Chapter 714

Vanessa's words left Evelyn stunned.

She never imagined Vanessa would consider swapping babies. But after a moment's thought, it made twisted sense.

Years ago, Evelyn had switched infants so Vanessa could enjoy the Whitmore family's luxury.

In Evelyn's mind, Vanessa deserved that privilege. She'd never regretted her decision.

For Vanessa, this new swap offered escape from her current misery.

A sickly child would always be overlooked in the Caldwell household.

But a healthy, charming replacement might earn Vanessa the family's favor.

Evelyn nodded decisively. "I'll make sure you get a perfect baby."

Vanessa finally exhaled in relief.

Broken bones and a C-section kept Vanessa bedridden.

Worse, she'd learned of Damian's sudden death in prison last week.

Now completely alone, Vanessa had to rely on Evelyn's help.

At least Evelyn had experience with this particular crime.

"Don't get caught," Vanessa warned.

Lately, she'd felt invisible eyes watching her.

No proof. Just paranoia.

Better to let Evelyn handle the dirty work while Vanessa recovered under scrutiny.

Evelyn swore secrecy. "This stays between us forever."

She understood the stakes.

Exposure would destroy Vanessa completely. Failure wasn't an option.

Evelyn stayed all day, only leaving when servants arrived.

The swap required meticulous planning.

To Vanessa, the scheme seemed simple.

Both babies received neonatal care.

Hundreds of infants filled those wards. A "mistaken" name tag swap would suffice.

Though premature, Vanessa's son had strong lungs thanks to early interventions.

Meryl's sickly runt would be easy to replace.

Newborns all looked alike anyway.

Vanessa closed her eyes, praying this desperate gamble would work.

Simon reported the day's events to Alexander in exact detail.

The revelation about Evelyn's affair with Vincent shocked Alexander.

Vincent's notorious womanizing was legendary, but Evelyn?

"Keep watching Vanessa," Alexander ordered.

Three days of bed rest left Claire restless.

Worse, she missed her daughter terribly.

Nightly, she stared at Bella's photo, aching with loneliness.

That evening, Claire stormed home after sunset, visibly furious from a phone argument.

"What happened?" Evelyn asked.

"Lucas!" Claire spat. "He won't let me take Bella to Cresthaven!"

Evelyn blinked. "You're moving?"

Claire paced angrily. "The modeling discrimination here is unbearable. Cresthaven offers real opportunities!"

Multiple rejections had crushed her - employers dismissing her for motherhood.

Dancing remained her true passion, ever since her career-ending injury.

Max had promised teaching opportunities in Cresthaven's entertainment industry.

"I just need stability first," Claire insisted. "Then I'll bring Bella over."

Lucas accused her of chasing men, not dreams.

Evelyn considered carefully. "Separating a child from her father... that's hard."

"Everything's hard!" Claire snapped, then deflated. "But I need to show Bella what ambition looks like."

Evelyn suggested compromise. "Establish yourself first. Visit weekends. Bring Bella later."

The thought of separation pained Claire.

"I'll think about it," she murmured, torn between motherhood and dreams.