Eddie's POV
Six years had passed, and by then, Stephanie had long forgotten the final payment for those cufflinks. The deadline had passed, and when the designer had no other options, he decided to auction them off.
I wasn't even looking for money anymore. I just wanted to retrieve what was initially meant for me, but Stephanie had stopped my card.
As a result, Thea never received the medical treatment she needed.
...
The next time I woke up, I was in the hospital, staring up at the ceiling in confusion.
"You're awake?"
The nurse removed the needle from the back of my hand.
She said, "You fainted on the roadside last night from low blood sugar. A couple found you and brought you here."
"A couple?" I repeated, trying to shake off the fogginess.
The nurse smiled brightly at the mention of the couple. "Yes, the man really loves his wife. When she was giving birth, he was running around, stressing about everything, sweating outside the operating room."
"How long was I out?" I asked, trying to piece things together.
The nurse replied, "Since the night before yesterday."
I didn't need to ask who the 'couple' was. I already knew.
So I asked the nurse for the room number and headed there, walking through the sterile hallways, still trying to clear my head.
Just as I rounded the corner, I spotted Landon, spooning some porridge into Stephanie's mouth. Her mother was sitting beside them, watching the scene with a warm smile.
When Stephanie saw me, she froze, her expression faltering for just a second.
"Oh, hey, you're up? The doctor said it was just low blood sugar. Just make sure to eat on time next time."
Then, she invited me into the room.
"Come look. Isn't our baby adorable? Doesn't he look more like Landon?"
For a moment, it felt like I was transported back in time to when she was first a mother, before everything spiraled out of control.
"You're really happy about giving birth to the product of your affair?" I couldn't help but ask, the words escaping before I could stop them.
Stephanie and her mother's smiles froze.
Meanwhile, tears of grievance and anger welled up in Landon's eyes.
"Eddie, I know you're upset with me, but please don't speak like that about the baby. He's still so young," Landon said, his voice trembling.
Stephanie gave me a disapproving look, then reached for a tissue to wipe away his tears.
'God, my wife is so fucking thoughtful, isn't she?' I mocked inwardly.
Seeing the situation, Stephanie's mother suggested that Stephanie and I should talk things over alone. She said I would always be the Thomas family's son-in-law, and that Landon's child wouldn't impact Thea's place in the family.
It was all so sweet, like a rehearsed line meant to calm me down.
"Mom's right," Stephanie said, taking a deep breath.
Still recovering from giving birth, she winced slightly as she moved. "Edward, I hope you understand that no one can affect you and Thea's place in the family. So, can you stop being so hostile toward Landon? He grew up poor his whole life, and his life hasn't been easy. "
Stephanie added, "I also checked with the hospital today, and Thea has already been discharged. Do you know where she went? Didn't she always feel lonely with no other kids around? Now she has a little brother; shouldn't she be happy?"
She continued, "And for the record, Landon didn't say anything wrong that day. Even though Thea is a girl, you can't make her too fragile. You should let her exercise more and learn to swim so she can build a stronger body.
I couldn't help but snort. "And what about you?"
Stephanie's face briefly showed a flicker of guilt before she straightened up, her expression defensive. "I just gave birth, Eddie. It's inconvenient for me. And besides, the baby just arrived; he needs me..."
I couldn't help myself, I rolled my eyes.
I looked at her with scorn and asked, "Why is Thea's health so fragile? You haven't forgotten, have you?"
Stephanie stared at me like I had just slapped her. She looked lost, as if what I said hadn't crossed her mind.
But I wasn't going to let her off the hook that easily.
I was 19 when I lost my parents and became an unwanted child. It was Stephanie who appeared and brought me into the Thomas family. At age 21, she revealed her feelings and gently persuaded me to accept her completely.
That same year, she found out she was pregnant, but due to sneaking out late at night to race cars, she had a miscarriage.
The doctors confirmed there were two heartbeats.
Doctors usually recommend waiting at least two years before trying for another baby following a miscarriage. However, Stephanie felt that I hadn't truly forgiven her. She was afraid I would secretly abandon her, so she drugged me to ensure that I left my mark inside her.
