Chapter 1Giving Her to the Sea

On the day of my agonizing labor, I fought with everything I had to bring my husband's child into the world.

Ben wept with relief, pressing his forehead against mine, his eyes full of deep, aching tenderness.

"Jess, he is perfect. He is healthy, and he looks just like you. The doctor gave you a sedative, sweetheart. Just close your eyes and rest."

I squeezed his hand, a weak smile brushing my lips.

The Monroes had struggled with fertility for generations. After years of painful injections and endless medication, I had finally delivered a healthy baby boy.

But just before the darkness claimed me, the muffled voices of my husband and my brother, Nate, drifted through the heavy haze of the sedative.

"Do it, Nate. Rainey might have been adopted by our family, but she has always been fragile and insecure. She compares herself to Jess in everything."

"This time, because her own baby was born with a dark birthmark, she has been completely devastated. If she finds out Jess gave birth to a perfectly healthy boy, it will break her."

Nate's hands trembled as he held the surgical shears.

"Ben, are you sure? This might be the only child you ever have. You really want to clip his finger and make him disabled?"

My heart constricted violently. The blood in my veins turned to ice.

"Don't talk about it, Nate." Ben's voice wavered, but then it hardened with terrifying resolve. "We already agreed. Rainey has suffered too much. Protecting her is our responsibility. If I wasn't bound to Jess by that childhood arrangement, well, forget it. I've already failed Rainey in this life. Nothing matters more than keeping her happy from now on."

I tried to wake up, screaming inside, but my limbs felt like lead.

* * *

But my body betrayed me.

Under the heavy weight of the sedative, I could not even flutter my eyelids.

A sharp, piercing wail of a newborn shattered the quiet of the room.

Nate's voice drifted over again, carrying a faint, relieved chuckle.

"It's done. Go tell Rainey the good news. This should cheer her up."

Ben's response was eager and hurried.

"Thanks, Nate. I'll leave the rest to you."

I lay there, my body frozen, feeling as though I had been plunged into an abyss. That desperate cry echoed in my mind, refusing to fade.

"No!"

I jolted awake, gasping for air. Looking around the unfamiliar recovery room, my heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird.

I threw off the blanket, desperately trying to get out of bed, but a pair of strong, familiar hands caught my shoulders, pinning me down.

"What's wrong, Jess?"

Ben looked down at me, his eyes wide with concern. "You just gave birth. You are incredibly weak. The doctor said you cannot get out of bed yet."

"Where is my baby?"

I stared at him, my gaze cutting like a knife.

Ben's eyes rimmed with red. He hesitated, looking away before speaking in a low, choked voice.

"Jess, I am going to tell you the truth, but you have to stay calm."

"The baby, he was born with a congenital defect. His middle finger is missing half its length. Nate took him to a specialist right away to see if there is any way to reconstruct it."

"Don't worry." He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me tight against his chest. "No matter what it takes, no matter the cost, I will find a way to fix our son."

Listening to his shameless lie, my chest tightened. It felt as though a thousand needles were piercing my heart over and over, suffocating me.

I pushed him away with all the strength I could muster.

"I want to see my baby. Now!"

I stumbled toward the door, my legs trembling. Just as I reached the hallway, I ran headfirst into Nate.

He was cradling a sleeping infant in his arms.

A gasp of relief escaped my throat. I snatched the baby from him, immediately unwrapping the blanket to check his tiny hands.

Ten perfect fingers. Not a single scratch.

Wait. Something was wrong.

My hands shook, and I nearly dropped the child.

Nate quickly took the baby back, glaring at me with deep disapproval.

"You are a mother now, Jess. How can you be so careless? Rainey's baby is the pride of our family. What if you had dropped him?"

Ignoring his scolding, I gripped his arm.

"Where is my baby, Nate? Ben said you took him. Where is he?"

Nate blinked, a sudden look of guilt crossing his face.

"Oh. I ran into Rainey on the way, and she needed to use the restroom. I just left your baby on the plastic chairs by the elevator."

The world seemed to spin. I pushed past him and ran down the corridor.

Ben chased after me, calling my name.

But then, a soft, delicate voice echoed from behind us.

"Ben."

The hurried footsteps behind me stopped instantly.

Mercifully, my baby was still on the bench. Two kind strangers were standing guard over him.

I wept as I thanked them, cradling my son against my chest. Looking down at his tiny, bandaged hand, a fresh wave of agony washed over me.

When I carried my baby back to the room, sound of laughter drifted through the half-open door.

Ben and Nate were huddled around Rainey, eagerly playing with the baby in her arms.

They looked like a perfect, happy family.

And I felt like the stray they had accidentally brought home.

I wiped a tear from my baby's soft cheek, turned around, and walked to the nurse's station to borrow a phone.

I dialed a number I hadn't called in years.

"I've decided to join the classified research project."

The voice on the other end lit up with excitement. "Jess! I am so glad you finally realized how much the department needs you. But this project is a ten-year commitment in a secure, isolated facility. Are you sure you can leave your family behind? What about the baby?"

"I am bringing my son with me," I whispered, my voice thick with unshed tears. "But I have one condition."

"Name it."

"Help me find the best pediatric reconstructive surgeon in the world. We need to leave within the week."

The line went quiet for a moment, the tone shifting to one of serious concern.

"Jess, what happened?"

"Please don't ask. Just help me."

A heavy sigh came through the receiver. "Alright. Consider it done. I will have everything arranged within seven days."