?


    Rosalie poured a ss of warm water for Chandra and ced it on the table before sitting down nearby. "Well, what did you want to tell me?" Chandra nced around the room. "Where''s the child?"


    "He''s in the room. What exactly do you want?"


    Chandra remained silent for a long time. Suddenly, she grabbed Rosalie''s hand.


    Startled, Rosalie immediately pulled her hand back. "What are you doing?"


    "That bracelet was custom-made for you."


    Rosalie froze for a moment before quickly regaining herposure. For a brief second, she didn''t know what to say.


    Chandra''s simple statement carried far more weight than expected.


    Rosalie abruptly stood up, walked into the room, and returned a momentter with a bracelet in her hand. She ced it on the table. "Is this the one you''re talking about?"


    Chandra picked up the bracelet and examined it carefully. "Yes, this is it. I saw it at the restaurantst time. I wanted to ask you about it then, but the situation didn''t allow it. That''s why I came to find youter."


    Rosalie suddenly understood everything-why Chandra had asked such strange questions during their previous encounter, and why her attitude had shifted, bing less hostile than before.


    "What is going on?" Rosalie asked, struggling to maintain herposure.


    "I''m your grandmother. You''re the daughter of my eldest son."


    "Your eldest son?"


    "Yes, Christopher''s older brother. But you''re his illegitimate child. At the time, your identity was too sensitive. If his wife had found out, the consequences would''ve been severe. On top of that, there was intense internal conflict within the family, so we had no choice but to send you away."


    Rosalie lowered her head and took a deep breath before asking, "Then... Where is my biological father now?"


    "Hemitted suicide before you were born."


    "Suicide? Why would he do that?" Rosalie''s eyes began to glisten with tears.


    "He suffered from severe mental


    net


    illness. Coupled with everything else that was happening at the time, perhaps pushed him too hard." Chandra took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears. "Not long after he passed away, your mother gave birth to you."


    "Then who is my mother? Where is she now?"


    "After giving birth to you, your mother wasn''t safe. I made an agreement with her: I would ensure your safety, but she had to leave the country and live under a different identity. We''ve lost contact over the years, so I don''t know exactly where she is now."


    Chandra pulled out a photograph from her bag and ced it on the table. "These are your parents. Your background may not be honorable, but if there was any other choice, no one would''ve wanted to abandon you Sending you away was the safest option at the time


    Rosalie stared at the photograph. In it was a young couple—a man with his arm around a woman''s waist, smiling tenderly. Their eyes were filled with affection for each other, appearing deeply in love.


    Yet, one was a married man, and the other, a mistress.


    "So, I''m an illegitimate child, is that right?"


    Chandra looked at her silently for a moment before finally nodding.


    This revtion was difficult for Rosalie to digest. As she thought further, the implications began to overwhelm her, leaving her deeply unsettled.


    "That means Sebastian is my cousin, and Yvonne is my cousin too. Sebastian''s mother-your daughter-is my aunt?"


    Chandra nodded. "Yes. So whose child is it? Is it Sebastian''s?"


    Rosalie closed her eyes and, after regaining herposure, said, "The child is not Sebastian''s. Although Sebastian and I were married, we never had a physical rtionship."