Chapter 4%
“You can rest assured, Mother,” I said, meeting her gaze with unwavering resolve. “I will raise Natalie as my own daughter.”
“You’ve seen how I’ve treated her all these years,” I added with a firm resolution.“]
She nodded repeatedly as relief washed over her face while kept saying her gratitude, “Good, good! Since you’re willing to do this, Jacob can finally rest in peace. On behalf of him and his wife, thank you.“}
I curved my lips into a faint smile and said, “We’re family, so there is no need to thank you. It was also my promise to Talie at that time.“%
The moment the words slipped from my mouth, I bit my tongue.}
“What did you just say? Who’s Talie?” My mother–in–law had sharp ears so she immediately caught the name and suspicion flashed in her eyes.
I quickly shook my head. Without changing my expression, I said calmly, “You must’ve misheard, Mother.”
Years passed in the blink of an eye and Natalie, who was now eighteen years old, stood at the edge of the Olympic pool.
As soon as the starting gun fired, she sliced through the water like a fish and glided with effortless grace. She reached the wall first in the end. She even broke the world record and secured the world championship title in freestyle swimming.”
The internet exploded with excitement as comments crashed like a tidal wave.
[I can’t believe it! Wanda had really raised her late husband’s illegitimate child with his mistress for so many years and managed to turn her into a world champion!]
“Wanda is an incredible woman! Natalie wouldn’t be able to break the world record at eighteen years old like she did today without Wanda’s dedication!]]
The same netizens who once scorned me now changed their tune and praised me endlessly.
Yet, at that moment, my mother–in–law decided to give an interview.
Lifting her chin with pride, she declared, “Natalie’s talent comes from her biological parents‘ superior genes. It has nothing to do with Wanda.%
I scoffed at the absurdity of it all. After all, I had poured my heart and soul into training Natalie. I taught her every technique I knew for years. Without me, she would never have won the world championship at such a young age.”
Then my mother–in–law added, “Just wait, in the next few days, I will give everyone an explanation.“}
As I watched the smug satisfaction on her face, a sense of unease crept into my heart. What was she up to now?!
That night, she announced she was heading out. I nodded. I discreetly slipped a tiny listening device into the bottom of her handbag before sending her off with a smile on my face.%
Lately, she had been sneaking out at night and for a while, my gut told me something was off and something was brewing in the air. The house was quiet, the night deep and still. I sat by the receiver my heartbeat pounding in my ears.
Then, a voice crackled through the speaker. It was a voice I hadn’t heard in eighteen years, Jacob.
