?<strong>Chapter 1008:</strong>


    Katie’s voice faltered as she stared out of the window, her hand falling limp by her side. “He was the purest, most sincere person I ever knew. But we were too young—too naive to shoulder the weight of parenthood.” Rnd stayed silent as she continued.


    “He didn’t want to keep you at first. But I loved him so deeply. I thought having a child might bind us together, that we’d marry and be a family. But before you were born, his illness worsened. I was helpless, lost, and didn’t know where to turn.”


    She pressed a handkerchief to her mouth, her sobs muffled. “It’s the greatest mistake of my life! If I could go back, I would have raised you, even if it cost me my reputation.”


    Rnd’s gaze narrowed, his brow furrowing in confusion. “Illness? What illness did my dad have?”


    He had lived with Wade for over a decade and had never heard of anything like this.


    Katie froze for a moment, surprise flickering across her tear-streaked face.


    “You didn’t know? He had severe anemia.”


    The words hit Rnd like a tidal wave, leaving him cold and disoriented.


    He recalled overhearing vague mentions from those who had worked with Wade—something about his uncle having severe anemia.


    A cold, uneasy sensation crept through his body. An unsettling thought surfaced, one he wasn’t ready to confront.


    Beforeing here, he had resolved not to take Katie’s words at face value. Her past was riddled with lies, and he had vowed to rely on his own judgment. Yet now, the cracks in his certainty were widening.


    Hiding his internal turmoil, he adopted an air of indifference and asked, “Do you know Wade Potter?”


    “Wade Potter? You mean Chris’ brother? I only saw him once or twice, from a distance.”


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    Rnd chuckled, though the sound was devoid of humor. “Is everything you’re telling me true?”


    Katie’s concern deepened as she noticed his pallor. “Are you alright?”


    “I’m asking you again—are you sure everything you’re saying is true?”


    “Yes. What reason would I have to lie to you now?” Katie answered, her voice breaking as fresh tears welled up in her eyes. “If Joelle and Adrian hadn’t taken you from me, we wouldn’t have suffered so terribly—mother and son, torn apart!”


    Rnd’s eyshes quivered under the weight of her words. “What did you just say?”


    “I didn’t know who to turn to when I was pregnant with you. Joelle offered to help me raise you. I thought I could trust her. But I never imagined they would break their promise!”


    Katie’s manic state and haunting words kept reying in Rnd’s mind as he walked out of the sanatorium.


    “Adrian and Joelle were desperate for a son to carry on the family name, so they tricked me. They took you from me but didn’t treat you like their own. They abused you! Wade found me and told me everything, so I told him to get you out and gave him custody over you. If you don’t believe me, at least believe Wade. Everything we did was to keep you safe from those horrible people. Rnd, I never wanted to leave you behind, but I was incapable of raising you at that time. And now, my condition has worsened, and I don’t have much time left to live. Why would I lie to you with my state? I won’t ask you to forgive me after everything I did, but I want you to know the truth and recognize the people who truly care about you. I know I don’t deserve to be called your mother, but please know that I love you so much.”


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