Chapter 4 Confrontation

The moment Sylvia laid eyes on Renee, her heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively darted behind William, like a child seeking shelter from a nightmare.

William's expression hardened into a frown as he faced Renee, his voice tinged with disbelief. "What are you doing here?"

Renee's shoulders lifted in a casual shrug, her voice dry. "It's a hospital, William. What do you think?"

As William's frown carved deeper lines into his forehead, he surveyed Renee from head to toe, searching for any telltale signs of illness but finding none.

Taking a bold step forward, Renee's gaze locked onto Sylvia with unsettling intensity. "I heard my husband escorted another woman for a prenatal check-up early this morning. Naturally, as his legal wife, I felt compelled to see for myself." Her eyes, sharp and gleaming, bore into Sylvia's. "Miss Payne, let me be clear-as long as I draw breath, your child will never be acknowledged. Unless..."

Her eyes then flicked to William, and she paused, letting the silence stretch before continuing with deliberate calm, "Unless William dares to divorce me. Why don't you ask him if he has the courage to do so?"

Would William actually muster the courage to divorce her?

Obviously not-otherwise, he wouldn't have made it through three years of this.

When Renee was just 20, she declared to her family that she intended to marry William. Even her grandfather, Johnny Carter, who had doted on her since childhood, refused her for the first time.

Johnny, a once-formidable retired commander, loomed large in his world, much like Renee's father, who, though steering clear of politics, had carved a significant niche in the business realm.

Across the social spectrum, William's father, Eric Mitchell, wielded considerable influence as a high-ranking official in the political echelons. His current stature meant that allying with the Carter family could catapult him to even greater heights.

The union between Renee and William was crafted as an unbreakable alliance, a powerful merger with no exits.

Once vows were exchanged, the idea of parting ways was off the table. A divorce would not only fracture their personal lives but would also force their influential families into a messy, public tug-of-war, risking a feud that could echo through their elite circles. With Eric poised on the brink of a crucial promotion, he was adamant: divorce between his son and daughter-in-law was simply not an option.

During the earlier days of their marriage, Renee had poured her heart into nurturing the union, but her efforts soon revealed themselves to be fruitless endeavors. Despite chasing William's affection for five years before she managed to marry him, his feelings remained elusive; not even the legal bond of marriage could spark affection in him.

Faced with this reality, Renee suggested a pragmatic solution that they would continue to project the image of a devoted couple publicly and during familial gatherings, while privately, they would lead separate lives, each cloaked in their own solitude.

With William being in the army for most of it, there wasn't much pretending needed anyway. Yet, one thing still baffled Renee-whenever William returned from the army, he would spend endless nights in bed with her, refusing to stop until she gave in. It was simply strange-he had ensured Sylvia lived close to his base in Stotta, so why did he still look like he hadn't touch any woman in forever?

Renee guessed it was due to Sylvia's frail condition-William probably didn't want to strain her too much.

What a fucking bastard! He pampered his lover like a queen while treating Renee like absolute shit.

The sight of Sylvia tucked behind William sent a sharp, unexpected pang through Renee's chest.

"What's wrong with you?" William's question sliced through the tension, but Renee's mocking laugh dismissed it, her disdain palpable.

"William, I'm getting rid of Sylvia's baby right now. Are you going to try and stop me?" Her challenge hung heavy in the air, her words sharp as shards of glass.

Their recent quarrel had left a chilly void between them. William had slipped away at dawn, his departure marked by a stinging silence. And then, the call from Ryland had come, twisting the knife deeper-William had escorted Sylvia to the obstetrics department for a prenatal checkup. The scandal, simmering just beneath the surface, threatened to boil over, exposing Renee to ridicule.

"No! William, please, not my baby..." Sylvia's voice quavered, her fingers clutching William's sleeve as if it were her last lifeline. Her eyes, wide and pleading, searched his face for any sign of reassurance.

But William remained eerily silent, his gaze unyieldingly locked on Renee's cold eyes.

"William..." Sylvia's voice broke, terror lacing her whisper. She gripped his arm tighter, her plea more desperate. "I can't let go of this baby, William. Please, I need your help."

"Shut up!" The sharpness in Renee's voice cut through the tense air. In a swift, harsh motion, she raised her hand and delivered a stinging slap across Sylvia's face.

The sound echoed, a chilling smack that left a vivid red imprint on Sylvia's pale cheek.

"You don't have a say here, Sylvia," Renee hissed, her voice dripping with disdain.

From the other end of the corridor, another voice challenged the oppressive silence, its tone imbued with an undeniable authority. "Is that so? And do I have a voice in this matter?"

All eyes turned toward the newcomer. Her presence was commanding, her attire simple yet exuding an elegance that spoke of bespoke tailoring-clearly, she was a woman of significant stature.

"Mom?"