Liam Lowell laughed hysterically.

Grace Lorenz stared at him, eyes wide with shock. "What did you say? Impossible!"

Several thoughts raced through her mind. She suddenly looked at Liam. "You and Isabella... you two..."

Liam stopped laughing. "That's right. Her mother is my aunt..."

He lowered his head, covering his face. "Do you want to call me a monster? But I truly didn't know!"

He only knew his father was a gambler.

During those dark, despised days, Isabella was like a beam of light in his life.

She tutored him and took him out for good food.

She seemed like an unattainable goddess, and he fell for her uncontrollably.

He just had a crush on the girl next door... she was only two years older. After he got into college, they couldn't resist their feelings.

He genuinely knew nothing.

Until Isabella told him his father was threatening her. He demanded two million... where could she get two million? Isabella cried bitterly, planting the idea of killing his father in his mind!

His father could hurt anyone, but not Isabella.

Liam devised a perfect plan...

He took the money to the abandoned hospital to meet Leo Lowell. He took out his phone and asked Leo to record a few sentences. He lied, saying it was to threaten Evelyn Ross if she caused trouble.

Leo wasn't a good father. He gambled everything away.

But Leo was also a good father.

Liam's tuition came from all his father's scams and schemes. At least he never let Liam go hungry.

In this world, Leo's only concern was his son.

After recording, Leo told him, "I have something on Isabella. Use this to keep her in line. If anything happens to me, use it to threaten her."

Liam nodded. He wasn't interested in his unattainable love's secret... he just wanted to help her get rid of this man!

He shoved Leo hard toward the steel rebar behind him!

As the rebar pierced Leo's chest, he couldn't believe it. He murmured, "Why? Why?"

Liam sneered. "It's one thing for you to make me lose face, but you should never have threatened Isabella! Dad, she's the woman I love most..."

Leo stared in shock. "How... how could you love her? No, you can't..."

"Because she's the only one who was ever good to me."

Leo was stunned. Understanding dawned on him before death. With his last strength, he cried out his final words. "But she's your aunt's daughter! Your aunt and I switched the babies years ago!"

After saying this, he could speak no more.

Liam was completely dumbfounded.

But he had no time to think. Evelyn was coming through the door...

He jumped out the window and escaped. Then he followed the plan and entered the room. His mind buzzed as he played his part, framing Evelyn as the suspect.

Fortunately, he had just lost his father. The police could understand his complex emotions.

His confused, shocked reaction fit the situation.

After giving his statement and returning to his dorm, he lay on his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

Some things, he didn't dare to think about.

But he suddenly understood. Why did Isabella appear when everyone avoided him? When his family couldn't afford a shower and he was dirty?

She was clean and pure. Her smiling face was beautiful.

But her closeness was only because Leo threatened her...

She never truly liked him. She was just afraid of angering him, afraid Leo would be dissatisfied. So she played along with his crush? Didn't dare reject his advances?

No, that couldn't be...

Liam covered his face with the blanket. Tears rolled from the corners of his eyes.

In that moment, he finally understood. The person who loved him most in this world had always been his father... But he still refused to believe it.

Later, Evelyn fought him with public opinion.

He was almost driven mad by the insults at school. His mental state suffered. Whenever he reached out to Isabella, she was impatient.

She seemed eager to cut ties with him.

The more she acted this way, the more he understood the truth. The more guilty and miserable he felt...

Finally, he couldn't take it anymore. He used the secret to threaten her! Forced her to see him!

He thought he could be like his father. Just mentioning the secret would make her comply. But he was no match for his father...

Isabella knew him too well. Knew his indecisiveness. Knew he wouldn't mutual destruction. She threatened him back.

A strange balance formed between them.

But he knew he was losing.

Later, he realized he had lost from the very beginning.

Evelyn and Officer Grace Lorenz saw through his disguise. They caught him.

Since the murder was exposed, how could he let Isabella, who manipulated him into killing his own father, walk free?

Liam went crazy then.

He would reveal Isabella's secret!

But he never expected, as he was being arrested, as the police took his phone as evidence, he saw a document Isabella sent.

It showed she was pregnant.

Five weeks pregnant.

Five weeks... that child was his!

Liam didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

He wanted to cry because his life was over. He would spend the rest of his days in prison.

He wanted to laugh because he had a child. His child would be raised as a Vance. Like a little princess or prince. They would never have to live the life he did.

So he kept his mouth shut again.

He knew Isabella had him completely under her thumb...

During this time, Liam lived in anticipation.

He silently calculated the baby's growth every day. Counted down the days until birth...

This child became his only hope.

But now, even that hope was shattered.

Isabella was too cruel.

Liam lowered his head. He suddenly covered his face. After revealing Isabella's secret, he foresaw her fate. But for some reason, he felt no satisfaction from revenge. Only emptiness.

He broke down sobbing.

His whole life was indeed a joke.

How could he kill the father who loved him most, all for a woman?!

He finally began to feel regret. It was too late for remorse.