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Elias remained silent, his eyes icy and his face a mask of unreadable tension
Vera leaned closer, wiping the wine that had spilled down his neck with a gentleness that felt almost mocking. “Admit it,” she said softly, “you don’t really love Mira that much. What you can’t accept is the sudden interruption of the life you built with her. It’s the loss you can’t bear, not the love.”
Her fingers brushed his skin, and she smiled, a smile that was both intimate and calculating “Life’s long, Elias
How can anyone love just one person forever?
She pulled out her phone, unlocking it with a single swipe, and turned the screen toward him “This is our baby.
She’s three months old now, and she’s adorable”
Elias froze, his eyes locking onto the image of the tiny girl smiling up at the camera. The coldness in his chest
deepened, suffocating him.
Vera’s voice softened, her tone almost pleading. “Remember when I told you about my misdiagnosis? That I was pregnant? I couldn’t even tell you the good news before you pushed me away.”
Her eyes, once filled with anger and bitterness, now softened, a strange tenderness emerging. “I don’t care about the i
internet’s scorn. I don’t care how people see me. Our daughter is so precious, Elias. I need you. We can raise her together, live a simple life, just the three of us. Don’t you want that?”
Elias‘ face remained impassive, but his mind was spiraling. You’re crazy. The thought echoed in his mind, but
there was no joy in his heart. Only a deep, gnawing emptiness.
With each word, he felt himself being pulled further away from Mira. If Mira knew about this child… he thought
bitterly. Even if she and Frederick broke up, I would never be the one she returns to
Vera sighed, her voice low and almost compassionate. “Mira has found her happiness, and it’s time for you to look ahead too. We’ve held a wedding. We have a daughter. You wanted a warm home, didn’t you? I’ll go with you to
get the marriage certificate, anytime.”
Elias‘ eyes narrowed, his thoughts churning. He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, after a long silence, he said,
“Take me to see the baby.”
Vera’s surprise flickered across her face, but she quickly masked it with a smile of relief. Yes, what father wouldn’t want to see his own flesh and blood? she thought, her heart swelling with a strange satisfaction.
She led him to her apartment, where the warmth of the bedroom contrasted with the icy tension in Elias‘ chest. The nanny was feeding the baby in the crib, humming a soft lullaby.
19.
“Nikki,” Vera cooed, gently lifting the baby and turning her toward Elias. “This is Daddy. Look how handsome he
Elias‘ gaze fell on the small face, but his eyes lacked warmth. His heart was a cold stone, heavy in his chest I can
never let Mira find out about this child. Not now, not ever
For the next three days, Elias played the role of the devoted father on the surface. He fed the baby at night,
coaxed her to sleep, and even changed her diapers–each act mechanical, a hollow performance that only deepened
his isolation.
Seeing this, Vera’s eyes brightened with a glimmer of hope.
But one night, everything shifted. Vera woke to find Elias lifting the quilt off the baby, his cold, calculating gaze
fixed on the sleeping child.
Her heart skipped a beat. Before she could speak, Elias‘ hand moved toward the baby.
“Elias, what are you doing?” Vera’s voice was sharp, filled with alarm. “She’s your own flesh and blood!”
Elias‘ expression remained unchanged as he coldly replied, “I was checking if she had a fever.” His eyes. narrowed, a bitter edge to his words. “In this life, only children born to me by Mira will ever be considered my flesh
and blood.”
His gaze shifted to Vera, laced with disdain. “As for you… you’re nothing more than a mistake.”
“Are y
you out of your mind? Mira doesn’t want you anymore!” Vera’s voice cracked as she screamed, her fists pounding against his chest.
Flion grabbed her wrist with a vien–like grip “Keep your voice down, and don’t contact Mira behind my back If she finds out about this bastard, I’ll make you regret it
Vera fell silent, her lip trembling as she bit down to stifle the fear rising within ber
Without another word, Ilias released her and strode out of the room
He found himself at a nearly him, the chinos of heavy metal music crashing against his ears, the sharp sting of alcohol burning his throat Yet, he stayed for less this ten minutes before leaving
He remembered how Mita hated these noisy, soul–crushing places. He shouldn’t have come
The streets were eerily quiet at five in the morning.