After returning home, I followed my memory and rushed straight toward the room that belonged to my son, Andy.

“Andy? Buddy? Andy, Daddy's home.”

The household staff stared at me in shock. At first, I thought it was because of my face. So, I quickly pulled out a wrinkled mask and put it on. I didn't want to scare Andy when he saw me.

However, the moment I pushed open the door, I froze. The room that had once been filled with toys was now packed with miscellaneous junk. The stench of dust and garbage hit me hard, and my mind went blank. Slowly, I turned around and grabbed the nearest servant by the arm.

“Where's Andy? Where did you take him?”

The servant glanced at Riley, who had just walked up behind me, and hesitated to speak. A terrible feeling settled in my chest, and I started to panic.

I grabbed Riley by the collar, asking, “Where is Andy, Riley? Where is he? You can't just neglect him because I wasn't there with him...”

Riley closed her eyes. After a long struggle, she finally forced out the words.

“Andy… is dead…”

Something inside me snapped.

“The child who was hit in that accident was Andy. Leo didn't mean for it to happen. Back then, we were afraid you'd be devastated, so we thought it would be better if you spent a few years in prison. That way, you wouldn't have to face the pain directly.”

The blood seemed to drain from my entire body. I couldn't stop trembling as tears streamed down my face.

“Liar! Riley, I’ve done what you wanted! I went to prison for Leo! Now give me back my son. I'm begging you. Bring Andy back to me!”

Riley's face turned pale.

“Carter, Andy is gone. There's no point putting Riley in a tough spot,” Leo said, aggrieved. “I know you're angry, Carter, but please believe me. I know I was wrong. For the last few years, I've stayed by Riley's side, trying to make up for it.

“Riley found out she's one month pregnant. Since the baby and Andy share the same mother, they'll be brothers. If it comes down to it, we'll give this child to you to make up for Andy.”

I stared at him in disbelief, my eyes wide with fury. Then, I used every ounce of strength I had and slapped him across the face.

Smack!

My Andy… How could he talk about Andy's death so casually, as if Andy were a piece of trash that could simply be replaced?

Riley had started toward me. However, when she saw Leo staggering backward, she immediately changed direction and rushed to support him instead. When she finally looked up and met my bloodshot eyes, her lips parted.

In the end, she said, “Carter, what happened between Leo and me… was a mistake. But since I'm pregnant, I'm keeping the baby. Andy is gone, and I can't bear losing another child.”

I had never felt so disgusted in my life.

I lunged forward and grabbed Leo by the hair, shouting, “How can the child of a homewrecker and a murderer ever be compared to my Andy? Riley, Andy was your son, too!”

Leo screamed, and in the struggle, his fingernails raked across my face, blood splattering onto the floor. Another scar was added to the face I already hated.

Instinctively, Riley kicked me away, but in the second, she froze.

“Carter, I… You need time to calm down. Someone, take Mr. Quince back to his room. Make sure he rests.”

Two bodyguards in black suits immediately stepped forward. With one on each side, they grabbed my arms, dragged me away, and shoved me roughly into a bedroom.

My strength gave out, and I collapsed onto the floor. All I could see was the image of Andy from five years ago, the almost three-year-old running toward me with his tiny arms outstretched, calling out, “Daddy!”

My heart felt like it was being torn apart; it felt so empty. However, no amount of tears could ever bring my Andy back.

That night, Riley pushed open my bedroom door. In her hand was my old phone.

“There are photos of Andy on here. Maybe it'll make you feel a little better.”

I reached for it immediately, but she stopped me.

After a moment of hesitation, she spoke again. “Carter, I have an appointment for the baby check-up tomorrow. But if you refuse to forgive Leo, he's threatening to make me terminate the baby to make up for what happened. You wouldn't want me to suffer either, would you? Will you come with me tomorrow?”

I stared at the woman in front of me and laughed so hard that tears streamed down my face.

“Okay.”

I didn’t sleep the entire night. Instead, I spent every hour looking through photos and videos of Andy. The next morning, when Riley wanted me to accompany her to the prenatal check-up, I nearly collapsed to the floor.

Riley quickly caught me.

“Carter! What’s wrong? Are you feeling sick?”

Leo shot me a malicious look before his expression suddenly turned pitiful.

“I knew it. Carter never truly forgave me. If that’s the case, Riley, let's not keep this baby. That’ll make up for what I did to Carter!”

Riley immediately comforted him. “What nonsense are you talking about? Carter has forgiven you, hasn’t he?”

Her gaze drifted to the phone in my hand. It served both a warning and a reminder.

I snorted and shoved her away.

“Whatever.”

Riley’s eyes darkened, but she said nothing as the three of us headed to the hospital.

While Riley was undergoing her checkup, I desperately called my parents over and over. I wanted to tell them that I was finally home and that they could stop worrying about me. However, when no one picked up, a familiar sense of dread rose inside me.

Leo sat beside me and glanced at my phone screen. A twisted smile spread across his face.

“Carter, are you calling your parents? But your parents died during your second year in prison. They couldn't take the gossip and judgment from everyone around them. What? Did nobody tell you while you were locked up?”

I felt a lump in my throat and barely managed to say, “That’s impossible! Riley said you went to prison under your own identity. How could my parents possibly know it was me?”

Leo confessed smugly, “Because I told them, of course. They spent all that time searching for their son. I was just helping them out.”

A loud ringing filled my ears, and I couldn’t hear anything around me. By the time I came back to my senses, my hands were already tangled in Leo’s hair as I yanked him forward and punched him several times.

Leo immediately began screaming, “Help! He's attacking me! He's jealous because my wife chose me instead of him. That’s why he's assaulting me!”

Someone in the crowd spoke up.

“That’s right. The pregnant woman who went in before me came with him.”

In an instant, the surrounding crowd shoved me to the ground and kicked me from all directions. During the chaos, the mask covering my face was torn off.

A woman gasped. “Oh my! No wonder he's so jealous. He's an ugly freak!”

By the time Riley returned, I was covered in injuries, and blood covered my face.

A look of pain flashed across Riley’s eyes as she hurried toward me, intending to help me up. However, Leo pulled her back. With reddened eyes, he buried himself in her embrace.

“Riley, please don't go to him. If you do, everyone will think I was lying. I may be fine, but when our child grows up and learns about this, they'll be heartbroken.”

Riley stopped in her tracks. In the end, under Leo’s pleading gaze, she turned her face away.

I, on the other hand, was taken to the police station and charged with public disturbance. I had to be detained for three days, but I could leave immediately if someone posted bail.

Riley stood in front of me, looking conflicted.

“Carter, Leo isn't holding today's incident against you, but he's so frightened that he’s lost his appetite. Since you’re used to this place, why don’t you stay here for a few days? Three days from now, I'll pick you up myself. And…”

She lifted a hand, wanting to touch my face. However, when I avoided her, her hand slowly fell back to her side, and her expression grew unreadable.

“When we get home, I'll restore your original face for you, and once the baby is born, I’ll send Leo away. Then, we'll live the rest of our lives together.”

I didn't look at her. However, after she left, looking rather disheartened, I turned toward the police officer nearby.

“I’d like to report a crime!”

Three days later, Riley came to pick me up exactly as promised. This time, Leo did not come with her. Maybe he had finally learned his lesson and was too afraid to provoke me.

Riley drove me straight to her cosmetic surgery clinic.

“Trust me, Carter. I’ll restore your original appearance. After that, we’ll go back to how things used to be. We’ll live our lives together again.”

I wanted to say, ‘Unfortunately, Riley, we could never go back to the way we were.’

Still, I didn’t refuse because I could no longer walk around with the face of the murderer who killed Andy. I would scare Andy so much.

I lay down once again on the operating table. With the cold metal pressed against my back, memories of the past came flooding back, and my whole body trembled uncontrollably.

Riley gently tried to calm me. “Carter, don’t be afraid. It’s all in the past now.”

I handed her a USB drive.

“Riley, make sure you listen to this.”

She nodded. “Alright. I will.”

Then, she instructed the nurses to restrain my hands and feet tightly. They were preparing to administer the anesthetic and sterilize the area when Leo suddenly rushed in. He smiled as he grabbed Riley’s hand.

“Riley, can I do the surgery to restore Carter’s face? After all, I hold the title of deputy director here. I’ve never actually performed a real surgery, and people won’t respect me otherwise. Besides, we’re all family, aren’t we? Even if something goes wrong, it’s fine. And you’ll be here too, Riley.”

I immediately started struggling violently.

“Riley! You can’t agree to this! He doesn’t know what he’s doing! You promised you would do it yourself! Riley, you can’t keep lying to me like this!”

Seeing a flicker of hesitation in her eyes, Leo’s eyes instantly turned red again. He let go of her hand and stepped back.

“Riley, I knew Carter was still more important to you. Fine. They can talk about me however they want, and you can forget about the child you’re carrying.”

Riley immediately comforted him. “Leo! Stop talking nonsense! Alright… I give in to you. But I will be watching everything you do.”

Only then did Leo smile again.

“Thank you, Riley!”

I stared at him with bloodshot eyes while the nurses and restraints held me down.

“Riley! You’re a monster!”

Riley gently touched my head, her expression filled with guilt.

“Carter, behave. Even though Leo has no experience, I’ll be watching the entire time. Don’t be afraid.”

The moment she said that, a nurse rushed in.

“Ms. West! There’s a major medical dispute happening out there. The patient is extremely agitated and insists on seeing you, or she’s calling the police!”

Riley hesitated and looked at me. Then, finally, she walked out of the room.

“Carter, this clinic is our life’s work. I’m sure you wouldn’t just stand by and ignore this. I’ll be right back.”

Before leaving, she instructed Leo, “Don’t start before I get back.”

Yet, the moment Riley walked out, Leo’s expression twisted into a cruel smile. He stepped closer to me, lifting a surgical instrument and slowly angling it near my face.

A nurse hesitated and tried to stop him, but he glared at her.

“Riley will clean up anything afterward anyway, so I can do whatever I want. Anyone who disagrees can get out of this clinic. Also, no anesthesia. I want him fully awake when he experiences this. That’s what happens when you try to steal what’s mine.”

The nurses were seething with anger but dared not speak out. The next second, a bloodcurdling scream echoed through the operating room.

Not long after Riley dealt with the dispute, she hurried back. She couldn’t explain the uneasiness she was feeling. As she passed a group of nurses, she caught their whispered conversation.

“Did you hear? Mr. Ferdinand operated without anesthesia in the VIP operating room earlier. The patient’s screams were horrific…”

“I heard the patient’s face was already disfigured. The original plan was for Ms. West to handle it, but she was called away.”

“Mr. Ferdinand was acting recklessly, too. He went off protocol, did as he pleased, and treated the patient like a piece of trash. It was appalling.”

Riley’s face turned deathly pale. She immediately rushed to the operating room and slammed her hand on the access panel, forcing the door open.