Chapter 177

Derek stood frozen, his heart pounding in his chest as he stared at the woman lying on the hospital bed, her face contorted in pain. It had been years since he last saw Tahlia, his estranged wife, and now she was about to give birth to a child he never knew existed. The realization hit him like a tidal wave, washing away the carefully constructed walls he had built around his emotions.

Tahlia glanced up and locked eyes with Derek, a mixture of shock and vulnerability flickering in her gaze. "Derek?" she whispered, her voice barely audible over the sounds of the labor room. "Is it really you?"

He nodded, his voice caught in his throat. "Yes, it's me, Tahlia. I can't believe it's you. How did this happen?"

Tears welled up in Tahlia's eyes as she struggled to find the right words. "Barbara... she approached me with a proposal. She wanted me to take her place in the agreement. She thought I could help her secure the money by pretending to be her, but I never imagined it would come to this