Anastasia had always thought Rowan''s parents were dead. She never imagined the truth would turn out like this.


    His real parents had abandoned him. And to Rowan, that was no different from being dead.


    Anastasia frowned. "I always thought... his mother had actually passed away."


    "She did,” Hanna said with a bitter smile. "No news for decades-how is that any different?"


    "But just now..." Anastasia hesitated. She wanted to point out that Hanna had asked how Rowan''s mother died, which now seemed pointless.


    "You don''t know anything about him. I really feel bad for him," Hanna said, ncing at Anastasia. "You never really tried to understand him. For people like us, living in the dark, even a little warmth, a little light, is enough for us to cling to someone like they''re our whole world. You''re his light. He''s my whole world."


    Anastasia fell silent.


    What she had with Rowan, if you could even call it that, was really just Rowan''s feelings. She couldn''t deny that he''d helped her out more than once-she was grateful—but what she could give him only went so far. She couldn''t give him anything more.


    Hanna gave onest look at the police station before turning to leave. As long as Rowan stayed in this city, she''d never leave either.


    "Hanna," Anastasia called out, "if he ends up in there for ten, twenty years... would you wait for him?"


    Hanna stopped, her back to Anastasia. She stood there for a long moment before speaking quietly, "He doesn''t need me to wait. I''m not worthy of waiting for him."


    How could someone as broken as her ever deserve him?


    After Hanna left, Anastasia nced at the police station onest time, then started her car and drove away.


    The Walker house.


    Mr. Walker was home today-he''d taken a day off.


    Autumn wasn''t feeling well, so Mr. Walker had taken her to the hospital for a checkup, and they''d just returned. The doctor said Autumn was showing signs of a possible miscarriage. At her age, with all her worries and emotional ups and downs, she needed to stay in bed and rest.


    Mr. Walker helped Autumn settle on the bed, tucking a pillow behind her back. "Autumn, what do you feel like eating? I''ll have someone make it for you."


    "I don''t really have an appetite." Autumn pressed a hand to her uneasy stomach and shifted ufortably. "Mr. Walker, don''t worry about me. Go do your work- I''ll be fine."


    "I took the day off so I could stay home with you," he said, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Back then, when you were pregnant didn''t take good care of you. That''s why you fost the baby. This time,bwant to make it right. I can''t let that happen again."  s


    The words made Autumn''s guilt twist inside her. For a moment, she wished the child she was carrying really was Mr. Walker''s.


    "That case..." Autumn started, still troubled. Before Rowan turned himself in, she didn''t even know him, let alone that he was the one who''d killed those four kidnappers. Now that Rowan had pulled her into this mess, she wasn''t sure what evidence he had.


    "We have nothing to be ashamed of,” Mr. Walker said with a gentle smile, cutting her off. "I trust you. I know you didn''t do anything wrong. Ive already asked Mr. Taylor to look into everything and clear your name. Those four kidnappers-Ben was the one who contacted them?"  s


    Autumn hesitated. If they really dug deeper, things could get messy.


    She was far from innocent-she was terrified.


    "All four kidnappers are dead, right? So, was Ben really involved? Did he have some grudge against Anastasia or something? How could he be so reckless?" Autumn deliberately tried to shift suspicion onto Ben, who was already dead and couldn''t defend himself.


    "When people are desperate, there''s nothing they won''t do," Mr. Walker said, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "You just focus on your health. Tell me if you want something to eat, or if you''re feeling unwell."


    "Okay."


    Mr. Walker''s kindness only made Autumn feel guiltier. She looked at him, hesitated, and finally asked in a small voice, “Mr. Walker, if one day I made a


    mistake, or got in the way of your future... what would you do?"


    He smiled at her. "I wouldn''t be


    where I am without you. If you hadn''t kept our home together and supported me, I wouldn''t have anything. Don''t overthink it. When We got married, I promised you wed share good times and bad. I''m not the kind of man who leaves when things get tough."  s


    Autumn gave a dryugh. She couldn''t even remember what he''d said when they got married. Back then, after Devin left her, her heart was in pieces-she just married the next person who came along.


    "I was just asking, that''s all," Autumn said, lying back. "I want to get some sleep."<fnf93c> Checktest chapters at find{n}ovel</fnf93c>


    “Alright, get some rest. I''ll be in the study-just call if you need me." Mr. Walker gently tucked her in. But as he turned away, the warmth drained from his face, and something cold and unreadable flickered in his eyes.