“I was injured in combat and lost my ability to have children. Whose baby is in your belly?” At the party, my military officer husband Marcus stood before everyone and slammed a disability report in my face. I smiled and glanced at the woman standing behind him. Everything became clear. To marry his dead comrade’s wife, he was willing to falsely accuse me. “Marcus, remember what you said today. This child has absolutely nothing to do with you.” I tore up that report in front of everyone and left the banquet. Seven years later, Marcus came looking for me, wanting to take away my genius son. My son said coldly: “You lost your fertility a long time ago. How could you possibly father someone as amazing as me?” The meeting room was so quiet you could hear the sycamore leaves falling outside the window. The few old subordinates who came with Marcus all lowered their heads, pretending to review the documents in their hands. Marcus slammed the contract on the table, then suddenly reached out and grabbed Andy’s thin wrist, dragging him toward the door without a word. Just then, a calloused hand gripped Marcus’s wrist in a vise-like hold. I used all my strength, my nails digging deep into the skin of his wrist. Marcus looked up and met my eyes. The subordinates behind him also raised their heads. Time seemed to freeze. I saw something crack in Marcus’s eyes, followed by shock, then a look of almost absurd scrutiny. “Laura…Parker?” The people behind him gasped. “Laura Parker? The Colonel’s wife who cheated seven years ago?” “Didn’t she disappear at the train station? How could she…?” I knew what shocked them. When I left this place seven years ago, all I had was a train ticket. Later, news spread that a pregnant young woman had disappeared at the train station. Everyone thought it was me. Including Marcus. “Laura? You’re alive? How dare you show your face here?” I ignored him. Taking advantage of his momentarily loosened grip, I pulled Andy back to my side. There was already a red ring around Andy’s wrist. I crouched down and gently rubbed the glaring red mark. “Does it hurt?” Andy shook his head, but his eyes remained fixed on Marcus. Only then did I straighten up. My tone must have been calm—at least I couldn’t hear any emotion in it. “You must have mistaken me for someone else. I’m Victoria Reed, Chief Technical Engineer of Deep Blue Marine Salvage Company.” “Victoria Reed?” The soldier behind Marcus unconsciously repeated the name. “Yes.” Before I could finish, the meeting room door was pushed open again. When Vivian rushed in, her forehead was beaded with sweat, as if she’d hurried over. She first glanced at Marcus, then her gaze swept over me, her pupils contracting ever so slightly. “Laura?” She stepped forward, trying to take my hand, but I sidestepped to avoid her. Her hand froze in mid-air, then she quickly smiled again. “It really is you! Where have you been all these years? We were all so worried…” Her eyes reddened as she spoke, her acting skills more refined than seven years ago. “You left so suddenly back then. We thought…thought you couldn’t handle it anymore. When we heard about the train station incident, Marcus was so upset he couldn’t sleep for days. It’s good that you’re back now. No matter what, it’s good that you’re alive…” Her words were clever, each one reminding everyone present. That I was once a despicable woman, a wife who embarrassed her husband, a burden who worried everyone. The disgust in Marcus’s eyes deepened. “Laura, I don’t care what you call yourself now. Take that child and leave.” I glanced at Marcus and Vivian standing close together, then looked at the secretary who’d been standing by the door, not daring to make a sound. “Make an announcement.” My voice wasn’t loud, but everyone in the meeting room could hear clearly. “Deep Blue Company is willing to cooperate with the military, but there’s one condition—the cooperation representative must be changed. When you change representatives, we’ll start negotiations.” “Laura!” Marcus’s face turned ashen. He took a menacing step forward, his presence intimidating. “Do you know what kind of situation this is? How dare you make a scene here?! Take this bast—” “The ones who should leave are you.” I calmly cut off his crude insult, took Andy’s hand, and walked back to my desk step by step. The leather chair was wide and solid. I sat down calmly and met his furious gaze. “Since you’re seeking technical cooperation, the military should at least send someone…” I tilted my head slightly. “Someone clear-headed who understands basic courtesy. Don’t you agree, Colonel?” My assistant was so scared she barely dared to breathe, looking from Marcus to me, completely at a loss. “Show them out.” I said. Andy stayed in the office waiting for me until after work. I took his hand and walked out of the office. As we reached the first-floor lobby, two figures emerged from the shadows on the side. Marcus stood there, his military jacket draped over his arm. Vivian followed behind him. They blocked the path between the glass doors and us. Behind them, the sky was gradually darkening and streetlights were beginning to flicker on. “Laura, you have two choices. Either let that child come with me for a blood comparison. Until the results come out, neither of you is going anywhere.” “Or, I don’t mind making you, your man, and this bastard truly disappear this time.”
Marcus’s last words were like a knife mixed with coarse sand, scraping viciously across the tenderest part of my heart. Vivian stood slightly behind him to the side, her fingers unconsciously twisting the strap of her purse. Her voice came out soft and gentle, like a feather, yet carrying a chill that could drill into your bones. “Laura, even if you won’t think of yourself, you should consider the child.” She moved forward half a step, her gaze sweeping “pityingly” over Andy, whom I was protecting behind me. “This town isn’t that big or that small. Later when the child goes to school, gets a job—everything requires background checks. If his file notes that his mother has…issues.” She deliberately paused, observing my expression, her voice dropping lower but ensuring all three of us could hear clearly. “Then the child’s whole life will be ruined. He won’t be able to hold his head up anywhere.” “Even though…” Her eyelids lowered slightly, revealing just the right amount of difficulty and “kindness.” “Even though back then, the injury…the doctor said there might be a slim chance, but after all these years, who can say for sure? Laura, I know raising a child alone isn’t easy, but no matter how hard it is, you can’t gamble with the child’s future out of spite. For the child’s sake, you should just…” A crisp, resounding slap suddenly cut off her unfinished “advice.” I used all my strength. My palm stung and went numb. Vivian was struck so hard her whole body tilted to one side. Her carefully styled hair came loose, a few strands falling messily. They clung to her cheek, which instantly swelled and reddened. She covered her face, staring at me in disbelief. Tears quickly filled her eyes, ready to fall but not quite falling, suspended on her long lashes, making her look even more pitiable. The next second, a heavier force came whistling back at my face. My vision went dark, my ears rang, and my mouth instantly filled with the metallic taste of blood. My cheek burned with pain. The force made me stagger backward. My back slammed heavily into the cold, rough wall before I could barely steady myself. Bits of plaster fell onto my shoulders. Marcus stood in front of Vivian like an impenetrable wall. He shook out his hand as if he’d just touched something unclean. The look he gave me was one of undisguised disgust and cold disappointment. “Laura!” His voice was very low, but each word hit the ground with force. “You dare hit someone after what you did? What did Vivian say that was wrong? Who is she doing this for?!” Again. No matter when, no matter where, no matter what the truth was, he was always like this, unhesitatingly standing on Vivian’s side. Seven years ago at the conference, on the hospital steps, and now still the same. Even though Vivian nearly killed me and my unborn child, in his eyes, she would always be that sister who needed protection, fragile and innocent. And I would forever be the one with deep schemes, beyond reason. “Mom!” Andy charged out from beside me like an enraged little leopard, his small fists clenched, ready to strike Marcus. “Bad man! You hit my mom!” “Andy! Come back!” I ignored the burning pain on my face and pulled him tightly back into my arms, shielding him completely with my body. The child’s body trembled with anger in my embrace. I could feel his rapid breathing and the tears he was holding back. I couldn’t let him strike. Absolutely not. He was so young. He couldn’t be drawn into the adults’ filthy struggle. I looked up, past Marcus’s shoulder as he protected Vivian, at that face that was once familiar but now utterly strange. The dim corridor light carved cold, hard lines across his face. “Colonel Marcus.” I spoke, my voice somewhat hoarse. “Whether you were actually injured back then, how severe the injury was—you know better than anyone. Why pretend to be confused and insist on forcing this dirty accusation onto me and my child?” His eyes flickered violently, his jaw tightening further, but he didn’t immediately refute. I slowly straightened up and released Andy, taking his hand. The child’s hand was small and cold. I squeezed it hard, trying to transmit some warmth to him. “Don’t you want a blood comparison?” I met his scrutinizing gaze, my tone so calm even I found it strange. “Fine. Tomorrow morning at nine, at the hospital lab entrance. Don’t be late.” After speaking, without looking at his suddenly complicated expression, I picked up Andy. Step by step, I walked out of that suffocating, dim corridor. I pushed open the heavy door. The bitter cold of the winter night hit my face. Like a sobering slap, it dispersed the lingering burning sensation on my face and the metallic churning in my chest. I carried Andy toward the half-old green jeep parked by the courtyard wall. After settling him in the back seat and wrapping him in the small blanket we kept in the car, I sat in the driver’s seat. I didn’t start the car immediately. I fumbled for my phone from the canvas bag in the passenger seat. “It’s me.” “If what I asked for is ready, send it to me the fastest way possible.”
Five days later, the auditorium. Voices buzzed. The air was filled with the mixed scent of tea and cigarettes. I sat in a seat by the aisle. Andy sat quietly beside me, flipping through a book about ships. Just then, Marcus sat down next to me with Vivian. He lowered his voice. “Laura, the test results are out. If you don’t want this report to get out, cooperate with me on the salvage mission.” “And apologize to Vivian. Otherwise, you wouldn’t want your child to have a shameful mother, would you?” I closed the album in my hands, my tone casual. “I’ll certainly cooperate on the salvage mission, but not with you.” “As for apologizing…my way of apologizing is another slap. I wonder if she can handle it?” Marcus looked at me with a dark gaze. “So you don’t care about your son’s future?” I blinked, a thought occurring to me, and changed tactics. “I can agree to your conditions. After the meeting ends, burn the report. My child and I will have nothing to do with you, Marcus, from now on.” Marcus’s gaze was mocking. He gave a cold laugh. “Ha, now you realize this report can’t see the light of day?” “As long as you do these two things, I’ll naturally destroy it.” Halfway through the meeting, the moderator announced. “Now, let’s have Colonel Marcus speak!” Amid applause, Marcus walked steadily to the podium. He adjusted the microphone, his gaze sweeping across the audience before finally settling on me. “Today should be a happy occasion, but I must speak of something painful here.” His voice carried through the amplifier throughout the entire auditorium. The previously noisy venue immediately quieted down. My heart sank. Marcus took out a tan file folder from his briefcase and held it up high. “This is a paternity test between me and the child my ex-wife was carrying seven years ago.” “As a soldier, I shouldn’t discuss private matters on such an occasion. But when personal issues affect the military’s image and the integrity of technical cooperation, I must stand up and clarify!” “Today, I’m going to prove my innocence in front of everyone here.” He made as if to open the folder. Just then, the projector at the back of the auditorium suddenly lit up…
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