She grew frantic. The police would naturally determine whether it was a baseless accusation.

After learning the details, the officers examined the donation form and other supporting documents.

Credit had to be given where credit was due. Lillian had been very thorough. Not only were all those documents genuine, but she had even obtained the acceptance paperwork from the medical university.

The midwife finally glanced at me, her expression dripping with contempt. “Now you finally believe us, huh? You thought we were frauds!

“The mother is most unfortunate to have a childhood friend like yourself!”

I snorted coldly. “I’ll tell you what’s really unfortunate! Meeting with a hospital like yours, where giving birth means certain death!”

“You!”

She widened her eyes in fury. I memorized her name, then stepped outside and climbed into the police car with the baby.

Eighteen years later, on the day the college entrance exam results were released, my son, Neil Ryans, became the top scorer in the state. He was also the valedictorian.

I hosted a special banquet and invited many people, including several unfamiliar faces.

When Neil delivered his speech on stage, he specifically mentioned me.

“Without my mother, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

“My success is owed to my teachers’ guidance and my mother’s care!”

“That’s right!”

A voice rang out from the crowd. Everyone turned to see an uninvited couple.

I narrowed my eyes and let out a cold laugh.

Lillian Reyes, Linden Smith. I’ve been waiting for you two for a long time!

They walked straight over, their eyes brimming with tears of emotion as they gazed at Neil on stage.

“Who are you?”

“Neil, this is your biological mother!” Linden walked up arm-in-arm with Lillian.

“What did you say?” Neil froze.

Everyone stared at me in shock.

As the valedictorian’s mother sat at the head of the table, I remained utterly composed while facing Lillian and her company. “This isn’t how you ride someone else’s coattails!”

Lillian stared at me smugly, then declared loudly, “Shea, don’t you remember me? Back then, I gave birth to my child and entrusted him to you. Thank you! Thank you for raising my son so well!”

She stepped forward to grasp my hand, but I swatted it away.

“Who the hell are you? Stop pretending to be someone I know!

“My son’s excellence is indeed the result of my upbringing, but it also stems from his innate talent. What does that have to do with you?”

Linden looked at me. “Shea, you don’t recognize her? This is Lillian Reyes. The three of us grew up together. This child is hers!”

I laughed. “I remember clearly that Lillian died in childbirth that year!”

“Yes, but it wasn’t my time yet. Someone saved me.

“I went away to recover, and now I’m back to claim my son!”

Tears welled in Lillian’s eyes. “The midwife was right there. She could testify! Yet you called my son a fatherless orphan. I begged you for so long!”

Hearing this, everyone turned to look at me.

“Who knew Shea Wilde could be so cold-hearted?!”

“What are you talking about? Raising a child is a huge responsibility. No one agrees to it so lightly!”

“Her life was on the line back then. After being separated from her own flesh and blood for so many years, what’s wrong with her claiming him now?”

Seeing the tide turning in her favor, Lillian immediately put on a magnanimous facade.

“Shea, I know you’re angry. Here’s 30,000 dollars as compensation. Don’t look down on the amount. I’m struggling too.”

Her act made me snort coldly. Neil’s voice was firm. “I’m not your son. You’ve mistaken me for someone else.”

The next moment, Lillian produced a paternity test report. “I had the midwife help me with this back then.

“I was worried about unforeseen circumstances, so I prepared for the worst. Neil, your mother had no choice!

“I am overjoyed that you became the valedictorian. But you’ve got to acknowledge the fact that I truly am your biological mother!”

I snorted in disbelief. “That’s truly bizarre. I didn’t believe you were dead back then, but the hospital showed me your death certificate and the medical university’s body donation receipt. I caused quite a scene at the hospital and even called the police.

“The police confirmed those documents were genuine.

“Lillian, they told me that you were sent to the medical university to become a cadaver for dissection teaching, yet here you are, completely intact. It’s such a miracle!

“There are only two ways to take this. Either the documents are forged, and even both the police and the hospital are in on it!

“The other possibility is that the documents are genuine, and this Lillian Reyes is an imposter!”

She froze. “You... What did you say? Called the police?”

I produced the evidence. “I had a major falling out with the hospital back then. I kept every single piece of evidence!”

I snapped my fingers, and the large screen instantly displayed those old documents.

Lillian was speechless. She was stunned that I had kept them for nearly twenty years.

Having lived this experience twice over, how could I let her lead me by the nose?

With irrefutable proof, everyone was dumbfounded.

“How could such a thing happen?”

“Was it a resurrection? That’s a medical miracle!”

“No, what medical miracle? This is outright fraud! If she’s real, then they actually forged death certificates! Who knows how many people were forced to die? This is an unscrupulous hospital!”

“If the documents are fake, that means she faked her own death. She had someone else raise the child while she lived it up, only to come back later to reap the rewards. How shameless!”

Lillian immediately began protesting. “That’s not what happened!”

“I-I was unconscious back then. I truly had no vital signs!”

I called her out again. “You died giving birth at a top-tier hospital? I only saw a midwife. I never saw a single doctor.

“The midwife had her hands full with me. She didn’t even try to verify your death. She even issued a death certificate. After all of that, you came back to life at the medical university?

“Setting aside doubts about your identity, even if you are Lillian, don’t you find this absurd?

“Didn’t the medical university say anything? Shouldn’t the hospital have contacted me? Didn’t they notify the police?

“Didn’t you ever think to ask about your son at the time?

“Stop spinning lies! Today, no matter whether you or the hospital is lying, I won’t give you my son!”

Lillian’s face flushed crimson and turned pale as I went on and on. She was dumbfounded and rushed forward.

“Is the money not enough for you? My son is exceptional! It’s because his father and I have good genes. You only need to feed him!

“Besides, proof aside, do you really not recognize me?

“If you don’t trust me, can’t you trust Linden?”

Linden chimed in from the side. “Shea, I know you’re reluctant to give him up, but for the child’s future, you can’t deny Neil’s right to acknowledge her!

“Lillian is the Reyes family’s heiress. The Reyes family from the provincial capital. Her father is Creston Reyes, and he’s worth billions! If Neil returns, he’ll be Creston’s grandson. The sky is the limit where his future is concerned!”

Lillian nodded repeatedly. “Yes, I know you’re angry, but after so many years apart, I’ve always missed him!

“Today, I finally gathered the courage to come. Rest assured, I won’t erase what you have done.”

I spread my hands helplessly. “Lillian, I’ve told you. Setting all that aside, he truly isn’t your son!”

“How could that be! You only have this one child. If he’s not my son, then whose could he be?!”

“He’s my son. He’s my own flesh and blood. He’s born to me, Shea Wilde!”