I swallowed my sorrow and immediately reached out to a doctor friend, desperate for even a sliver of hope for my daughter.

Just then, the door to the ward swung open, and Neil stepped inside.

His sharp eyes flicked to my phone screen, and he asked suspiciously,

"What are you looking at? Still worried about Stacy's condition?"

My heart clenched. I quickly locked my phone and forced a calm smile.

"I'm planning a birthday surprise for you in a few days."

The corners of his lips lifted as he kissed my cheek, his voice gentle.

"Lynda, it's really great to have you."

I sneered inwardly—his acting was impeccable.

He walked over to Stacy’s bed, stroking her face as he murmured,

"Don't worry. Leave Stacy to my medical team. She’ll recover for sure."

My emotions spiraled out of control, and before I could stop myself, I snapped,

"No! I won’t entrust my daughter to anyone!"

The moment the words left my mouth, I regretted them.

Neil’s expression darkened. "Lynda, don’t you trust me?"

Our eyes met, and I felt like I had plunged into an icy abyss. His seemingly gentle gaze hid chilling cruelty.

Just then, his assistant hurried in and whispered something in his ear. Though they spoke softly, I caught three distinct words—"Kay."

Moments later, I saw Kay rushing toward him, tears streaming down her face. Clutching Neil’s arm, she pleaded,

"Neil, Iris is in severe heart failure! The doctor said only Stacy is a match. Please save Iris!"

Neil’s expression twisted in frustration. "Where the hell is that bastard Jack?" he growled before nodding.

"Don’t worry, I’ll make sure Stacy donates her heart to Iris."

A triumphant glint flashed in Kay’s eyes, but she choked back a sob, whispering,

"Neil, you’re so kind. I knew you wouldn’t abandon us."

Hearing this, my blood ran cold.

He made my daughter stupid, and now he wanted to take her heart?

Suddenly, frantic cries echoed from the ward.

My stomach lurched, and I bolted inside.

Stacy was curled up in a corner, terror filling her wide eyes.

Iris clutched her chest dramatically, shrieking,

"This idiot tried to hurt me! She bumped into me on purpose and threw my medicine away!"

As she spoke, she stomped on the shattered pill bottle, crushing the medicine into dust.

Stacy shook her head frantically, tears streaming down her face.

"No… I didn’t… I really didn’t…"

Neil stormed forward, his face livid as he bellowed,

"Iris’s health is already fragile, and you’re bullying her? Apologize now!"

Stacy looked up at him, her tiny body trembling.

"Dad… I didn’t do anything…" she sobbed desperately.

"Stop making excuses!" Neil snapped, his patience gone.

"If you won’t apologize, don’t expect me to care for you! I have no use for a stupid daughter!"

Stacy, who had always relied on Neil the most, crumbled.

With a broken cry, she clung to his legs, begging,

"Dad, I was wrong! I’ll apologize! I’ll kowtow to her if you want!"

She crawled toward Iris, her small body trembling, and slammed her forehead against the floor.

Watching my daughter being wronged and humiliated like this sent pure rage coursing through my veins.

I rushed forward, shielding Stacy as I yelled,

"It was Iris who bullied her! Stop blaming Stacy!"

Kay’s hand flew across my face in a stinging slap.

"Shut up! How dare you slander Iris? She’s sick—she’d never bully anyone!" she screeched.

Iris smirked, seizing the chance to sneer,

"You worthless bitch. You gave birth to a stupid daughter, and now you want to leech off us? You’re just jealous that I’m better than her!"

As she spat those words, she shoved me hard.

I crashed to the ground, a sharp pain tearing through my abdomen.

A warm, sickening liquid seeped from my lower body.

My mind went blank in horror.

A chilling realization gripped me—I might be losing my baby.

"Help me... it hurts..."

I whimpered, my voice barely whispered as my vision blurred.

Neil cast me a cold, indifferent glance before turning his full attention to Kay.

"Kay, is your hand okay? Did you hurt yourself when you slapped her just now?"

Then, with an impatient scowl, he barked at me,

"Stop acting! Get up already and quit embarrassing yourself!"

At that moment, something inside me shattered.

I finally understood—this was how little I meant to him.

This was how little my daughter meant to him.

The people around us watched with detached amusement, whispering among themselves, their words laced with malice.

"She gave birth to a stupid child and still dares to flaunt her? What a disgrace!"

"Just look at her—acting all pitiful. No wonder her child turned out like that. It must be hereditary!"

Iris let out a mocking laugh.

"Haha! Wetting your pants at this age? Just like a fool. How pathetic!"

A nurse hesitated, stepping forward to help me, but Neil cut her off sharply.

"Don’t bother with her! She’s just putting on a show for sympathy. I’ve seen plenty of women like this!"

Just then, my daughter erupted.

"You’re not my father!" she screamed, her voice shaking with fury.

"I won’t let you bully my mother!"

Neil recoiled in disgust and quickly pulled Kay and Iris behind him, shielding them as if we were some sort of disease.

Kay smirked and tossed a parting jab.

"A fool is a fool, still causing trouble even when she’s about to die."

As soon as they left, my daughter lost all control.

She lashed out, flailing against the people around her, her cries piercing the air.

"Don’t bully my mom!"

Ignoring the stabbing pain in my abdomen, I struggled to reach her.

"Stacy, stop! Please!"

A wave of dizziness crashed over me, and the world went black.

When I woke up, I was met with the news that I had already braced myself for—I had lost the baby.

Oddly, I felt nothing.

Calmly, I took the necessary steps—I erased our records, and booked a flight.

Now, I just had to wait for the right moment to escape.

Then Neil walked in, feigning concern.

"Lynda, how are you? I’ve been so worried," he said, sighing dramatically.

"I'm heartbroken too... losing the baby was hard on me."

But before I could respond, his tone hardened.

"Kay is still upset. You need to come with me to the banquet and apologize to her."

I knew exactly what that meant—another opportunity for Kay to humiliate me.

I remembered all too well how, at a previous event, Kay stood before me in a dazzling gown, dripping in jewelry, and sneered,

"Just look at you… and then look at me. The difference is laughable."

Another time, at the mall, she spotted Stacy in her simple clothes and made a point to announce,

"This child looks so shabby! Does her mother have no sense of style?"

And Neil? He had always responded with the same indifferent words:

"Just ignore her. Don't let it get to you."

Back then, I thought he was protecting me. Now, I know better.

He wasn’t shielding me—he was shielding Kay’s happiness.

For the sake of my plan, I swallowed my anger and nodded.

The banquet buzzed with energy, but I felt nothing.

Neil strode onto the stage, raising his hand for silence, his face alight with a warmth I had never seen before.

With a beaming smile, he declared,

"Tonight, we celebrate the birthday of my beloved goddaughter, Iris! I have prepared something special for her."

A beautifully wrapped box was brought forward.

Inside lay a set of luxury car keys, villa property deeds, and shares in Frazier Corporation.

Iris, draped in an elegant princess gown, accepted the gifts as an extravagant custom cake was rolled onto the stage.

Applause erupted, praise filling the air.

Nearby, two noblewomen whispered, their voices were just loud enough for me to hear.

"Mr. Frazier truly spoils Iris. I’ve lost count of how many lavish gifts he’s given her over the years."

"Indeed. And that poor adopted girl? He doesn’t care about her at all. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s just waiting for her to disappear."

Their words sliced through me like a blade.

But this time, I felt no pain—only the steely resolve to leave this place for good.

I stood in the corner, my heart heavy with sorrow.

Every year, Stacy had nothing more than a plain, old-fashioned cake for her birthday. Neil would always say she needed to "remember the bitterness to appreciate the sweetness."

She once asked for a beautiful dress, but Neil scoffed, saying she could never compare.

Meanwhile, every year on Iris’s birthday, a lavish party was thrown in her honor. The pile of gifts was stacked up like a small mountain, overflowing with extravagance.

Neil always justified it, saying Iris was weak and needed support for her future marriage.

But for the daughter of a mistress—why?

I had fought with him over it before, but the argument went nowhere.

I now realized he must have continued showering her with gifts in secret. I was the only one left in the dark.

As I stood there, beads of cold sweat formed on my forehead from the pain in my lower abdomen.

Just then, Kay sauntered over, twisting her waist as she walked, with Iris by her side.

Her lips curved into a fake smile, but her eyes gleamed with provocation.

In her hands, she held an urn.

Loudly, she sneered, “This is for your daughter who died early. You might be needing one yourself soon.”

The room instantly fell silent.

All eyes turned toward us.

I clenched my teeth, my voice shaking with fury.

“Kay, you’ve gone too far!”

Kay smirked, covering her mouth with fake innocence.

“Oh, come on, I was just joking! Why are you taking it so seriously?”

Neil’s face darkened. He immediately stepped in front of Kay and snapped at me.

“Haven’t you made enough trouble? Kay didn’t mean any harm.”

I bit my lip, swallowing my rage and humiliation.

Neil let out an impatient sigh.

“Enough of this nonsense. Today is Iris’s special day.”

Forcing down my fury, I plastered a smile on my face, took the urn from Kay, and said calmly,

"Kay, you really do love to joke."

Then, without hesitation, I tossed it back at her feet and smiled coldly.

"But I think your daughter with a heart condition might need it more."

I turned to leave, but before I could take a step, a sudden force slammed into me from behind.

Iris shoved me.

Like a vicious little demon, she sent me sprawling into the freezing water of the nearby pool.

I gasped, the shock of the cold seizing my body.

Laughter erupted around me.

“Hahaha! Look at her—she looks just like a drowned dog!”

“Oh god, she probably peed herself out of fear! How disgusting!”

Iris’s shrill laughter rang the loudest.

My body, still weak from the miscarriage, trembled violently.

As I struggled, the water around me darkened—tainted red with my own blood.

Summoning every ounce of strength, I fought my way to the surface, glaring at Iris with all the fury I had left.

“Iris, you’re trying to kill me! You won’t get away with this!”

Neil yanked me out of the water.

But instead of concern, he barely spared me a glance before speaking in a cold, detached voice.

“Don’t make a scene over a child’s mischief.”

A fresh wave of rage surged through me.

“A child?” I trembled, my voice rising.

“She’s a monster! And you—are you my husband or Iris’s real father?”

Murmurs rippled through the crowd as people exchanged questioning looks.

Neil’s face twisted in anger. Without warning, he struck me hard across the face.

“You and your jealousy need to know their limits! Get out of my sight and go be with your idiot daughter!”

Stunned, I clutched my stinging cheek. Tears burned in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.

Humiliated, I turned and walked away.

That night, Neil came home reeking of alcohol.

He staggered into the room and froze when he saw the suitcase at my feet.

For a moment, his dazed expression held something unreadable.

Then, a mocking smirk curled at the corner of his lips.

“Running away from home? How childish. Enough of this drama.”

As he spoke, he suddenly reached out, grabbing my arm and dragging me toward the bed.

I thrashed against him, shouting,

“Neil, let go of me!”

But he was too strong.

His grip tightened as he pressed me down, his breath hot and heavy with liquor.

His voice slurred, thick with desire.

“Stop pretending. Isn’t this what you want? A man to love you?”

His hold became suffocating.

“If you don’t behave,” he murmured darkly, “I’ll make sure you regret it.”

His eyes burned with something primal. His hands, relentless.

I knew then—this wasn’t love.

It never had been.

My arm was gripped so tightly it ached, but I swallowed my nausea, forced a smile, and said softly,

"Neil, your birthday is coming up in a few days. I’ve prepared a special gift for you."

Neil paused, his smug expression turning even more self-satisfied.

"How coincidental," he smirked. "I’ve also prepared a surprise for you."

I already knew what his so-called "surprise" was—he planned to give my daughter's heart to Iris.

So, I decided to play along.

In the days that followed, Neil pretended to be a loving husband and father.

He occasionally brought home small gifts, whispered sweet nothings, and acted like a doting man.

But I saw through his deception instantly.

Kay, on the other hand, continued to provoke me as usual, sneering,

"Lynda, do you really think you’re worthy of stealing Neil from me? Just wait—you’ll be thrown out like trash!"

I clenched my teeth in silent rage but forced myself to remain indifferent.

I no longer wanted anything to do with that scumbag.

Finally, Neil’s birthday arrived.

Everything was in place.

Without a word, I left quietly with Stacy.

At the hospital, just outside the operating room, the doctor glanced over the medical records and nodded.

"Prepare for surgery. Push the patient in."

Nurses wheeled the gurney forward, slowly guiding Iris toward the operating room.

Then suddenly—

A nurse came rushing in, panic written all over her pale face.

Her voice trembled as she stammered,

“N-No… something terrible has happened! Miss Frazier and Miss Stacy are gone!”