Chapter 30 - Not This Time

The air in the conference room was thick with tension as I stood, listening to the various reports and updates being shared. But no matter how hard I tried to focus on the matters at hand, I couldn't shake the feeling of something unresolved, something looming in the back of my mind.

I hadn't expected Wang Li to show up here, not in front of everyone. But then, I felt a shift in the room—a strange energy that seemed to settle around me. My gaze flicked to the door, just as it creaked open.

Wang Li stepped inside, her eyes immediately locking onto mine. The moment she entered, I could feel the unease ripple through the room. Conversations faltered, and heads turned, sensing the shift in the atmosphere. But I couldn't care less about the curious stares. She had my full attention now.

I straightened, my heart rate quickening despite myself. "Li," I said quietly, my voice stern as I glanced at the others in the room. "What are you doing here?"

Wang Li didn't waste time. Her expression was serious, her lips pressing together tightly as she stepped forward, unbothered by the eyes now trained on her. "I need to speak with you, Shian," she said, her voice low, but steady. "It's important."

Everyone in the room exchanged uncertain glances, and I could sense the unease bubbling up around us. But I didn't have the energy to care about their opinions right now. Not when Wang Li looked at me like that, her gaze filled with urgency.

I gestured toward the door. "We'll talk later. This isn't the place."

She shook her head, not backing down. "No. I can't wait any longer." Her voice was sharper now, tinged with a rawness I hadn't expected. "I'm pregnant, Shian. With your child."

The room fell into complete silence. The words hung in the air, impossible to ignore. My chest tightened, a cold knot forming in the pit of my stomach as I processed what she'd just said. She... was pregnant? With my child? The revelation hit me like a bolt of lightning, shattering the calm I'd worked so hard to maintain.

I blinked, my mind struggling to catch up with the words she had just thrown at me. "You're... pregnant?" I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper, disbelief lining my tone. The eyes of the room were all on us now—curiosity, shock, and judgment swirling in the air.

"Yes," she said, her expression firm despite the vulnerability in her eyes. "I didn't know how to tell you, but I can't hide it anymore. This isn't just about me, Shian. It's about our child."

A hundred thoughts raced through my mind, but the one that rose to the surface was the most immediate. Why here? Why now?

I exhaled slowly, trying to calm the storm inside me. The weight of her words, the implications, were sinking in, and I could feel the tension tightening in my chest. Everyone in the room was watching us now, the air thick with the awkwardness of the moment.

One of the board members, a senior executive who had been nervously eyeing us both, cleared his throat, unsure of how to react. "Should we... should we continue the meeting, sir?" he asked, looking to me for guidance.

I shot him a sharp look, making it clear that I wasn't in the mood for formalities right now. "No," I said, my voice cold.

The conference room was filled with tense silence, the air thick with the weight of Wang Li's words. She had just announced to everyone that she was pregnant with my child. The shock was palpable, but I couldn't bring myself to care about the situation. All I felt was a bitter laugh bubbling up, escaping before I could even stop it.

"You're pregnant with my child?" I asked, my voice laced with mockery. I glanced at her with an unreadable expression. "No, it's probably Aden's kid, isn't it? He seems more like the type to get you pregnant than I do."

Her face was blanched, clearly stunned by my words. But I wasn't going to soften the blow. She had made a foolish mistake, and I would fix it in my own way.

"You and Aden have always been so close," I continued, my tone dripping with sarcasm. "So it wouldn't surprise me if it's his. You've probably mistaken it for mine, haven't you?"

The others in the room shifted uncomfortably, but I could see Wang Li's face twist with frustration. She opened her mouth, probably to defend herself, but I cut her off before she could say another word.

"I don't care about your little drama, Li," I said, letting the coldness of my words hang in the air. "I have better things to do than waste my time on this."

I wasn't going to let her try to manipulate me. I had a plan, one that would end this farce once and for all. I reached into my system interface, already knowing what I needed to do.

Without hesitation, I selected the "Womb Incubator" from my inventory. The system was flawless. With just a few taps, I confirmed the purchase. A synthetic womb where the fetus would be safely housed without the need for Wang Li. She would never know the difference.

Next, I accessed the "Monster Baby" section, selecting the perfect substitute for the child she thought she was carrying. A creature, strong and obedient, would take its place. Wang Li wouldn't even realize her child was never really mine.

As I worked, the others watched in stunned silence, unsure of what I was doing. But I didn't care about their judgment. I wasn't here for their approval. I had already made my choice, and I was going to see it through.

I activated the transfer process, the system working quickly to transfer the creature into the womb incubator. At the same time, I used my system to begin the process of replacing Wang Li's child with the new one. She wouldn't feel it right away. Her child would be gone, and no one would ever know.

Wang Li's eyes fluttered as she looked down at her stomach, her confusion clear. "What... what are you doing?" she asked, her voice strained.

I didn't answer her. Instead, I focused on the system, watching the process unfold. Her child was already being replaced, and the incubator was now fully operational.

As she collapsed to the floor, I caught her before she hit the ground. The other people in the conference room were frozen in shock, unsure of what to do.

"Wang Li," I said coldly, "Don't worry. Your child isn't mine anymore. It's already been taken care of."

Her breathing slowed, and she passed out, the process of the exchange complete. The creature now occupied the synthetic womb, while the baby she thought was hers had been replaced without her knowledge.

The rest of the room was silent, the tension almost unbearable. But I wasn't concerned with their reactions. I had done what needed to be done. I stood up, carefully holding Wang Li in my arms.

"Take her to the medical room," I instructed one of the staff, not bothering to look at them. "Make sure she doesn't wake up yet."

I turned my back to them and walked out of the conference room, the weight of my actions already sinking in. The future of the Lucist Family would be secured, and no one—least of all Wang Li—would be able to stand in my way. You Destroy me before, but not in this life. "You all better prepared, I'll destroy you more than you did to me"