Bruce gently helped Tessa get dressed.

“I’ll head back first,” he said softly. “You should get some rest too.”

Tessa kissed him lightly on the lips and, with graceful elegance, picked up her purse and turned to leave. But just as she passed the corner where I was hiding, she suddenly paused.

“Miss Griffin,” she said smugly, “snooping around like this isn’t exactly classy.”

Knowing I’d been caught, I stepped out of the shadows with my head held high. Tessa folded her arms and gave me a slow, shameless once-over.

“Mr. Howard really knows how to please a woman,” she said with a sly smile. “I’m guessing you’ve never experienced that side of him, Miss Griffin. Poor thing. Allow me to give you a little peek into what you’ve been missing.”

I was stunned by her audacity.

“You’re nothing but a mistress,” I snapped. “And yet you act like you own the place. Is this what your parents taught you?”

She scoffed, eyes flashing.

“And you still think you’re worthy of being Mr. Howard’s wife? Don’t forget, you killed your own parents and brought ruin to the entire Griffin Family. If it weren’t for Mr. Howard’s kindness, you’d be begging on the streets by now.”

Her words cut deep, but she wasn’t finished.

“Elise, you—born without a mother’s love—dare to talk to me about dignity? The child I’m carrying is the rightful heir, the eldest son of the Howard Family. You think Mr. Howard wanted a child with you? He only gave in because his mother forced him!”

She leaned closer, voice dripping with venom.

“The latecomer overtakes the early bird, sweetheart. Soon, you’ll be out on the streets—and I’ll be the one he calls ‘Mrs. Howard.’”

Her sugary voice, sharp as razors, buzzed in my ears. After over twenty years of being with Bruce, my childhood sweetheart, I had been completely replaced by a woman he hadn’t even known for a year.

My eyes burned with tears. I turned to walk away—but suddenly, my bag strap was yanked backward. I turned and gasped. Tessa had pulled out my medical file.

“Mid-to-late stage liver cancer?” she read aloud, her eyes lighting up with malicious glee. She began circling me like a predator.

“So… you don’t have long left? The baby’s fine, but what’s the point? His mother’s going to die anyway! Honestly, this is too good. You and that bastard child of yours—both destined for early graves.”

Her grin was vicious.

“This is karma, Elise. You brought this on yourself.”

I couldn’t take it anymore. I lunged for her, grabbing a fistful of her long hair, desperate to get the report back.

“Give it back to me!”

But instead of fighting, she let out a wail, tossed the papers in the air dramatically and collapsed to the floor in exaggerated sobs.

“I’m sorry, Madam!” she cried. “I never meant to seduce Mr. Howard—we just fell in love! Please don’t hit me!”

She tore at her blouse and curled up on the floor like a helpless victim.

“I’ll do what you say! I’ll abort the baby, I’ll quit the company—I’ll disappear, I promise!”

I stood frozen, unable to process how quickly she’d twisted the entire scene.

Before I could speak, I felt someone grab my collar—and the next second, a harsh slap stung my cheek.

“Elise, have you lost your mind?” Bruce roared. “You’re pregnant and yet you’re running around my company causing drama?”

He rushed to Tessa’s side, helping her up and gently patting her back like she were made of glass.

“Mr. Howard, please… don’t be angry with her,” Tessa whimpered through tears. “She’s right—I’m of low birth. I’m not worthy of loving you, let alone having your child.”

“She’s just upset because she’s ill. I understand. Don’t blame her. If it makes her feel better, she can hit me. I won’t fight back. Just… don’t take it out on the baby.”

Bruce wrapped his arms around her waist and wiped her tears with painstaking care.

“Illness?” he scoffed. “Let’s see what kind of story she’s made up this time.”

He bent down to pick up the medical documents from the floor.

“You’re pregnant too, Elise. Can’t you at least think about others? Tessa is already seven months along. Are you trying to make her miscarry? How selfish can you be?”

I stared blankly at the papers in his hand, my voice barely a whisper.

“Bruce… I have cancer.”

His face faltered. He glanced down at the report, reading the words slowly.

“Liver cancer… terminal?”

A flicker of guilt passed through his eyes. He reached out to touch my face—but before his hand could land, Tessa spoke sweetly, ever so innocently.

“Doesn’t liver cancer cause ascites? The symptoms must look an awful lot like pregnancy…”

His hand froze midair. The guilt vanished instantly.

With one swift motion, he ripped the report in half and slapped the torn pieces against my face.

“I knew it! You forged this to get my attention. You’re pathetic, Elise! Always scheming!”

His eyes blazed with fury.

“Cancer? Really? You’re dying, huh? Then do it—go ahead and die! Take that bastard in your belly and die together! It’d save me the trouble of divorcing you!”

The sharp edges of the paper cut into my cheek, but they were nothing compared to the pain in my heart—the hatred in his eyes, the cruelty of his words.

Tessa’s smug grin shimmered in the corner of my vision.

I clenched my fists, my nails digging deep into my palms.

Then, slowly, I knelt, picked up the torn medical report and prenatal documents and walked away—one heavy step at a time.

“Elise, stop right there!”

Bruce’s voice thundered through the corridor, his face darkened with fury.

But I didn’t stop. I quickened my pace and disappeared around the corner without looking back.

The moment I was out of sight, a wave of confusion and helplessness washed over him.

He was just about to run after me when Tessa clutched the hem of his shirt with trembling fingers.

“Mr. Howard…” she whimpered, her voice weak and pitiful. “I… I’m bleeding…”

Bruce looked down and froze—blood was trickling down from between her legs. Panic overtook him in an instant.

“I-I’m fine. It’s nothing…” Tessa stammered, her face pale as a sheet. “You should go after the lady first. What if she does something reckless…”

Her frail voice and selfless concern tore at his heart.

“You’re still thinking about Elise in this state?” Bruce said, cradling her in his arms.

“You’re too kind for your own good.” He looked down at her with tenderness.

“Elise is obsessed with me. She’ll come back and apologize in a few days—I know her. But you—your health comes first now. You’re carrying my child, my firstborn. I’ve placed all my hopes on this baby. Nothing can go wrong!”

Meanwhile, I entered the house and quietly keyed in the code to unlock the door. The room inside was cold, dark and hollow.

This was once the wedding suite for Bruce and me—a space that held countless memories of our life together.

Now, those memories felt like ghosts. Ever since Tessa came into the picture, Bruce barely returned home. Piece by piece, he took his things away, until only traces of him remained.

It was over.

Everything was over.

I no longer wanted any part of the past.

Not the memories, not the emotions.

And certainly not Bruce.

As I pushed open the door to leave again, a strange metallic taste rose in my mouth. My vision blurred, the room spun and I doubled over, coughing up a mouthful of blood before collapsing.

A kind neighbor found me and rushed me to the hospital.

When I finally regained consciousness, the hospital room was dark and silent. I glanced at the clock—it had been two full days. I checked my phone. No messages. No missed calls.

Bruce never came home. Not even once.

I forced myself out of bed, still weak and stumbled into the hallway—just in time to see Bruce carefully supporting Tessa as they walked toward me.

The moment he saw me, confusion flickered in his eyes. Then his expression hardened and suspicion crept into his voice.

“What are you doing here? Following me and Tessa—what are you planning?”

The cold caution in his tone made me laugh bitterly.

“Is this hospital your family’s property now? I can’t be here?”

I stared at him with weary eyes.

“You’re unbelievable, Bruce. Tessa ends up in the hospital and she’s a poor, delicate victim. I end up here and I’m suddenly a schemer? You really know how to break someone’s heart.”

Before he could answer, a nurse appeared beside me.

“Miss Griffin, you’re awake. The test results are back. You—”

She stopped mid-sentence.

Bruce reached out and snatched the report from her hands. His eyes scanned the paper, pausing at the blood type listed in bold.

Then, without a word, he grabbed my wrist and began dragging me down the hall.

“Let go of me, Bruce!” I shouted, stumbling behind him. “What are you doing? Where are you taking me?!”

He said nothing until we reached the blood transfusion room.

He shoved me in front of the attending doctor, yanked up my sleeve and shoved my arm forward.

“She and Tessa have the same blood type,” he barked. “There’s none in the blood bank—take hers.”

I looked up in disbelief, meeting the doctor’s stunned gaze.

“We’ve already requested an emergency supply from a nearby hospital. It should be here any moment,” the doctor replied cautiously.

“I can’t wait,” Bruce snapped. “Do it now. Take hers!”

The doctor hesitated.

“But she’s pregnant. Drawing blood at this stage could be dangerous for her and the fetus.”

Bruce gave an indifferent shrug.

“She’s still in the early stages. It won’t matter.”

His voice was calm—cold.

“No need to convince me. What matters right now is Tessa. Everything else can wait.”

Unable to argue with him further, the doctor gave in.

As the blood drained from my arm, my lips grew pale, then turned an eerie shade of purple. Pain stabbed through my veins, but I clenched my jaw and said nothing.

I stared at the tube, watching my blood flow out slowly, steadily.

I closed my eyes.

Take it.

Take all of it.

Take my blood… take my love for Bruce…

Take everything—and never give it back.

When I woke up again, I was lying in the guest room of our house.

From outside, I heard Tessa’s silver bell-like laughter echoing through the halls, grating on my nerves like fingernails on glass. A wave of inexplicable anger surged within me.

I got up and walked out.

There she was—Tessa—sitting cross-legged in the living room, giggling as she toyed with something in her hands. My eyes widened in disbelief.

It was the rag doll I had made for my unborn child… torn to shreds.

I rushed toward her and yanked the mutilated doll from her hands. The once soft, fragrant little figure was now filthy, with missing limbs and its seams ripped open. My heart clenched.

Tears slipped from my eyes before I could stop them.

That doll had been my gift—my promise—to the life growing inside me. I had stitched it by hand, clumsily but lovingly, over countless late nights. I wasn’t good at sewing, but I had poured my heart into every single thread, dreaming of the day I would place it in my baby’s arms.

When it was done, I had carefully locked it away in a safe.

Only Bruce and I knew the password.

And yet… he had the audacity to take it—and let her ruin it?

Cradling the ruined doll, I glared at Tessa with fury burning in my chest. I opened my mouth to speak—but before I could utter a single word, a sharp slap cracked across my cheek.

Bruce stood there, face cold, eyes full of scorn.

“Elise, can you stop already?” he barked. “Tessa is pregnant and about to give birth. Can’t you be a little more considerate and let things go?”

My throat tightened. I lifted the torn doll for him to see, my voice trembling.

“Have you forgotten? You and I agreed this was for our child…”

But Bruce cut me off, waving my words away like they were nothing.

“Enough. I don’t want to hear your nonsense. Apologize to Tessa for your behavior—right now.”

He took a step closer, his voice low but filled with warning.

“If you refuse, then we’ll divorce. The Howard Family can’t be tied to an uncultured woman like you.

But Elise, think it through. Your Griffin Family collapsed a decade ago. I’m all you have left. Do you really want your child to be born fatherless? To live in hunger and poverty with you, begging to survive?”

His words struck like knives, each syllable colder than the last.

My heart, once warm with hope, froze completely.

I thought back to the beginning—how excited he’d been about having a baby.

He had read books on prenatal care, researched baby products for hours, dreamed of becoming a father.

But back then, when we were deeply in love, the baby never came. Now, when we were nothing but strangers in the same house… I was pregnant.

He had truly forgotten everything.

Forgotten our vows.

Forgotten the love.

Forgotten me.

Numb, I walked into the kitchen.

I would make one final meal.

A farewell meal.

After that, I would have nothing more to do with Bruce.

He had no idea what was going through my mind.

All he noticed was the dull, lifeless way I moved and for some reason, it made his chest tighten with an emotion he couldn’t name.

I placed the freshly cooked dishes on the table, steam rising gently from the plates. Tessa waddled over, holding her belly and smiling like the queen of the house.

“Oh my goodness, Mr. Howard! You’re spoiling me! These are all my favorite dishes!”

Bruce reached out and stroked her hair gently.

“As long as you like them,” he said with a soft smile. “You’re pregnant. Eat more. You need to take care of yourself.”

I stood nearby, silent, watching their intimate exchange.

At that moment, I no longer felt like a wife—I felt like a maid.

I used to be a pampered young lady who never touched a frying pan.

And now I was serving meals to the woman who had replaced me in my own home.

I remembered how, six months ago, Bruce had insisted I learn how to cook.

How he encouraged me to bring dinner to his office every night. I thought he wanted to show his love to his colleagues—boast about our marriage.

But the truth was, every dish I learned to make… was one of Tessa’s favorites.

Every love-filled lunchbox I had carried in the rain, in the heat, in the cold… had probably gone straight into Tessa’s hands.

Now, right in front of me, Bruce was feeding her like it was the most natural thing in the world. No shame. No guilt.

My body trembled.

But it’s okay.

I’ll be free soon.

This hell I’ve been living in—where I swallow tears instead of food—will come to an end.

I gently caressed my belly.

Before this child is born, I will take him away.

Far from this house.

Far from Bruce.

Far from this cold, unworthy man who calls himself a father.