A Heart That Will Never Warm

When Danielle regained consciousness, the sharp smell of disinfectant made her cough violently.

The stark white ceiling blurred before her vision as Matthew's low and steady voice sounded beside her. "Are you awake? How are you feeling?"

"Olivia!" Danielle shouted.

She bolted upright, ignoring the sharp pull of the IV needle in her arm as she frantically threw back the covers and tried to get out of bed.

Matthew quickly restrained her. "Calm down. Olivia is fine. Meghan is watching over her in the next room."

Danielle shoved him away. "Get out!"

Matthew's expression darkened. "Danielle, I know you're angry, but Taylor's kidnapping was an emergency. I had no choice."

Danielle grabbed the glass from her bedside table and hurled it at him. Shards exploded near his feet.

"How can you sacrifice my daughter's life just because you had no choice? Get out, Matthew! I never want to see your face again!"

Impatience crept into Matthew's voice. "Do you really have to act like this? Ever since you had the baby, your moods have become increasingly unpredictable. Fine, I'm leaving. Call me when you've calmed down."

He slammed the door behind him, leaving her in total silence.

Before Danielle could collect herself, Meghan walked in holding an agreement, a confident smile on her lips. "Your daughter is in the nursery. Sign this, disappear from Matthew's life forever, and I'll let you take her."

Danielle took the papers, her fingers brushing over the clause that forbade her from ever appearing in Matthew's life again. When she looked up, her gaze was calm. "You staged your son's kidnapping, didn't you?"

Meghan arched an eyebrow, not bothering to deny it. "You're smarter than I thought. I just wanted you to realize that in his heart, Taylor and I are his real family. He saved Taylor and only cares about the two of us. You have no chance."

Danielle said nothing more. She flipped to the final page and signed her name.

When the nurse brought Olivia to her, Olivia's tiny body curled against her chest, and Danielle's composure finally broke. Her tears began to fall. This child was her entire world.

Meghan watched them and sighed. "I once thought he loved you too. Our first time was an accident, and he avoided me for months until I found out I was pregnant.

"But men always change. He may have loved you once, but now he loves me. Besides, I gave him a son. Your daughter could never compete.

"I know you look down on me, but you were just lucky to be born into a better family. If you were in my shoes, you might not have been any more virtuous."

Danielle offered a faint smile, not bothering to argue. Her throat burned, and even a single word felt like too much effort.

Before leaving, she went to the office to conduct one final audit of the Escort Project's production logs. She compiled all the evidence of Meghan substituting inferior materials and pocketing the difference into an encrypted file.

Justice would come, sooner or later. Meghan's actions would eventually catch up with her. Danielle looked forward to seeing if Matthew could still protect his greedy wife when that day arrived.

After boarding the plane with Olivia, Danielle sent Stefan a message. "Sorry for the delay. I promised to marry you, and I'll keep my word."

The reply came almost instantly. "Danielle, I've waited 12 years for this day. I'd wait even longer if I had to."

Her nose stung.

She scrolled and saw a post from Meghan on social media. The photo showed Taylor in a birthday hat, with Matthew and Meghan pressing kisses to his cheeks from either side.

The caption read, "Our birthday boy is seven years old! Mommy and Daddy will love you forever."

There was also a photo of the title deed to an amusement park. It was Matthew's birthday gift to Taylor.

A moment later, a message from Matthew popped up. "Danielle, something urgent came up at the office. I'll be home late."

Another message came through. "When I get back, I'll handle Olivia's birth certificate and find the best specialists for her condition."

Shortly after, a final message arrived. "I'll love you forever, Danielle."

Danielle scoffed and immediately blocked every point of contact for both him and Meghan.

As the plane pierced the clouds, she powered off her phone and lowered her head to kiss Olivia's soft hair.

She whispered, "Are you only thinking about Olivia's paperwork now? It's too late. Her last name is already Bradford. In the years ahead, she'll be calling the man you hate most 'Dad.' Matthew, I hope you're ready for that."