Barbara Lane's snide voice rang in my ear.

A second later, a sharp pain shot through the soft flesh at my waist.

She dismissively scoffed and pulled her hand back. "Why didn't you go to the IVF procedure I scheduled for you this week?"

How could I when I had been locked in the dark room for three days and couldn't even leave the house?

I was just about to explain myself when another voice cut in.

"Avery's been busy bag shopping for the past few days. She probably forgot about it," Eric said. He then shot me a warning glance, shutting me up before I could even speak.

My heart sank.

I knew he was afraid Barbara would take it out on Monica. But what about me? Did he ever stop to think what would happen to me after that?

Sure enough, the moment Barbara heard that, she slapped me hard across the face.

Instantly, a bright red handprint quickly appeared on my cheek.

"We took you in and cared for you, but you can't even get pregnant. Now, you even have the nerve to skip your IVF appointment?"

Furiously, she slapped me again and again in front of everyone.

Soon, I collapsed to the floor as everything spun around me.

Eric saw how pathetic I looked and reached out to me without realizing it. Then, he caught himself and pulled back with a frown.

A flicker of jealousy flashed in Monica's eyes, and she quickly knelt down to help me get up. "Avery, apologize to Barbara. Quickly."

As she spoke, she pressed down hard on the wound on my hand. Her long nails dug into the raw flesh, and I jerked from the pain.

Without thinking, I pushed her away.

Monica cried out, and a bruise quickly formed on the back of her hand where it hit the corner of the table.

Eric's expression darkened instantly. He grabbed her hand, his eyes bloodshot with anger. "Avery, you've got some nerve. How dare you bully Monica? Have I gone too easy on you?"

The Comptons' relatives around us all looked at me with disdain.

"How typical of someone from a poor family. She's so petty. Monica was just trying to help her up, and she hit her in return!"

I gritted my teeth, holding back the pain as I tried to explain myself.

"I didn't mean to hurt her."

Eric laughed, angry and in disbelief. "I saw it with my own eyes. Are you still trying to lie?"

He grabbed my wrist and dragged me toward Monica. "Apologize to her!" he roared.

I stubbornly looked up and said, "I didn't do anything wrong. Why should I apologize?"

Eric's expression darkened. Then, he sneered, "Didn't you marry me for money? Are you trying to act all high and mighty now? It's too late!"

His gaze hardened, and he called for the bodyguards.

"Everything you've worn and used over all these years came from my family. If you won't apologize, then give it all back!"

I was so shocked I could barely stand.

I clenched my fists. "Eric, do you have no conscience at all?"

Eric's lips curled up into a cruel smile as he gave the order.

"You won't apologize? Fine. Strip her and throw her out! She can come back when she learns her lesson!"

The bodyguards didn't hesitate. They dragged me out and started yanking at my clothes in the freezing cold.

"And she calls herself Mr. Compton's wife? She's no different from those streetwalkers."

"She's not bad-looking though. We'll have to thank Mr. Compton for the show."

Laughter exploded around me as I struggled with all my strength.

At that moment, a wave of despair came crashing over me.

Just as someone tore at my dress, the front doors slammed open, and someone furiously shouted, "What the hell are you doing?"

Richard's fierce glare made the bodyguards release me immediately. They meekly replied, "Mr. Compton gave the order. We were just following instructions."

Richard was furious as he helped me off the ground.

"That bastard. I can't believe he would do something like this! How could he treat you like that after everything you've done for him?" Richard growled. "Don't worry. I'll make sure you get justice."

I tiredly shook my head, and the tears I had held back for so long finally fell. "I don't want anything. I just want to leave," I said.

Richard sighed and gently patted my hand. "I brought the divorce papers," he said.

I then put on his suit jacket and pushed open the doors to the banquet.

When Eric saw how disheveled I looked, he snorted. "Have you learned your lesson? Get over here and apologize to Monica!"

However, in the next second, a heavy slap landed across his face. "You should be the one apologizing!"

Eric clutched his cheek in disbelief and cried out, "Grandpa, why did you hit me? Avery was the one who messed up. Why are you taking her side?"

Heartbreak was evident in Barbara's eyes when she saw Eric getting slapped. She couldn't help but complain, saying, "Richard, can't you talk things through? Why would you hit Eric?"

Richard scoffed and pointed at me, my cheek still marked with a bright red handprint. "Talk things through? Then why didn't you talk to Avery? You slapped her, didn't you?"

After being scolded in front of everyone, Barbara immediately looked upset. After all, she was someone who always cared deeply about keeping up appearances.

She shot back without thinking. "That's because Avery's just too irresponsible! She's been married into this family for seven years and still hasn't gotten pregnant.

"I told her to go through with IVF, but all she cares about is having fun! She's forgotten her responsibility as Eric's wife!" The more Barbara spoke, the more sure of herself she became.

All the while, Richard stayed calm, quietly listening as she accused me.

When Barbara was done, Richard looked at Eric and flatly asked, "Eric, tell me. Is everything Barbara said true?"

Eric's eyes darted around. His voice wavered with guilt, and he couldn't meet my gaze. "Grandpa, why are you bringing this up? Isn't this something everyone already knows?"

Richard let out a sharp laugh and struck Eric with his cane.

Eric cried out in pain, and Barbara panicked. "Richard, how can you be so unfair? This is all Avery's fault. How could you hit Eric?" she shouted.

Richard then pulled out his phone and hit play on a recording.

Then, Eric's sharp and cold voice filled the room.

"Every time we're done, I give her a glass of milk. After all these years of birth control, it'd be a miracle if she got pregnant."

Barbara's eyes widened in shock, and the room erupted with chatters of gossip.

"He gave his wife birth control? Did Eric actually do something as low as that?"

"He knows Avery went through IVF so many times for a baby. Yet, he just stood by and watched her suffer?"

Monica glared at me, then turned to Eric with a resentful gaze. "Didn't you swear to me that you never touched her?"

Eric panicked and rushed to defend himself. "My family forced me! I have no feelings for her, and I feel sick every time I have to touch her. Monica, you're the one I've always loved!"

I smirked slightly as I listened to his usual insults, but they stirred no emotion within me anymore.

Just then, something flickered in Barbara's eyes.

Still, she couldn't bring herself to blame Eric.

"Eric's still young and immature. Now that we've cleared up the misunderstanding, can't we just let it go?"

Richard scoffed and pulled me forward. He then rolled up my sleeves to show the dense cluster of bruised needle marks. "Take a look at this. She's suffered so much for the past seven years, and you think this can slide?"

But Eric still refused to back down. "So what? She forced Monica to leave and insisted on marrying me. She got what she deserved!"

Upon hearing that, a flicker of guilt flashed in Monica's eyes as she tugged on Eric's sleeve. "Eric, let bygones be bygones. I'm not someone who holds grudges."

She glanced at me with pursed lips, a reluctant look in her eyes. "Avery, I forgive you. You don't have to worry about it."

Richard icily stared at Monica, mockery flashing in his eyes. "You forgive her? Do you think you have the right to say that?"

Eric couldn't help but defend Monica. "Grandpa, scold me all you want, but why are you dragging Monica into this? She's gentle and naive. Don't bully her just because of what Avery told you."

Richard looked at him in disappointment and sighed deeply. "How did our family end up with someone as stupid as you? You can't even see the true nature of the people around you!

"Do you even know why she went abroad back then?"