Nova watched his gentle expression instantly harden into ice. Her eyes involuntarily filled with tears. Taking a deep breath, she said, "I need to talk to you about our baby."
His eyes held zero warmth. He scrutinized her, as if anticipating her every move, and spoke coldly right in front of his grandfather, "If you insist on making a scene, think about your brother in prison and your sick father. Don't make this ugly."-
With that, Tristan gestured to the staff.
A servant stepped forward and politely motioned toward the door.
Abdul didn't intervene.
She pressed her lips together and resolutely walked out. Just as she reached the door, she heard Abdul sigh.
"I understand where you're coming from. That Sellers girl is truly stunning. I heard she's only 26 and already holds a top degree from Holliford University. Not only that, but she's being recruited for national-level research projects. It's perfectly normal for you to fall for someone that brilliant and beautiful."
Tristan remained impassive, saying nothing.
But Abdul was a man too; he knew exactly how things worked. At the end of the day, Nova simply wasn't presentable. She wasn't as beautiful as Yvette, and her background, education, and capabilities couldn't compare. He wasn't going to be blinded by sentiment like his wife, Belinda.
After a moment of thought, the old man continued, "Once she has the baby, give her a sum of money and let her go. That Sellers girl has a bright future ahead of her, and she cares about her image. Getting pregnant right now would ruin her career and take a toll on her body. After all, she's dedicating herself to national research."
"When Nova delivers, we can let the Sellers girl step in as the mother. That way, the child won't grow up ashamed of having such a painfully ordinary mother. Your grandmother likes Nova, sure, but this way we can justify it to her."
Tristan lowered his eyes, his expression unreadable. He didn't say a word, acting as if the arrangement had absolutely nothing to do with him.
Standing just outside the door, Nova heard every single syllable. She knew that aside from Belinda, no one in the Forrester family genuinely liked her. She also knew this marriage wouldn't last.
But she never imagined that before the baby was even born, they were already planning to hand it over to another woman.
Yvette's body and career mattered, but hers didn't?
And Tristan...
No wonder he was so adamant about waiting until the baby was born to divorce. He was just using her as a stepping stone for Yvette.
A sharp sting hit Nova's nose. She placed the bowl of warm soup the servant had just handed her on the floor, turned on her heel, and left.
When Tristan finally came out and saw the soup sitting on the floor, he stared at it in silence for a moment before looking away. He didn't ask a single question.
...
Night had fallen. Between the car crash, the D&C, and having to keep up appearances at the estate, Nova was bone-tired.
She had hoped to ride back with Tristan, tell him about the miscarriage, and finalize their divorce papers the next morning. Then, she could officially resign.
But when it was time to leave, he was nowhere to be found.
It wasn't until the driver came to pick her up that she remembered the phone call he took from Yvette earlier. He must be with her now.


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