Carrie's teasing voice forced me to glance at the pregnancy test. They were all negative.

I smiled bitterly. When I saw my disheveled reflection in the mirror, I was unsure whether I felt relieved or disappointed.

Since the test results proved that it was a joke, everyone looked at me.

Before Mark could say anything, Cassie said, "Alright, everyone… stop looking at Jane like that. She knows she messed up and I don't need her apology. This whole thing is my fault for taking the joke too far.”

She waved to the waiter to clean up the mess in the private room and ordered another case of liquor to keep the games going.

Suddenly, Mark grabbed a bottle and slammed it hard against my arm.

"Just because Carrie doesn't blame you doesn't mean you can act however you please. Consider this as a lesson."

“If you can’t handle it, then go home. Stop embarrassing yourself here!"

I bit my lip hard, watching blood drip from my fingertips as if it were my heart bleeding. It wasn’t that I couldn’t handle it; I just didn’t want to be the fool in love.

Looking briefly at the wine glass before Carrie, I suddenly understood why the pregnancy test hadn't shown two lines.

Mark, if you want to play this way … I won't hold back.

I grabbed my bag and left decisively for the hospital.

The wound needed eight stitches, but I did not even flinch. Because compared to this superficial pain, the ripped-open wound in my heart sent a chill through my entire body.

After getting the wound treated, my screen lit up. It was not from missed calls or messages from Mark. Instead, their little group chat was buzzing with activity as new messages kept popping up constantly.

They were all photos and videos from David and the others, documenting their continued drinking and frolicking.

In the pictures, Cassie held up her bandaged arm, beaming with joy, while Mark smiled as he wiped cream from her cheek.

With my absence, the tenderness in his eyes was clear as the day.

As the group chat continued buzzing with activities, a sixty-second voice message popped up.

"Cassie, you always love to drink, but tonight, you didn't touch a drop … you're not actually pregnant, are you?"

Suddenly, Mark chimed in, "What nonsense! She's been single her whole life—how could she possibly be pregnant?"

The group erupted in laughter as the mood reached a fever pitch.

"Oh my, oh my, oh my! Your tiger wife isn't even here and you're still keeping her secrets? We all know about you and Carrie …"

"But to be fair, it's all David's fault for running his mouth and causing Cassie to get hurt for nothing! Thank goodness the baby in her belly is as resilient as she is!"

Cassie hurriedly defended herself, “I really am not pregnant! Stop talking about it, or Jane will kill me."

"She would not dare!"

Mark's roar reverberated through the phone, making my eardrums ache.

After a moment of silence, someone else stepped in to smooth things over. “Your tiger wife may look fierce, but she's actually dumb as a rock. How dare she try to go toe-to-toe with Mark! Just that one punch from him would probably leave her needing several stitches.”

Just as I finished recording the voice note, the message, which was likely sent by accident, got recalled. No one knew I was in that group. But their cautiousness only makes them look guilty as hell.

The next second, Cassie tagged me in the main group. [Jane, is your wound serious? Did you get it checked at the hospital? I gave Mark a harsh beating for you. He knows his mistakes. He'll go back home tonight to kneel on a wheel of blue cheese to beg for forgiveness. Don't be mad with him, okay? Sticking out tongue emoji]

She attached a photo of the blue cheese that she had just bought. Then she tagged Mark.

[Hurry up and apologize to Jane! Or me and you are done!]

After Mark sent a helpless emoji, he quoted Cassie's words. [Jane, are you okay?  It’s all my fault for not holding back.]

I didn’t reply. Instead, I reached out to my best friend in obstetrics and gynecology.

“Jane, I’m on annual leave. Wait until I get back and I’ll check you.”

Five days isn't long. I can wait.

Mark returned in a drunk state, with a wheel of blue cheese that I hate, in his hand. He leaned over the bed and whispered to me, "Honey, I bought you some blue cheese. Smell it! It's so fragrant …"

Fighting back my nausea, I slapped him awake. "Get out!"

Only when he saw me pinching my nose and frowning did Mark finally recall that the smell of blue cheese made me nauseous. He scrambled out the door with the cheese.

By dawn the next day, the smell had finally dissipated.

He’d prepared a table full of steaming breakfast dishes and called me to eat.

"Honey, Cassie said, places will be crowded during the Independence Day Holiday, so she doesn’t want to go to Japan anymore. I've canceled the tickets and hotel.”

He mentioned her as casually as if yesterday's events had never happened.

"Oh, it’s okay. After all, it's not good to go out and nd squeeze in crowds during early pregnancy; it can easily harm the baby."

Cassie was the one who had insisted on joining our trip. Now she was the one using crowds as an excuse to stay home. The reason was obvious.

But Mark suddenly slammed his utensils down.

"Jane! You're truly unreasonable!"

“When you admit you’re wrong, I’ll come home!”

He grabbed his car keys and stormed out and for the next few days, he did not return home.

From that small group chat, I already knew he was staying at Cassie's place.

They were inseparable, looking like a married couple.

Their friends could not resist teasing them.

[Mark, you two are so blatant—aren't you afraid that Jane, that tigress, will cripple you?]

[Fear my ass! If she won't trust me, I might as well make it official—get Cassie pregnant and shove it in her face! She's the one pushing me to this!]

Everyone praised his boldness and skill at taming his wife.

But as I stared at the information my bestie had dug up, a chill ran down my spine, because Cassie was really pregnant.

They staged this whole charade just to pin everything on me.

I had to hand it to them — their acting and patience were impressive. They managed to keep it completely hidden from all our other friends.

Obviously, Mark knew about Cassie's pregnancy for a while. That was why he defended her so fiercely, smashing cake at me, forcing my apology, hurting me, driving me away...

After thanking my best friend, I dialed Mark's number. It rang for ages before he picked up. The background sound was a mix of Cassie's quettish laughter mingled with others' cheers.

“Hello? Have you calmed down enough? Do you know your mistakes?”

"I'm at Cassie's. If you want to apologize, come visit and pick me up on your way home.” His voice filled with condescension and impatience.

"Fine."

He paused for a second, then laughed triumphantly. “Then prepare an apology gift for Cassie. Don't show up empty-handed.”

He hung up impatiently and gloated in the group chat.

[It's happening! Jane is coming to beg forgiveness, begging me to come home!]

[You guys better come watch! No one backing out of those bets, got it?]

The group instantly erupted with excitement. Everyone was eager to see how I’d grovel for forgiveness.

Some even teased him. [Mark, after working day and night, did you manage to plant seeds?]

[I can’t wait to see your tigress wife’s breakdown in tears in a month when she realizes she personally delivered you to Cassie’s bed!]

People who watch the commotion really don't mind making a big deal out of things! Since everyone's so eager, I might as well oblige.

When I arrived at Cassie's house, all eyes were on me with mocking curiosity.

"Jane, I heard you're here to beg forgiveness?”

“Wrong. The one who should be begging forgiveness isn't me.”

I flung a stack of evidence onto Mark’s lap with a cold smile. “Remember what I said on your birthday?”

The moment he looked at it, his face turned pale, but he still insisted on playing dumb.

“How should I know what you said? I told you to bring a substantial gift to apologize to Cassie and this is what you prepared?”

I pulled the self-defense baton from my pocket and extended it fully.

“Don't worry, you'll remember soon enough! The grand gift you wanted is here!”