From that moment on, I became his secret lover. And under the Prescott Family's scheme, I secretly became pregnant with Lucian's child, signing a surrogacy agreement.

Ten years of turmoil, all I got in return was exhaustion, both physically and emotionally.

After surviving a near-death experience, I woke up to find no one by my side.

In my daze, I thought I saw my father, the one who had always loved me and protected me from everything.

“Dad... I miss you so much.”

The room was quiet, except for the sound of the IV drip.

For the entire half-month, Lucian didn’t even call once.

The day I was discharged, I called his number. When he answered, his tone was full of cold mockery. “Wasn’t it a miscarriage with heavy bleeding? How are you still alive?”

I tightened my grip on the phone and let out a few cold laughs. “Thanks to Mr. Prescott, I’m still alive. Mr. Prescott, I have a news for you. Astrid... she’s still alive.”

The breathing on the other end of the line stopped.

In the ten years I spent with Lucian, every corner was filled with news about Astrid, but her whereabouts always seemed to come from all directions.