Does anyone know if there's a full link to this? (When I Finally Let Go)
Chapter 1
To catch one final glimpse of his first love, my husband abandoned me on the street while I was in agonizing labor.
I begged him to take me to the hospital, but he accused me of being consumed by jealousy.
"You're just having a baby, but my senior is dying!"
"If you have the energy to scream at me, you can't even get yourself to a hospital?"
I could only endure the excruciating pain and walk to the hospital, giving birth to a son for him after three days and nights of labor.
When my husband got word of the birth, his face was filled with disgust.
"I never wanted a son, so I'm going to adopt Lily Collins."
"My senior asked me to take good care of her before she died. From now on, she is a part of our family."
"You need to treat her as your own daughter, and tend to her every need personally."
I stared at the young woman, barely in her twenties, clinging sweetly to his side as tears streamed down my face.
Through a haze of consciousness, I dialed that familiar number.
"Olivia Bennett, I've loved you for so many years. I'm begging you, just look my way for once!"
I said softly, "Come take me away now."
......
By the time I returned home holding the baby, the room reeked of alcohol.
Lily was curled up in Alexander Sterling's embrace, her pale bare legs exposed.
The rise and fall of her chest was faintly visible.
Alexander frowned at the sound of my footsteps and slowly opened his eyes.
The moment he saw me, he stood up awkwardly.
"My senior passed away a few days ago. I was worried the girl wouldn't be able to handle it, so I've been keeping her company."
Catching sight of the red marks on his neck, my chest tightened.
My throat tightened, locked tight with sorrow, and I could not utter a single word.
A flash of annoyance crossed Alexander's eyes.
"So I wasn't there with you. Is that a reason to give me such an attitude?
You're almost forty, yet you're not even as understanding as a twenty-year-old girl!"
His impatient voice woke Lily beside him.
She opened her sleepy eyes, looked me up and down, and went back to wrapping her arms around Alexander's neck.
"I was just too heartbroken. Auntie, please don't blame Uncle. If you have to blame someone, blame me."
"After all, Uncle Alexander was only trying to keep me company."
Alexander pulled her into his arms tenderly, but the glance he shot me was entirely devoid of warmth.
I bit my lip hard, my heart feeling as though it were being crushed by an invisible hand.
The very first day we met her, Alexander ignored my objections and forced me to add her on social media.
And precisely because of that, while I was fighting for my life in the delivery room, I could see how Alexander was doing everything in his power to coax a smile out of her.
Posts overflowing with luxury goods and jewelry, the girl's sweet smile in the passenger seat of a Maybach, and her silhouette against a seaside sunset.
Every single one of them flaunted Alexander's devotion to her.
Meanwhile, I lay on the freezing operating table, calling him all night without ever getting through.
In the end, I had no choice but to sign the surgical consent forms myself.
The baby's whimpering pulled me from my thoughts.
As I rocked the son in my arms, Lily leaned closer.
A familiar men's cologne mixed with the pungent stench of alcohol drifted to my nose.
I couldn't help but furrow my brows, instinctively taking a step back.
Lily's eyes immediately reddened, and she looked at me with a pitiful, wronged expression.
"Is Auntie afraid I'll bully my little brother?
Why are you backing away from me?"
"I'm just jealous of him, having such wonderful parents."
She let out a soft sob. "Unlike me... I don't have a single family member left."
Alexander's expression turned cold as he stood in front of Lily in a protective stance.
"Enough, Olivia!"
"If you're upset, take it out on me. Why throw a tantrum at a child?"
Lily flashed me a provocative smirk.
I clenched my fists, letting out a bitter laugh as I couldn't help but retort.
"A twenty-year-old child?"
"After all, I've never seen a girl sleeping in a man's arms right after her own mother died."
As soon as the words left my mouth, Lily covered her face and ran out.
Alexander's expression turned grim. "Olivia, since when did your mind become so filthy!"
With that, he hurried off to chase after the girl.
I stood there quietly until my phone chimed with a notification.
[Are you serious? If you're lying to me, I'll dig three feet under to drag you back home!]
Chapter 2
[Come pick me up in three days.]
After I finished nursing our son, Alexander walked in, holding the young girl's hand.
Seeing the baby in my arms, he frowned.
"Apologize to Lily right now!"
I twitched the corners of my mouth, a bitter taste spreading through my heart.
In all the years I had been with Alexander, this was the first time he had ever harshly scolded me for a stranger.
"I did nothing wrong."
But those words only enraged Alexander.
He snatched the baby from my arms and held him high in the air.
"Apologize to Lily right now!"
"Since when did you become so cold and heartless?
Only capable of hurting an orphaned girl."
I looked at my son in his grasp, my chest tightening in panic.
"Alexander, that is your son too!"
"You're using your own son to threaten me for an outsider. Do you even deserve to be a father?"
Alexander sneered, emotions I couldn't understand surging in his eyes.
"In my eyes, he's not even as important as Lily!"
"Now, apologize to Lily, or else don't blame me—"
His arm swayed slightly, his gaze icy and ruthless.
My son's cries echoed from above.
Alexander remained expressionless, staring straight at me.
Ignoring the panic in my chest, I bowed and apologized.
"I'm sorry!"
Lily waved her hand, pretending to be magnanimous.
I didn't care what she said, reaching out to snatch my son back from Alexander's arms.
I coaxed him softly.
A fleeting trace of disgust flashed through Alexander's eyes.
Frowning, he led Lily away.
Holding my son tightly in my arms, I bit my lip to keep the tears from falling.
I had longed for this child for ten years.
Yet the moment he found out I was pregnant, Alexander demanded I get an abortion.
I refused.
Alexander then began to give me the cold shoulder.
Meanwhile, I was immersed in the joy of pregnancy, unwilling to compromise.
The two of us seemed to have fallen into a stalemate.
Even now, I still didn't know why Alexander disliked him so much.
I sat there blankly all night.
The next morning.
Wearing a men's dress shirt, Lily fluttered around the living room like a butterfly.
Perhaps noticing the dark circles under my eyes, Alexander looked at me with a gentle expression.
"I made your favorite Wellness Oatmeal. You've worked hard lately."
My breath hitched for a second, unsure of how to face this sudden tenderness.
I subconsciously walked into the kitchen, but he suddenly cried out loudly toward someone behind me.
"Careful, Lily!"
I turned around to look.
It turned out Lily had stepped on the rug and nearly slipped.
Alexander caught her in his arms, his tone stern but full of worry.
My body stiffened.
When we were dating, I was delicate and afraid of pain, crying over the slightest injury.
And Alexander would tirelessly coax me over and over again, just to make me smile.
But now, he had given that privilege to Lily.
At the dining table, Lily giggled sweetly, praising Alexander's cooking.
Alexander tapped her nose, calling her naughty.
Watching the two of them playfully flirt, I only felt a coldness in my chest.
A moment later, Lily's face broke out in a massive red rash.
She instantly panicked and burst into loud sobs.
"Uncle Alexander, my face is so itchy!"
Alexander quickly grabbed her hands to stop her from scratching, glaring at me furiously.
"Did you just put dried cranberries in the oatmeal?"
"Lily is allergic to dried cranberries. Did you do this on purpose?"
"Olivia, since when did you become so vicious!"
A barrage of accusations smashed down on me, making my blood run cold.
My throat felt choked; I had no idea how to defend myself against these trumped-up charges.
Lily, her eyes red and swollen, looked at me with a pitiful expression.
"Is Auntie afraid that I'll steal my little brother's favor, so she purposely—"
She trailed off, causing Alexander's expression to turn even colder.
Seeing my silence, Alexander assumed I was admitting to it.
He grabbed my hand and locked me in the study.
"You stay in here and reflect on what you've done!"
The man's footsteps gradually faded away, and the air became terrifyingly quiet.
I didn't know how much time had passed before my son's loud wails came from next door.
I pounded desperately on the door.
"Alexander, let me out!"
Chapter 3
But no one answered.
The crying next door grew louder, and I was burning with anxiety.
My palms were red from pounding, but the study door wouldn't budge.
I called Alexander like a madwoman.
After twenty-six calls, he finally picked up.
"Alexander, please let me out! My son is crying!"
The man's cold voice came through the phone.
"Lily had an allergic reaction because of you, so that little bastard can suffer the punishment with you!"
The word "bastard" chilled me to the bone.
Before I could dwell on it, the crying through the wall gradually grew hoarse.
I had no choice but to climb out the window, gripping the railing as I carefully made my way to the bedroom.
Just as I reached the bedroom window, my hand suddenly cramped.
Before I could react, my entire body fell backward.
I squeezed my eyes shut in terror, only to fall into a soft embrace.
A muffled groan sounded.
It was Alexander.
He held me tightly, his face etched with the terrified relief of almost losing me.
"Olivia, what is so great about that bastard!"
"Are you willing to throw your life away for him?"
Ignoring the fury in his tone, I snatched the keys from his pocket and dashed upstairs.
By the time I had coaxed my son to sleep, Alexander was standing at the door, glaring at him coldly.
Suppressing the anger in my chest, I looked straight at him.
"Alexander, he is not a bastard. He is the baby I carried for ten months."
Alexander stood in the dim corner, his expression unreadable.
Unable to hold back my doubts, I questioned him aloud.
"Why do you hate him so much?"
He pressed his lips into a thin line, a chilling fury in his eyes.
"He isn't my—"
He was cut off mid-sentence by a ringing phone.
He frowned and turned to leave without hesitation.
Before leaving, he didn't forget to warn me.
"Don't let me see that bastard again!"
My hands trembled uncontrollably, my chest so tight I could barely breathe.
That night, I packed my luggage and shipped it out the next day.
I had intended to just leave the divorce papers behind, but after a moment's thought, I went to the hospital instead.
Seeing that I hadn't brought my son, Alexander gave me a rare pleasant look.
Without a word, he took the document and signed his name.
"In the future, you don't need my signature for things you like. Just buy whatever you want!"
I nodded coldly, my hand trembling as I clutched the divorce agreement.
Upon returning home, however, I was blocked by Alexander and his men. He angrily lit a cigarette.
Through the swirling smoke, I met his icy gaze.
"Where did you send Lily?"
I frowned, looking completely baffled.
"You must have deliberately tricked me into signing that so you could have someone take Lily away!"
I shook my head.
"It wasn't me. I haven't even seen her!"
Alexander grabbed my chin, his eyes fierce and ruthless.
"Lily must have left the hospital because of you. Go find her and bring her back right now."
"Otherwise, don't blame me for being ruthless to that bastard!"
With that, he ordered his assistant to take my son away.
With red eyes, I struggled frantically.
"It wasn't me! Let him go!"
But Alexander shoved me to the ground, and sharp gravel scraped my palms.
The stinging pain from my skin was nothing compared to the agony in my heart.
Tears fell silently as I grabbed the hem of Alexander's trousers, pleading with him.
Alexander stiffened for a moment, then walked away without hesitation.
Watching his retreating figure, my body couldn't stop trembling.
I staggered to my feet and searched every corner of the hospital, but Lily was nowhere to be seen.
Just as I stepped onto the street, a sharp pain struck the back of my head.
My mouth was gagged, a sack was roughly shoved over my head, and I was thrown into an empty room.
The next second, however, I heard a familiar voice.
"Is this the one who took Lily?"
Chapter 4
Then came Lily's tearful complaints.
"He's the one who took me away."
"He even threatened me, saying that if I didn't leave, he would—"
Before she could finish, Alexander kicked me hard in the abdomen.
A sharp pain hit me, and I couldn't help but curl up.
My throat felt blocked, letting out only a faint whimper.
"Who gave you permission to lay a hand on someone under my protection?"
I could only arch my back in agony, trying to explain but unable to make a sound.
Another kick landed.
Darkness blurred my vision, and my body convulsed violently.
Alexander let out a cold sneer.
"I want to see just how stubborn you are, refusing to say who put you up to this even now."
Just then, his assistant called.
"Olivia is missing too! You useless trash."
Alexander delivered another kick, this time straight to my chest.
"Speak—did you guys do this?"
Unable to suppress the metallic taste surging in my throat any longer, I vomited blood.
Moments later, an iron rod swung through the air and crashed brutally against my body.
With bloodshot eyes, Alexander raised it high and brought it down heavily.
Muffled thuds echoed from my bones, and the crisp cracks of fractures continuously exploded throughout my body.
I didn't know how much time had passed, but my body felt completely numb, and my consciousness grew hazy.
Lily's trembling voice drifted over, carrying a trace of fear.
"Don't... don't hit him anymore... Uncle! He's going to die—"
"Maybe Auntie has already gone home."
Alexander panted heavily and slowly stood up straight.
He pulled out a cigarette and called his assistant.
"Throw that bastard child far away. I want to make sure Olivia never sees him again when she gets back."
Hearing the news about the child, the blood in my veins seemed to freeze.
I used all my strength trying to get up, but Alexander kicked me hard again.
"Stay down!"
Lily looked completely confused.
"Uncle, won't Auntie be sad if you throw the baby brother away?"
"I was born with a low sperm count. For all these years, Olivia never got pregnant."
"But right after I came back from a business trip, she was pregnant." He paused. "This child cannot stay."
"I love Olivia, and I will never let this child affect our relationship."
Tears mixed with blood blurred my vision.
So that was it.
Alexander actually thought I had cheated on him.
The physical pain couldn't compare to Alexander's distrust.
It was like a knife ruthlessly plunging into my heart, leaving it a bloody mess.
I closed my eyes, letting the tears fall one by one.
Alexander lit his cigarette, his voice cold.
"I'm going back to find Olivia. Clean this place up!"
The man's footsteps faded into the distance.
A massive fire instantly ignited, scorching my powerless body.
Just as I was losing consciousness, a figure dashed into the flames and rescued me.
......
When Alexander returned home, he found the entire villa completely empty.
A sudden wave of panic washed over him.
He called me frantically, but the calls couldn't connect.
The next day, the doorbell rang.
Alexander rushed to the door, thinking I had come back.
A courier handed him a document.
The moment he opened it, Alexander's pupils constricted, and his body froze.
Inside the folder was exactly that—the divorce agreement.