The line went dead. Fang Hui stepped closer, her gaze falling on my phone. She frowned. “Who was that?” “Gu Zhizhou.” Panic washed over her features. “Tang Li, you did this on purpose, didn't you?” she snarled, her face livid with rage. Looking at her, I felt drained. "On purpose? What are you talking about?" "You...!" She started, looking like she was about to lash out, but then she visibly suppressed her fury. Gu Zhizhou arrived surprisingly quickly, bursting into the room so breathless it left me momentarily stunned. "Son, listen to me. Everything I do, I do for you." Fang Hui rushed to his side before he could even catch his breath, her voice pleading. Gu Zhizhou ignored her, his dark eyes fixed on me. "How far along?" he asked, his voice low and heavy. I knew he was asking about the baby. "Eight weeks," I replied. It was June, but a chilling frost seemed to settle over the hospital room. I dropped my gaze, the heavy silence in the room making it hard to breathe. Sensing the shift, Fang Hui tugged on Gu Zhizhou's sleeve, her eyes red as she pleaded, "Son, I—" Before she could finish, Gu Zhizhou cut her off, his gaze locking onto mine. His voice was low and laced with ice. "Was it your choice?" My body went rigid. I tilted my head back to meet his eyes. Beside him, Fang Hui tensed, her eyes narrowing into a glare filled with warning and threat. I pressed my lips together, took a shallow breath, and closed my eyes for a second. Then, I nodded. "Yes." *Crash!* The basket of fruit Fang Hui had brought was sent scattering across the floor, swept aside by Gu Zhizhou's hand. His dark eyes bored into me, but he said nothing. I could only bite back the pain and drop my gaze, unable to meet his. "Son, calm down," Fang Hui soothed, her voice a soft murmur in his ear. "There are plenty of women who would die to bear a child for the Gu family. We don't need *her*. You and Miss Lu can have as many children as you want. Don't waste your anger on a woman like this; it's not worth your health." Just like that, I was cast as the cruel mother who had willingly destroyed her own child. "Good," Gu Zhizhou's voice cut through the silence, eerily calm. All emotion was gone, as if the violent sweep of the fruit basket had been a mere accident. A sharp pain seized my chest. I couldn't stop myself from looking up at him, my mouth opening to say something, anything. But he clearly had no interest in hearing it. With an air of cold indifference, his tall frame turned and walked out of the room. In just a few minutes, it was as if he had never been there at all, leaving only the sterile, medicinal scent of the room behind. The moment Gu Zhizhou was gone, Fang Hui's face darkened completely. She lunged forward, her hand clamping down on my arm. Her sharp nails dug into my flesh, the pain so intense it made my scalp prickle. "You'd better learn your place, Tang Li," she hissed. "And don't you forget—whether your brother lives or dies is still up to me." I sucked in a sharp breath against the pain, forcing a nod. "Auntie Fang, you're hurting me." "Hmph." She snatched her hand back, but, still not satisfied, gave me a hard shove. I was caught off guard, and the back of my head slammed against the wall, the impact leaving me dazed. Fighting through the throbbing pain, I looked up at her and asked tentatively, "Auntie Fang... my brother...?" She eyed me with pure contempt. "Don't worry. I have no interest in the life of a half-dead kid. As long as you don't cause any trouble, I won't interfere with his treatment." Her words brought a wave of relief, and for the first time in hours, the knot in my stomach loosened. "Hmph. Don't get too comfortable," Fang Hui sneered, shooting me a disdainful look. "Zhizhou is engaged to Miss Lu now. Are you really going to keep clinging to him so shamelessly?" I understood what she wanted. I lowered my head and took a breath. "Don't worry, Auntie Fang. I'll be gone as soon as I can." "Hmph." She snorted, her disdain palpable. "You'd better be." She tossed a bank card onto the blanket. "Here. Your reward." A final warning followed: "Now keep your mouth shut." I watched as she clicked out of the room on her high heels, her hips swaying with a triumphant rhythm. The color drained from my face. I stared at the bank card on the blanket, a sickening knot tightening in my chest. It must be nice to be rich. You can trample all over someone's dignity without a second thought.