?<strong>Chapter 1322:</strong>


    As she spoke, she looked at him with yful, alluring eyes.


    “You wouldn’t want me to just cry and stay home all day, would you?”


    Cliff scoffed.


    “No, I actually find your tears quite appealing. They make me want you more,” he said coldly.


    “If you hadn’t brought up the new neighbor, making me worry he might see something, do you think we’d be having this conversation now?”


    The image of that scene, with Cliff’s face in her mind, made Laney tremble.


    Cliff rarely became angry, but when he did, it was difficult to calm him down.


    Laney felt terrified. Though she missed him dearly, she couldn’t handle the current situation, wriggling to escape.


    “Cliff, you’ve been away on business for a while. You must be exhausted. How about a bath and a good night’s sleep, and we talk tomorrow?”


    Cliff unfastened his belt.


    “I appreciate the concern, but that won’t be necessary.”


    Laney was on the verge of tears, resorting to her usual tactic.


    “But Cliff, I’m hungry. I really need to eat.”


    Cliff’s expression didn’t change.


    “Isn’t that why I’m here, to take care of that?” He nced down at her t stomach with a suggestive look.


    “You can have it all.”


    Every journey starts at gα?ησν????s?c????


    At twenty-three, Laney stood at the altar with Cliff, her heart full of dreams. Given her youth, Cliff made the conscious decision to postpone starting a family.


    Three years slipped by before Cliff felt the timing was right. He bid farewell to his cigarettes and alcohol, preparing his body for the journey of fatherhood.


    Yet, fate had other ns. Each passing month brought more frustration as their attempts bore no fruit.


    As the seasons changed, a shadow of doubt began to cloud their thoughts. The weight of his thirty-three years pressed heavily on Cliff’s mind. Though his vigor remained unchanged, questions about fertility gued his thoughts. His dreams were filled with visions of a daughter—one whose charm and vitality would outshine even Caden’s little girl.


    Seeking answers, Cliff scheduled a consultation with an obstetrician.


    The doctor leaned back in his chair, offering an unconventional piece of wisdom.


    “Sometimes, the mind works in mysterious ways. During intimate moments, try wishing not to conceive.”


    Cliff studied the doctor’s face, his expression a mixture of skepticism and bewilderment.


    “I’m beginning to question your credentials,” he remarked, eyeing the doctor with suspicion.


    Undeterred by his doubt, the doctor merely smiled.


    “Give it a try when you get home.”


    The doctor’s words, though strange, took root in Cliff’s mind.


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