Chapter 4

Julian's words felt like a dull blade, carving into my already mangled heart piece by piece.

Staring at his cold profile, I suddenly laughed. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I chuckled.

Of course. To him, this pregnancy was a sickening reminder of the parasite that had stolen his body. Why would he ever welcome it?

And what about me?

The man I loved had vanished. This baby was the only connection I had left to him.

Was I supposed to let my child grow up with a father who hated him?

Was I supposed to let him bear the Sterling name only to live under his father’s disgusted sneers, branded as a mistake that should never have happened?

No. I couldn't be that cruel.

My baby deserved to grow up surrounded by pure, unconditional love.

Since his real father was already gone...

I wiped my tears and looked at Julian, my face pale but utterly composed. "Don't worry. I won't keep the baby. I wouldn't want my child calling a cold-blooded stranger his father anyway."

Julian's head snapped toward me, shock flashing across his face. He clearly hadn't expected me to be this decisive.

"I'll schedule the termination myself," I continued, pouring every ounce of my remaining strength into each word.

"Once I recover, we'll file for divorce. The Vance family might be struggling, but we have enough left to take care of me."

I pulled out my phone and messaged the family attorney I had consulted before, instructing him to draft an immediate divorce agreement and bring it to the hospital.

When I finished, I closed my eyes, refusing to look at Julian again.

Julian didn't say a word. The VIP suite fell into a suffocating, tomb-like silence. I could feel his burning gaze pinned on me, but I didn't care.

Nothing hurts more than a completely dead heart.

To my surprise, the silence was shattered by Julian's parents.

Julian was the sole heir of the Sterling empire. My pregnancy represented the continuation of their entire bloodline.

Someone had leaked the news. Mr. and Mrs. Sterling arrived at the hospital in full force, flanked by a security detail.

They burst in just as my lawyer handed me the freshly printed divorce papers.

"Divorce?!" Eleanor Sterling’s sharp screech shattered the room. "Chloe Vance, don't you dare! You're carrying a Sterling heir. Where do you think you're taking our bloodline?"

Edward Sterling turned directly to his son, barking out an absolute decree:

"I don't care what petty fight you two are having! That child will be born healthy and safe! If a single hair on my grandchild is harmed, I will hold you personally responsible!"

Julian’s face was livid, but he kept his jaw clenched shut.

A pounding headache seized me. It was utterly sickening. A bunch of people obsessed with an heir, yet not a single one cared about the baby itself, or about me.

The chaos dragged on until late into the night.

Julian finally managed to usher his parents out, leaving just the two of us in the quiet room once again.

Too exhausted to lift a finger, I slipped into a heavy slumber.

Drifting between sleep and reality, a familiar, comforting aroma of chicken broth tickled my senses.

I slowly blinked my eyes open. A silhouette was bustling around the small kitchenette inside the luxury suite.

That posture, that side profile, that clumsy way he handled the ingredients...

My heart slammed against my ribs.

The vision sharpened. I saw him accidentally knock over the salt shaker, jump back when the steam hissed from the pot, turning the kitchen into a complete mess.

That clumsy, awful cook who insisted on making me comfort food... it was him.

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, my heart began to pound violently.

Did he... come back?