Chapter 4 A Fragile Bond

Steffy nodded faintly.

"All right... get out of the car. Sit down for a while. Don't force yourself to drive in that condition."

The man glanced around. There were no other vehicles passing by.

"Sit here first. We'll talk about the car damage later."

Steffy didn't protest. She knew her body wouldn't be able to continue the journey in this state. With unsteady steps, she got out, and with the man's help, she sat on a bus stop bench.

He remained standing, opened a bottle of mineral water, and handed it to her.

"Drink first. You look like you're about to faint."

"Thank you..." Steffy took the bottle and drank slowly. At least she could breathe a little easier now.

"My name is Daniel Jones," the man said after a few seconds of silence. "And you... who are you?"

"Steffy..." she replied softly. "I'm sorry about your car..."

Daniel nodded, glancing at Steffy's car, which was still running with its front hood slightly dented.

"We'll check the damage later. But honestly, I'm more worried about you. You could've passed out in the middle of a curve-that would've been far more dangerous."

Steffy slowly turned to look at him for the first time. His face was firm, but there was a trace of concern behind his earlier harsh tone. Not someone warm at first glance-but not cruel either.

"I just have a lot on my mind," Steffy murmured.

She looked at him with mixed emotions. She hadn't expected that from such an angry start, this man would show a side of care she hadn't anticipated.

Once she felt a little stronger, Steffy decided to continue her journey.

Before leaving, she handed him her business card.

"You can contact me for the repair costs. Once again, I'm sorry."

The next day, at the Willson residence.

Evelyn sat on the sofa, her body trembling as tears streamed down her face. Only now did she realize that everything she had fought for had cost her everything-her dignity, her family, and even the man she loved.

She covered her face with both hands, her body shaking. Now, she had to go through the rest of her pregnancy under the shadow of the betrayal she herself had created.

Steffy's final words before leaving echoed endlessly in her mind.

"I won't hate you, Evelyn... but from today onward, I will never see you as my sister again."

Evelyn cried even harder.

Meanwhile, in the living room, Hendry leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes briefly. He knew the storm was far from over.

Nadine, who had been worried about Steffy since yesterday, excused herself and prepared to leave.

"Where are you going, Mom?" Evelyn asked when she saw Nadine carrying her bag.

"I have to go comfort Steffy!" Nadine answered honestly.

"I'm the one who should be comforted! I'm pregnant without a husband! Why is it that even at a time like this, none of you care about me at all?" Evelyn shouted.

But neither Hendry nor Nadine paid her any attention.

Nadine left anyway, driven by the family chauffeur to the Willson family's private villa.

When she arrived, she found Steffy crying alone. Her eyes were swollen, as if she hadn't stopped crying since yesterday.

Without saying a word, Nadine immediately embraced her tightly-a long, warm hug filled with restrained love.

Steffy was startled. But it didn't take long before her tears began to fall again.

"Maybe the DNA test is right. But my feelings as a mother can't be wrong, Steffy. I know... I'm sure... you are my daughter."

The embrace tightened. Nadine trembled as she cried, while Steffy remained still, letting the warmth of that hug sink in.

"Mom..." Steffy's voice broke. "I'm happy to hear that... but I also know reality isn't that simple."

Nadine slowly released her, looking deeply into Steffy's face. Her eyes were filled with both love and pain.

"I won't force you to believe it," Nadine said softly. "But please, remain my daughter."

Steffy nodded. "Of course, Mom. But if I'm not your biological child, then we need to find out who was switched."

Nadine looked at her, deeply moved. "You don't have to do that..."

"I want to," Steffy cut in firmly. "I want us to find that woman. If she's still alive... she deserves to know who her mother is. And you deserve to embrace your real daughter."

Silence fell for a moment. Only the ticking of the wall clock and the sound of their breathing filled the room.

"Thank you, Stef..." Nadine said, her voice breaking. "God knows how grateful I am to have known you, even if this truth is painful..."

"I'm also grateful I was raised here... with love from both Mom and Dad. I don't want everything to fall apart because of someone else's mistake."

Nadine gently wiped Steffy's cheek. "You are truly kind."

Unbeknownst to them, Evelyn was listening from behind the door.

She couldn't accept that Nadine had gone to see Steffy, so she followed her. She had just failed to get rid of Steffy. And now, she had to be ready to face another woman who might become her next rival.

"I have to move fast. They must not find that woman first," she whispered to herself. "I'll pretend to accept Father's decision... so they focus on searching for her. I'll meet David in secret."