Chapter 3

Her words were really strange, and coupled with her smug expression, Lyra couldn't help but wonder if this matter was related to her.

Before she could think further, footsteps suddenly came from behind, followed by Wyatt's voice: "What happened?"

Before Lyra could speak, Zane immediately started complaining, pointing at Lyra: "Dad, she bullied me. She tried to hit me just now. Waaah, you have to stand up for me and punish this old woman."

As he spoke, he even managed to squeeze out two tears, a stark contrast to the brutality he displayed when bullying Dodo earlier. If Lyra hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she wouldn't have believed that a child could possess such skillful acting.

Wyatt clearly believed him, or perhaps he didn't really believe him; he just instinctively didn't trust her.

"Apologize to Zane."

Hearing this, Lyra found it laughable. Without asking the reason, without distinguishing right from wrong, he so arbitrarily forced her to apologize? He was truly terribly biased.

She gave Wyatt a cold look, didn't apologize or say anything, and just left with Dodo in her arms.

Behind her came Zane's crying and Maddy's comforting words, which sounded ironic to Lyra.

On the way back, Dodo trembled uncontrollably in her arms, and no amount of comforting from Lyra could soothe her.

At the vet, the doctor shook his head upon seeing the dog, lamenting that in all his years of practice, he had never seen such a severely injured puppy. The bruises and fractures were bad enough, but the damage to its mental state and heart was even more alarming. After providing the necessary physical treatment, he comforted Lyra, telling her to do her best and leave the rest to fate.

Watching Dodo transform from a lively and adorable puppy into what she is now, it's impossible for Lyra not to feel resentment. But she also bears some responsibility for this; if she had taken Dodo with her back then, perhaps none of this would have happened.

Since things have already come to this, all she can do now is try to treat each day better from now on.

After settling Dodo in, Lyra planned to go to Bloodsworth's company. Although she had already resigned, her unauthorized return this time did raise attendance issues.

She hadn't been to the Bloodsworth's Building for three years, and now, standing before it again, she felt as if she had been in another world.

Before being assigned to Mexico, Lyra had interned here for a period of time. At that time, many people in the Bloodsworth family knew her because of her outstanding appearance. So as soon as she entered the building, many people recognized her, and whispers could be heard from time to time around her.

"Isn't this Lyra? What happened to her? I remember she used to be very slim. How did she get so fat?"

"You're absolutely right. She's so young, and she's already let herself get like this. She really has no self-control. Now that she's this fat, what man would want her?"

"If you ask me, it's probably because the conditions are better in Mexico, so she's started indulging in all sorts of food. I heard that the Mexico branch has been doing very well in recent years, earning over a billion dollars in profits under Director Bloodsworth's leadership. It seems she's been skimming off the top."

...

Although these people had tried to keep their voices down, the surroundings were so quiet that some of their words still reached Lyra's ears.

But she didn't care at all.

Over the years, she has hardened her heart in the business world and no longer takes these words to heart. Back then, when she was doing research and securing projects, she heard far more unpleasant things. Besides, gossip rarely lasts long.

Sure enough, not long after, another commotion arose beside her, but this time the protagonist was no longer her.

"Director Bloodsworth is so beautiful. Her looks and figure are both amazing; she's just like a female celebrity."

"More than that, I think Director Bloodsworth is even more beautiful than female celebrities, and what's most amazing is her temperament. Fresh and elegant, noble and aloof, there are very few female celebrities like her."

"Moreover, I heard that her appearance isn't what Director Bloodsworth is most impressive about; what's most impressive about her is her ability. It's said that she graduated from the top bioengineering program in Country A with a doctorate, and she had already developed multiple patents and won numerous international awards while still in school."

...

Following their voices, Lyra saw a tall and slender figure step into the building, wearing the latest runway piece from a luxury brand and carrying a crocodile skin bag. It was Maddy.

As she passed other employees, she always had a smile on her face and would occasionally greet them. However, her smile would turn cold when she met Lyra's gaze.

Lyra didn't really look at her, only giving her a cold glance. When the elevator arrived, she took it directly to the HR office.

On her way here, she had already made an appointment with HR, so they were already waiting for her.

The HR department was unaware that she had already submitted her resignation, so they only told Lyra about the punishment for returning without permission. According to company regulations, she would have one month's salary deducted, and she would also forfeit her year-end bonus.

As soon as she finished speaking, Lyra couldn't help but frown. She had thought of punishment, but she hadn't expected it to be this severe. Moreover, she had never seen this particular clause in the company's rules and regulations.

After repeated questioning, HR finally informed them that this was a newly drafted rule by Manager Bloodsworth, which took effect today.

In an instant, Lyra understood; it seemed that Wyatt really showed no mercy.

She didn't continue talking to HR, but instead took the elevator directly to Wyatt's office. She needed money right now; every penny was crucial to her.

As she watched the constantly changing red floor numbers in the elevator, she couldn't help but think that Wyatt was doing this simply to punish her and make her admit her mistake.

Although Lyra didn't think she had done anything wrong, the situation was special, and she could at least maintain appearances. Besides, she felt that she and Wyatt still had a marriage and a child in name only, and she didn't want to make things too tense.

As Lyra approached the door, she was about to knock when she suddenly heard voices coming from inside the office. It was Wyatt and Maddy.

Lyra didn't care about their affairs at all. Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly heard her own name from Maddy's mouth, and she couldn't help but stop in her tracks.

Maddy spoke to Wyatt in a gentle tone, with a hint of coquetry: "Wyatt, when is Lyra leaving?"

"Don't worry, I'll arrange it as soon as possible."

Wyatt replied quickly, and Lyra didn't need to look to know how gentle his expression was at that moment.

"Yes, I believe you," Maddy continued to whine. "You know, Zane and I were both very unaccustomed to her sudden return. She's changed so much, not to mention her strange personality. I don't mind suffering a little, but I don't want Zane to suffer."

"I know," Wyatt continued to coax her. "Don't worry, it's already being taken care of. She'll be back in Mexico soon. Come on, look at the gift I bought for you."

After she finished speaking, there was a moment of silence in the room, probably because Wyatt was getting her the gift.

Soon, Maddy exclaimed in surprise, "You bought me this bracelet? It must have cost over a million dollars, right? Why did you buy something so expensive?" Although her tone was surprised, she couldn't hide her excitement.

"It's not expensive, and it suits you perfectly." Wyatt remained gentle.

Listening to him, gently trying to please Maddy, Lyra felt only irony. He refused to lend her 3 million when her mother was sick, but turned around and bought Maddy a bracelet worth over a million dollars. The difference between loving and not loving was truly enormous.

Soon, Lyra heard Maddy crying, but it was clearly tears of joy: "Wyatt, you're the best to me. When I was pregnant, if Grandma had found out, she would have beaten me to death. You stepped forward and took responsibility, proposing to marry Lyra and pretending to adopt. Although our relationship can't be made public yet, I'm already very content to be able to stay by your and Zane's side like this."

"Don't worry, I was able to protect you back then, and I can still do so now and in the future. I will take responsibility for you and Zane for the rest of your lives."

...

Lyra couldn't hear anything else they said after that; her head exploded the moment she heard Maddy's words.

Maddy said Zane is her and Wyatt's child? Wyatt only married her to have a legitimate reason to adopt him? So, this marriage was a complete scam from beginning to end? Wyatt never loved her?

Lyra felt suffocated by the pain, her vision blurred, and her legs seemed to have lost all strength, leaving her only able to lean against the wall.

But the more she was in this situation, the clearer her thoughts became. The details she had previously overlooked were now naturally strung together like beads.

No wonder Wyatt was so eager to propose to her.

No wonder he sent her to the port city on the second day of their marriage.

No wonder she was so dismissive when she mentioned to Maddy that Wyatt had taken the initiative to propose marriage.

Lyra then thought of Zane and Maddy's striking resemblance, and how she had the illusion that the three of them were a family when she entered the house...

It turns out that all of this was premeditated and was all for Maddy.

Lyra was just a fool kept in the dark, foolishly believing she had found true love.

Looking back, she was suddenly kidnapped on her way home, and then that other thing happened. Lyra didn't really remember the whole process clearly, only vaguely remembering that the other party seemed to be from Mexico.

When she woke up, the first person she saw was Wyatt. He told her that he didn't mind her past and was willing to marry her. However, she was unable to have children and would need to adopt a child to maintain harmony in the family.

For Lyra at that time, Wyatt was like a savior who had fallen from the sky. The male god she had secretly loved for four years suddenly confessed to her, and it was at her most vulnerable time, so Lyra agreed without thinking.

Looking back now, it was all a lie; they were just using her.

Lyra burst into tears, her fingernails digging deep into her flesh, feeling an unprecedented sense of despair and confusion.

Just then, her phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID, quickly wiped away her tears, and walked outside.