The original maids had all been dismissed. These were new staff hired after Eva moved in.

In their eyes, Julian and Eva were a loving newlywed couple.

Julian had redefined her status to "maid." Before Eva’s health recovered, she was someone who had to atone for her sins in front of Eva.

...

"It’s so hot! Are you trying to scald me?"

"It’s cold! Did you do that on purpose?"

Eva sat on the sofa like a queen, ordering Clara around.

Clara had already remade a bowl of sweet soup five times. Beads of sweat covered her forehead, her footsteps were unsteady, and she had to hold onto the wall to stand still.

For these past two months, Eva had tormented her endlessly. Her belly grew as if it were being inflated, yet she herself had become thin at a rate visible to the naked eye.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that? Do you think I’m making things difficult for you on purpose?" Eva pointed to the white porcelain bowl on the table. "If you don't believe me, taste it yourself. Pigs wouldn't even eat this."

Clara didn't move; she instinctively reached out to shield her belly.

How could she dare to eat anything given by Eva!

Eva’s beautiful eyes rolled, and she sneered. "Clara, are you afraid that I’ll harm the child in your womb? Actually, you’re right to think that! I originally intended to wait until the child was born and then toss him into an orphanage, so he would be a child without parents for the rest of his life!"

Clara’s body trembled. Eva continued, "But, I don’t think that way anymore. Julian has already said that once your baby is born, he will hand it over for me to raise. Julian’s mother already knows I can’t get pregnant. Without your child, I wouldn't be able to enter the Lin family door. So, don't worry, I won't do anything to the child."

Julian said he would save the child—it was because he promised to hand my baby over to Eva to raise!

"However, that’s just to let the child be born. Tell me, should I feed him some 'stupid-pills' and wait until he’s a few years old to be discovered, or wait until he’s older and arrange a car accident?" Eva toyed with her fingers and said, "Actually, you were right that day; I wasn't pregnant at all. Because I injured my uterus, the doctor said I couldn't conceive. I was just lying to Julian! I originally planned to wait until I reclaimed the position of Mrs. Lin and then frame you. I didn't expect you to rush at me so impatiently, so I just had to go with the flow!"

She really wasn't pregnant; it was all a design!

"No, this is Julian’s child. He won't let you harm the child." He had promised her.

Chapter 13: She is Not Qualified to be a Mother

Eva watched Clara leave in a daze, a smile of success on her lips.

Eva’s mother walked out of the bedroom, looking at her in confusion. "Why did you tell that woman everything? Aren't you afraid she’ll go and tell Julian?"

"Mom, Julian wouldn't believe her at all. If she dares to tell him, he will only hate her even more," Eva said. "Besides, I feel that Julian has been acting strange lately. Although he avoids her whenever she appears, I overheard his conversation with the maid—he asks the maid about Clara’s condition every single day when he comes home."

Chen Li was a bit worried. "Eva, Clara is quite pretty, after all. Men are ruled by their lower halves, and they have five years of marital history. Do you think Julian might be feeling reluctant now?"

Eva smiled. "That’s why I have to tell Clara. She values that piece of meat in her belly above all else. Now that she knows, can she still stay quietly like this? If she leaves the range of Julian’s protection, it will be much easier for us to strike."

In this villa, everything was under Julian’s surveillance; it wouldn't be easy to make a move.

Meanwhile, after Clara left, her mind was a complete blur. She wanted to find Julian and ask him face-to-face, but she didn't even have a phone.

Julian was afraid she would escape, so he had taken away her ID and her phone.

During the day, Julian always left early and came home very late.

Thus, during the two months she had lived in the villa, she hadn't seen Julian even once.

She didn't dare to believe everything Eva said; she had to hear it from Julian himself.

Clara waited for three days. Finally, one night, she heard the sound of a car engine shutting off. Julian wasn't in the living room, but the light in the study was on.

The study door wasn't locked. Clara raised her hand and knocked.

"...She is seven months along now. If we take the child out now, can the child survive?"

It was Julian’s voice. Clara’s hand stopped in mid-air.

He wanted to take the child out of her womb!

"From a medical perspective, after entering the seventh month, the child’s limbs have just finished developing. If we induce labor early to take the child out, I cannot guarantee there won't be any problems. After all, everyone knows that a full-term baby is the best."

There was someone else in the room.

Clara looked through the crack in the study door. The other person was Zhao Feng, a good friend of Julian’s from university.

Also, he was a doctor.

"Full-term... that’s still three months away. I can’t wait that long..."

Clara was trembling all over. She couldn't listen anymore, and hugging her arms, she slipped away quietly.

Eva was right.

In Julian’s eyes, he never cared about this child.

The two men in the study didn't notice the eavesdropper.

Zhao Feng adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses and said, "Julian, I think you have a misunderstanding about Clara. She isn't like you described; I don't think she would do such vicious things."

"I also used to think she wouldn't." After Eva broke up with him and returned, although he had decided to reconcile with her, he felt very guilty toward Clara. But what had Clara done?

Zhao Feng sighed. "Sigh, I don't think things are that simple. Julian, you should talk to Clara. After all, she is the mother of two children, isn't she?"

"No, she is not qualified to be a mother to the children."

Chapter 14: Hemorrhage

A week later.

"Sir, it’s bad! Clara has disappeared."

"What?" Upon receiving the call, Julian’s sword-like brows furrowed tightly. He asked, "Didn't I say she wasn't allowed to leave the villa at will? What exactly happened?"

Hanging up the phone, Julian looked grim.

Zhao Feng asked, "Did something happen to Clara?"

"That woman was pretending to be docile, but she was just lying. She secretly bypassed the security and escaped from the villa."

...

On the other side.

Clara was sitting in the driver’s seat, driving the car away from the villa. However, she didn't notice that there was a car following her ever since she left Julian’s suburban villa.

Half an hour later, the car Clara was driving veered off the road and charged toward the bridge.

A massive collision left her unconscious.

Julian received word that Clara’s car had been in an accident and that she was currently in the hospital for emergency treatment, so he rushed to the hospital immediately.

"Doctor, how is her condition?"

"Are you the patient’s husband? The patient’s condition is bad—she is hemorrhaging. Because she was trapped in the car for too long, the child in her womb has likely suffered from hypoxia and died."

Julian’s expression darkened.

This woman!

"We need you to make a decision."

Clara felt groggy and experienced severe pain in her stomach. She opened her eyes and saw a harsh, incandescent light.

She was very familiar with this situation; in her memory, she had experienced something like this once before.

At that time, she was nine months pregnant, and Eva had pushed her down the stairs, causing her to lose her first child.

The fear of losing her child made her jerk awake. She grabbed the nurse’s hand nearby and shouted, "You... what are you doing!"

"Don't be afraid, the anesthesia has already been administered. It won't hurt."

"No, what are you going to do to the child!" Clara shouted frantically.

"Inducing labor. Your husband has already signed the surgery consent form."

Clara’s mind went completely blank.

He... he was still going to act against her child.

The doctor walked out of the operating room, helpless. "Mr. Lin, the patient wants to see you; otherwise, the surgery cannot proceed."

Upon hearing that Clara had woken up, Julian felt a moment of joy, but his face quickly turned gloomy. He walked into the operating room with long strides.

Clara lay on the hospital bed, her face pale. She had lost a lot of weight recently, her chin sharp, looking incredibly pitiful.