"Why are you here?"
When Jennifer saw Mia, her face changed for a moment, but it quickly returned to normal as if she didn't care whether Mia had heard anything. She raised the prenatal check-up form in her hand and said, "Why are you just coming back? The check-up results have been out for a while."
Mia clenched the edge of her clothes with both hands, forcing a smile, and typed a message on her phone.
'I went to the bathroom, mom, how's the check-up result?'
"The doctor said there's nothing wrong, no need for oxygen therapy anymore," Jennifer said, clearly a bit impatient.
Mia nodded and typed, 'The baby products I ordered have arrived. The clerk has called three times to ask me to inspect them.'
At that moment, Mia just wanted to get away from it all, to breathe a sigh of relief, even if it was just temporary.
Jennifer furrowed her brow and said, "Then hurry up, if there's too much stuff, have the clerk send it back, don't carry it yourself."
Mia nodded, quickly leaving the hospital. She took a taxi to the pedestrian street, walked around but didn't go to the baby store. Instead, she found a nearby juice bar and went in.
She ordered a fresh fruit juice that's safe for pregnant women, sat down, took a deep sip, and then suddenly heard a familiar voice behind her.
"Mom, how much longer do we have to endure this?"
Mia stiffened, instinctively turning around. Wasn't that her stepmother's niece, Summer Ou?
And sitting opposite Summer Ou... wasn't that her stepmother, Julie?
But she just called her... mom?
"Good girl, just bear with it a bit longer. All you have to do now is get Mia's older brother, Jonathan, to fall for you. Once the year is up, we'll find a way to get Mia and her crippled husband to meet their end. Then, whether it's Mia's inheritance or the Gu family's wealth, it'll all be ours!"
Summer Ou's voice was filled with excitement, almost gleeful. "Mom, won't this be too cruel?"
Julie sneered, her greed on full display, completely different from the loving persona Mia usually saw.
"Cruel? Who told that mute mom to leave a will before dying, saying only her biological daughter could inherit her estate? And she wanted to wait a whole year after Mia's marriage before the inheritance could be accessed!"
"Humph! She wanted her daughter to have a happy marriage, but I wouldn't allow it. I'll make her marry a useless cripple, and once the year is up, I'll make them both vanish!"
"But the mute is pregnant now…"
"Pregnant? The baby isn't even born yet. Who knows what will happen then… it's just a pity for my little Ou, who now has to stay with the Bai family as her mom's niece."
Julie sighed, her tone softening, a sharp contrast to her earlier viciousness.
Meanwhile, Mia felt like she had just fallen into an ice-cold pit.
What had she just heard?
Her face went pale, and even her hands trembled as she gripped the cup.
She instinctively stood up in a panic, wanting to escape this chilling place, but in her nervousness, she accidentally bumped into a flower basket behind her as she stood!
"Crash!"
The loud noise immediately alerted the smug mother-daughter duo sitting next to her.
"Mom! It's Mia!"
Summer Ou's first reaction was to chase after her, but by the time she left the juice bar, Mia's hurried figure was already gone.
"What should we do? Do you think she heard something? I couldn't catch up to her!" Summer Ou came back with a pale face, but saw Julie still calm as ever.
Julie picked up her coffee and casually said, "Why are you in such a hurry? She's just a mute. Are you afraid she'll spill everything? Besides, there's no evidence. Who would believe her? Don't worry, little Ou. She's too timid. A little scare and she'll be fine…"
Not far away, Mia, clutching her stomach, entered the nearby mall. She didn't breathe a sigh of relief until she was sure no one was following her.
Her face was still pale.
After some thought, she took out her phone from her bag and quickly sent a message to her best friend, Asher.
She was the only person Mia could trust right now. Mia had to find a way to protect her child… and Lambert!
After sending the message, Mia's heart was in turmoil. In a few days, it will be her and Lambert's wedding anniversary. She suddenly really wanted to see Lambert. At least then, she would feel a little safer.
Even if Lambert hated her the most.
With that thought, Mia quickly flagged a car and headed back to the Gu family villa.
Perhaps the heavens sensed her helplessness, for as soon as she walked in, she saw Lambert sitting in the living room. The moment she met his cold eyes, Mia was pulled back into the cruel reality.
"Come with me to the banquet tonight."
The man pushed a beautifully wrapped gift box on the table and glanced at Mia's loose T-shirt with distaste.
"Change."
Mia bit her lip, her chaotic heart easing slightly when she saw Lambert, but his harsh attitude still caused her pain.
'Where to?'
Mia raised her phone, only to receive a sharp response from Lambert.
"Stop asking so many questions. Change, now."
She picked up the gift box and lowered her head, a sarcastic smile forming at the corner of her mouth. What right did she have to ask? In front of this man, she was always the passive one.
After much hassle, evening came.
Though she was three months pregnant, Mia's figure was still as perfect as before, barely showing any signs of pregnancy, even adding a touch of charm and femininity that came with being a mother-to-be.
She wore the sky-blue off-shoulder gown Lambert had given her, her black hair cascading down her back. Since pregnant women couldn't wear makeup, she only applied a little light pink lip balm. But her flawless face gave off an otherworldly aura.
"Mia, what are you dawdling in there for??"
The man's voice, tinged with a hint of anger, made Mia quickly open the door, feeling a bit awkward as she covered her chest with her hand, trying to conceal the seductive design.
Lambert tightly pressed his thin lips, a flash of emotion quickly passing through his eyes, but it was soon replaced by sarcasm.
"You've been taking your time getting dressed this whole time, are you planning to seduce men?"
Mia shook her head frantically, her face showing signs of panic.
She wasn't trying to seduce anyone. How could he say that about her?
"Then hurry up and go!"
But the man wasn't interested in her at all. He coldly threw out this sentence and then turned his wheelchair toward the door.
Because of those humiliating words, Mia barely lifted her head the whole way, afraid that Lambert would say something else that would make her feel worse.
It wasn't until they entered the banquet hall that she encountered a familiar and chilling figure.