The drive from the capital took two and a half hours.
The car stopped in front of an isolated, high-walled compound. The tall, gray concrete walls blocked any view inside, and coils of barbed wire topped with an electric grid ran across the top.
A set of sharp, imposing characters adorned a plaque by the enormous iron gate: “Peaceful Prison.”
“Young Master Chen, we’ve arrived.”
Charles Chase responded softly and got out of the car. Ye Jing was here.
Charles Chase’s mother, Sarah Chase, had been renowned as a beauty in the capital when she was young, born to a wealthy family. Her father, the old Master Chen, treasured his only daughter above all else—she was his pride and joy.
At twenty, Sarah Chase fell in love for the first time with Gao Kangshi, a good-looking and unassuming young man from a small town, who’d recently begun working at the Chase family’s company.
Used to the airs of wealthy heirs, Sarah Chase was drawn to Gao Kangshi’s honest awkwardness—he blushed just speaking to women.
Ignoring everyone’s advice, she insisted on marrying him. Her father couldn’t bear to refuse his only daughter and, though he disapproved of Gao Kangshi, he finally relented and allowed him to marry in as a son-in-law.
Shortly after their marriage, Charles Chase was born. Gao Kangshi, feeling he now had control over Sarah Chase’s life, revealed his true colors.
He drank, gambled, visited brothels, and racked up heavy debts. He even tried to embezzle funds from the Chase family’s business, but the old Master Chen had always been on guard against him.
When Charles Chase was just a year old, Sarah Chase saw Gao Kangshi for who he truly was. She was a woman who lived life boldly and freely, loving and hating without reservation. Admitting she’d made a mistake, she kicked Gao Kangshi out with nothing but the clothes on his back.
Driven out by old Master Chen, Gao Kangshi couldn’t stay in the capital and fled back to his hometown—no one heard from him again.
This time, Charles Chase learned he had a sister only because the family mansion received a phone call.
After his grandfather’s death, the family moved abroad to Y Country, leaving the old house in the care of the loyal butler.
Not long ago, the butler received a strange call—they didn't know how the number had gotten out. It was from a family in Shaoyang Town, asking if they were the influential people from the capital who’d once known Gao Kangshi, hoping they could help track down his daughter, and adding that Gao Kangshi had been dead for over a decade.
Gao Kangshi’s name had become taboo in the Chen household—no one spoke of him.
But Sarah Chase never cared much about that. To her, a failed marriage was nothing shameful, and besides, she’d gained her amazing son, Charles Chase. There was nothing to regret.
After much hesitation, the butler called Sarah Chase to let her know.
On the phone, the caller wasn’t clear on the details. They just said Gao Kangshi had a daughter who’d been abandoned in an orphanage, and now, after all this time, his mother wanted to find the child. The caller was just a neighbor, with no real means to help; they weren’t even sure how they’d gotten the Chase family’s number.
Lately, Charles Chase had been planning to return to the capital for business, so Sarah Chase asked him to try to find the girl.
Charles Chase didn’t get it at all, and before returning, he asked his mother, “Mom, you’re really going to help your romantic rival’s daughter?”
At the time, Sarah Chase was watering the flowers in the garden, as elegant and alluring as ever. Age had barely touched her—though in her fifties, she looked barely forty.
She arched an eyebrow at her handsome son. "A bit of old gossip, that’s all. Now your mother is looking for a new husband, I have no time to fuss over you. But if I find you a sister and she turns out to be a good girl, when I’m off having fun in the future at least you won’t be alone at home."
Her words were breezy as always. Charles Chase could only shake his head, unsure if his mother was open-minded or simply heartless.
…
At this moment, Cecilia Ye was sitting in the lounge of a private hospital.
Unlike busy public hospitals, this place was so quiet and clean that the faint scent of disinfectant was barely noticeable. If not for being told, Cecilia Ye would have thought it was some kind of retreat.
All around, there was nothing but calm and silence. Julian Jarvis had told her that the Jiang family held shares in the hospital, so they rarely saw outside patients; it mostly served the family.
Cecilia Ye remembered the doctor’s reminder: don’t eat before the prenatal checkup—there’d be blood tests.
She’d just had three vials drawn and now felt a bit dizzy and nauseous. Julian Jarvis, in a gloomy mood all morning, had hardly spoken; now he’d gone off to bring her some food.
Before long, footsteps sounded. Julian Jarvis returned with milk and a sandwich. “Eat something first.”
Cecilia Ye nodded and began to eat in small bites. Only after eating did she feel a bit more comfortable.
Once she recovered, Cecilia Ye headed for her ultrasound appointment. She’d carefully stored her last scan at home in a drawer—even back then, she’d been unconscious and had no idea how the procedure was done.
Now, finally, she could see her baby with her own eyes. Julian Jarvis waited outside as Cecilia Ye stepped in, a mix of nerves and anticipation fluttering inside her.
The doctor was a kindly woman. “Hello, I’m Dr. Zhao. No need to be nervous, we’re just here to check on the baby.”
The girl before her looked so young, with big, luminous eyes. Hearing she’d come with Young Master Jarvis, Dr. Zhao made sure not to scare her away.
“Alright,” Cecilia Ye replied softly, settling onto the little bed.
Her shirt was lifted a bit, revealing snowy white skin. Flat on her back, her belly barely showed. The cool gel tingled as it was applied, and the probe pressed gently against her.
Dr. Zhao watched the screen intently, then turned it toward Cecilia Ye after a few moments.
The baby’s outline was only just visible. Cecilia Ye stared at the blurry image, uncomprehending, yet tears welled up in her eyes without warning.
“You’re three months along now. The baby already has a heartbeat—look, here’s the little head, and these will be the hands. Still just tiny buds.”
“Mm.” Cecilia Ye bit her lip, eyes shimmering with tears held stubbornly in place.
Soon Dr. Zhao wiped away the gel and helped her sit up. “Don’t worry—the baby’s perfectly healthy. Just pick up your report outside and everything will be fine.”
“Thank you.”
Outside, Julian Jarvis was sitting on a bench against the wall, head tipped back and gaze resting distant on a potted plant by the window.
Whenever he was upset, he didn’t feel like talking—but he couldn’t quite say why he was out of sorts.
Maybe it was because of Cecilia Ye. Thinking back to yesterday, he even wanted to ask why she was keeping Xavier Foster’s child.
But what right did he have to ask? Clearly, Cecilia Ye was never going to give up this baby.
He let out a breath—just in time to see Cecilia Ye emerge from the examination room.
She smiled at him, and for a moment Julian Jarvis was struck by how much this felt like accompanying a wife to her checkup. Except, of course, she was not his.
The two of them went to collect the report. The baby was healthy, but Cecilia Ye was told to mind her nutrition, as she was a little weak.
Having listened to the doctor’s instructions, they left the hospital.
Back at Qingshui Bay, for the first time Julian Jarvis didn’t get out of the car—he simply dropped her off and drove away.
Cecilia Ye didn’t think much of it, assuming he was just busy. She waved as he left.
She’d been up early and was feeling tired. After watching Julian Jarvis’s car drive off, she headed upstairs to get some sleep.
Holding the ultrasound printout, Cecilia Ye looked at it again and again, her heart growing tender.
Carefully, she stored it in the small box in her drawer—right beside the first scan.