As she said this, she ignored the guests around her and collapsed into Caedric’s arms, sobbing softly.

"Caedric, what should I do? I really can’t take care of the child on my own."

A flicker of disgust flashed across Caedric’s face and he responded in a cold and heartless tone, "It’s all the baby's fault for being born into the wrong family."

He gently patted Sandra’s back, offering false comfort.

"There, there. I know it hasn’t been easy for you either. If anything happens, it’s just the child’s fate. Don’t be too upset."

The guests around them looked on in astonishment as the two of them embraced in full view of everyone.

My father-in-law’s expression darkened. He shouted angrily, "Ridiculous! How can you neglect a sick child like that? It’s still a life, after all. Once you’ve given birth, you’re responsible. You can’t just walk away."

Without waiting, he called for the driver and the family doctor to come and pick up the child.

Since there were twins in the house, my father-in-law had hired a top pediatric specialist to be on call around the clock.

Sandra stood reluctantly and spoke with an uncertain expression.

"Thank you for your concern. It’s common for children to catch fevers when they’re young. Their immune systems strengthen over time. But today is Elion’s special day, so let’s not bring Victor over and risk infecting him."

As she said that, she cast a condescending, sarcastic glance in my direction.

When I heard that name, I could not help but sneer. "Heh, Victor. As if he wasn’t doomed from the moment he breathed."

Born to a pair of heartless, despicable people. Victor, of all names.

Disgust briefly crossed my father-in-law’s face.

"If something were to happen, it would bring disgrace to the Arclayne Group. Get going now."

To be fair, my parents-in-law were generally upright and principled people. They treated others with decency and kindness. I truly could not understand how they ended up raising a monster like Caedric.

Was it some kind of genetic mutation?

Caedric left the room with large strides, taking Sandra with him.

The mood in the room visibly lightened, though a subtle tension still lingered in the air. A few moments later, the butler stepped in and announced that my family had arrived. My eldest brother entered with a warm smile.

He first greeted my parents-in-law courteously, then came over to me with clear affection.

"Hey, lil sis, you’ve done a great job."

He affectionately ruffled my hair and handed me a document.

"This is the amusement park I’ve gifted to the baby. It’s already been transferred under Elion’s name."

Then, he took out another folder.

"And this is the deed to the villa I’m giving you. Mooncrest Villa."

Everyone in the room looked on with admiration and whispered in awe.

"Miss Mirelin is incredibly generous. He’s spent hundreds of millions."

My eldest brother said with a smile, "My little sister is the only girl in the Mirelin Family. If I don’t spoil her, who else would I spoil? As long as she’s happy, I’m willing to spend as much as it takes."

Just as he was speaking, the butler came over again and called out, "Welcome, Mr. Mirelin."

My second brother walked in with a confident stride, his laughter hearty and loud.

"Where are my precious niece and nephew? Let their uncle have a look at them now."

The nanny brought the babies over and the two brothers leaned in curiously to touch their tiny hands and feet.

"Oh my God, look! Doesn’t he look just like our little sister when she was a baby?"

"Yes, look at that tiny mouth. It curves up just like hers. You can tell he’s going to be a little foodie."

"Oh, see that? He’s sucking on nothing. He must be hungry already."

The two of them looked at the child with wide smiles, their expressions full of joy and warmth.

Not even half an hour later, Caedric and Sandra returned, carrying the other child. Behind them followed the family doctor, his face grave and serious.

Sandra dropped to her knees with a loud thud in front of her father-in-law.

"Mr. Arclayne, please save this child! He... he’s dying."

The entire hall fell silent in an instant. Everyone turned to look at Sandra and the baby in her arms.

I stepped forward, gently lifted the child’s clothing and froze on the spot. The child’s face was blue and his tiny exposed hands had turned purple.

The family doctor stepped forward, his voice filled with regret as he said,

"Mr. Arclayne, we’ve done everything we could. The child’s high fever caused severe pneumonia and ultimately led to lung failure. He no longer shows any signs of life."

Sandra held the child in her arms and wept bitterly, "My poor baby... it’s your mother’s fault for not taking better care of you. It would be better if I just died."

As she spoke, she clutched the child tightly and ran out of the room.

Caedric stepped forward, took the child from her arms and handed him to the butler.

"Have him cremated immediately and scatter the ashes into the river. Don’t let Miss Blake see him again and feel heartbroken."

He then turned around and pulled Sandra into his embrace, gently comforting her.

"All right, all right, everything is fate. Let the child be reborn into a good family in his next life. Don’t grieve too much."

Sandra only clung to Caedric even more tightly and cried uncontrollably, "I'm so useless, aren't I? This is all my fault…"

My eldest and second brothers, witnessing the overly intimate scene between the two of them, had unsightly expressions. They stepped forward, ready to punch Caedric.

I hurriedly stepped between them, reaching out to hold them back and shook my head silently.

My two brothers looked at me in confusion but eventually held back, standing off to the side, fists clenched tightly in anger.

My father-in-law scolded sternly, "Sandra, why didn’t you take the child to the hospital earlier? Why didn’t you tell us you were struggling?"

Sandra cried with a choking voice and said, "This baby has been frail since birth… and I’ve been handling everything on my own... I really couldn’t do more."

Caedric hugged Sandra protectively, his tone full of heartache as he turned the blame toward his father.

"Dad, don’t yell at Sandra. That child was just a worthless brat anyway. If he’s dead, then he’s dead. At least it spares Sandra from being burdened."

Looking at Caedric’s cold-blooded and heartless expression, I could not help but feel a deep ache in my chest.

Just because the child was mine, he treated him with such contempt and cruelty. Was this what he had in his heart in our previous life as well, calmly watching me and our child die so tragically?

But in the beginning, he used to hold my hand and say with affection that he would love me for a lifetime.

In the beginning, he was the one who asked the driver to bring food to the homeless when he saw them. We even visited the orphanage together, brought clothes for the children and played with them.

As the only daughter of the Mirelin Family, I had many options. I did not have to marry Caedric. There were plenty of outstanding young men who wanted to be with me, who sincerely wished to marry me.

In the end, I chose him… because he seemed gentle, attentive and kind.

It turned out that all of it was a facade.

Then, today, I would completely tear off that mask of his and reveal who he really was.

I slowly stepped forward and said in a calm voice, "Caedric, how could you speak of an innocent baby like that? What did he ever do wrong?"

"You’re a father too. If someone were to speak that way about Elion, how would you feel?"

Caedric turned to look at me with an annoyed expression.

"Giselle, how can a lowly child like that be compared to our Elion? Our Elion is blessed with loving parents, a prestigious family background and a life of wealth and honor."

I sneered and said, "Caedric, are you absolutely certain that the child who just died was nothing but a lowly child who deserved to die?"

The surrounding guests began murmuring among themselves. After all, to speak so callously about a dead child was starkly out of character for the gentle image Caedric usually portrayed.

Caedric replied irritably, "All right, enough of this constant comparison between a worthless child and our Elion. Honestly, we should’ve just tossed him outside to feed the stray dogs. At least that would’ve kept us from risking any infection."

Sandra also stood up, her eyes tender as she gazed at Elion in my arms.

"Elion is the most blessed child of all. If a low-born child carries misfortune and ends up passing on bad luck to Elion, then even his death won’t be enough to make up for it."

She then reached out to take the baby from my arms.

I pulled back and shouted, "You filthy woman! You’re the one who brings misfortune. Don’t you dare lay a finger on my Elion!"

Sandra was caught off guard and everyone around us looked at me with shock.

After all, I had always been seen as composed and graceful, never once raising my voice or creating a public scene like this.

Caedric’s expression darkened. He stepped in front of me and forcibly took Elion from my arms.

"Giselle, why are you being so cruel? Sandra just lost her child. She’s grieving. What’s so wrong about letting her hold Elion for a while?"

"I’ve decided. Elion will be Sandra's godson. She can care for him from now on to help ease the pain of losing her own child."

A glimmer of surprise flashed in Sandra’s eyes. Just as she reached out to take the child, I snatched Elion back into my arms and slapped Caedric across the face.

"Caedric Arclayne, you animal! Do you seriously think Elion is Sandra’s son?"

Everyone around us looked on in astonishment. Caedric’s eyes darted nervously and a flicker of panic crossed his face.

"Giselle, what nonsense are you spouting? I only thought Sandra was heartbroken after losing her child and needed something to hold onto. How could Elion possibly be her son?"

As he spoke, he reached out to grab his son.

My eldest brother immediately stepped forward, pushing Caedric aside and shielding me behind him.

"If you so much as touch my sister, I’ll cut your hand off."

I looked down at my son, sleeping peacefully in my arms, then glanced at my daughter beside me, sucking her fingers. I let out a cold, mocking laugh.

"Caedric Arclayne. Sandra Blake. I already switched the babies back."

"Your beloved son, the one you called worthless, he’s been cremated. His ashes have probably already been dumped into a filthy drainage ditch."