The IVF Secret That Shook a Dynasty novel Chapter 204

Vivica pressed on. “Did you report it to the police at the time? Did you try to find out whose child I was?”

“We did, but the police didn’t care,” Evelyn said dismissively. “It wasn’t like it is now, where a missing child triggers a nationwide search. Back then, a lot of people abandoned their daughters because they were seen as a burden. The police couldn’t do anything about it. Your real parents probably thought you were a waste of money and just left you at the station.”

Evelyn glanced at Vivica before quickly looking away.

“If we hadn’t taken you in, you would have ended up in an orphanage. We saved you. We raised you, sent you to school. Look at how well you’re doing now. And what do we get in return? You turn on us, ungrateful and ready to disown us.” Evelyn’s voice rose as she tried to shift the blame back onto Vivica.

But Vivica wouldn't be sidetracked. “Don’t change the subject. Where did you report it? Which police station?”

Evelyn rolled her eyes. “It’s been over twenty years. That police station is long gone. You’ll never find it.”

Vivica studied her, seeing the resistance in her eyes. It was clear she wasn't going to get any useful information out of her. There was no point in wasting more time.

“Fine. If you won’t tell me the truth, I’ll find it out myself. And if I discover that I wasn’t abandoned, but that you trafficked me or acquired me through other illegal means, I will make sure you face the legal consequences.”

With that, Vivica turned to leave, not wanting to spend another second in that place.

“Vivica!” Evelyn suddenly panicked and scrambled after her. “Don’t tell your father about what you saw today!”

Vivica paused at the door and looked back at her with a scornful smile. “Weren’t you just talking so righteously a minute ago? You were even thinking of divorcing him for that old man.”

Evelyn trembled, her eyes darting around nervously. “Just don’t tell him. I raised you, after all. You owe me that much. If you don’t, you’ll face retribution.”

She was always cursing her with threats of karma. Vivica’s heart grew even colder. “If there’s any justice in this world, it should come for you first.”

She slammed the door behind her. She let out a long, slow breath, telling herself there was no reason to be upset over people like this. A sense of relief washed over her.

As she reached the second-floor landing, she saw a man standing in the stairwell. It was Roderic.

“Ms. Lynn,” Roderic said, turning to face her.

Vivica was surprised, but then it clicked. “Mr. Baird sent you to follow me?”

“Yes. He was worried about you and asked me to wait outside in case you ran into any trouble,” Roderic explained politely as he followed her down the stairs. His words sent a ripple of warmth through her chilled heart.

Roderic fell silent and immediately turned back to start the engine.

Joseph looked at Vivica, reading the disgust on her face. He could see that the scene had deeply unsettled her, perhaps even traumatized her. And Roderic, with his endless questions, was forcing her to relive it. What if it created a psychological barrier, a physiological block to any future intimacy between them?

As the thought crossed his mind, Joseph suddenly snapped back to reality.

Damn it! Nothing had even happened between them, yet here he was, thinking that far ahead, even imagining them together.

“I thought she’d be spending all her time trying to get those two out of jail,” Vivica mused, still in disbelief despite having seen it with her own eyes. “I never thought she’d be hooking up with some old guy from her senior social club.”

She could almost understand Evelyn not caring about her husband; their marriage had always been rocky. They only ever presented a united front when they wanted money from her. But to abandon her own son? That was something else entirely. She had always doted on him.

“That’s just human nature,” Joseph said calmly. “When disaster strikes, it’s every man for himself. It’s nothing surprising.”

In his years as a lawyer, he had seen the worst of humanity. Nothing she said shocked him.

Noticing she was still dwelling on it, Joseph subtly changed the subject. “What did she say about your past?”