"Is she still dreaming, not facing reality?" Ben thought.

"No, please... he's just a child, he doesn't understand. Don't hold anything he said against him," Jamie shook her head repeatedly, desperation in her voice.

Her only wish now was to stay as far from Ben as possible, never to see him again. She didn't want any connection to him, least of all his help.

Charlie looked at them, utterly confused.

"I'm heading back to the office now, but in three hours, I'll be home to wrap up this case," Ben said, turning to Jamie with an intense gaze. "I expect to see you there when I return. If not...well, I know which hospital room your son is in. And don't forget your sister, either. Just where do you think you could hide?"

With that, he left, satisfied. Until now, he had only had one piece of leverage over Jamie. Now he had two.

As Ben walked out of the room, he opened his hand to reveal a single strand of hair, plucked from the root. Though he knew the chances were slim that Charlie was his child, he wanted to confirm it.

Inside the hospital room, as soon as Ben was gone, Jamie wrapped her arms tightly around Charlie, silent tears streaming down her face. "Did he do anything to you?"

"No, Mom. He just came in and asked who my dad was. At first, I thought he was a bad guy, but then he showed me a picture of you two together. You looked so happy in that photo," Charlie said innocently, sharing whatever came to mind.

Jamie's tears fell even harder. On

the day she accepted that check, she had deleted every trace of their past photos, hoping to erase him from her life completely. Keeping them only added to her heartache. But Ben hadn't erased anything. The more he had once loved her, the more he likely hated her now.

"Mom, why are you crying?" Charlie asked, taking a tissue from the bedside table and gently wiping her tears. "Did that man hurt you? If you don't like him, I'll never see him again. If he comes back, I'll tell him to leave!"

Charlie's fierce loyalty brought a faint smile to her lips, though she quickly shook her head. "No, you can't do that. Don't confront him."

Ben was vindictive, and his anger toward her could easily extend to Charlie. If Charlie angered him, who knew what he might do?

"Promise me, honey, don't argue with him. If he comes, let him be. If he ever tries to hurt you, press the call button by your bed and get the nurse, then let me know right away," Jamie instructed him carefully. Charlie nodded, his impression of Ben soured. "In the end, only Mom is good to me," Charlie thought.

At the Lucas family residence, an elegantly dressed woman sat on a plush sofa, sipping premium tea from an enameled porcelain cup. The butler stood nearby, giving a respectful report.

"They're seeing each other again?"

Mrs. Lucas set her cup down on the

coffee table with a sharp clink, her face clouding with displeasure. "And Jamie's even had a child. That

woman has no shame. She'll stop at nothing to get into this family."

Years ago, she had given Jamie a generous check to ensure a clean break between her and Ben. Jamie had taken the money, but secretly had the child anyway, completely breaching their agreement.

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