Chapter 3

I looked at my daughter in disbelief.

Ethan held up a stack of photos in front of me with utter contempt on his face.

“Here’s a photo of you singing with men at a nightclub. Dressed so scantily—wasn’t it just to let men take advantage of you?”

“And this one’s even more explosive. Wearing a lace miniskirt, sprawled on a bed like a bitch in heat. If that’s not shameless, what is?”

I didn’t hold back as I struck Ethan twice across the face.

“The AI traces are so obvious, and you dare show these photos to our daughter to slander me?”

Ethan clearly hadn’t expected me to hit him. He stood frozen, eyes wide.

Lily rushed over, hitting and kicking me.

“You evil woman! Don’t you dare hit Dad!”

I used all my strength to pull the child into my arms.

“Lily, I’m telling the truth. I was taken by aliens for sixteen minutes. I didn’t expect six years to have passed in reality. I didn’t leave you behind.”

I glanced at the time and quickly pulled out the black crystal stone. “Look, the aliens gave me this. In two more hours, everyone who hurt me will face consequences.”

Lily disgustedly knocked the stone from my hand.

“Melissa was right. You’re not just a shameless vixen, you’re mentally ill too.”

She looked at Melissa.

“You’re the best doctor. Get some poison and kill her right now.”

Hearing my daughter’s words made every part of my body ache.

This child I’d spent half a year bedridden to carry safely, the child I’d given birth to—she actually wanted me dead.

I closed my eyes and swallowed the surging pain.

“Lily, I loved you for eight years. You’d rather believe a woman you’ve known for six years than believe me?”

“Yes.”

My daughter’s answer was resolute.

“I not only believe her, I’ve decided she’s the only mother I’ll ever have in this lifetime.”

Cold tears slid from the corners of my eyes.

Lily just looked at me with disgust, then took Melissa’s hand.

“Mom, let’s go write a disownment letter for this woman.”

Melissa smiled triumphantly.

“You go upstairs first. I’ll say a few words to her and then come up. Make sure she never bothers our lives again.”

I stared at my daughter’s retreating back. Melissa had already walked up to me.

Before I could react, she jabbed a needle into my shoulder.

Dense, sharp pain instantly spread through my entire body.

The smugness on Melissa’s face intensified.

“Clara, does it hurt? This injection is just to let you taste what it’s like to hit my man and try to steal my daughter.”

She grabbed my hair and forcibly pressed my head against the table.

“Clara, you actually lost long ago. I was already pregnant with Ethan’s child before you even disappeared.”

“As for your daughter, she’s only alive because she has a rich grandfather.”

Melissa sneered coldly.

“Since I couldn’t kill her, I could only be her good mother. I cook her delicious food every day just to make her forget how good you were. I also tell her bedtime stories, except in the stories, the female leads are all you.”

“In her heart now, you’re worse than a cheap prostitute.”

The immense pain was driving me insane.

I gathered all my strength, straightened my body, and grabbed Melissa’s throat with my other hand.

“You bitch! I’ll make you wish you were dead!”