Chapter 2

Night had fallen by the time Eve got everything ready. She stood outside the baby room, listening to the baby cry as Michael and Trisha's conversation echoed in her ears. Eve's hand paused at the doorknob mid-motion. If it were before, she would've opened the door and gathered the child into her arms. But now, Eve no longer dared go close. That wasn't her baby. It was Michael and Trisha's. "You're finally back, Mrs. Doran!" The nanny came outside with the crying baby in her arms. She grumbled, "Mr. Doran Jr. has been crying for hours. Why didn't you answer my calls?" Eve silently stared at the baby's face. Jules had Michael's eyes for sure, but the dimples on Jules' cheeks were identical to Trisha's. Eve hadn't noticed it before. "I hired you to watch after the baby, not question Eve's whereabouts." Michael's voice rang out. "Give me the baby." The nanny shut up immediately and handed Jules over to Michael. Michael held Jules in his arms and gently patted his back. Jules' sobs then grew quiet. Michael turned curiously to Eve. "Why'd you suddenly go out today?" Eve forced her emotions down and said calmly, "I went to buy some things." Michael went close to her and cupped her cheek. He said in a tender tone, "Why do you look so pale? Do you feel unwell? Haven't you been taking care of yourself while I was away?" The warmth of his touch, which had once eased Eve's heart, now only made her want to snort. She looked away slightly, avoiding Michael's gaze. "I'm alright. Just a little tired." Michael's eyes darkened slightly before they grew tender again. "Are you angry with me? I know I haven't had the chance to spend time with you, given my work trips. Why don't I take a day off work and the three of us go swimming tomorrow, hm?" Eve smiled briefly but said nothing. He gently caressed her hair. He then went to the kitchen and brought her a cup of warm milk. "Have some milk. You should rest early." Eve gazed at the cup of milk and suddenly recalled something. When Eve started preparing for birth, Michael changed the formula of the milk Eve drank every night. He had told her that it was a formula he had developed specifically for her nutrition intake during pregnancy. Eve took the cup and pretended to take a sip. When Michael turned away, she poured it all out into a nearby vase. "I'm feeling tired. I'm going to sleep now." Eve set the cup down and went to the bedroom. Michael's gaze was dark as he watched her head upstairs. Eve lay in bed with her eyes shut, while Michael's breathing grew steady beside her. She felt a dip in the bed around midnight. Michael had gotten up. Eve continued breathing deeply as she heard him tiptoe out of the bedroom. She opened her eyes seconds later and quietly followed him. Michael hadn't gone to the study or the baby room. Instead, he had gone straight out of the house. Eve's heartbeat quickened as she silently trailed behind him, barefoot. She watched Michael pass through the garden and creep to the house beside theirs. The door opened. Trisha leaped into Michael's arms, dressed in nothing but a silk gown. "It must be so hard for you, Michael—having to feed Eve sleeping pills every night before you can come to me…" Trisha said softly. Michael kissed her forehead, wrapping his hand around her waist. "You deserve it." "But I'm still so worried…" Trisha curled up in Michael's chest, her voice trembling. "What if she finds out?" "She won't," Michael said firmly. "Our company had those pills specially made. Not only will they continue keeping those false memories in Eve's mind, but they'll also make sure she falls into a deep sleep." Trisha giggled and kissed him on the lips. "You're amazing, Michael." Eve felt like all the blood in her body had turned to ice. She watched from the shadows as Michael and Trisha kissed one another, watched as Michael's hands ran through Trisha's hair, and watched as they went deeper into the house… So, Michael had made Eve drink that milk every night in order to drug her and keep her asleep. Every night, he would leave the house and go to Trisha, whom he had arranged to live in the house right beside theirs. The blissful married life Eve thought she was living was all a lie. She bit her lip until blood filled her mouth before she turned to leave. She returned to bed but found herself unable to fall asleep. When Michael returned, the sky was a pale gray. He gently slipped into bed and held Eve in his arms as usual. He then kissed her on the forehead. "Let's pack our things and head to the swimming center, Eve." Eve kept her eyes tightly shut in order to stop her tears from falling. She mumbled softly, "Okay." She wasn't going to believe a single word Michael said anymore. Ever.