Chapter 4

"Julian! What are we going to do now? What about my research? What about my paper?!" Melanie screamed, completely ignoring the shocked looks from Julian's parents.

Julian ignored her outbursts entirely. He stared at me for a long moment, then tightly gripped my wrist and tried to pull me toward the guest room. "Chloe, stop making a scene. Let's talk in private."

I fiercely shook off his hand and sneered, "Talk about what? About how the baby in Melanie's womb is yours? Or about how you two used me as a lab rat for five years just to keep me childless?"

Julian and Melanie froze, staring at me in utter disbelief. Beside them, Julian's parents realized something was horribly wrong and stepped forward to demand answers, but Julian blocked them.

Julian shifted his gaze, unable to look me in the eye. I pressed on, my voice cutting like glass: "I heard everything in the stairwell that day, Julian. I went to another doctor. My condition could have been cured with a single, simple surgery. It never needed five years of treatment."

Seeing that her scheme had been exposed and her research ruined, Melanie threw off her mask. She smugly caressed her belly and hissed, "So what if you found out? You're still defective. Julian will raise my baby as his own anyway."

Julian stood paralyzed, his face a storm of conflicting emotions, his eyes glued to my positive pregnancy test.

Perhaps deep down, he had genuinely wanted a child with me, and this sudden revelation had shaken him to his core.

"Julian, is Melanie's baby yours?" I asked with a bitter smile. "Don't lie to me anymore. We wanted a child for so many years. If you've finally got one, even if it's with her, I'll walk away and wish you well." Despite everything, after years of marriage, this was the only sincere wish I had left.

Julian shook his head frantically, but he couldn't find the words to answer.

Melanie smirked triumphantly. I ignored her completely and looked straight at Julian. "I came here today for one reason. As the father, do you want this baby? If you don't, just say it."

Julian crumpled the test report in his fist. His jaw clenched, and his eyes filled with immense grief. After what felt like an eternity of agonizing hesitation, he dropped to one knee before me and whispered hoarsely, "Chloe, I know how precious this baby is to both of us..."

I thought he was going to beg me to keep it. But then he added, "But you just had an X-ray during your checkup. It could have harmed the fetus. The baby might be deformed or unhealthy."

He was telling me to get rid of my baby.

His intentions became crystal clear. I had expected a stabbing pain in my heart, but instead, I felt only a cold, hollow numbness.

He probably still wanted to protect Melanie's research and ensure that my pregnancy wouldn't get in the way of her child's future.

"Fine," I said, my voice dead. "I'll have my lawyer draw up the divorce papers. Come home tomorrow and sign them."

I turned on my heel and slammed the door behind me. Julian yelled my name and tried to chase after me, but Melanie threw herself on him, holding him back.