The 99th Divorce

She rarely slept so soundly. But when she woke up, she realized that she had lost everything overnight.

It felt like a dream.

Shen Manting got up and expressed the milk from her breasts. After washing up, she switched her phone on.

Her mobile phone had been turned off the entire night.

As soon as the phone was switched on, she was confronted with a barrage of missed calls and text messages.

She immediately turned off the signal and turned on the Wi-Fi connection.

She opened her WeChat app. Shen Luo’an had bombarded her with messages.

Shen Luo’an: Where are you?

Shen Luo’an: The baby has been crying for his mother the whole time. Where are you?

The messages opened the floodgates. Her tears had dried up, but were now streaming down her cheeks again.

Her shoulders heaved as she sobbed aloud.

Shen Luo’an: [Voicemail message]

She tapped on it. She heard the infant wailing.

Aunt Lin’s voice came through: “Manting, the baby has been crying himself hoarse, calling for his mother. How could you bear to leave him behind?”

Shen Luo’an: [Voicemail message]

His deep and calm voice reached her ears.”I know you despise me, but the child is innocent. You gave birth to him. What kind of mother are you, abandoning him like this?”

She could hear the infant’s wails in the background over his pleading voice.

Yes, the infant was innocent.

Shen Manting’s resolve was swayed.

She gave birth to the baby. Why should she let the man stake his claim on him?

If Shen Luo’an were to marry another woman, would the stepmother abuse the child?

However, if she took the baby along with her, she couldn’t afford to raise him…

What should she do?

Shen Luo’an launched into a frenzied search for her.

He sought help from his contacts and checked the surveillance records. He had exhausted every possible means.

The security forces couldn’t find any records of Shen Manting checking into hotels or leaving the city.

Shen Manting vanished without a trace, as if she had disappeared into thin air.

Shen Luo’an couldn’t stand it anymore. He sent a message to her: Aunt Lin has left. I can’t take care of the child alone. I will take him back to the capital for my parents to look after him.

On second thought, he felt that his tone lacked conviction, so he added: If nothing else, the child has to be breastfed. Infant formula isn’t sufficient to provide him with the nutrition he needs. I intend to take the child back to my parents. I’ll wait for you at home for two more days. If you don’t return, the child will have nothing more to do with you.

Shen Manting felt slightly heady looking at the messages.

She had been staring at the screen and saw that Shen Luo’an was typing away.

She received a message that gave her chills.

He said: I’m going to tell the child that his mother is dead.

However, Shen Manting refused to appear. It was as if she didn’t read his messages at all.

Shen Luo’an was at his wits’ end. He decided to take the child to the capital.

Before the plane took off, Shen Luo’an sent her the final message: You are so cruel for abandoning him. You will regret it later. [Sly smile]

Shen Zhilie returned home from work and was shocked to see the infant.

“This child… Is he yours?”

Shen Luo’an glanced at him and nodded.

“No way. Where is Sister Manting?”

“She’s dead.”

Shen Zhilie stared at him in utter disbelief and astonishment. “How did she die?”

Shen Luo’an didn’t answer. He quickly entered the room with the infant in his arms.

Shen Zhilie followed him and asked, “Weren’t you supposed to look after Sister Manting? How could she be dead? Are you pulling my leg?”

Shen Luo’an didn’t answer him. The infant began to cry.

Shen Zhilie fell silent. He looked at the crying infant and said, “It’s no mean feat for a woman to deliver a child, Big Brother. You can’t choose the child over the mother.”