My whole body froze.Behind me,Noah kept walking closer.There were no employees around,so I understood why he dared to call me by my name.

After all,in front of others,he always called me by my job title.

Forcing a small smile,I pressed down every shaking emotion inside me.“It’s nothing.I just need you to sign a request.”

Hearing this,Noah smiled gently and guided me into his office.“Shannon,you’re still not well.Didn’t I tell you to rest at the villa?I already asked the team to hand your work to Eine.”

“For now,just rest and take care of your body.I’m still hoping for our baby.”

He patted my arm as if comforting me,but the touch felt like needles under my skin.

Eine had always wanted to push me out of the company,but she never managed to do it.Now,Noah finally found the perfect chance.

Staring at his face,I forced a stiff smile and then said without hesitation,“Mr.Harvey,please approve my request first.”

His expression darkened immediately.“Shannon,why are you calling me that?”

I looked at him calmly.“We’re at work.Didn’t you say I must call you by your surname here?”

Then I handed him the page.With one signature,everything would end.

He didn’t sign.He just looked at me,unsure.Then he reached out to slide the screen,trying to see what the request was.

My heart suddenly tightened.I was afraid something might go wrong.

Luckily,right at that moment,his phone rang.

Even though he moved quickly,I still clearly saw the name on the screen.Eine.

The phone kept ringing for thirty seconds before he finally answered it with a deep frown.

From the speaker,a soft child’s voice called out sweetly,“Daddy.”

Instantly,Noah’s expression softened.

Eine’s voice followed gently,“Noah,our child misses you so much.He keeps calling‘Daddy,Daddy.’I feel invisible already.We’re downstairs in the parking lot.Come meet him,please?”

Hearing that,Noah looked at me.When he saw I didn’t react,he finally nodded.

He hung up,didn’t spare another glance at the document,signed it quickly and casually brushed a kiss against my cheek as if pushing me away.

“Shannon,I have something to take care of.Go home first.”

Then he rushed out,not waiting for a single word from me.

The moment I heard that child’s voice,my whole body turned cold.For that child of his and Eine’s,Noah sacrificed ten of my children.

Now,their happy family of three was finally united,while I would never see my children again.Hatred and grief burned through my chest like fire.Almost without thinking,driven by something dark,I followed behind him.

***

In the parking lot,I saw Noah holding Eine and their child,full of tenderness.

The little boy’s cheeks were rosy as he giggled,calling,“Daddy!Daddy!”

Eine smiled with pure happiness.Even Noah let go of all his cold pride,lowering himself to become the protector of their warm little family.

Anyone passing by would think they were perfect.

But behind them,all I saw was blood-red betrayal.

I stood there watching them get into the car.Bitterness,pain and hatred rushed up my throat,leaving me unable to speak a single word.

Just as I turned to leave,Eine suddenly looked right at me.

Her eyes were full of pride and there was a hint of hidden cruelty.

Before I could react,she widened her eyes dramatically and pointed at me.“Noah!Oh no,Shannon saw us!What if she finds out the truth?Our son is here.What if she tries to hurt him?Maybe I should go to her and apologize.”

“She can do anything to me,it’s fine.As long as she doesn’t hurt the child.I would give my life for him.”

As she said that,tears poured down her face.

Noah’s expression instantly darkened.His eyes turned sharp as he looked in my direction.When he confirmed that the figure in the distance was really me,his heart tightened hard.

For one moment,he didn’t dare look into my eyes.He was afraid he would see disappointment and disgust there.But after hearing Eine’s words,something inside him hardened.His eyes turned icy,like he had made a decision.

“Eine,don’t worry.She will never have a chance to get near our child.Everything will go exactly the way I planned.”

He would never let me walk away.

Thinking of that,a cruel light flashed through his eyes.

The next second,he slammed his foot on the gas pedal and drove straight toward me.

My eyes widened in shock as everything happened.

I never imagined he would actually do it.That he would press the accelerator without hesitation.

The sound of the car smashing into my body exploded in my ears.A sharp pain spread through my whole body.

In the last moment before darkness swallowed everything,I saw Noah’s cold and merciless eyes.

Before I even opened my eyes,I heard voices beside me.“Mr.Harvey,the drug you asked for hasn’t been tested on humans yet.It could seriously damage her body.”

The doctor’s voice trembled with shock.

“No excuses,Dr.Hudson.I said to use it.All memories from today must disappear from her mind.Our divorce isn’t finalized yet.She cannot know the truth.”

Noah’s voice was threatening.He sounded like he was trying to convince someone,but he was very firm.

The room fell into a dead,heavy silence.

My heartbeat raced painfully in my chest.

“Doctor,I can’t let Shannon become a danger to Eine.If you refuse,I’ll replace you immediately.And who knows where the evidence of your bribery will end up.”

Hearing that,sweat poured down the doctor’s face.In the end,he agreed.

When the drug was put into my mouth,Noah showed a satisfied smile.

After seeing the doctor push my bed toward the operating room,Noah finally left.When the sound of his footsteps faded,I spat the medicine onto the floor.

The doctor froze in shock,his mouth open,ready to call for help.

I looked at him coldly.“Dr.Hudson,right?All information about your family and every piece of evidence of your bribery is already with my lawyer.If I don’t send a message by tomorrow,you’ll go to prison.And your family won’t be safe either.”

“Don’t ask how I did it.I’m the CEO of Shanell Group.That’s all you need to know.”

I fought to control my painful breathing and kept my back straight.

As expected,the shock on his face slowly turned into hesitation.

After a moment,he finally whispered,“Ma’am…I can refuse the surgery.But promise me Mr.Harvey will never find out.If he does,I’m finished.”

Looking at this accomplice of Noah,I swallowed my hatred and nodded.

Once everything was covered up,they returned me to the hospital room.

When I opened my eyes again,my husband was already sitting beside my bed.

His face was filled with fake worry.“Shannon,are you hurting anywhere?I’m so sorry…I should have protected you.That accident was my failure.”

The man who had just run me over with his car now acted as if nothing had happened,pretending to be a good husband,even holding my hand.

I bit down hard on my lip until I tasted blood.When Noah’s expression started to shift with suspicion,I spoke with a weak,trembling voice,“What…what happened to me?Why can’t I remember these past few days?”

Hearing that,a small,barely visible smile flashed across his face.

Right then,Eine walked into the room.She boldly wrapped her arm around Noah’s and gave me a bright smile.

“Shannon,you ran a red light and caused your own accident.Noah has been taking care of you day and night.”

She acted like she had no idea about our marriage and stepped closer.

I frowned and moved away from her,feeling uncomfortable.“Noah taking care of me doesn’t concern you,does it?”

Hearing that,Eine immediately showed a hurt expression.

“How can you say that,Shannon?I’m only worried about Noah.I know you’re still upset that the project was transferred to me,but that wasn’t my decision.”

“If it means that much to you,I can give it back.”

As she spoke,she pretended to move casually and then stabbed her sharp nail into the wound from my surgery.

Pain shot through me and I struggled,but she kept twisting her sharp nails inside the wound until blood and flesh mixed together.

Unable to bear it any longer,I shoved her away with all the strength I had.

Immediately,she showed a triumphant smile and let herself fall backward hard.

The force of Eine’s fall knocked over the thermos on the table.Boiling water splashed across my arm and neck.

In seconds,my skin turned white from the burn,then red.

My whole body trembled from the pain and I bit my lip hard.But Noah didn’t notice me at all.

The moment Eine fell,he rushed to her with a worried face.He didn’t care when his own arm slammed hard against the floor while trying to shield her.

“Shannon!”

After making sure Eine wasn’t hurt,he turned and glared at me with fury.“How dare you hurt Eine right in front of me!”

He didn’t ask.He didn’t listen.He had already decided I was guilty.

My chest tightened painfully.

Before Eine came into our lives,even a small cut on my finger would have made Noah worry endlessly.No matter what others said,he used to believe me without question.

But now,he didn’t trust me at all.

I struggled to speak.“It wasn’t me.You can check the security cameras.”

Noah frowned tightly and for a second,there was hesitation in his eyes.

Seeing this,Eine quickly grabbed his arm.“Noah,it’s fine.Please let it go.Maybe Shannon is still upset about the project.”

Immediately,Noah’s face filled with disappointment.

“It was just a project.She already apologized,but you still used violence against her?Shannon,when did you become such a cruel woman?Apologize to Eine.”

His voice left no room for rejection.

I froze.“I told you,it wasn’t me.Check the cameras.She was the one who…”

“Enough!I don’t want to hear your excuses.Shannon,I’m very disappointed in you.Stay in the hospital and think about what you’ve done.When you understand your mistake,I’ll come back.”

Noah cut me off completely.Without a second glance at me,he lifted Eine into his arms and carried her out.

***

For days,they kept me locked in the hospital room.

Half a month later,Noah finally had someone bring me back to the villa.His face was calm,as if nothing had ever happened.

“Shannon,I’ve brought Eine and her child here.”

I stared at him,shocked and full of disbelief.“Why?”

He frowned.“Because of what you did,Eine can’t sleep alone at night.And the child needs care.I’m giving you a chance to make up for your mistakes.”

I let out a short,broken laugh.“Make up for mistakes?What mistake did I make?”

His eyebrows tightened even more.The next second,a small child walked out from the upstairs room,rubbing his sleepy eyes and calling softly,“Daddy.”

In that moment,I wanted to strangle Noah to death.

He had put his and Eine’s child in the room I had prepared for my baby.

“How dare you?How dare you put him in that room!”

It was the room that you and I had prepared together!

Facing my anger,Noah looked away and said calmly,without any care,“It’s just a room.So many babies have already died and it hasn’t been used for anything.Better to give it to someone who needs it.”

I stared at him in shock.I never imagined he could say something so cruel.

All my children were gone because of him.How could he tear open that wound as if it were nothing?

Heat rushed up my throat.My nails dug deep into my palms as I glared at him with burning eyes.

“Noah!”

Seeing the emptiness in my eyes,he froze for a brief second.Because of all the years he once cared for me,he reached out his hand automatically.