Family dinner. My widowed sister-in-law — the one who never said a word — suddenly turned to me：“Constance, yesterday was your tenth abortion, right?”

“And the man who slipped into your room last night — that wasn't the same one from a few days ago, was it?”

“You didn't even throw away the condom wrapper this morning. I had to pick it up myself and toss it for you.”

While every relative at the table cursed me out, she brought in her new boyfriend.

And I finally understood what this was all for. Because the man was Mark Henson. My boyfriend of seven years.

My parents were still screaming at me as I fled the table. Mark cornered me in the restroom, smiling：

“Chloe was just messing with you. Don't take it so seriously.”

“Your brother's been dead for years. Your sister-in-law needs someone too.”

“Today was my idea. If everyone thinks you're the one sleeping around, Chloe looks obedient and pitiful next to you — and your family won't have any reason to turn on her.”

I stared at him in disbelief.“Then what were we? All these years, what was I to you?”

He smiled, soft as always, his fingers stroking the back of my head.“We're real, of course we are. I love you, baby.”

“You'll just have to rough it for a while — step aside and be the mistress.

“Honestly, Chloe and I were already sleeping together before you and I even started. And getting back together this time, it actually feels even better than before……”

My blood ran cold. I couldn't listen to another word. I looked down at my phone, at the blind date profile I'd scrolled through a hundred times,

and finally typed back,"Yes. I'll meet him."

——

Mark's tone stayed the same. Gentle. Always gentle.

“Constance, I'll be honest. Chloe and I never really ended.”

“These seven years, the way I treated you — I meant every bit of it. But I can't just abandon her. You understand, right?”

Every muscle in my body locked up, and I couldn't even draw a full breath.

I lifted my head, not quite believing what I was seeing, and looked at this man who had been tender with me for seven years.

“What did you just say? My voice shook no matter how hard I tried to hold it steady, and tears hit the floor before I could stop them.”

“Mark Henson, say that again. Seven years together, and in your eyes it was all just — making me the mistress for you and my widowed sister-in-law? A tool to make her look good?”

He kept smiling, that same soft expression, his fingertips still tracing the back of my head.

“Baby, don't get so worked up. It's only for a little while.”

He leaned closer, his warm breath against my ear.“Besides, what do you have without me? I'm the only person who's ever been good to you. You can't do without me — you know that, right?”

“Think of it as doing me a favor. Once I get tired of Chloe, I'll come back to you. Okay?”

I shoved him away hard, tears blurring everything.“Can't do without you? Mark Henson, you think way too highly of yourself!"

But the words had barely left my mouth before the despair came flooding in.

Because I had to admit he was right.

My mother had never truly trusted me. Not once, not ever.

After she had my brother Adrian, she got pregnant again with me.

The early scans had shown twins. But in the end, only I survived.

So my mother had always believed I was rotten from the start — that I'd devoured the other baby inside her just to stay alive.

She'd despised me from the day I was born.

For all these years, Mark was the only one who'd given me anything resembling warmth — seven years of a gentle illusion that made me think I finally had someone to lean on.

Chloe's voice drifted through the restroom door, sweet and careful,"Connie, are you okay in there? Mark, are you in there too? Your mother's been looking for you both — don't keep everyone waiting."

She didn't bother hiding the triumph in her voice. Not one bit.

Mark's expression reset in an instant, every trace of softness gone,"]Be right there. Chloe, go on back first — let me calm Constance down."

When he turned to me, his voice dropped a few degrees. “Did you hear me? Quit throwing a tantrum. Go out there and apologize to Chloe. Tell her you weren't thinking straight, that you shouldn't have accused her, shouldn't have worried your mother.”

All I'd done was walk away with a cold face after Chloe slandered me in front of everyone. And he wanted me to go back and apologize.

Laughable.

Fine. If he wanted an apology, I'd give them one they'd remember.

Mark half-dragged me out of the restroom.

The second I stepped back into the living room, my mother slapped me across the face.

“You ungrateful girl! Chloe has been nothing but kind to you, and you dare accuse her? You pick fights with Mark? Won't you stop until this whole family is in ruins?”

She jabbed a finger at my face, screaming, every word dripping with disgust and disappointment.

“If Chloe hadn't risked her life to save your brother, there wouldn't even be remains left! She gave him an heir. This whole family owes her!”

“And what about you? No ambition, no decency, sleeping around. Compared to Chloe, you're not worth a fraction of her!”

Her face darkened further, and she added coldly：“Apologize to Chloe. Now. And from today on, you are not to cause her any more trouble, and you are not to go near Mark. Stop humiliating this family.”

Relatives chimed in from every side. Someone muttered：“Doesn't know what's good for her. Chloe's such a kind person, and she has the nerve to bully her.”

“Cheated on her own boyfriend, and now she's got the gall to go after her sister-in-law's man!”

“Exactly. Sleeping around, ten abortions. What a disgrace to the family.”

“Lucky we've got Chloe. Without her, this girl would've destroyed the whole household.”

Chloe stood beside Mark, my brother's posthumous child cradled in her arms, her eyes faintly red—wronged yet gracious, forgiving yet wounded.

“Please, everyone. Constance is still young, she doesn't know better. Don't scold her. I don't blame her.”

She paused, then looked at me, her voice gentle.

“Constance, I know you might have the wrong idea about me and Mark. We're just friends. He only feels sorry for me raising a child alone and wants to help, that's all. Don't take it to heart.”

Mark draped an arm around Chloe's shoulders and smiled warmly at the room：“That's right, everyone. Chloe and I are just friends. Constance is too sensitive.”

“Chloe's heart has only ever been with your brother and the child. She even tried to kill herself several times after he died. Constance, you really shouldn't have doubted her.”

“I'll have a good talk with Constance. I promise, she won't be causing anyone trouble again.”

He turned to me, his gaze sharp with warning：“Well? Apologize to Chloe.”

I just looked at them coldly, so chilled through I couldn't bring myself to say another word.

When I didn't speak, Chloe let out a deliberate little sigh, her voice soft：“Constance, I know you're upset. Why don't you go rest in your room? Don't ruin your health over this.”

“After all, it hasn't been long since your last abortion. Your body's still weak.”

My mother jumped right in：“Yes, yes, go back to your room. Stop being an eyesore. And don't you bring any of your filthy diseases near Chloe and the baby!”

“Everyone, I know Constance hates me. She hates that I've taken her place, hates that Mark looks after me. But I really don't mean anything by it. I just want to raise this child and survive, that's all.”

The relatives started up again, and the looks aimed at me turned even uglier.

I stared at that lying face of hers, and every last drop of rage and grief I'd been swallowing finally broke loose.

I raised my hand and slapped Chloe as hard as I could.

Chloe's head snapped to the side from the slap. She froze for a few seconds, then burst into heaving sobs, clutching the baby against her chest, shaking all over.

My mother saw it and came charging forward, trembling with rage, and slapped me across the face.

Harder than before. My cheek swelled instantly, and blood seeped from the corner of my mouth.

“You ungrateful wretch! You actually dared hit Chloe! You've completely lost your mind!”

Mark rushed over and gathered Chloe carefully into his arms.

When he turned to look at me, his eyes were cold. “Constance, are you insane? You put your hands on Chloe! Apologize to her. Right now.”

I pressed my hand to my burning cheek, biting down hard on my lip. “I'm not apologizing! She accused me first. Why won't any of you believe me?!”

Mark let out a cold laugh and stepped closer, leaning in toward me.

“You won't apologize? Constance, don't forget. I'm still your boss.”

“That chance to study overseas you've been waiting for? Whether you get it comes down to one word from me.”

“You care so much about this job, about this chance. You really want to wreck it all with your own hands over a tantrum?”

I stared at him in disbelief.

He knew. He knew exactly how hard I'd worked for this, how many years I'd poured into it.

His threat left me no choice.

Work had been my only way out of this family.

Before I ever met Mark, all I wanted was to be independent, to move out of this house.

Falling in love with him hadn't changed that. I never let go of the plan.

Go overseas, come back, build a real career, stand on my own two feet. That was the whole point of everything I'd done.

And Mark knew it perfectly well.

After I apologized, I went back to my room, shut the door, and finally broke. I wrapped my arms around myself and sobbed until I couldn't breathe.

Once again, I was the person the whole world had thrown away.

A long time later, Chloe's gentle voice drifted through the door：“Connie, I made you some soup. To help you feel better. Will you open the door?”

She came in carrying a bowl of soup.

I stopped her. “Get out.”

The gentleness dropped off her face. She sneered：“You think you can steal my man? You're not even close.”

“I actually came to offer you a way out.”

“Leave this house on your own. Disappear from Mark's life for good. It's better for everyone……”

I cut her off. “I feel sorry for my brother. He died without ever seeing what you really are……”

The smugness dropped from her face. Her voice turned vicious：“Shut your mouth! You little bitch, everyone in this house hates you. Why don't you just die? You should've been dead a long time ago……”

Halfway through, her expression changed. Her eyes went vicious.

Then she let her foot slip on purpose, and the entire bowl of scalding soup splashed across her own body.

A piercing scream tore out of her, and the tears came instantly.

“Connie, why would you do this to me? I brought you soup out of kindness, and you threw it on me?”

“I know you hate me, but I've never done anything to hurt you……”

And then Mark appeared.

He strode to Chloe's side, checking her burns with careful hands, his face tight with pain and fury.

He turned to me, and his voice was laced with cold hatred：“Constance, you've gone too far! Chloe was trying to be kind to you, and this is what you do to her?”

“Is this what I get for indulging you? You think there's nothing you can't do?”

Only then did it hit me what had just happened, and the words tumbled out on instinct：“It wasn't me! She poured it on herself on purpose! She's framing me!” “Mark, believe me. I didn't hurt her!”