Chapter 7
I sat there, lost in thought, listening to the voices outside.
Oh, he was having another child.
God truly did favor a man with such a low sperm count, did he?
Willa’s voice was thick with maternal warmth.
“Cassidy, I’m going to gift you and the baby an East Nova Villa. You can rest there and take care of yourself.”
Cassidy replied, pretending to be modest.
“Oh no, I couldn’t. After all, Elise is Archer’s legal wife. You should give the villa to her instead.”
Willa scoffed, cold and dismissive.
“That woman won’t be part of the Monroe family for much longer.”
Their voices faded as the door opened.
I looked up to see Dorian stepping in, chin held high.
“Did you hear? Sister Cassidy’s going to have a baby.”
“Yes, congratulations. Soon, you’ll have a happy family of six. As you wanted, your father has a new child now, so he won’t bother me anymore.”
Dorian’s brow furrowed in confusion.
“Aren’t you angry?”
I sighed, sadness in my gaze.
“Dorian, I just hope that after she has her own child, she’ll still treat you with the same kindness she does now.”
I couldn’t bring myself to hate him.
He was still just a child.
I only hoped that Archer would fulfill his duties as a father and not ruin Dorian’s life.
Suddenly, Dorian shouted defiantly.
“Sister Cassidy will definitely treat me well! She said I’m like her real son. No matter how many babies she has, she’ll always love me the most! Not like you, you’re cruel even to your own child!”
I couldn’t fathom how he could use the word “cruel.”
But then, he bit down hard.
A shock of blood spilled from his mouth, staining his lips.
Panic surged through me as I rushed to him. “Dorian, what’s wrong?!”
But he shoved me away, screaming, collapsing, and crawling toward the door.
“Help! Daddy! Mommy’s trying to kill me!”
The door burst open, and Archer stormed in.
The sight of his bleeding son set his eyes ablaze with fury.
“Is this how far you’ll go? Hurt your own child over a few words?!”
Dorian curled into his arms, shooting me a sly, victorious smile.
In that moment, everything clicked.
He was still so young, how could he have schemed like this?
I stood frozen, dumbstruck.
“It was Cassidy. She taught him this. I didn’t hurt him.”
Cassidy appeared in the doorway, cradling her stomach, tears glistening in her eyes.
“I’m about to become a mother, too. How could I teach a child something like this? Elise, you’re not fit to be a mother.”
Dorian lifted a trembling finger toward me.
“It was Mommy. She gave me a candy. My stomach hurts so much, Daddy!”
“I’ll never forgive you, Elise.”
Archer’s glare was filled with murder, and it sent a chill down my spine.
He ordered them to lock me in the room, taking Dorian to find a doctor.
I pounded on the door, begging the bodyguards to let me out, but no one answered.
I even considered jumping from the third-floor window, but I still had a child in my womb.
Just as I had lost all hope, the door creaked open.
