Chapter 2

2

I didn't sleep a wink that night, turning every memory over in my head.

This was a fictional world, a novel where Declan was destined to be the tragic second male lead whose entire life revolved around Chloe, the female protagonist.

My arrival shattered that predetermined plot.

From the moment I started my mission, I knew I was merely a task-bearer. The second lead wasn't created for me; he had a scripted destiny.

Even after winning his heart, I should never have fallen in love with him.

Yet humans aren't machines. After Declan broke free from the plot and married me, the blissful years that followed made me forget my reality.

Then, I got pregnant. By that point, my mission was already complete, and all I had to do was exit the simulation to return to my real life.

However, my departure would have meant terminating the unborn child. Declan fell to his knees, sobbing and begging me to stay.

He swore he loved me and that our baby would love me. He promised we would build our own home and that he'd work himself to the bone to give us the world.

Back in my original world, I had always dreamed of a devoted partner. Declan checked every box.

More importantly, I felt the miracle of life stirring inside my womb. That was my child.

So, I stayed. I wanted to see if our fairy tale could truly last.

Now, the dream was in ruins. The child I nearly died to bring into this world favored the novel's heroine over me.

Whether it was the heroine's magnetic halo or my own shortcomings, I didn't care anymore. I pulled the blanket over my head and fell into a deep slumber.

The next morning, chaos erupted downstairs. Declan was in a blind rage, pounding violently against my bedroom door.

Liam was wailing at the top of his lungs, calling for his mother. He had suffered an allergic reaction because the new nanny wasn't familiar with his medical history, and he had been too proud to ask me for help.

Rubbing my disheveled hair, I opened the door, only to have a glass of cold water splashed right into my face.

"Have you lost your damn mind? You know Liam has severe allergies, yet you're throwing a tantrum over nothing! Now he's covered in hives. Are you happy now? Is this how a real mother acts?"

Declan slammed the glass onto the floor, shattering it into pieces, before grabbing his briefcase to leave.

He claimed to care about our son, yet nothing ever took precedence over his corporate career.

My mind was still spinning as Liam sat on the floor, stretching his arms toward me with teary eyes.

His face was covered in angry red welts, swollen and pitiful. The nanny stood nearby, trembling in fear that I would fire her on the spot.

Given how much I used to dote on Liam, firing her would have been my usual reaction.

Instead, to everyone's utter shock, I grabbed a wooden disciplinary ruler and struck Liam's palms.

Already gasping from tears, Liam broke into hysterical shrieks.

"You ugly hag! How dare you hit me? Dad said this entire estate belongs to me! You're just a freeloader living in my house, an unpaid maid who's worse than the staff! I'm going to kick you out!"

Ignoring the pain, he lifted his chin defiantly, his face contorted with pure hatred.

"Liam, if you haven't learned how to speak to me with respect, I won't hesitate to strike you again."

I didn't hold back. His little hands swelled up, his small frame trembling from the stinging pain.

Seeing that I was dead serious, he stopped screaming, dashed into his bedroom on his short legs, and slammed the door shut.

Two hours later, Declan called and unleashed a barrage of furious curses at me.

"How many times do I have to tell you? Stop using our son to get my attention! He's a child, not a bargaining chip!"

"You have three minutes to go apologize to him right now, or else."

His cold warning was a blatant reminder of my supposed inability to leave him.

He was telling me that if I couldn't take proper care of his son, our marriage was over.

What he failed to realize was that he had never been the one in control of our relationship.