𝑌𝑜𝑢'𝑟𝑒 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑀𝑜𝑠𝑡 𝑃𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑢𝑙 𝐷𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚 𝑂𝑓 𝑀𝑖𝑛𝑒

The Daughter He Never Knew Existed

Zhan asked Yibo to give the child to him since he didn't want to disturb her sleep. He had noticed how tightly Yibo had been holding the child for so long, and he knew Yibo's arms must be hurting by now.

"Beauty, give me the child. I'll put her in my room upstairs," said Zhan, coming closer to Yibo.

But Yibo immediately stepped back, making Zhan stop where he was.

Yibo didn't fail to notice that Zhan had called him Beauty again. His voice was still caring and loving, just like before. Yet Yibo still couldn't understand Zhan. He didn't know what was going through his mind or what kind of state he was in.

"Zhan... she doesn't like to sleep without me," said Yibo, holding her even more tightly.

He still couldn't bear to show his daughter's face to Zhan. He knew Zhan would surely notice how much she resembled him and would immediately start asking questions. And Yibo had already lied to him again and again.

Ye-ji, meanwhile, wondered why Yibo loved calling his daughter Beauty from the beginning. It looked like Yibo truly and deeply still loved Zhan.

Taehyun simply looked at Yibo again.

Yibo knew his son was going to say something hurtful and awful to him, and he was ready to bear it, even though his heart couldn't take much more.

A part of him wished he had died, just like his son had told him before.

"Dad, don't ask him again and again. You don't need to be that kind, Dad. I wished you had listened to me when I told you to remarry, but you never did," Taehyun said, giving Yibo a cold look.

"Taehyun, dear, stop," Zhan said.

He didn't want Taehyun to hurt Yibo more and more, especially knowing that Yibo had once loved him so deeply that it was difficult to put into words. Even Zhan couldn't explain everything his own son didn't know.

Before Yibo could say anything, his eyes fell on the same photograph hanging on the wall.

It was the photograph taken when Yibo had been two weeks pregnant with Xian.

He smiled at the photo.

"Dad, I told you many times that I don't want any photos like this. If I see this photo again, I will not leave it in this house," Taehyun said, staring at Yibo.

He had noticed Yibo smiling at the photograph.

He wouldn't lie—the smile was exactly the smile his dad had described to him so many times.

Even though Taehyun didn't want to listen, Zhan had never stopped talking about Yibo. He knew how much his dad had loved Yibo, but he still couldn't understand why Yibo had killed his sibling.

His sibling hadn't even been born.

Taehyun remembered how much Zhan had cried for months and how badly he had suffered. He always thought about his sibling, especially today.

Today was their second birthday.

The birthday of his sister or brother who, in Taehyun's mind, was in heaven.

"Dad, I'm tired. Why didn't I die with my sibling, Dad? You know, they might be two now," Taehyun said.

Yibo, Zhan and Ye-ji all froze.

Ye-ji couldn't believe what she had just heard.

A small child was saying that he wished he had died with his sibling.

She knew how much of an effect Yibo's fake pregnancy-abortion story had had on Taehyun. It was heartbreaking to hear those words coming from his mouth.

She looked at Yibo.

He looked as if lightning had struck him.

Yibo stood there completely shocked, wishing he could disappear before hearing any more.

"Son, shush. I told you many times that your siblings are happy up there. Come here..." Zhan said, his voice breaking.

"And what would happen to me if something happened to you, Taehyun? I wouldn't be able to live without you, son. I don't want to lose another child that I raised with my own hands."

Zhan was crying as he lifted Taehyun up and kissed him.

He knew that if something ever happened to Taehyun, he would bring everyone to their knees if they were responsible. He wouldn't care whether they were his friends or anyone else.

Taehyun was the only reason he was still alive in this world.

Suddenly, Xian woke up slightly.

She was still half-asleep and hadn't even opened her eyes when she said something in her cute little voice.

"Am... hungry."

Yibo looked at her.

"Zhan... can I feed... my daughter? I just need a... room, at least. It would be... grateful," Yibo said through his tears.

He didn't want his daughter to see him crying.

Otherwise, she would create a whole situation.

She didn't see anyone as her own. If her mother was crying, then everyone else needed to cry too—especially the people who had made her mother cry.

When Xian was still inside his belly, Yibo would always share everything with her. That was one of the only positive things that had come from everything he had gone through. He would tell her the good things and keep the negative things to himself.

Back in time...

"Beauty, calm down. Stop kicking me, dear. It hurts," Yibo said, holding his huge eight-month belly, which looked like a big, round tomato that was about to explode.

"Oh, so you want to know about your mum's life?" Yibo asked.

He already knew how much his daughter loved listening to him.

If he stopped talking, she wouldn't give him any peace. She would keep kicking him until he started talking again.

Sometimes, Yibo would remember Zhan's younger days and think about how his daughter was such a troublemaker.

Maybe Zhan was also a troublemaker, Yibo thought.

He gently rubbed his belly and started telling his unborn daughter how much he missed her, how much he wanted to hug her, kiss her and do countless things with her once she was born.

"Yeah, sure. I'll show you. And Taehyun, stay here, baby," Zhan said, kissing Taehyun's forehead.

He knew Taehyun was the best gift he had ever received, even though God had taken both of his other children away from him before they were even born.

Slowly, Zhan made his way upstairs.

Yibo remained there, staring at the photograph hanging on the wall.

From the way Yibo looked, Zhan could tell that he was completely broken and was about to fall apart right in front of him if Zhan said something more.

After a few rights and lefts, Yibo...