But the next second, he suddenly raised his head, looked into my eyes, and spoke slowly and deliberately, his tone was terrifyingly calm, yet it was like a poisoned dagger stabbing into my heart: "Clara, the doctor said that the child's condition is such that it will be difficult for him to recover in the future, and it is hard to say whether he will be able to grow up alive."
He paused, a calculating glint in his eyes, and said with a hint of coaxing, "Should we make plans soon and adopt a healthy child? That way, we can make up for our regrets."
I jerked my eyes up, my pupils contracting sharply as I stared at Liam in disbelief. The chill from his fingertips traveled through my veins to my heart, even my breath felt icy—he could say something like "raise another normal child" to his mentally challenged son without batting an eye.
Liam, completely oblivious to the turmoil churning within my eyes, tenderly took my hand and pressed soft kisses to the back of my fingers, his actions a stark contrast to the cold, aloof man he was in the study. "Clara, you've been so distraught since Leo's accident; it breaks my heart to see you like this," he said, his voice gentle, yet a barely perceptible urgency lurking in his eyes. "Instead of waiting for a hopeless outcome, why don't we adopt a healthy child? That way, we'll have something to look forward to in the future."
The words of accusation stuck in my throat, sharp enough to pierce his hypocritical mask—you ruined my son with your own hands, and now you want to find a "healthy" one to make up for your regret? But I swallowed all my anger, my nails digging deep into my palms, forcing myself to remain calm. I knew all too well that if we broke off all pretense now, neither my son nor I would have a chance to breathe.
Silence filled the ward, the smell of disinfectant growing increasingly pungent. I lowered my eyes, concealing the hatred within, and spoke tentatively, my voice a mixture of feigned timidity and expectation: "Liam, I don't want to raise someone else's child... How about we have another one when I'm feeling better?"