Clara Bennett is the daughter of the richest family who was thrown out by her family to gain experience.
Bennett family has an iron rule that before the heir officially takes over the family business, he must hide his identity and gain experience outside for five years , experience the taste of the bottom of society, and grind away his pride.
Today is the last week of her training period.
Coming out of the hospital, Clara clutched the thin medical report, unable to suppress her trembling and excitement.
She is two months pregnant.
She lowered her head and touched her still flat belly, the corners of her mouth couldn't help but curl up , and her heart was filled with sweetness .
In seven days, once she had completely shed the identity of " Clara ", an ordinary girl, she would confess to her lover of five years, Liam Foster , the truth that she was the heir to the Bennett family. She would also tell him the news of her pregnancy, that they had their own child, and that she would no longer have to work so hard on business and would not have to go on business trips abroad frequently to attract investment.
She could even imagine Liam being happy.
Will he pick her up and spin her around like he has done countless times in the past five years, will he call her baby affectionately in her ear, will he... propose to her?
Thinking of this, Clara couldn't help laughing out loud, and her steps became a little lighter.
Suddenly, the harsh sound of brakes pierced the air!
Clara could react, a huge impact hit her from behind, and she flew out like a kite with a broken string. The blood-stained medical report fell beside the wheel, leaving a dark mark.
Severe pain instantly swept through her body, and her consciousness seemed to be submerged by the tide. She desperately protected her stomach. Her last thought before fainting was: Baby... My baby...
After an unknown amount of time, she heard a familiar voice in her hazy consciousness .
It's Liam .
Liam didn't know who he was talking to on the phone. His voice was not as gentle as usual, but with a hint of coldness that she had never heard before .
" Clara's background is too poor. She's not good enough to get married and have children. I have someone else I want. "
"My family is under great pressure and needs an heir. Vanessa Cole ... after all, she 's a family friend and a good match ."
Clara 's heart suddenly sank, and her remaining consciousness made her try her best to hear clearly.
" I love Clara, and that won't change. She's gentle and beautiful, but you know, marriage isn't just a game. My true identity is the young master of the Foster family. What 's her background? Living in a rented house in a village in the city, how could someone with that kind of background even enter the Foster family ?"
No idea what was being said on the other end. Clara couldn't hear clearly even with her breath held. She could only hear Liam's cruel voice.
Liam paused. "My marriage to Vanessa was arranged by my grandfather. Vanessa just gave birth to my son two years ago . The heir of the Foster family cannot have any stain. How can we have a sibling outside to compete for the family business ?"
Clara 's fingertips trembled unconsciously, and her nails dug deep into the flesh of her palms, but she felt no pain . The pain in her heart had overwhelmed all her senses.
" Who knew she'd still get pregnant after five years of birth control pills? I was thinking about how to find a way to get rid of her baby and pretend it was a miscarriage. After all, it's her and my child, and I couldn't bear to do it myself for fear she'd hate me."
Liam 's voice was filled with a hint of relief. "It's good this way now. Vanessa hit her with her car and helped me deal with a big problem. It saved me a lot of trouble . Children from big families are usually more knowledgeable . What did the doctor say? Clara uterus is damaged. It will be difficult for you to get pregnant again."
He was silent for a few seconds. Clara could hear him sighing softly, and that breath was like a needle tempered by ice, piercing her heart. "This is good. Clara can't have children in the future, so she won't threaten Vanessa and my son's status. I will keep her by my side and spend my whole life making amends to her . She will be my Kept Woman in peace and stability . I will give her the best life, much better than her village in the city ."
Keep Woman?
Clara regained consciousness, but her body felt like it was filled with lead. She didn't even have the strength to open her eyes. Tears silently slid down her eyes, hitting the white hospital bed and leaving a small wet mark.
It turned out that the sincerity she carefully treasured was just a toy in his eyes; the future she looked forward to was just the Kept Woman in his plan that should not be seen in the light ; her unborn child was just a stain that needed to be removed in his eyes; even losing her child and losing her qualification to be a mother became the best outcome in his eyes.
When she first left home and was working as a waitress at a hotel, she met Liam, who had been drinking so much that he had a stomach bleed. He took Liam to the hospital and even paid for his medical expenses. From then on, Liam frequently appeared by her side and launched a fierce pursuit of her. The daughter of a wealthy family had never seen such a young man's passionate feelings, and soon they were together.
She remembered that last winter, when she had a cold and a fever, Liam stayed with her all night, changing the towel on her forehead every half hour; she remembered that on her birthday, he said he had saved three months' salary and bought her a bracelet, saying "When I have money in the future, I will change it for you with jewels "; she remembered that she casually said she liked the magnolia flowers downstairs, and he went to the flower shop to buy a bunch the next day, clumsily inserted it in a mineral water bottle, and said " As long as Clara likes it, it's worth it no matter how expensive it is."
Those details that once moved her heart to tears, when she thought about it now, were all poison wrapped in sugar , a game of playing house in which rich young masters pretended to be poor .
I don’t know how long it took, but the footsteps in the ward gradually faded away. Liam must have left.
Clara then slowly opened her eyes. The ceiling was the pale white color unique to hospitals, which hurt her eyes.
She raised her hand and touched her lower abdomen . It was empty, and the newly formed little life was no longer there.
She didn't cry or get hysterical, but just looked at the ceiling calmly until the nurse came in to change the dressing and told her softly, "The baby was not saved, and the probability of getting pregnant in the future is very low." She just said "hmm" softly, her voice so calm as if she was talking about someone else's business.
After the nurse left, Clara fished out her phone from under her pillow. A corner of the screen was shattered, from the car accident. She struggled to unlock it, found the number marked "home," and dialed it.
The call was quickly connected, and my father's authoritative voice came: " Clara ? You'll be back in a week. How are you doing recently?"
Clara wiped away her tears vigorously and tried to make her voice sound calm: " Dad , I'm fine. I'll be back soon after I finish dealing with things here."
My father paused, then added, "One more thing. After you inherit the family fortune, according to tradition, you need to decide on a marriage partner as soon as possible. You are the heir to our Su family, so a marriage partner is crucial. The other four major families have inquired about you many times. Have you met anyone suitable in the past few years?"
Clara's heart ached, and Liam 's face flashed before her eyes. She shook her head vigorously, as if this could get rid of the painful memories.
"No. Dad , on the day I inherit the family fortune, let's hold a husband-selection banquet. I will personally choose the most suitable marriage partner at the banquet!"
She turned her head to look out the window. The sycamore leaves were swaying gently in the wind. The sun was still as warm as ever, but the sweetness in her heart had been completely crushed, leaving only a cold desolate place.
The man she once wanted to devote her life to, the man she thought was sincere, turned out to be an elaborate scam from beginning to end.
That's good, this way she can turn around without any regrets.
Bennett family never needs to rely on others to survive, let alone be anyone's keep woman .
Liam , and his lifetime compensation, she, Clara, doesn't care.
