My Daughter Was Made into a Specimen by My Husband

Chapter 3

I let out a bitter laugh, my eyes still burning red.

The image of Joy in the specimen lab wouldn't leave me, her tiny body hollowed out, preserved, suspended in formaldehyde forever.

She was so small.

And even now, Grant was playing dumb.

Sophia pulled Lucas behind her, eyeing me nervously.

"Claire, if you're angry, take it out on me. Don't blame Grant. Everything he did, he did for my sake. Please don't let me come between you two…"

Her words were an apology. But I caught the flash of triumph in her eyes.

It hit me with perfect clarity: if Grant hadn't enabled every one of their decisions, my daughter would still be alive. She wouldn't have been turned into a specimen.

My arms dropped to my sides. Tears blurred my vision.

Grant looked at me — bloodied, broken — and his tone softened slightly.

"I meant what I said. I'll follow through. There's no need for you to make a scene.

I already promised to get Joy the best treatment. Leukemia, three years at most. Maybe it's better to just let her go early…

We're still young. We can try again. Have a healthy child."

He'd said this to me countless times since Joy was born.

"Grant Hudson, you don't deserve to be a father."

There was no point keeping Joy in this hospital. I would take her and leave.

And never come back.

I spent an entire month in the hospital before I was discharged.

During that time, Grant tried to smooth things over with me more than once. I ignored him every time.

Eventually, he stopped trying.

He seemed to forget he had a daughter at all. Every ounce of his attention went to Lucas.

It wasn't until after my discharge that Grant finally came to see me.

"Lucas is recovering really well. Mom wants us to come to the family house for dinner — a little celebration."

When I said nothing, he sat down beside me and squeezed my hand.

"I know you're still upset about what happened. Don't worry. I've already contacted a specialist overseas. In a little while, we'll send Joy abroad for treatment..."

"When was the last time you visited Joy?"

I cut him off. He still didn't know Joy was dead. At this point, I no longer cared whether his ignorance was real or an act.

Grant's expression froze. It seemed to dawn on him that he genuinely couldn't remember the last time he'd thought about his own daughter.

He opened his mouth to say something, but I stood up first, putting distance between us.

"You said dinner at the family house. Let's go."

Grant followed close behind me, his eyes lingering on my back the entire way.

When we arrived, Sophia was already there.

She smiled at me politely. Lucas, nestled in her arms, had been nursed back to a healthy, rosy glow.

A wave of dizziness washed over me. If Joy were still alive, I would have taken even better care of her.

"Claire, you don't mind me being here, do you?" Sophia noticed my gaze and instinctively pulled Lucas closer.

"Grant's mother specifically asked me to come today…"

"I don't mind."

I tossed out the words without weight and walked past her.

Dinner was tense. Grant sat pressed close to Sophia, gazing at Lucas with open adoration.

Mrs. Hudson couldn't stop fussing over her precious grandson.

I sat in the corner without a word.

Until Mrs. Hudson's attention finally landed on me.

She let out a cold snort.

"Claire, you and that burden of a daughter have been dragging Grant down long enough. I want you to divorce him. He'll marry Sophia instead.

Lucas's father is dead — the boy needs a new one. Don't worry. However much money you want, I'll pay it."