Chapter 1 Chapter 1

“No, please! Not in front of our son!” Luna Jasper sobbed, pleading as she stayed still, too afraid to move and risk disturbing her child, Orion Lincoln. She didn’t dare fight back. On the stark white bed in the morgue, Orion lay motionless, deeply asleep, lifeless. Luna was pinned at the foot of the bed, while the man behind her, the one she once loved so deeply, was destroying her completely. Felix Lincoln’s cold, mocking voice broke the silence. "Luna, this is a morgue. You know what that means, right? It’s a place for the dead. That little brat is already gone. Even if I screw you right here, he’s not going to see anything!" Luna clutched the bedsheet tightly, gasping for air in sharp, shallow breaths. Her beloved son, eyes closed, was an angel. How could Orion not see? Orion had once told her he was a little man, that he would protect his mom. If he could see his father humiliating her like this, how much pain would he be in? “Felix, he’s your son… your son!”“My son? Luna, you’re confused. Five years ago, after I made sure you lost our first child, I got a vasectomy. You were never going to have my kid again.” Felix knew he had made sure of that. He would never let Luna bear his child. She didn’t deserve it. Luna lay on the bed, her body trembling. Her eyes widened as she stared at Orion, cold and stiff on the bed. Luna initially tried to endure the humiliation and pain, but she eventually reached her breaking point. She began to fight back with all her strength, struggling desperately to push away the man forcing himself into her from behind. But she was no match for him. The bed shook violently from the force. Luna was terrified that if she moved too much, Orion might fall off the bed. She gripped the sheet even tighter. “No! That’s impossible! Felix, you’re trying to throw dirt on me! That’s not true!” Felix yanked her up from the bed, turning her to face him. Her dress, now loose, slid down, covering the filth that had flowed down her legs. He zipped up his pants as if nothing had happened. “Impossible? Want me to show you the proof of the vasectomy I had five years ago?” Luna stared at him in shock. “How could that be? A man like you, getting a vasectomy? You’d really be willing to have no children?” No man would want that, especially not someone like Felix! He sneered coldly. “You have the same filthy blood as your father. There’s no way I’d let someone like you give birth to my child.” Luna’s whole body went cold. “My father… he ended up in a coma. Was that because of you?”“That’s his karma,” Felix spat. “He’s my only family!” Luna’s heart twisted in pain. “He treated you like a son! How could you? How could you do that to him?”“Shut up!” Felix roared, his eyes bloodshot, as if she had struck a nerve. “Henry Jasper? He got what he deserved! After what he did to my mother, it’s a miracle he’s not rotting in the deepest pit of hell.” Luna saw pure hatred in Felix’s eyes. Hatred! Was everything he had done just for revenge? What about all the time they had spent together? What about the love they once had? “You married me just to make him suffer the pain of losing me and his grandson? Was it all just to get back at him?” She looked into his eyes, feeling her own hatred rise. “You made me lose my first child, and I thought it was just a terrible mistake. But then you took away my second child. You didn’t even spare your own son, all to avenge your mother?”“That wasn’t my son! He was a love child!” The hatred in Felix’s eyes deepened. He had promised himself that he would never let Luna give birth to his child. But ever since she betrayed him and got pregnant with another man’s child, he had wanted nothing more than to kill her! She was as disgusting as her father! And now, her son was dead. The only thing left to do was kill her too.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

“My child’s a love child? What about Stella Lewis’s?” Luna laughed through her tears. “Stella brought that kid back from abroad, isn’t he a love child, too? But what about you?” She had always wanted to never mention Stella again, to never bring up her child. She tried to pretend she didn’t know. If she didn’t speak about it, maybe it hadn’t really happened. All she wanted was to live with Felix. Felix was her world, the one who could give her the support she needed. After all, she had no mother, her father was in a coma, and she had to care for her sick son. As long as Felix was there, she could keep going. She didn’t want to lose him, so no matter how many provocations or pieces of evidence came her way, she acted like she hadn’t seen them. She tried desperately, humbly, to maintain a fragile peace, but it all came crashing down. "Her child is so much better than yours," Felix sneered at Luna. Luna nodded, feeling like her heart had stopped. It was as if someone else were speaking for her, her own voice muffled. "Fine, I’m worthless, and so is my son." Luna pushed Felix away and turned to pick up Orion from the bed. As soon as she lifted him, Felix snatched the child from her arms. “His illness is just like Lily’s. I need to take him for an autopsy.” The moment Luna heard the word “autopsy,” she pictured Orion’s body being torn apart. She wasn’t an old-fashioned person. She had even considered donating her body after death, letting her organs help others. She could donate Orion’s body too. But she couldn’t give him to Felix. He hated her family too much. There was no way he would treat Orion’s body with respect. And Stella? She wouldn’t either. They would want nothing more than to mistreat Orion’s body! “No!”“Your son never should’ve existed in this world. At least now he’ll have some value.” Luna lunged forward, but four people suddenly entered the morgue and held her down. She struggled, fought, and screamed. “Felix! Let Orion go! I’ll divorce you! I’ll let you and Stella be together! I’ll make it happen for both of you!” Stella had provoked her so many times, but Luna had never given up on her marriage. But now she couldn’t hold on any longer. What else could she do but divorce him? She didn’t hear Felix’s response. But before she could even fight for what would happen to Orion, the hospital called. Her father was on the verge of dying. As she rushed to the hospital, another call came in. The company’s stock had plummeted, and a private equity firm had made a heavy investment, signaling a possible takeover of Jasper Corporation. Every step Luna took felt unsteady. It was like walking on clouds, suspended with no food, no support, and even the air felt thin. She didn’t dare stumble, didn’t dare move forward. One wrong step, and everything would fall apart. This was Felix’s revenge on her. It was exactly his style, ruthless, decisive, never giving his opponent a chance to breathe. He had always been this cruel. Just like when she was 13 and he was 17, and she was kidnapped. He had beaten the man who tried to assault her to death. He hit him so hard, the man couldn’t even make a sound, not even a gasp for help. The man she had fallen in love with had always been like this, and he had never changed. Luna stood in the hospital hallway, watching as her father was wheeled into the ICU. Then she sat down on a nearby bench, trying to gather herself. She pulled out her phone and called Felix, her voice calm. “You’re trying to drive me to my death, aren’t you?” There was a pause on the other end, followed by a soft chuckle. “Would you really be willing to die?” Luna inhaled sharply. Her father hadn’t died yet. How could she die now? She wouldn’t give Felix that satisfaction. “You want to be with Stella, don’t you? Well, Felix, let’s drag this out until the very end. If there’s no way to resolve this, then let’s never resolve it. “I used to love you, which is why, no matter how cold you were to me, I refused to divorce you. But now, I don’t love you at all. I only hate you. And I think you know exactly what it’s like to hate someone. You married me to get revenge on my father. “Well, now I’ll do the same. I won’t divorce you out of hate. I’ll make sure Stella stays a mistress her whole life, and that her child remains illegitimate. You can forget about ever making them legitimate.” Her voice was soft, not loud enough to disturb anyone. No one saw her tear-streaked face or noticed how her fingernails had dug so deeply into the bench that they had peeled back, leaving blood pooling on the floor.

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

Luna hung up the phone, still sitting on the bench. She wanted to get up and go to Felix, to demand Orion’s body back. But she couldn’t move. Doctors kept approaching her, handing her forms to sign. She couldn’t leave. She was terrified that if she missed signing even one form, her father’s life would slip away. And then she would truly have nothing left. She wished she could split herself in two, so one part of her could go find her son. The sound of high heels clicking on the floor grew closer. Luna didn’t look up until a pair of red heels came into view. "Hiding out in the hospital, Luna? Trying to dodge the divorce?" Luna slowly raised her eyes to meet Stella’s. She was beautiful, the kind of beauty that made people hate her. Luna stood up slowly. “Getting impatient, aren’t you? You really think you can replace me? Your sister was my father’s mistress for years, but she never got into the Jasper family because I didn’t allow it. And now you think you can come here and make demands?” Stella’s red lips tightened. She thought Luna didn’t know, but it was clear she had known all along. "You actually have the nerve to bring up my sister?" Luna gave her a mocking smile. “Why not? Shouldn’t I thank her? After my mom died, your sister’s young body kept my dad entertained. Shouldn’t I be grateful? By the way, my father’s sick now. Has your sister found a new sugar daddy yet? If not, I can introduce her to some rich old men. She could make a few bucks.”“You!” Stella gritted her teeth in anger. What shocked her even more was how calm Luna was. She wasn’t the wreck Stella had expected. Luna pressed her advantage. “Your sister’s pretty useless, isn’t she? After all these years, she still couldn’t put you in a position where you could call my father ‘brother-in-law’ in public. Aren’t you embarrassed to even show your face out there?” Stella tried to control her breathing, determined not to show how rattled she was. Luna’s constant air of superiority filled her with jealousy. "You really have the energy to worry about my sister right now?" Luna didn’t actually care about her. But she knew that talking about Stella’s sister was the one way to hurt her. Because in everything else, Stella had already won. Luna’s expression turned cold. Stella crossed her arms and smirked. “Did you know? My daughter, Lily, and your son had the same illness. Felix felt sorry for me, so he’s already sent your son’s body to a medical research lab. Do you even know what’s going to happen to him?” Luna’s head pounded as she swayed on her feet. “Stella, you’ll pay for this!” Stella leaned in, completely unfazed by Luna’s fury. “Every part of your son’s body, every vein, every cell, will be dissected and studied like a specimen. They’ll examine how his illness progressed, the medicines he took, the surgeries he had. They’ll test his drug resistance, figure out how certain medications triggered the virus to mutate.” Stella laughed, ignoring the hospital’s "No Loud Noise" signs. “Just thinking about that little brat getting cut into pieces makes me so happy. He used to tell me to get lost every time he saw me. Who did he think he was? A joke, that’s what. You know, once they’re done with him, his broken body and organs will be worthless. Maybe they’ll turn him into fertilizer or dog food. Pretty fitting, don’t you think?” Stella didn’t care that Luna had collapsed onto the floor. Seeing her like this made Stella feel like she had already won. She crouched down next to Luna. “Your son suffered so much when he was alive, and now, in death, he’s going to be ripped apart. What a little warrior, right? I’ll record the whole thing and send it to you. I’m even thinking about learning how to do an autopsy myself. Just for fun.” A nurse suddenly rushed over, interrupting. “Miss Jasper, we did everything we could, but your father’s heart stopped. He’s gone.” Luna’s body shook as she felt blood rise to her throat. She couldn’t hold it back, and it spilled from the corner of her mouth. Stella’s laughter only grew louder as she watched Luna break down.

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

After a long pause, Luna responded. "Take me to see Felix. I'll divorce him. I’m sure that’s what you want more than anything, seeing us divorced. If he’s not Orion’s father anymore, he won’t have the right to decide what happens to his body." Luna spoke as blood poured from her mouth, soaking the front of her clothes. Stella looked at her, shocked, as if she had seen a ghost. She had expected Luna to lash out, maybe even fight her. Luna saw right through her. "I’m not going to cause a scene here. I’ll change my clothes, and then you can take me to Felix." At Riverview Villa, Stella led Luna to the second floor and opened the door. "Felix, Luna insisted on seeing you. I had no choice but to bring her here." Luna stepped into the study, shut the door behind her, and locked it. Stella sneered, "What? Afraid Felix won’t want to see you and might take off? Guess you know your place." Luna looked at Felix, who was sitting at his desk. No one could imagine the cruel heart that lay beneath his charming face. Was there hate? Revenge? Her gaze was cold, just like Felix’s had been when he first sought his revenge. "You say my father killed your mother. How did she die?" Felix stood up, his fists clenched. "She died in prison.""And that was my father’s doing?""Yes! It was him!""What was she convicted of? How long was her sentence? And why did she die in prison?" Felix took a deep breath as he watched her come closer, step by step. There were no signs of the grief she’d shown the day before. Her eyes were dry and lifeless, as if the light had left them. Felix closed his eyes tightly, staying silent for a long moment before finally speaking. "Your father framed her for embezzlement and bribery. She got three years. In the third year, she was murdered in prison." Luna nodded, saying, "So my father probably framed her and was afraid she’d reveal the truth once she got out of prison? So he killed her to silence her?" Felix stared at Luna’s cold indifference, shocked that she was accepting it so easily. "Luna!" Luna nodded again, saying, "Felix, you’ve probably heard the saying, and you understand it well. 'The child pays for the sins of the parents.'" Felix’s expression darkened as Luna continued. "When I was 13, I was kidnapped. The kidnappers demanded a fortune from my father. He nearly went bankrupt to pay for my release. But after they got the money, they tried to assault me and planned to kill me. You saved me. I’ve owed you for that my entire life. Even after we got married, and you treated me terribly, I believed I deserved it because I owed you. "You wanted revenge on my father, and you used me as your weapon. You made me love you, even though you hated me. Every time you hurt me, it felt like you were hurting him. That’s how a child pays for the sins of the parents. Through my suffering, you felt like you were avenging your mother. "Let’s end this today. I’ll divorce you. Just give me my son back." Luna was eerily calm, far too composed for someone negotiating something so serious. A faint smirk appeared on Felix’s face. "Didn’t you once say you’d never divorce me, not in this lifetime?" Luna shook her head. "I want your name erased from Orion’s birth certificate as his father. You claim you’re not his father, so let’s make it official. I won’t fight it. You never deserved to be his father anyway. You have no right to decide what happens to his body." Her tone, which had started steady, began to falter, each sentence coming out weaker as she struggled to breathe. Mentioning Orion made her think of the horrible things Stella had said. Even in death, she couldn’t allow Stella to mistreat her son’s body. Felix’s grin widened. "You want a divorce just to save that worthless little brat’s body?" Luna felt like her lungs were on fire, as if she couldn’t get any air. Her brain was starving for oxygen. She forced a mocking smile. "What’s the matter? Have you really fallen for your enemy’s daughter? Or are you just too attached to our twisted love-hate dynamic to go through with a divorce?" Felix scoffed. "There’s still a lot of debt left unpaid. You really think you can trade a divorce for your son’s body? What a joke.""I haven’t forgotten what I owe for my father’s sins. I’ll pay it all back," Luna said, her eyes flicking to the Swiss army knife on Felix’s desk. She had noticed it the moment she walked into the room. She grabbed the knife, quickly opened it, and in one swift motion, turned and stabbed Stella four times.

Chapter 5 Chapter 5

Felix’s face twisted in shock. "Luna, stop!" Stella hadn’t even processed what was happening before blood began pouring from her, filling the room with the metallic smell of iron. Luna gritted her teeth as she glared at Stella. "I told you, I wasn’t going to fight you in the hospital. I was saving my strength to kill you! You deserve this. Orion was allergic to dapsone, and you put it in his food. That’s what killed him. I could have taken you to court, but now I want you to pay with your life!" Stella stared at Luna in terror. "Felix, Felix, help me, please… help me…" Felix shoved Luna aside and rushed to grab Stella, his gaze burning with rage as if he wanted to tear Luna apart. "Luna, how dare you!" Luna gripped the knife tightly, as if afraid her fingerprints might slip off the Swiss army knife. "I’ve committed assault. That’s at least three years in prison, and with your connections, probably more. I sent a message when I walked into this room, and the police will be here any minute. I won’t deny it. I’ll take the blame. "Your mother got three years in prison. I’ll repay that. My father just died, and my son is gone too. Please, let me arrange for my son’s remains so he can rest in peace. I’ll repay my father’s debt. Just give me my son back." The knife slipped from Luna’s hand, and she collapsed to the floor. "Mr. Lincoln." Her voice was fragile, almost pleading. For years, she had called him "darling." Then, when he grew to hate her and forbade her from calling him that, she started using "Felix." She had loved him so much that she had never once called him by his full name. She looked at him now, her eyes pleading. "Please, give me back my son. From the moment I got pregnant, you never even looked at me. He was the only one there for me. Since the day he was born, he’s been weak and sick, but he never let anyone speak to me harshly. Every day, he’d tell me he wanted to grow up tall and strong like his dad so he could protect me. But you never let him call you 'dad.' And still, he loved you every single day. "No matter how much you hate me, why would you hate a four-year-old child? His only mistake was being born my son. It’s my fault, not his. I’ll take the blame. Just give him back to me so I can lay him to rest. Let him go, Felix. In his next life, I’ll make sure he avoids me, so he won’t suffer again by being my child." Felix’s hands, still holding Stella, trembled. He should have felt satisfied, but his heart was tightening painfully, leaving no room for relief. Even breathing became hard, heavy with pressure. "Luna, you’re insane!" The thought of her willingly going to prison shocked him. "Am I crazy? I don’t want to be. But I lost my mind a long time ago. I’ve been out of my mind since the day you saved me and I fell in love with you. You were so good to me, and then suddenly, you turned so cruel. If I’d been thinking clearly, I would have left you. But I wasn’t thinking. I’ve been out of my mind this whole time." Luna covered her face, her hands and face smeared with blood as she sobbed. "There’s no happy ending for someone who’s lost their mind. I must have been under your spell to end up this crazy." Stella weakly grabbed Felix’s hand. "Felix, take me to the hospital. I’m losing too much blood." Police sirens wailed as officers rushed to the second floor of the villa. They kicked open the door, revealing the blood-soaked room. "We received a report of a violent attack!" Luna raised the knife. "It was me. I stabbed her. I did it on purpose." Felix’s eyes were bloodshot. "Luna, shut up!" A gun was pointed at Luna as she handed over the weapon and raised her hands to be cuffed. As the police led her past Felix, she paused. She turned to him, tears streaming down her face as she whispered, "Felix, has my father’s debt finally been repaid? Please, let my son go. Or if not, just have someone kill me in prison. Just let me die in prison. There’s no point in living anymore. I’d be better off dead."

Chapter 6 Chapter 6

Felix told himself this was a debt, one the Jasper family had to repay. As Luna was taken away, Felix believed she had acted impulsively and would eventually regret it. She would come back, begging him for help. And when she did, he would be ready with conditions. But the person who came to Riverview Villa wasn’t Luna. It was Bailey Green. Felix had once done a paternity test on Luna’s son and discovered that the child was Bailey's. And now this man had the nerve to show up? Bailey’s eyes were red. A grown man with red eyes. There was no need to guess why. It was because of Luna. "What is it? You want me to testify for Luna? Claim she didn’t mean to hurt Stella? You’re hoping for a lighter sentence? Well, Stella’s in a deep coma from blood loss." Felix sat at the coffee bar in the first-floor lounge, calmly sipping his drink, not bothering to offer his old friend and classmate a seat. Bailey stood in the middle of the room. "I talked to Luna for a long time. I tried to convince her to come and ask for your help, especially with her health being the way it is." Bailey gave a bitter smile. "But she refused. She doesn’t want to spend the rest of her life feeling like she owes you anything. She wants a clean break, Felix. A complete end." Felix’s grip on his cup tightened. Bailey continued, "She can’t deal with arranging Orion’s remains, so she sent me. I’ll also take care of her father’s burial." Felix’s jaw clenched, his hand trembling slightly, causing the coffee to spill. He suddenly stood up, slamming the cup onto the bar, splashing coffee all over the counter in his rage. "What right do you have? Who the hell are you to handle their bodies? What makes you think you’re entitled to do that?" Felix couldn’t hold back the fire burning inside him. The anger blazed so hot it seared all the way to his head. What was Luna trying to do? Humiliate him? Letting the biological father handle the burial, it was like she wanted the whole world to know who Orion’s real father was. She was determined to ruin him. Bailey, frustrated, snapped, "I’m her friend! Like a brother to her!""Brother?" Felix laughed. "You’re not her brother. Since when did her father have another son?""You! Felix, watch your mouth!""It’s you who should be careful," Felix said, stepping closer to Bailey, his presence chilling the room. "Luna is my wife. She’s in prison. Her father’s body, her son’s body, they’re mine to handle!""He’s not just her son! He’s your son too!" Bailey clenched his jaw. "You know he’s not my son. Don’t act like you don’t.""What are you talking about?" Bailey grabbed Felix’s shirt. "How dare you insult Luna like that!" Felix’s long-suppressed anger erupted. The veins in his forehead bulged as he swung his fist, landing squarely on Bailey’s face. "Bailey! I’ve tolerated you long enough! And now you have the nerve to show up here and confront me?" Bailey couldn’t even grasp the sheer force of Felix’s punch. All he knew was that he was instantly knocked to the ground, as if it wasn’t a human punch, but a machine powered by an unstoppable force. Wiping the blood from his face, Bailey slowly stood up, his legs trembling. "Felix, your obsession is terrifying. You used to adore Luna, you couldn’t even raise your voice at her. Back in school, you wouldn’t let any of us joke around with her because you couldn’t stand seeing her hurt or scared. But now, how could you treat her like this? "You’ve been cold to her, insulted her, humiliated her. You’ve pushed her to the edge. How could you once lift her up, and now stomp her into the ground? Do you even know the things she’s done for you? "Even after you turned on her and treated her terribly, she never changed. She never stopped loving you. You’ll regret this one day, Felix. You’ll regret it."

Chapter 7 Chapter 7

Regret? Felix had made up his mind the moment he decided on revenge, and he would never regret it. He couldn’t allow himself to. Luna was sentenced to one year in prison. Bailey never came looking for him again. There was no point in trying to talk things through. Bailey went to see Luna. "I’ll fight for you in court! I’ll get Orion’s remains back!" Luna gently stroked her slightly rounded belly and shook her head with a calm smile. "Bailey, don’t. Orion is with me now. He’s come back to be my child again. Let it go. After my father donated his organs, the organization will take care of his burial. He’ll be at peace." Bailey stood outside the glass wall, gripping the phone. "Luna, do you really have to have this baby?""I’ll be out in a few months. You have to help me keep it a secret. Felix doesn’t care if I live or die, and he won’t come see me. Once I have this baby, I need you to take him away. Bailey, my only good eye is starting to go blind too, but I’ll hold on. I just want to see this child’s face. "My father left me some money. It’s in my account now. You can withdraw it and use it to take care of Orion. I did the math and it’ll be enough to support him until he’s grown. "Don’t worry about me. Orion wasn’t healthy before, probably because I didn’t eat well when I was pregnant with him. Now, I’m eating plenty, and this child will be healthy. I’m just afraid of burdening you." Bailey held the phone, tears streaming down his face. "Don’t say that. I’ll find a donor for your cornea transplant. If I had known Felix would turn out like this, you never should have—""I don’t regret it." Bailey swallowed the lump in his throat and went silent. Felix was convinced that once Luna got out, she would come crawling back to him. She had nothing left, and since they were still married, there was no way she could remarry. If she didn’t return to him, where else would she go? How long could she last? She had always been so timid, sheltered since childhood, never having gone through anything difficult. After she was kidnapped, she couldn’t even leave the house unless she was with him. As Felix thought about it, he smoked more furiously, filling the CEO’s office with the thick smell of nicotine. She had never been through any real hardships, except for that kidnapping. That kidnapping had made her even more fearful. Later, he brought all the chaos into her life. But he didn’t want to admit it, and he refused to acknowledge it. The office door swung open. Stella walked in, holding Lily’s hand. As soon as she entered, she started coughing from the thick cloud of smoke, her brows furrowed. "Felix! Why are you smoking so much?" Lily began coughing too, which sent Felix into a rage. His face darkened as he yelled, "What kind of mother are you? Bringing her into a room full of smoke like this!" Stella froze, shocked by his outburst. Felix stomped out his cigarette, picked up Lily, and stormed out of the office. Lily wrapped her small arms around his neck and whispered softly, "Daddy, I’m not scared of the smoke." Ever since Stella had taught Lily to call him "Daddy," she hadn’t stopped. Felix walked into an empty conference room and set Lily on the table. He looked at her. She was his daughter, even though he couldn’t remember how he had ever ended up in bed with Stella. But the paternity test didn’t lie. He had gone to three different labs to confirm it before he could accept it. Whenever he felt overwhelmed, he would quietly study Lily’s face. Somehow, it always managed to calm him down a little. He couldn’t help but see traces of Luna in her. Those bright, watery eyes reminded him of Luna when she was 13, right after her kidnapping. She had looked scared, vulnerable, yet full of gratitude. "Sweetheart, you need to take care of yourself, okay? If you know smoke isn’t good for you, don’t walk into a room full of it.""But I missed you, Daddy." Felix stroked Lily’s face, his thoughts drifting to Orion. Was it just a coincidence that all children seemed to resemble each other? Lily called him Daddy, and Orion had called him Daddy too. But with Lily, he didn’t mind. Yet when it came to Orion, Luna’s child with another man, he couldn’t stand it. Why did both children remind him so much of Luna? And why did they both have the same illness?

Chapter 8 Chapter 8

In the prison hospital, Luna lay on the delivery bed, writhing in waves of pain that felt like steel spikes being driven from her head to her toes. Every contraction felt like her bones were shattering, and it was no exaggeration. The pain was so intense, it broke through layers of buried memories, forcing them to resurface one by one. Worried about the baby’s health and afraid of calcium deficiency, she had eaten everything she could, even chewing and swallowing crushed bones. This baby was so difficult to deliver, she felt like it might take her life. The agony was unbearable, and she wished for death. Luna’s breathing grew weaker. A doctor shouted, "Do something! She’s about to pass out! If she loses consciousness, it could be fatal!" The sharp smell of disinfectant and the distant voices of the doctors reached Luna’s ears. "It’s twins. A boy and a girl.""The boy is too weak, but the girl is a bit stronger.""Take the girl. Leave the boy with her. He won’t make it anyway. Make sure to hypnotize her, tell her she only had one child." It was Stella’s voice! Luna’s eyes snapped open. The doctors were stunned. "This patient has incredible willpower. Just a moment ago, it looked like she wouldn’t make it, but she’s hanging on.""A mother will always fight through hell for her child." * The day Luna was released from prison, it poured rain. She didn’t let Bailey pick her up, worried that Felix might trace things back to him. At Riverview Villa, Luna stood outside the iron gates. She knew Felix had probably moved Stella in by now. In the garden, a five-year-old girl chased butterflies. Luna’s eyes reddened as she watched. Stella hadn’t spared Orion, taking his life. How could Stella’s daughter, Lily, be allowed a happy ending? "Lily," Luna called softly. Lily saw her and cautiously ran over. "Aunt Luna." Hearing Lily’s soft voice, Luna’s tears flowed. Lily still remembered her. "Aunt Luna, why are you crying?""I got some dust in my eyes. Can you blow it out for me, Lily?""Sure!""It’s hard to do through the gate. Can you come out and help me?""Okay, Aunt Luna, wait for me." Lily opened the gate and stepped outside. Luna scooped her up, kissing her repeatedly. "Lily, you’re such a good girl. How about we go get some treats?""Okay, thank you, Aunt Luna." When Felix returned to Riverview Villa and realized Lily was missing, his anger flared like wildfire. He was ready to tear the place apart. "There are so many of you, and not one of you can keep an eye on a child? You’re all useless! You might as well be dead!" Felix stormed into the surveillance room. He saw on the screen that Lily had been talking to someone just outside the gate, in a blind spot, before opening the gate and walking out. It was obvious that whoever took Lily was someone she knew, and they knew the surveillance system well enough to avoid the cameras. Felix’s mind was in turmoil. He called the police, desperate for them to check the road cameras. Lily was such a sweet little girl. The thought of her being kidnapped and sold made Felix’s blood run cold. His mind filled with horrific images of what could happen to her. His stomach churned with anxiety, as if it were bleeding from the stress. But even after the police reviewed the footage, no suspicious cars or people had been spotted near Riverview Villa. "There’s a possibility," an officer said, "that the person knew the area well and avoided all the cameras. They probably came down the mountain road." Felix suddenly relaxed, as if everything had clicked into place. He spoke calmly, "Luna’s out of prison." All his tension faded. "I’ll wait for her to come and make her demands." He figured she would ask for money, maybe even a divorce. He was sure Luna would contact him to negotiate. But 12 hours passed, and there was no call from Luna. Instead, the police called, asking him to come in for a DNA test. "A fire broke out in an old cabin on the outskirts of town. Inside, we found the remains of a woman and a five-year-old girl. They were burned to ashes. We’ll need DNA testing to confirm their identities. There was also a letter in a metal box, written by Luna."

Chapter 9 Chapter 9

Felix felt his heart sink to rock bottom. Luna had done this to get back at him. She had killed Lily out of revenge. But what had Lily done to deserve this? Lily was kind and pure, like a crystal. Outside the cabin, the forensic team was collecting ashes and estimating the time of death. Felix didn’t approach them. He just stood back and watched. This cabin was where Luna had been held when she was kidnapped at 13. She had chosen to die here, and she had taken Lily with her. She wanted to end everything. She had told him once that life didn’t mean much to her anymore. Felix hadn’t believed her. He never thought Luna would take her own life, so he hadn’t taken her words seriously. She had once said to him, "Living, no matter how hard, is better than dying. As long as I’m alive, I get to spend another day with you. No matter how tough life gets, I’ll never want to die. Just being with you makes everything feel easier." Those words still echoed in his ears, and yet she had chosen death. "Mr. Lincoln, we need to collect your DNA to compare with Lily’s." Lily had already been confirmed as Felix’s daughter years ago through DNA testing. This was just to verify. Felix stepped back and turned quickly. "No. This isn’t my daughter. My daughter’s still alive. I’m not doing the test. I need to go find her. "Luna isn’t dead, and Lily isn’t either. Luna wouldn’t kill herself. If she wanted revenge, she would have killed me, not my daughter." Felix felt disconnected from his own body, like his soul was slipping away. Every step felt like wading through thick mud. No test meant no need to accept it. He refused to acknowledge it. If he didn’t find them today, he would keep searching for a month, a year, even a lifetime. If he couldn’t find them, that would prove they weren’t dead. Luna wasn’t dead. Lily wasn’t dead. How absurd to think they could just show him two bodies and call it over. He wasn’t going to accept that. A forensic officer caught up to him, stepping into his path. "Mr. Lincoln, we understand this is hard for you, but we found a letter left by the deceased. It was in a metal box inside a water tank, so the high temperature didn’t burn the paper." The tightly sealed metal box was opened, revealing a piece of paper. "Felix, my son was killed by Stella. I’ve taken her daughter in return. This is what you taught me. 'The child pays for the sins of the parents.' Are you in pain now? If you are, maybe don’t do things like this anymore. "To stop this tragedy from continuing, I’m giving my life in exchange for your mother’s. Don’t think I owe you anything anymore. Lily is my payment for Orion. Between us, the debt is settled. "I don’t owe you for saving my life anymore. I gave you all the love I had, and that was precious to me. I thought it was enough to repay you. If it wasn’t, well, I don’t have another life to give. "For you, I even changed my name. You once told me that nights with a bright moon reminded you of your mother, so I changed my name to reflect the nights you liked. "For you, I gave you one of my corneas, but I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to worry. Not that you ever did. You never even looked at me. You probably didn’t know I’ve been blind in one eye for a long time. "I gave up my world just so you could see more. And now, I’m going blind in my other eye because of the surgery from back then. But that’s okay. Since you can see, it’s like I can see, too. "Stop hating. Lily was your love, and Orion was mine. "Stella killed my son, and I couldn’t let her daughter go. "Felix, we both lost the ones we loved because of each other. These grudges are too tangled to sort out. "Live your life. You can have as many kids as you want. Let’s leave the past where it belongs." Felix ripped the letter into tiny pieces. He couldn’t breathe. His cornea transplant seemed to have failed. Everything went dark.

Chapter 10 Chapter 10

The shredded paper floated down around Felix, swirling endlessly above his head, tearing through the ruins before him and along with his world. Felix reached up and touched the corner of his eye. Her cornea. All these years, he had been seeing the world through her eyes. Fragments of memories rushed back into his mind. On the day of the surgery, he had kept looking toward the door, waiting for her to come. But she never showed up. In the end, all he received was a voice message: "Felix, don’t be scared. I’ll always be with you! I’ll wait for you, and together, we’ll see the world. I love you!" It turned out she had been right next door the whole time. Felix looked up at the distant, now-unrecognizable cabin and slowly walked toward it, his eyes wet. The coldness seeped into his heart, making each step feel heavier than the last. A gust of cold wind cleared his vision. His hand clenched tightly at his side, each finger curling into a fist. "Stop hitting him! I’m scared." A little girl cried, clutching the boy’s arm as blood pooled at their feet. The boy looked down at the man, whose face was too bloodied to recognize. Crimson stained the boy’s eyes, deepening the rage within. He turned to the girl and pulled her close. "Don’t be scared. No one will hurt you again. As long as I’m here, no one will dare." Since then, the girl had grown timid, but no one dared to bully her. Yet later, he had taken out all his frustration on her, twice as hard. Felix wasn’t sure how he had made it to the cabin until a blinding white cloth stopped him in his tracks. He looked down at the blurry shapes in front of him and, in a raspy but calm voice, said, "Get the DNA test done now. I need the results immediately." Time passed in a strange mix of both fast and agonizingly slow. A forensic officer rushed over, sweating, holding two pieces of paper. "Mr. Lincoln, the DNA results are in." Felix spun around, his gaze sharp. "Speak." His voice held a tension he hadn’t even realized was there. "The results show that the deceased have no biological relation to you, or to Miss Stella. In other words, the child isn’t your daughter." The forensic officer breathed a sigh of relief, feeling as though Felix’s gaze had been drilling into him. Thankfully, the child wasn’t Lily. Felix snatched the papers from the officer’s hands. With a swift motion, he opened both sheets, scanning them quickly. The results were identical. His eyes locked onto the final line: "The cumulative paternity index is less than 0.0001. The probability of a biological relationship is less than 0.01%. A is excluded as B’s biological father." On the second paper, it read: "The cumulative maternity index is less than 0.0001. The probability of a biological relationship is less than 0.01%. A is excluded as B’s biological mother." No! The child wasn’t his Lily. Oxygen rushed into Felix’s lungs, like a dying fish thrown back into water. He should have felt relieved. But why did that breath feel stuck, as if the air had clogged in his chest, refusing to escape? His gaze drifted toward the stretcher. "Mr. Lincoln, we haven’t found any signs of Miss Lily yet. Based on the current evidence, it’s possible that—""Who is the other person?" Felix’s low voice cut the forensic officer off. His fingers tightened around the test results, slowly crumpling the paper. If the child wasn’t Lily, then was the other body not Luna’s?