After hanging up the phone,Lenora contacted a real estate agent and listed the only old,small apartment under her name for sale.

She took the key and went there to tidy up the place.Looking at the familiar furniture in the room,she was momentarily lost in thought.

Suddenly,she remembered a winter many years ago,when she and Dale huddled together under the blanket to keep warm.

“Lenora,even if I leave my family,I will still make sure you live like a rich lady.”

Back then,he had no money,but his eyes were full of her.Now,he had immense wealth,yet his heart no longer had space for her.

How ironic.

“Ding.”A message notification sound pulled Lenora back to reality.

She opened it and saw that there was a buyer.

The buyer said they were willing to transfer the payment immediately and hoped she could come over right away to sign the agreement.

Lenora agreed.

When she arrived at the agreed place,she immediately saw a familiar figure.

Megan was standing there,surrounded and praised by two female coworkers wearing Steele Group uniforms.A bright smile was on their face.

“Megan,you’re amazing!You just acted a little cute and Mr.Steele gave us time off.”

“Mr.Steele really treats you differently.Look at that treatment—even his wife can’t compare.”

“What his wife?I think she’ll step down soon.Didn’t you see?Mr.Steele’s mom already gave Megan the family heirloom necklace.She’ll soon be the new president’s wife.”

Lenora’s fingers tightened,digging deeply into her palm.

She did not expect that her sharp and difficult mother-in-law would also approve of Megan.

Under the lights,Megan wore a custom-made white dress.Her fair,delicate face looked soft and youthful.

As for Lenora,even with careful makeup,the fine lines at the corner of her eyes could not be hidden.

Their eyes met.Megan raised her eyebrows in provocation and took out the sales agreement.“Don’t misunderstand.I don’t want to interfere in someone else’s marriage.Mrs.Steele said she would give you an explanation.”

An explanation?Did that mean making Dale divorce and marry her instead?

Lenora let out a cold laugh.She quickly walked up to Megan,tore off the necklace from her neck,and threw it onto the ground.

“Acting like a prostitute while pretending to be pure—who are you trying to fool?”

She did not give Megan any chance to speak and slapped her again.

“As long as I don’t divorce him,you will always be a mistress who can’t show her face.”

“Miss Quay,you misunderstood.”Megan’s eyes quickly filled with tears,and her beautiful face looked full of grievance.“I didn’t know you were the one selling the house.The company plans to buy this place as a benefit for employees.”

As if the timing had been planned,Dale’s tall figure walked over.

He stared at Lenora with sharp eyes,his tone cold and commanding.

“Lenora,when did you become so arrogant?Apologize to Megan right now.”

“You want me to apologize?”Out of the corner of her eye,Lenora noticed the smug expressions on the three people’s faces.In an instant,she understood.It was a trap set for her.

She let out a cold laugh and pointed at the sapphire necklace on the ground.

“Dale,shouldn’t you explain why the Steele Family heirloom is on this woman?”

“It’s just a necklace.So what if my mom gave it to her?”Dale frowned,picked it up,and placed it back in Megan’s hand.

“Lenora,my mother rarely likes a girl this much.Don’t be childish and upset her again.I’m really caught in the middle between you two.It’s very difficult for me.”

His words deeply hurt Lenora’s heart.Because their family backgrounds were unequal,Dale’s mother had strongly opposed their relationship at the beginning.

Even later,when she finally agreed to let Lenora marry into the Steele Family so she would not lose her son,she still never treated Lenora kindly.

At first,Dale still protected her a little.But later,he learned to pretend not to see or hear anything and avoided letting the two women meet.

“Apologize to Megan.”

Seeing the impatience in his eyes,Lenora bit her lip and asked back,“And what if I refuse?”

Dale’s eyes turned cold,and there was a hint of threat in his voice.

“Lenora,your parents’graves haven’t been settled yet.”

“You’re threatening me with their graves?”

Last month,Dale was kidnapped.Her adoptive parents happened to see it and tried desperately to stop the kidnappers.In revenge,the kidnappers stabbed them dozens of times.But because of that,Dale got the chance to escape.

By the time Lenora rushed to the hospital,her adoptive parents had already died.She was so overwhelmed with grief that she miscarried on the spot.It had been a baby boy she had waited three years for—already fully formed.

At the moment when she was the most heartbroken and helpless,Dale was comforting Megan,who had rushed over,worried about him.

Later,the cemetery where her adoptive parents were buried had to be relocated because of property issues.Dale had promised again and again that he would find them a good burial place with a proper location.

But now…

Back in the present,her heart felt as if it were being tightly squeezed,the pain tearing her apart.

Tears streamed down Lenora’s face.

“Dale,do you even have a heart?”

Her question was like a knife stabbing into Dale’s chest.He realized he had spoken impulsively and was about to explain something.But Lenora had already bent down,her voice hoarse and broken.

“I’m sorry.”With red eyes,she looked at Megan beside him.“Is that enough now?”

All her dignity and pride were shattered under his pressure.

She could still seem to hear the promises he once made with such certainty.

“Nora,I will make you the happiest woman in the world.”

“Your parents are my parents.I will take good care of them.”

“If you have our child,I will treat you like a queen.That child will be the proof of our love.”

Those sweet words had now turned into sharp knives stabbing into Lenora’s chest,making it hard for her to breathe.

Seeing her swaying as if she might collapse,Dale felt a wave of concern.

He reached out,wanting to hold her,but Lenora avoided him.

In Lenora’s eyes,he looked frighteningly hypocritical.Layers of disgust appeared in her gaze,which made Dale feel annoyed.

“Lenora,do you despise me?You know I only spoke in anger.I still love you!”

His perfunctory words made Lenora feel sick.

The next moment,she rushed into the bathroom and started retching.

“Why did you secretly sell the house behind Dale’s back?”Megan’s cold,mocking voice sounded behind her.“Don’t tell me you’re planning to leave quietly?”

Seeing that Lenora stayed silent,Megan looked surprised,her eyes full of arrogance.

“You really are like those Cinderella characters in rich family dramas.Are you planning to play some chasing game with Dale—running away so he will chase you?”

She gently touched her slightly swollen belly and let out a mocking laugh.“I won’t give you that chance.”

Lenora’s gaze fell on her slightly protruding stomach,and her breathing suddenly stopped.

“You’re pregnant?”

Megan raised her eyebrows proudly.“Since you know that,you should be sensible and get the divorce.Otherwise,you might end up being thrown out of the house.That wouldn’t look very good.”

As she spoke,she took out a small golden lock and played with it in her hand.

When Lenora saw the name engraved on it,her pupils shook in shock.

Maxwell Steele.

That was the name Dale had chosen for their baby when she was pregnant.

“This is our first child.In the Steele Family’s generation name system,it should start with‘M.’So I’ll name him Maxwell.He will be the most rightful heir of the Steele Family.”

Now,Dale had given that same name to Megan’s child.It seemed he really cared a lot about this baby.

A self-mocking smile appeared on Lenora’s lips as she walked past Megan,preparing to leave.

Seeing that all her effort had failed to get the reaction she wanted,Megan became angry and secretly stretched out her foot.

Caught off guard,Lenora stumbled forward and instinctively grabbed Megan.

“Ah!”

“Megan!”

Dale rushed past Lenora and caught Megan in his arms.Then he frowned and glared angrily at Lenora,who was on the ground.“Have you made enough trouble?She just likes me.Is it necessary for you to target her like this?You’re so narrow-minded.No wonder you couldn’t keep your child!”

As expected of her husband,one sentence struck straight at her deepest wound,almost killing her.

He carried Megan away in big strides,as if even looking at Lenora would dirty his eyes.At the same time,two bodyguards lifted Lenora up and locked her in the basement.

“Mr.Steele said you should stay here and reflect on yourself.”

The doors and windows were locked,and everything around her was completely dark.

Lenora knocked on the door in fear.“Dale,let me out!”

He clearly knew that she suffered from claustrophobia.

Why…?

Darkness.Silence.Faint squeaking sounds in her ears.

The closed space filled Lenora with endless fear.

Her breathing became rapid,and cold sweat covered her forehead.She could only curl up,trying to find a little sense of safety.

It felt as if she were the only person left in the world,with fear surrounding her completely.

Just when she felt she was about to lose her mind,the bodyguards finally opened the door.But instead of letting her out,they threw her into the Steele Family’s main house.

Dale’s mother beat and scolded her as she lay weakly on the ground.

“You useless woman who can’t even bear a child!You almost killed my precious grandson!If I had known you were this vicious,I would have stopped you from entering this family even if it killed me!”

“You evil woman!Are you only happy if the Steele Family line ends with you?”

As she spoke,she grabbed a whip and lashed it at Lenora,using all her strength with every strike.

In the Steele Family’s main house,Dale’s mother was the only authority.No one dared to stop her.

Lenora was beaten until she was covered in blood,with nowhere to hide.She could only grit her teeth and endure it.

But her body was already too weak.Soon,she lost consciousness and fainted.

When Lenora woke up again,she was already lying on a hospital bed.

Noticing that she had awakened,Dale,who had been guarding her for an unknown amount of time,quickly reached out to check her forehead.

“Do you still feel unwell?You had a high fever and fell into a coma.The doctor said that if you had arrived any later,you might have died.I’m sorry.I didn’t know my mother had taken you away.”

With guilt in his eyes,he took out a delicate box.

“Megan heard that you were hospitalized and felt very sorry.She specially chose this gift for you as compensation.”

After opening it,a chubby porcelain doll with bright red lips and white teeth appeared,looking cute and innocent.

But the moment Lenora saw the doll,she thought of the child she had lost.Her heart twisted with pain.

“Take it away.I don’t want it.”

Her voice trembled with emotion,and while pushing it away she almost knocked the porcelain doll over.

Dale’s face immediately turned cold.

“What more do you want?She has already apologized.”

Megan,who had just walked in,spoke with a pretend look of sadness.“It’s okay.I know she didn’t do it on purpose.She’s just…”

“Shut up.I don’t need your fake kindness.”Lenora grabbed the porcelain doll and smashed it hard onto the floor.

Megan covered her chest and stepped back,her eyes full of fear.

“Lenora,have you gone crazy?In your current condition,how can you attend the family gathering later?You might get thrown out as soon as you arrive.”

Dale hesitated for a moment,then pressed his lips together and said,“Lenora,maybe you shouldn’t go to tonight’s banquet.”

Megan showed a confident smile,as if victory was already in her hands.“Don’t worry,Lenora.I’ll take your place and properly welcome the guests!”

After saying that,she held Dale’s arm and walked out closely beside him.

Dale only frowned slightly and did not refuse.

Not long after they left,a commotion suddenly came from outside the hospital room.

“Oh no,the hospital is on fire!”

Lenora forced herself to get out of bed,but she discovered that the door was locked from the outside.

Thick smoke entered her nose,making her lungs uncomfortable.She coughed violently and struggled to call for help.

The television suddenly flickered on,showing a live broadcast of the banquet.

The camera focused on Dale and Megan.A reporter asked curiously,

“Mr.Steele,we’ve heard that you are planning to divorce Miss Quay and form a marriage alliance with the Jaslin Family.Is that true?”

“That’s nonsense.”

Although Dale denied it,there was a hint of affection in the way he looked at Megan.Their silent interaction was captured by the camera and magnified for the audience to see.

Lenora slowly stopped trying to call for help.She stared blankly at the two people on the screen,her eyes filling with tears.

The burning flames entered the room and woke her from her daze.

Her eyes suddenly turned sharp.Without hesitation,Lenora opened the window and jumped from the eighth floor.

She felt as if every bone in her body had shattered.The extreme pain made her mind go blank.

Around her,she could hear the noisy and anxious voices of the crowd and the rescue workers,but she could not hear clearly or understand them.

Her mind was awake,yet she could not control her body.She felt like an animal in a slaughterhouse,completely at the mercy of others.

When she woke up again,Lenora felt dazed.All she could see was a glaring white light.

A nurse smiled and handed her a phone.A message had appeared on the screen.

[The marriage alliance between the Steele Family and the Jaslin Family is confirmed.The wedding date is coming soon!]

When she opened the message,the engagement photo of Dale and Megan appeared in front of her.

Lenora looked at the brand-new wedding ring on his index finger with a mocking expression.

So,during the few days she was unconscious in the hospital,Dale had agreed to marry into the Jaslin Family and publicly announced the engagement.

The door opened,and Dale walked in.

He was holding a bouquet of flowers,and his eyes were full of helplessness and guilt when he looked at her.

“I’m sorry,Lenora.Megan is pregnant with my child.I have to take responsibility for what I’ve done.”

“Don’t worry.This is just a fake wedding to calm the public.I won’t register the marriage with her.Megan has already agreed that after the child is born,it will be raised by you.”

“After a couple of years,when everything settles down,I will definitely make it up to you.”