My boyfriend had a low sperm count. So when he found an abandoned baby on the roadside, he begged me to give up my study abroad plans and adopt him. I agreed. We married. For thirty years, I poured my life into raising that child as my own. Then, the year our son finally settled into his own life, I was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Faced with astronomical medical bills, my husband and son sat me down. The message was clear: I should give up. “It’s terminal. Why waste the money?” “Mom, Dad’s right. I have a future to think about. Don’t be selfish.” After I died, my husband married his first love in a joyous ceremony. Our son even hugged his father’s first love and called her Mom. That was when I learned the truth: our “abandoned” son was, in fact, my husband’s child with his first love all along. When I opened my eyes, I was back on the day my boyfriend held out a baby, asking if we could keep him. I glanced at him, then slammed the door shut. “Take him to an orphanage.” Julian panicked. “How can you say that?!” I looked at Julian’s self-righteous expression and gave a bitter laugh. “Why not? I know nothing about raising a child!” Julian’s brows furrowed. “Serena, this is a life. Look how pitiful he is. We’re getting married soon anyway, wouldn’t it be nice to raise a child together ahead of time?” Julian spoke with a sincerity that I’d heard countless times in my previous life. Now, it sounded utterly repulsive, but back then, I actually believed him. My parents wanted me to study abroad and pursue my dreams, but for Julian and this child, I tore up my plane ticket. From that moment on, a long journey of sacrifice began. In the end, after I died, my husband inherited my family’s enormous wealth and lived a blissful life with his mistress and their illegitimate child. “He is indeed a life, and he’s pitiful. That’s why he should be sent to an orphanage, where professional caregivers can look after him.” “But…” Julian paused. “My mom can help you!” I scoffed internally. Help? In my last life, his mom did help for a few days. But soon after, she had a “stroke” and became paralyzed. I ended up juggling childcare and caring for my “mother-in-law.” It wasn’t until she died and I looked through her medical records that I realized she was never paralyzed! She just wanted to lie around and be waited on hand and foot! I took a deep breath. “Julian, I think I need to reconsider our relationship. You know my parents have always wanted me to study overseas.” With that, I started to close the door. Julian saw this and wedged his foot in the door, his face etched with anxiety, about to say something else. Just then, hurried footsteps sounded outside. A young man ran over. “Julian! Quick, the company needs you for something!” Mark glanced at me, then at the bundle in Julian’s arms, his expression subtle. I saw it and sneered inwardly. Always the same trick. Julian had clearly planned this, using Mark as his leverage, probably hoping I’d soften and offer to take the baby while he went to work. Then he could smoothly offload the child into my home and easily get out of it. This time, I didn’t say a word. I just watched him calmly, my hands clasped behind my back, a clear gesture of refusal. Mark was still urging him. Julian finally made up his mind, abruptly turning to me, his face pleading. He shoved the swaddled baby into my arms. “Serena! Please! I’ll come back and help you with him as soon as I’m done!” The unexpected weight, carrying the faint scent of baby powder, crashed into my arms. The next second, Julian was gone, vanished from sight. The familiar yet alien sensation sent a shiver through me. Countless fragmented memories surged forward. Rushing him to the hospital late at night when he had a fever, my tears of joy when he first called me “Mom.” And then, Julian snatching away my life-saving medicine, while Leo coldly said, “Mom, stop fighting it. Just go peacefully. You’ve wasted my parents’ lives, don’t waste my son’s now.” I had given up so many opportunities, staying home to care for him. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say this child grew up sucking the very lifeblood out of me. In the end, he became an ungrateful wretch. I lowered my gaze to the child, gritted my teeth, and made a decision.
The next morning, urgent knocking woke me up. My parents were startled awake too. It was Julian at the door, as expected. “Good morning.” “Julian, so early?” Even though Serena’s Mom was a bit displeased with Julian, they were still long-time neighbors, so she greeted him warmly. “Have you had breakfast? Come in, join us!” The more welcoming they were, the more uncomfortable Julian seemed. He had no appetite, his mind solely on his child. He managed a forced smile. “No, thank you. I’ve eaten. I came to see Serena… and the baby.” He spoke, his gaze sweeping past my parents to me. “Baby?” Serena’s Mom was genuinely confused this time. “Julian, what baby are you talking about? What baby?” Julian froze, his voice rising in urgency. “The little boy I brought yesterday! I gave him to Serena!” I sipped my coffee, not even lifting my eyelids. Seeing my nonchalance, Julian lunged forward, trying to grab my arm. “Serena! Where’s the baby?!” His actions were rough, and Serena’s Dad’s face immediately darkened. “Talk, don’t touch!” “I really did give her a baby!” Julian’s voice trembled with desperation. He turned to me, almost shouting, “Serena, where is the baby?!” I chuckled softly. “You’re so anxious. Could it be… the baby is yours?” The living room fell silent instantly. Julian’s expression stiffened. “What are you talking about? I found him by the roadside…” “So, I put him back on the roadside.” “Really?” I stood up, calmly. “Since he was found, of course, I sent him back to where he belongs.” Julian’s pupils contracted sharply. “Where did you send him?” “The roadside,” I said lightly. “Didn’t you pick him up from the roadside? I put him back there. What if his parents, who abandoned him, had a change of heart and came back to look for him?” “What did you say?!” Julian suddenly grabbed my wrist, his grip incredibly tight, making my bones creak. “Serena! Don’t joke with me!” Serena’s Dad immediately stepped forward, pulling at him. “Julian! Let go!” I yanked my hand free, rubbing my reddened wrist. “I don’t have time to joke with you. I still need to pack for my study abroad trip!” “Study abroad?” Julian looked bewildered. “How can you go abroad? Who will take care of the baby if you leave?” Serena’s Mom was utterly confused. “What baby? What are you two talking about? And Serena’s classes overseas start next month. We’ve had this planned for ages.” Julian took a deep breath, forcing a smile at Serena’s Mom. “I’ll explain this to you later.” He turned and grabbed my arm again, his voice pleading. “Serena, just tell me where the baby is. That’s a life!” I looked at his self-righteous, scheming face, my blood boiling. Just as I was about to raise my hand to slap him…
“Shit!” Rachel from across the street suddenly poked her head out, her face frantic. “They found an abandoned baby in our community garden this morning! His little face was burning red, and the ambulance just took him away. Poor thing!” Julian’s face drained of color. He stared at me, his eyes bloodshot. “You really threw him away?” I, too, was stunned by Rachel’s words. I had clearly left the baby at Chloe’s doorstep. How did he end up in the community garden? But before I could even process it, Julian violently grabbed me and dragged me outside. “Julian! What are you doing?!” Serena’s Dad roared. Julian ignored him completely. “To the hospital! Now!” Serena’s Mom tried to stop him but was roughly shoved aside by Julian. I was half-dragged, half-shoved into a taxi. Julian, trembling, yelled for the driver to take us to the Children’s Hospital. In the car, he kept mumbling, “He’ll be okay, he’ll be okay.” I watched his distraught state with cold eyes. In my past life, when I was curled in bed, shaking with fever and pain, begging him to take me to the hospital, he had simply looked at me and said, “Drink some hot water. You’ll be fine.” Now, for his child, he was frantic with worry. How ironic. It truly is easy to be indifferent until the pain hits you directly. At the hospital’s emergency room, Julian frantically questioned the nurses until he found the baby’s whereabouts. He dragged me, stumbling, towards the hospital room. Just as we reached the door, we heard a woman’s sobs. Pushing the door open, we saw Chloe holding the infant, whose face was flushed and breathing labored. She pressed her cheek against his forehead, tears streaming down her face. “Don’t be scared, baby, don’t be scared.” Her voice was choked with emotion. Anyone could see how worried she was about this child. Julian rushed in, his eyes instantly red. He whirled around, glaring at me, his gaze overflowing with resentment. “Serena! Are you happy now?! The baby’s burning up, pneumonia, convulsions, he almost…” His voice was hoarse. “He’s so young, how could you be so cruel?!” I looked at the fragile little life, my heart completely unmoved. In my past life, they had drained my youth and health, climbing higher and higher using my family’s resources. In the end, they watched me draw my last breath with cold indifference. His life or death held no meaning for me. “Cruel?” My gaze shifted to Chloe. “Julian, yesterday I personally placed this child at Chloe’s doorstep and even left a note. So… how is it that…” I paused, my tone laced with suspicion. “This child was left out in the cold all night, only to be found in the community garden this morning?” Chloe looked at me, her eyes wide with shock. “Serena, what are you talking about? This is the first time I’ve seen this poor child today! I’m a nurse here, transferred to pediatrics to help out. I saw this baby was so sick and unattended, so I…” She started crying again. “If… if you really left this child at my door, how could I possibly leave him outside all night?” “If I had seen this child first, I would have taken good care of him!” “The three of us grew up together. You know what kind of person I am!” I frowned at her words. I used to think Chloe was kind and innocent, which is why, after I gave up my spot at a prestigious overseas university, I had my dad pull strings to give it to her. Watching my best friend fulfill the dreams I couldn’t, I did it willingly. I just never imagined that Chloe would transform into my son’s biological mother. And Julian’s ‘moonlight goddess.’ Those years I spent sick in bed, I finally realized how foolish I had been. I watched with cold eyes. Julian watched the tears track down Chloe’s face, his own expression flickering with something complex and pained. He took a deep breath, his gaze hardening as he stepped decisively between Chloe, the baby, and me. “That’s enough, Chloe. I believe you.” Then, he pulled a document from his bag. He turned it slowly, forcing the bold, black letters of the header into my line of sight. ADOPTION CERTIFICATE. And below it, unmistakable, was my signature.
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