Chapter 1

I was in my third trimester when Natalia, Declan's secretary, became pregnant. We met at a crib store and heard Natalia say delicately: “Declan, look at this crib, the baby will love it!” Declan had a gentle look on his face and allowed Natalia to take his hand and stroke the crib rails. “I think this one's great too, you picked a great one.” Immediately afterward, the clerk called my name and told me that the crib sample I had reserved was ready. Declan jerked back and saw me, too flustered to speak. I went over to him in anger and slapped him several times “Declan, explain!” Natalia saw this and painfully pushed me away, shielding herself in front of Declan: “I'm the one who's pregnant with Declan's baby, come at me if you need anything!” At that moment, my suspicions were confirmed and I couldn't hold back my tears. “Declan, I can't believe you cheated on me, do you not want me and the baby?” Declan saw that I was crying, ignoring Natalia, he hugged me heartily and coaxed in a low voice: “Evelyn, don't cry, the baby in her belly is not mine. I just accompanied her to see the crib.” I choked back a sob, “Did you forget that I'm pregnant too? Who the hell is your wife?” Natalia also starts wiping her tears and looks at Declan accusingly: “Declan, you obviously promised to be my baby's father, how can you say that?” Declan wiped my tears while shaking off Natalia's hand. “Evelyn is my wife; she has the right to know.” Natalia immediately stopped crying and wiped away her tears and pointed at me. “Oh, does she know that the child in her belly is a bastard? Why did you accompany her in picking out a crib?” Declan's body stiffens. I froze as well, “What do you mean?” Natalia was still beside herself with amusement: Declan is doing it all for me, fearing I'll be gossiped about before he commits his own son.” “Evelyn, from now on my child will be Declan's child and will sleep in the best crib.” “It's not nice to call your child a bastard, I'll ask Declan to take him in as an adopted son and give him a crib too.” 　I looked at the strange man in front of me and struggled like crazy in his arms. “You crazy bastard, are you really going to leave your own children alone?” The entire crib store was watching us. Declan hoarsely apologized over and over again. I cried for a long time before I asked him if Natalia was that important. So important that she wants our child to carry the stigma of being a bastard? Declan said with difficulty, “Natalia grew up well-behaved and timid, and couldn't stand the gossip of being unmarried and pregnant.” He lifted me from the side of the crib and held me close. “Evelyn, I won't let you carry this for long. We'll go public with the baby's identity as soon as we're done with Natalia's side of things.” That day, looking at the man I had loved for seven years, standing between rows and rows of a wide array of baby products, I realized for the first time what it was like to not be in love anymore. Declan pushed me in the car. The car was full of Natalia's things. The seat backs were filled with thick cushions, her small bag hung from the armrest, and there were clothes and snacks for her in the back seat. “You've been so good to her.” I mocked. Natalia, however, squeezes right past me and gets right into the passenger seat. "Declan was afraid I wouldn't feel well, he did it himself. You get in too, don't be polite." Declan frowned and coldly scolded, “Natalia, watch your words.” Natalia not only wasn't afraid, but exaggeratedly covered her stomach and pouted: “Declan, don't be mean to me, it will scare the baby.” Such poor acting that he actually believed it. Declan actually immediately eased his attitude, nervously touching Natalia's stomach, his voice gentle: “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to.” I stood still, watching the woman in the passenger seat raise her eyebrows at me smugly, bitterness tumbling through my heart. “Get in the car, Evelyn,” Declan said, looking back at me with a glint in his eyes. I shook my head and silently closed the car door. “I want to walk by myself.” Natalia said something from the car and Declan looked at me hesitantly before finally starting the car. I took a cab home. I hadn't been home for half an hour when Declan came running back and stood in the doorway trying to explain to me: "Evelyn, you know how Natalia's family is, and I can't leave her alone. You'll understand me, won't you?" The pleading in his eyes hurts my heart, but it also makes me feel ridiculous. “Who am I to understand? Do I have anything to do with her? Why should I and my child suffer for her sake?” I asked him incredulously. “Just hear me out, okay?” He said wearily. It turned out that Natalia had run to his office in tears that day, shivering, and flung herself into his arms. Declan carried her to the couch and coaxed her gently, thinking she was just aggravated by her job. No sooner had he coaxed her than Natalia's parents burst in angrily and questioned her: “Say, who the hell is the baby's father?” Natalia was so scared she ducked into Declan's arms. “She's shaking like crazy, Evelyn,” Declan's voice is full of helplessness. I sneer, “So you just recognized it for her?” Declan looks down and explains, “Natalia's family is a financial family, and they are very strict with their only daughter.” "She doesn't even have a boyfriend, yet she's pregnant. Her parents won't let her have the baby.” “She's too scared to say it's my baby in her belly.” 　Declan closed her eyes and said painfully, “In a moment of weakness, I admitted it.” “A moment of weakness?” I repeated sarcastically, "What about with our child? No more softness?" “Evelyn, I just want to protect her, I don't mean to hurt you. You just need to suffer a little bit during this time, and afterward I'll be sure to disclose the child's identity, and won't really let him be a bastard.”