Chapter 3
Since I’d sued Vanessa before, I remembered her personal details.
The phone I’d never seen had only one contact-Vanessa.
Her nickname was three emojis: man, heart, woman.
Simple and blunt.
The photo album held thousands of pictures-all intimate shots of them together.
Turns out all of Declan’s countless “business trips” were vacations abroad with Vanessa and their kid, shopping and sightseeing.
Endless big money transfers and luxury purchases seemed to mock my stupidity.
Even every night after my daughter and I fell asleep, he’d go upstairs to be with Vanessa.
Their chat history was like knives in my eyes:
Dec, thanks for canceling those billion-dollar contracts just to be with me during delivery. With you there, I’m not scared of anything…”
Look at you-this isn’t your first time being a dad. Building a whole amusement park just to get him to call you daddy a few more times?”
remembered when I nearly died giving birth to my daughter-he was two blocks away dining with clients.
thought I was dying. Terrified, I called begging him to come see me. All I got was:
Raven, it’s just childbirth. Every woman goes through it. Even if I came back, I can’t give birth for you. I don’t like doing pointless gestures.”
You’ll be fine. I’ll bring you a present when I get back.”
aughter and singing drifted down from upstairs-a man singing “Happy Birthday.” Each note was a stab to my heart.
Whenever my daughter wanted Declan at her birthday, he’d coldly push her away:
I’m busy. You’re already six years old-act like it. Stop bothering adults.”
Love,or not-the difference was crystal clear.
don’t know when Declan came home. I just woke up to a table full of food.
Raven, I made this myself. Try it-tell me how it tastes.”
almost laughed. Sure, he’d made it himself.
But Vanessa had posted about their party last night. This was just their leftovers.
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By the way Raven, after I left yesterday, were you sleeping in the bedroom the whole time? Did you see anything in the living room…”
His probing look made my contempt deepen:
“No, I was exhausted. Slept straight through.”
Hearing this, Declan relaxed imperceptibly.
“You wanted justice for our baby so she could rest in peace-that’s why you wouldn’t let them cremate her. Since it was just an accident, we should lay her to
rest. Let’s have the funeral tomorrow.”
“I’ve told the relatives. Mom’s flying back too. Tonight we’ll take everyone to dinner, then the funeral home tomorrow morning.”
I said nothing, bitter helplessness flooding through me.
Yeah, Declan had bought off the witnesses and destroyed the evidence.
Maybe our baby didn’t want to linger in this disgusting world anyway.
15.95
I should blame myself for being blind, for loving the wrong man.
But walking into the private dining room, I saw my mother-in-law holding a five-year-old boy, cooing over him like he was precious treasure.
When she saw Vanessa standing, she pulled her down to sit beside her-in the seat meant for the daughter-in-law.
I never knew they knew each other. Declan had never told me.
Seeing me, Vanessa said cattily.
“Auntie, see? I told you Raven would come. Forget about me filling in as the Morrison family matriarch to help Dec host tonight.”
“After all, Raven is Dec’s wife. Don’t want her getting jealous and pinning more crimes on me. I can’t afford that kind of trouble.”
My mother-in-law shot me a contemptuous look:
“What right does a useless thing who only births money-losers have to get angry? That little brat deserved to die-God was helping our family save money. Did you have to make such a big deal over nothing, slandering Vanessa and dragging us to court? Shameless!”
“Worthless piece of trash, getting yourself beaten so bad you can’t have kids! So many apartments in that building-why’d they target you specifically? Probably because you’re a slut who brought it on herself!”
Vanessa’s the capable one-had a son on the first try. Otherwise our family would be… Anyway, Camden’s a good kid. I just made him my godson. From now on, Vanessa has the same status as you!”
My mother-in-law was all about sons over daughters, but unlike other families obsessed with matching social status, she’d clawed her way out of poverty hanks to her son’s success.
Back when Declan was broke, she’d buttered me up constantly, hoping my family would fund his startup.
After his company went public and grew huge, my family got framed and went bankrupt. My only brother fell off a cliff-they never found his body. I became iseless to her.
Then she decided I was too educated, too pretty-women like that couldn’t be controlled, had wandering hearts. So she started despising me.
Vanessa covered her mouth, laughing happily. Then she led Camden over to me, pulling out some crumpled bills:
Miss Carter, even though you falsely accused me, it was still my little Camden Morrison being naughty. This money is from both of us-for you and your baby.
lease take it.”
