t help but chuckle softly.
After all these years with Alexander, he’d never wanted a child with her. Yet today, because it was Nicole, he could bring home her child with another man and treat him as his own.
She felt like a knife had sliced her heart open, bleeding nonstop.
Alexander raised an eyebrow, bent down, lifted Edward overhead. “If uncle takes you out to play, what should you call uncle?”
Edward giggled on his shoulder, “Mom taught me to call you dad.”
Numbness shot from head to toe through her heart, leaving Jennifer speechless.
That doting smile felt completely alien to her.
She studied the child for a long time, sensing an odd familiarity.
As the fire dimmed, the driver hauled in a huge pile of toys. At Alexander’s gesture, he moved them all to the brightest room.
“Enough. Burn whatever you want another day. Edward lives here now, and burning stuff scares him.”
Seeing Jennifer still in the yard, he shouted impatiently toward the door.
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Once inside, Jennifer’s mom rushed out from the kitchen, gasping for breath.
“What did you do?
Why was Alexander so furious when he got home?”
Jennifer felt utterly drained. She shook her hand and headed upstairs.
“Listen Jennifer, our whole family’s counting on him now. Don’t you dare cause any trouble.”
Jennifer’s mom grabbed her arm first, hissing through clenched teeth.
Jennifer shook off her grip and went upstairs alone.
Jennifer’s mom was always materialistic. Ever since learning her daughter landed a rich son–in–law, she’d insisted on moving in.
Not only did she never stand up for Jennifer, she’d threaten suicide just to keep her swallowing insults in the Smith family.
All to fulfill her wealthy mother–in–law fantasy.
Jennifer’s misery in her previous life’s second half owed much to her own
mother.
Lying in bed, she felt her eyes stinging.
Beside her, Alexander was already fast asleep, breathing steadily.
Jennifer tossed and turned, unable to sleep until her phone screen lit up abruptly. She slowly sat up.
Nicole had sent a paternity test confirming Edward Harris was Alexander
Smith’s biological father.
Jennifer felt dizzy, her face pale with shock, nearly dropping her phone.
Lying on her side with her back to Alexander, her heart felt ripped apart.
“Well?
Do you like this gift?
Technically, I’m the rightful lady of this house.
You’re just occupying my place.”
Jennifer’s knuckles whitened around her phone. So he’d had a child with Nicole long before.
In her previous life, she’d been living under his lies.
Outside her existence lay his real family.
A boulder seemed lodged in Jennifer’s chest, her breathing turning ragged.
She scrambled for her medical kit, swallowing pills hastily.
Sitting on the bed watching Alexander sleep soundly, she closed her eyes. A few soft sobs escaped before she wiped her tears away.
She sat awake all night, watching Alexander’s sleeping form.
Soon enough, she’d vanish completely–just as they wanted.
Alexander would never find her again.
