Chapter 3

Senna POV

Payton clearly hadn't expected an actual "husband" to appear.

He squinted and sized up Julian from head to toe.

Julian was extremely handsome-clean and gentle-looking, completely different from Payton's sharp, aggressive appearance.

Standing there, he was like a pool of water that could embrace everything.

"A doctor?"

Payton glanced at the name on Julian's ID badge.

"Julian? This is the man you found? Doesn't look like much. Does his monthly salary even cover one of your bags?"

This kind of humiliation came easily to Payton.

But Julian wasn't provoked. He just held my trembling hand tightly, his palm's warmth flowing steadily.

"I certainly don't earn as much as Mr. Barrett."

Julian smiled faintly, his tone neither servile nor overbearing.

"But every penny I earn is clean, and I give it all to Senna. Most importantly, I know how to respect people."

"Respect?"

Payton acted like he'd heard a joke, his eyes sweeping over me with contempt.

"Ask her. During those seven years with me, did she want respect or money?"

I felt Julian's grip on my hand tighten.

"What Senna wanted is in the past."

Julian turned sideways, blocking Payton's view.

"Now, she's my wife and the mother of my child. Since Mr. Barrett wants a test, then let's test. We're not afraid."

The testing center.

The atmosphere was oppressively suffocating.

Vivian sat on the sofa in the waiting area, holding a cup of hot coffee, her eyes darting back and forth between Julian and me.

"Dr. Julian is truly magnanimous."

She took a sip of coffee and sighed as if casually.

"Miss Senna made quite a name for herself at the Nightfall club. After being with Payton for so many years... most men would find it hard to accept, wouldn't they?"

She was exposing my past.

Years ago, to pay off debts, I had indeed worked as a server at a club. That's where I met Payton.

I felt Julian's body stiffen slightly.

Just as I was about to argue, Julian took the cold water cup from my hand and replaced it with his thermos.

"Everyone has a past."

Julian didn't even give Vivian a glance, just lowered his head to unscrew the cap for me.

"Before she met me, that was her suffering. After she met me, I only regret I didn't appear earlier to protect her."

Vivian's smile froze on her face like a clown who'd swallowed a fly.

And in the distance, Payton was playing with an expensive lighter, his expression so dark it seemed ready to drip water.

He stared at Julian fixing my hair and feeding me water, the violence in his eyes growing heavier.

Three hours.

These were probably the longest three hours of Payton's life.

When the testing center door opened and the doctor walked out with the report, Payton almost instantly crushed his cigarette and strode over.

He snatched the report, so roughly he tore the corner.

I sat in my chair without moving. Julian held my hand, completely steady.

Payton stared deadly at the last line of the report.

In that moment, I saw his tall frame sway violently.

Payton, who made decisive decisions in the business world, now showed an expression resembling "bewildered helplessness."

"How is this possible..."

He muttered to himself, his fingers trembling uncontrollably.

Vivian leaned over to look and exclaimed.

"Paternity excluded? It really isn't Payton's?"

She turned to look at me, her expression somewhat embarrassed.

"Looks like we misunderstood Miss Senna..."

Payton suddenly raised his head.

Those eyes that were usually full of arrogance were now bloodshot, churning with shock, doubt, and a barely perceptible... panic.

"Impossible."

He bit out through clenched teeth, his voice hoarse.

"Senna, you bribed the doctor?"

"Mr. Barrett."

I stood up and looked at him coldly.

"You chose this testing center. It was cleared out just half an hour ago. Do I have the supernatural ability to fake results right under your nose?"

"The fact is, this child has nothing to do with you. He's Julian's."

I pulled out a bank card from my bag-the "ten million" he'd just mentioned, and the one he'd thrown at me like alms to a beggar on the day we broke up.

I walked up to him and gently placed the card on the nearby table.

"Here's your money back. Payton, we're even."

Walking out of the testing center, the sunlight outside stung my eyes.

Payton didn't chase after me.

But I knew he was still inside, staring at that report and losing his mind.

Someone as proud and arrogant as him-how could he accept that something he was so certain about had gone wrong?

How could he accept that the plaything who, in his view, couldn't survive without him, had actually started a new life so decisively?

"Tired?"

Julian opened the car door and protected my head as I got in.

"A little."

I leaned back against the seat and let out a long breath.

Julian started the car. He didn't ask about what had just happened, just played a soothing cello piece.

"Senna."

After driving for a while, he suddenly spoke.

"Mm?"

"No matter what he says, don't take it to heart."

Julian looked straight ahead, his fingers on the steering wheel slender and strong.

"You're wonderful and deserve to be treated well. That child... if he's a burden to you, we can also..."

"No."

I instinctively protected my abdomen and turned to look at him seriously.

"Julian, I'm really looking forward to this child. He's our family."

Julian glanced at me, gentle affection rippling in his eyes.

"Alright, then we'll take good care of him."