Chapter 6
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Seeing me awake, he grabbed my hand, his voice hoarse: "Winnie, you're awake... The doctor said you..."
"I'm dying, aren't I?" I calmly finished his sentence, withdrawing my hand.
His body stiffened, pain flooding his eyes.
After that day, he transformed completely. He sent Rachel away, remained constantly at my side, personally attending to my needs with the humility of a servant.
But I would never trust him again.
I began executing my plan.
While he was away, I contacted his brother, Sebastian Sanders—the gentle soul who'd grown up in Samuel's shadow, perpetually overlooked.
I gave Sebastian everything I had—all the compromising photos and videos of Rachel with various powerful men.
"Do you want to avenge your brother?" Sebastian studied me, curiosity in his gentle eyes.
"No," I shook my head. "I just want to see her utterly destroyed."
"Why should I help you?"
"Because this material can not only destroy Rachel Lawrence but also put your brother deeply in your debt." I met his gaze. "Samuel values his reputation above all else. If these leaks were traced to you, imagine what he'd offer to buy your silence."
Sebastian's eyes gleamed. I knew he was tempted.
The day I delivered, I hovered at death's door.
The baby arrived prematurely, barely four pounds—tiny as a kitten with a cry so faint it was barely audible.
Samuel waited outside throughout the ordeal. When I was wheeled out, he rushed to the tiny infant in the incubator. For the first time, this arrogant man wept openly before me.
"Winnie, I'm so sorry... our child..."
I closed my eyes, refusing to witness his hypocrisy.
I named him Sean Sanders. I prayed he would have a peaceful life.
And I, beneath my calm exterior, methodically completed my final arrangements.
Before I knew it, the time arrived for Sean's Hundred-Day Celebration.
I sent invitations to everyone—Samuel, Rachel, and... Sebastian Sanders.
On the day of the celebration, I held my precious son in the seat of honor.
Samuel attended, hovering attentively, playing the role of devoted father and husband.
Rachel also came. She likely assumed Samuel's kindness toward me was temporary, maintaining her smug smile as if she were the future Mrs. Sanders.
Guests whispered among themselves, their gazes toward our triangle full of curiosity and speculation.
Midway through the celebration, I stood.
"Today marks the Hundred-Day Celebration for my son, Sean Sanders. Thank you all for honoring us with your presence."
"I'd like to take this opportunity to formally introduce everyone to my son's biological father."
All eyes turned to Samuel. His face showed nervous anticipation—he likely thought I was finally forgiving him, acknowledging him publicly.
Rachel wore the expression of someone enjoying a spectacle.
I smiled, my gaze passing over Samuel to land on Sebastian beside him.
"Mr. Sebastian Sanders, won't you come hold your son?"
The entire hall fell instantly silent.
Everyone froze, their faces displaying identical shock and confusion.
Samuel leapt to his feet, his handsome face contorted with rage. He stared at me with such intensity his eyes seemed to burn.
Sebastian, whom I'd just implicated, looked utterly bewildered. He glanced between me and his furious brother, opening his mouth but finding no words.
Holding Sean in my arms, I faced Samuel's murderous glare and smiled even more radiantly.
"Surprised, Samuel Sanders?"
"Did you think I found that male escort to get revenge on you?"
"Did you believe the child in my womb was his?"
"No, I merely needed a cover—something to make you completely disgusted with me and ignore my pregnancy."
"While you were embracing Rachel Lawrence, did you ever consider I might be lonely too?"
"When you were absent, Sebastian was there—comforting me, caring for me."
With each sentence, Samuel's face grew paler. His body began trembling uncontrollably, as if buckling under the weight of this revelation.
"Say that again!" he roared like a wounded animal, lunging forward to violently overturn the banquet table.
Plates and wine glasses shattered across the floor with a cacophony of breaking crystal.
His bloodshot eyes wild, he grabbed my throat with enough force to snap my neck.
"Say it again! Whose child is he?!"
I nearly suffocated in his grip while Sean, terrified by the violence, burst into piercing wails.
I pried his hands away, laughing until tears streamed down my face.
"Don't you understand? He's your own brother's child!"
Samuel's body convulsed as his grip released. All strength seemed to drain from him as he staggered backward, staring blankly at the wailing infant in my arms.
"No... impossible..." his voice trembled. "He's mine... he can only be mine!"
"Is that so?" I wiped away my tears of laughter and pulled out the paternity test I'd prepared, hurling it in his face.
"See for yourself! It clearly states you and Sean are excluded from having a biological father-son relationship!"
"And this one," I produced another report, "shows Sebastian and Sean with a parental probability of ninety-nine point nine nine percent!"
Samuel stood frozen, as if struck by lightning, utterly immobilized.
