Chapter 132 I Want to Bear His Child
He lowered his head, his voice heavy and deliberate.
"Kenna, listen to me. There are things I can't tell you in detail right now. But Ms. Edith Neville's death—it may not be what it appears to be. Mr. Hamilton and I are investigating."
Kenna's eyes widened. She drew in a sharp breath.
Liam nodded slowly, keeping his voice low.
"I can promise you this—if the investigation confirms what we suspect, it will be worse for Mrs. Hamilton than anything she's endured in the past five years. It could utterly destroy her."
He watched the color drain from Kenna's face and shook his head helplessly.
"So… you understand now? Sometimes not knowing the truth—even if it means living in a false sense of warmth, even with confusion and memory gaps—is better than living with brutal clarity. At least she can survive."
Kenna listened. She didn't know the details, but she understood now. This was worse than she had imagined.
Her body trembled. Tears spilled over.
Finally, her grip on Liam's sleeve loosened, finger by finger.
A long silence passed before she could speak again. Her eyes were swollen, her voice choked.
"Then… if this medication really does hurt Mrs. Hamilton… can you…"
"Don't worry." Liam understood immediately and nodded firmly.
"I'll watch her closely. If the medication isn't right for her, I'll talk to Mr. Hamilton myself. You won't have to ask. And if he refuses…"
He paused. A complex emotion flickered in his eyes.
"I'll switch the pills out myself. I promise. But Kenna—what I told you tonight about Ms. Edith Neville—you can't tell Mrs. Hamilton. You can't tell anyone. Understand?"
Kenna knew what this promise cost him. She nodded, though the tears kept falling.
"But… what if…" She wiped her face, unable to stop herself from whispering.
"What if one day Mr. Hamilton changes? Goes back to how he was before? What will Mrs. Hamilton do? She doesn't have a family anymore. She only has this place…"
Liam went quiet. He looked up toward the second-floor terrace.
Warm light glowed there. Designers moved about. Caroline sat in a chair, her profile tilted toward someone as she spoke.
He knew Kenna's fear. It was his fear too.
But what could he say?
Finally, he just stared at that distant glow and spoke so quietly she almost couldn't hear.
"Right now… Mrs. Hamilton has nowhere else to go. She can only stay here."
As for the future—whether she would keep living in a dream built on lies and medication, face the bloody truth someday, or find some third path no one could predict—no one knew.
Night settled fully over the villa.
Before dinner, Liam received a call from Alexander: a business dinner tonight. Tell Caroline not to wait up.
Outside the glittering ballroom, Celeste stood in the shadowed corridor leading to the garden.
A man in a server's uniform approached silently. Under the pretense of handing her a towel, he slipped something wrapped in a white handkerchief into her palm.
"Miss, please be careful." His voice was low. "This stuff is strong. It takes a while to kick in. At first it just looks like someone's drunk—won't raise suspicion. But once it hits, it hits hard. You need to time it right."
"I don't have time to overthink this." Celeste tilted her head slightly. "Tell your boss tonight needs to go smoothly. No mistakes."
The man bowed slightly. "Yes, miss. Our people will back you up. But… what you promised the boss—"
Celeste tucked the package into her evening clutch without a trace, zipped it shut, and only then looked up. Her gaze turned to ice.
"Once I'm pregnant with Alex's child and become Mrs. Hamilton, your boss will get everything I promised. Tell him not to worry."
The man's mouth curved into a knowing smile.
"When you're the real Mrs. Hamilton with all that power, don't forget the people who helped you get there."
Celeste gave a short, dry laugh and patted his shoulder lightly.
"Tell your boss I keep my word. Once I get what I want, he'll get every dollar I promised. He can relax."
She turned and walked away.
Inside the ballroom, Alexander was deep in conversation with several important potential partners.
Celeste approached with a glass of honey water, moving to his side quietly.
"Alex, you've had a lot to drink tonight. Have some honey water—it'll help. Otherwise you'll feel terrible tomorrow."
One of the clients laughed. "Mr. Hamilton, you and Mrs. Hamilton have such a loving relationship. It's enviable."
Alexander's brow furrowed—barely noticeable. He was about to correct him when Celeste spoke first.
"You're mistaken. I'm Mrs. Hamilton's sister. She's not feeling well lately, resting at home. She was worried about Alex being alone tonight, so she asked me to come along and look after him."
The client nodded with understanding. "I see! You sisters are so close!"
Alexander turned, his gaze sweeping over Celeste's calm, smiling face.
She had been unusually well-behaved tonight. Her words and actions were flawless. His irritation faded slightly. He gave a quiet "Mm" and took the honey water, sipping it.
Celeste lowered her eyes, hiding the flash of triumph.
Good. He didn't refuse. Step one was a success.
The event wound down.
Alexander had definitely drunk too much. The effects of the alcohol were now unmistakable.
Liam stepped forward, steadying Alexander's swaying frame. He kept his voice low. "Mr. Hamilton, the car's ready. Should we head straight back?"
"Yeah." Alexander closed his eyes briefly.
But before they reached the parking entrance, a sudden wave of nausea hit him.