The Baby Name I Chose for His Mistress's Son

I was adopted by the Tran family when I was sixteen, just starting high school. Back then, Hayden was already twenty-three, fresh out of university. He came from a wealthy background and was strikingly handsome, constantly surrounded by a swarm of admirers.

I would often feel a pang of jealousy and approach him, saying, "Hayden, can't you keep your distance from those girls?" He would chuckle softly and ruffle my hair, replying, "Whatever Nora wants, Nora gets."

In my teenage heart, I mistook that for love. I did everything I could to be near him, to understand his interests, and to become the kind of person he would cherish. At eighteen, I put on a glamorous Victorian-style dress and high heels for the first time. During a Thanksgiving party, when a rich young man struck up a conversation with me, Hayden dragged me into the restroom and kissed me passionately. His dark eyes were intense, as his tousled hair fell forward and he pressed his forehead against mine, declaring, "You belong to me."

Initially, he filled me with hope, showing affection in countless ways. Yet now, he accused me of being clingy. Heartbroken, I walked away, unable to hold back my tears as I reached the door. My hands trembled as I took out my phone and opened WhatsApp. The latest message was from Hayden: "Happy birthday, Nora."

At that moment, I was in the middle of saving a pregnant woman, covered in blood, having been awake for over twenty-four hours. But his message gave me a renewed sense of energy. I wiped away my tears and called him through voice chat.