Everyone knew Julian Thorne and I were his absolute darlings.
I wanted to see stars, so he splashed hundreds of millions to orchestrate a private meteor shower display.
My son loved carousels, so Julian built the biggest amusement park *ever*, named after him.
He was never stingy with his love for my son and me.
The day my son and I were in a car accident, Julian Thorne brought in a renowned medical team to save me.
I clung to life, begging him to save my son first.
But he choked back tears and told me our son had bled out on the way to the hospital.
Finally, I couldn’t hold on anymore and passed out.
When I woke up, I heard him talking to the doctor outside the door.
“Mr. Thorne, the young boy could have been saved. Why did you just stand by and watch your own son die?”
Julian Thorne’s nonchalant voice replied.
“Noah was always meant to be the donor for Seraphina’s child and mine.”
“If he didn’t die, how else could I legitimately take his heart for Leo?”
“I’ve been good enough to Scarlett and her son all these years. Now, it’s their turn to repay me.”
So, Julian Thorne’s kindness to my son and me was just a twisted exchange for my son’s heart.
All the suffering my son and I endured was orchestrated by him.
If that’s the case, then I’ll play along.
01
Just outside the rescue room, separated by a single door, I heard Julian Thorne chuckle.
“Mrs. Thorne’s uterus suffered severe trauma while protecting the boy. To save her life, we had no choice but to remove it.”
The doctor’s voice was terrified.
“Mr. Thorne, are you saying… Mrs. Thorne has already lost one child. By doing this, you’re ensuring she can never be a mother again in this lifetime.”
“Don’t you think that’s too cruel?”
Julian Thorne’s tone remained calm.
“In this lifetime, I will only ever have one child: Leo.”
“And as compensation, Scarlett Hayes will always be Mrs. Thorne.”
“Proceed with the surgery quickly. I need to see Leo. He and Seraphina must need me desperately right now.”
“Oh, and be careful during the procedure. My wife is sensitive to pain.”
In a daze, Julian Thorne’s footsteps faded further down the hallway.
My hands, clenched by my sides, were lacerated and bloody from my nails digging in. I couldn’t stop the tears from streaming down my face.
It turned out that the good husband and father my son and I had been so proud of was a lie.
The love he gave us was also a lie.
The only truth was the six-year deception he orchestrated.
Using a meticulously orchestrated car accident, he stole my son’s heart.
As the anesthesia seeped into my veins, my consciousness blurred further.
I only felt the cold instruments ruthlessly invading my body, and the chill plunged me into one nightmare after another.
The dreams were pitch black. My son stood in the darkness, his usually beating chest hollow.
He reached out to me, crying:
“Mommy, Noah hurts so bad, Mommy…”
“Noah!”
I jolted awake from the nightmare, meeting Julian Thorne’s concerned eyes.
“Honey, you’re finally awake.”
“Do you know how worried I was about losing you during these two days you were unconscious?”
He trembled as he embraced me.
“I’ve already lost our son. I can’t lose you too.”
My ear was pressed against Julian Thorne’s chest, his frantic heartbeat seeming to confirm the truth of his words.
Julian Thorne continued:
“Honey, the doctor said the car accident damaged your uterus. We might not be able to have any more children.”
“But it’s okay. Having you is enough for me.”
He spoke with such conviction.
If this were before, I would have felt lucky to have married such a good man.
But now, with my body scarred and ‘incomplete,’ his flawless acting sickened me.
I subtly pushed him away.
“Where’s Noah? I need to see him.”
Julian Thorne’s expression faltered. He stroked my head, his voice low.
“I’m sorry, honey. I was afraid you’d be too heartbroken to see his body, so I already arranged for the cremation yesterday.”
He wasn’t afraid of me seeing Noah and getting upset; he was terrified I’d see the gaping hole where his heart used to be.
I suppressed the hatred in my eyes and looked at the crooked red string bracelet on Julian Thorne’s wrist.
It was a gift from our son.
Before the accident, Julian Thorne often had trouble sleeping at night.
Noah had asked his school teacher to teach him how to make bracelets, then wove red string and some dried herbs, which he’d heard could help with sleep, and gave it to him.
Julian Thorne had looked at the clumsily made bracelet in shock, opening his mouth but unable to speak for a long time.
It wasn’t until Noah called him “Daddy” again that he took the bracelet and carefully put it on his wrist.
He hugged our son and said, “Noah, thank you. Daddy loves it.”
Now, it seemed that while Noah worried about Julian Thorne’s insomnia, Julian’s ‘insomnia’ was him meticulously planning the ‘accident’ that would take our son’s life.
Julian Thorne followed my gaze and saw the bracelet too.
A complex emotion flickered in his eyes, and he quickly covered the bracelet with his sleeve.
“Honey, I promise you, I will spend the rest of my life, just like you, remembering our Noah.”
I lowered my eyes and said nothing more.
My only solace in this moment, my one grim comfort, was that Noah had believed, until his very last breath, that Julian Thorne loved him.
But I couldn’t let that make me forget that Julian was the one who killed my son.
Noah, Mommy will get revenge for you.
And I will leave this two-faced monster, this killer who destroyed us.
02
Because I disliked the antiseptic smell of hospitals, Julian Thorne took me home the next day.
If I hadn’t seen through his demonic nature, Julian Thorne would have been a perfect husband.
He would personally cook for me, thoughtfully remembering every single one of my dietary preferences and aversions.
He even worried that I still harbored trauma from the accident, soaking my feet and massaging them every night.
It wasn’t until the third day after we returned home that Julian Thorne finally left early, claiming he had company business.
I saw a message from Seraphina Duval on his phone screen, which he hadn’t bothered to turn off yet.
【Julian, Leo keeps asking for his dad. I can’t calm him down anymore.】
Seraphina’s child wanted his dad, and Julian Thorne rushed to his side without a second thought.
My son, however, died on his way to see his dad.
I silently watched Julian Thorne leave, then went to the third floor and stood outside his study.
For five years of marriage, Julian Thorne had kept the study locked, citing the need for personal space in a marriage.
I typed in Seraphina’s and Leo’s birthdays. The lock clicked open.
Inside the vast study, all four walls were covered with photos of their family of three.
From Seraphina’s pregnancy and childbirth, to Leo’s milestones – his first month, his first tooth, his first steps – Julian Thorne had documented everything.
Yet, my son’s entire four years, from birth to death, couldn’t even fill a small photo album.
I then opened the diary on Julian Thorne’s desk.
【May 20th: Seraphina told me she had a surprise for me. Even though I suspected it was news of her pregnancy, when she placed the pregnancy test in front of me, I couldn’t stop the tears from falling.】
【January 23rd: I became a father. I named him Leo.】
【He was so tiny. When I held him in my arms, for a moment, I almost wanted to give them everything I owned.】
【But then the doctor told me Leo was born with a congenital heart condition.】
【September 30th: For Leo, I got married. The bride wasn’t Seraphina.】
【Seraphina, I will be a good husband, a good father.】
The last sentence he wrote, the words almost piercing the page, spoke of a monumental decision.
I couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh.
So, marrying me was such an agonizing sacrifice.
No wonder, five years ago, when I joyfully presented my pregnancy test results to Julian Thorne, he remained silent for a long time.
Then, as if checking off an item on his to-do list, he said, “Thank you.”
When Noah was born, Julian Thorne didn’t even hold him.
His first glance at Noah wasn’t one of warmth, but a cold command to the doctor to run a full physical, especially on his heart.
On our wedding night, the room remained dark.
It was only by the moonlight filtering through the window that I could clearly see Julian Thorne’s face.
Before, I thought he was just shy.
Now, it was clear: the person he wanted to marry wasn’t me, and the face he wanted to see wasn’t mine.
The diary entries were chaotic, all about Seraphina and Leo.
The latest entry was seven days ago.
【Maybe the dried herbs really do help with sleep.】
【I had a good night’s sleep. I even dreamed of…】
Julian Thorne didn’t finish the sentence, and I had no desire to read further.
I took photos of the diary content, sent them to the private investigator I’d hired, then put the diary back.
As I walked out of the study, Julian Thorne returned.
He saw me coming down from the third floor, and a flicker of panic crossed his otherwise composed face.
“Why did you suddenly go upstairs? Your injuries aren’t healed yet, you need more bed rest.”
I brushed off his automatic attempt to steady me.
“I got tired of lying in bed.”
Julian Thorne stared at me, then, seeing my expression was normal, he subtly let out a sigh of relief.
He pulled something from behind his back.
“Honey, your favorite pastries from Henderson’s Bakery. I made a special trip to get them for you.”
It was true, I loved Henderson’s pastries.
But five minutes ago, Seraphina Duval had posted a picture of the exact same pastries on Ins.
The caption read: “Just one wish from Leo, and *someone* drove two hours to get it.”
She used to post these vague Ins updates often.
It was just that back then, I never would have imagined that ‘someone’ was my own husband.
Out of Julian Thorne’s sight, I ‘liked’ Seraphina’s Ins post.
I thought, I’ll wait a little longer.
Once I had enough evidence, my relationship with Julian Thorne would be over.
03
When I paid off the private investigator, Seraphina Duval contacted me.
She asked to meet me at a house in the secluded outskirts.
The house, decorated in warm tones, felt so inviting and homey, unlike Julian Thorne’s and my place.
He always said he preferred simplicity, so our home was furnished entirely in black, white, and gray.
Seraphina sat on the sofa, leisurely admiring her freshly done manicure.
“So, you finally found out about Julian and me.”
With Noah’s heart safely in her son, she didn’t even bother to pretend anymore.
“Julian promised me he’d bring Leo and me home, making Leo officially a Thorne, rightfully inheriting his name and legacy.”
I looked at Seraphina calmly.
“Is that why you called me here? To tell me this?”
My indifferent tone made Seraphina’s smug smile freeze. She abruptly stood up from the sofa.
“Scarlett Hayes, what right do you have to speak to me like that? As Mrs. Thorne?”
“Don’t be delusional! Do you really think Julian loves you?”
“Back then, he married you for me and Leo, he would…”
Her words abruptly stopped, but she couldn’t swallow her anger.
“In a relationship, the unloved one is the outsider! And so is their child!”
“My Leo will be Julian’s only son! Everything he owns will belong to Leo!”
“As for your dead son, you can just mourn him in your own lonely way!”
The mention of Noah ignited an uncontrollable fury in my chest.
I yearned to slap her across the face, but my weakened state allowed Seraphina to grip my arm tightly.
She leaned closer, enunciating each word.
“You deserve this. You couldn’t even protect your own child.”
Humiliation and resentment surged through me, my eyes turning red.
I used all my strength to push Seraphina away. Instead, she suddenly grabbed my hand and slapped herself across the face with it.
She fell to the ground, looking up at me tearfully.
“Scarlett, I’m heartbroken about Noah’s death too, but what did I ever do to you that you would treat me this way?”
Before I could react, a powerful force from behind shoved me.
My forehead slammed against the coffee table, and blood instantly welled up.
Julian Thorne, however, acted as if he hadn’t seen it. He anxiously helped Seraphina up.
“Seraphina, are you okay? Are you hurt?”
Seraphina shook her head, but tears streamed down her face.
“Julian, my head hurts so much.”
Julian Thorne’s brows furrowed, and he glared at me viciously.
“Scarlett Hayes, your child is dead, so what gives you the right to come here and act crazy!”
“Apologize to Seraphina right now!”
I was filled with both hatred and anger, unable to control my tears any longer.
“Julian Thorne, get this straight. My child was your biological son too!”
“He called you Dad for four whole years!”
Julian Thorne’s expression froze, and his gaze fixed on the bracelet on his wrist.
In that instant, the bracelet felt like a thousand pounds on his wrist.
His arm began to tremble, and he dared not meet my eyes.
He awkwardly turned away, his heart feeling like it was being crushed by an invisible hand, making it hard to breathe.
Only when Seraphina sobbed did Julian Thorne grasp onto her like a lifeline.
He abruptly swept her into his arms.
“Seraphina, I’m taking you to the hospital.”
Julian Thorne carried Seraphina away. His steps were quick, yet as he passed me, they seemed unusually heavy.
In the empty living room, I was left alone.
On my phone, there was the audio recording I’d just made, and all the evidence the private investigator had compiled.
One video showed Noah, lying in a pool of his own blood, reaching out his tiny hand to Julian Thorne.
“Daddy, save me! Noah hurts so bad, Daddy…”
But the man just stood there, his face cold, watching the child’s hand slowly, slowly fall to the ground.
I stared at Noah’s face on the screen, watching the longing in his eyes for his father transition from hope, to confusion, then finally, to despair.
So, my child, before he died, knew the truth: his daddy didn’t love him.
What must he have been thinking then?
*Did I do something wrong? Why is Daddy treating me this way?*
Or maybe, *Mommy, run…*
Pain, hatred, a whirlwind of emotions made my entire body tremble.
Footsteps sounded behind me again.
A five or six-year-old boy, pale-faced and clutching a toy airplane, stood at the bedroom door.
He asked me, “Auntie, who are you? Why are you in my house?”
His face was so familiar, and the rhythm of his heartbeat… it was agonizingly familiar.
I stared at his chest, at the faint rise and fall beneath his shirt, at the heart beating there – my son’s heart.
If it weren’t for Leo Duval, my Noah wouldn’t have died.
So why was Noah dead, and he alive?
My gaze grew icy, then, under Leo’s questioning eyes, I slowly crouched down.
“Come here, Leo.”
“Come home with Auntie. Auntie has candy waiting for you.”
…
On the drive to the hospital, Julian Thorne’s brows were tightly furrowed.
My tearful questions kept flashing before his eyes, and each memory felt like a stone dropping into his gut, heavy and unsettling, making him increasingly uneasy.
Suddenly, his phone rang, its chime cutting through the quiet, eerie space.
Through the receiver, my voice was calm, like that of a soulless robot.
“Julian Thorne, Leo Duval is with me.”
The car screeched to a halt on the roadside. Julian Thorne gripped the steering wheel.
A terrible thought suddenly bloomed in his mind.
Could it be… she… knew the truth?
04
When Julian Thorne and Seraphina Duval arrived, I was kneeling in the living room, meticulously wiping my son’s memorial photo.
My movements were so gentle, as if I was afraid of hurting him.
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