Chapter 2
I woke up to the sound of Dylan crying.
He was holding a medical report in his trembling hands.
“Junie… The doctors found something during surgery… You were born without a uterus. You… you can’t
have children.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t mind. No matter what, you’re my wife.”
“Once you’re discharged, let’s adopt a child, okay? With a child, you won’t feel so lonely.”
I was the one who had lost my ability to have children.
But somehow, he looked more devastated than me.
His acting was flawless.
I didn’t bother exposing him.
After a long silence, I looked at the report and nodded.
Dylan burst into tears and hugged me tightly.
“I’ll take care of you, I promise. No matter what anyone says, I’ll stand by your side.”
“After the wedding, I’ll transfer all my assets to you–as your security.”
Our chests pressed together.
But our hearts beat to different rhythms.
After a while, he hesitated.
“It’s just… The wedding is all set. But with your condition… we may have to-”
“Find someone to take my place. We can’t let the Owen family lose face.”
I knew what he wanted to say.
Instead of letting myself be humiliated, I chose to walk away with dignity.
Dylan was stunned by my sudden change of heart.
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But since it worked in his favor, he didn’t press the issue.
His phone rang.
He glanced at the screen, then looked at me, shocked.
“Junie, why did you cancel your documents?”
I quickly swiped away the notification and calmly replied.
“Nothing. They expired, so I renewed them online.”
He didn’t question me further. Instead, he held me tighter, his voice full of concern.
“You’re not in good shape. If you need anything, just tell me. I’ll take care of it for you.”
“Dylan, I want to be discharged.”
His face darkened.
“No. You haven’t recovered yet. I won’t allow it.”
I clung to his arm and pouted playfully.
“Didn’t you say you wanted to adopt a child with me? The house has maids–we’ll be fine. I want to visit the orphanage, okay?”
In five years together, this was the first time I had acted cute with him.
Dylan softened and finally agreed.
At the orphanage, the moment I arrived in my wheelchair-
A little girl ran straight into Dylan’s arms, hugging his leg.
“Daddy!”
His face paled.
“You… don’t misunderstand. I’ve sponsored this orphanage. She’s just a child I’ve visited before.”
I smiled and gently touched the girl’s face.
“She looks just like you. If you hadn’t told me, I would’ve thought she was yours.”
“What’s her name?”
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“Hope… She’s the one I planned to adopt.”
Just then, Hope started crying.
“Mommy… I want Mommy!”
Dylan froze.
Before he could explain, Hope burst into tears, crying for her mother.
Dylan’s face turned pale in an instant.
He frowned deeply and looked at me.
“I’m fine. Go and comfort her. She’s a beautiful child—I like her too.”
My words made him sigh in relief.
Without thinking further, Dylan carried the child into his office.
I excused myself to the restroom to avoid the situation.
But outside the door, the murmurs of the employees kept filtering through.
“Why would President Owen pretend his own child is an orphan? Look at those luxury clothes–each piece is worth more than my life. Who would believe she’s an orphan?”
“You don’t get it. President Owen planned everything. This is the only way to bring the child into the Owen family legitimately. When we go back, be smart–don’t let anything slip in front of Miss Lawrance.”
“As expected, the one President Owen truly cherishes is still Miss Lee. Back in college, they loved holding events here. I saw it back then–I knew they’d end up together! Now they’re alone in a room together… who knows what’s happening?”
The ambiguous laughter pressed down on my chest like a weight, making it hard to breathe.
I wheeled myself toward the door and heard a familiar voice from inside.
“Is he treating you well?”
“He is, but he’s been abroad for years, so he can’t always be there. But that’s actually a good thing–he
won’t find out about Hope. He’s even been asking me to have a child with him.”
Dylan smiled, but his eyes were filled with bitterness.
“Once Hope is accepted into the Owen family, you won’t have to worry anymore. If you need anything,
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just message me.”
“Oh, by the way, this is a bracelet I just bought–consider it a wedding gift for you.”
Tatum took the gift box and playfully winked.
“Why do you keep giving me things? It’s been a year since I got married, and you’ve already sent me so many wedding gifts. My closet can’t even hold them all. If Junie finds out, she’ll definitely be upset.”
Even as she spoke, her hands didn’t hesitate to accept the gift.
Hope laughed happily beside her, calling out “Mommy” over and over again.
Just then, the orphanage director rushed in, eager to finalize the adoption paperwork. In his hurry, he pushed open the door right in front of me.
