"I'm not the mistress! I'm Jake's..."

I screamed frantically, but before I could finish, Reese's slap cut me off, sending a blinding pain shooting through my head.

Reese sneered, saying, "Jake? You're so familiar with his name. Are you really buying formula for that bastard child?"

She kicked the spilled formula around, unscrewed the bottle, and had her friends pin me down.

Then she forced the formula into my mouth, nearly choking me. Her eyes were bloodshot, her rage palpable as she battered my face with the formula can.

"Who told you to seduce someone else's man?

"You really thought that because you're carrying Jake's baby, he'd marry you?

"Not a chance!"

Reese's laughter was cold and mocking.

Some onlookers, uncomfortable with the violence, stepped in to intervene quietly. "Hey, she looks pregnant. Even if she's at fault, you can't just beat her up like this."

Reese glanced at them with contempt. "So eager to play peacemaker? You and this slut are probably just here to hook up with someone's husband, aren't you?"

"You..." The would-be peacemaker was left speechless, red-faced with anger.

Reese's friends, arms crossed defiantly, boasted to the crowd. "Well, Reese's boyfriend is Jake Austin, the chairman of Chanting Group!"

As one of the leading local conglomerates, Chanting Group had Jake ranked as the top wealthy tycoon five years ago.

Though I came from a modest background with parents who were blue-collar workers, I never flaunted my marriage to a wealthy man.

In fact, I rarely spent more than a few thousand bucks a month.

I wouldn't splurge on expensive jewelry or makeup.

All the high-end bags and watches I owned were gifts from Jake.

I used to joke about passing them down to our future daughter if we had one.

Hearing Jake's name made the crowd uneasy.

Clearly, they were reluctant to get involved further.

They shook their heads, murmuring, "She seemed so demure and gentle. How did she end up as a mistress? Turns out she's tangled up with that rich guy!"

With the crowd's support emboldening her, Reese grew even more vicious.

"Hold her down!

"You think you can use the baby to climb the social ladder? I'm not going to let you get your way."

Her friends pinned my limbs as I cried out in despair.

Reese relentlessly kicked my belly, each blow more forceful than the last.

"Stop!"

I struggled desperately, the excruciating pain making my screams gut-wrenching.

"I'm not Jake's mistress!

"I'm his wife!"

But Reese didn't relent. Her kicks continued as she laughed coldly.

She said with a twisted grin, "Ha! You're not even married yet, and you think you're Jake's legitimate wife?

"You're such a bitch, damn it!

"I'm not just going to beat you.

"I'm going to strip you so everyone can see what kind of body could attract Jake."

Reese grabbed at my coat with a sinister smile.

She shouted, "Let's show everyone what happens to all the mistresses!"

Finally, someone couldn't bear to watch it any longer.

They stepped in, trying to stop Reese, but with her four or five friends, they not only failed to intervene but were instead knocked to the ground by Reese's crew.

Most people watched with detached curiosity, treating it like a drama of a scorned wife taking down a mistress.

I pleaded desperately, "Stop!

"I really am Jake's wife. You can call him—please, just stop!"

For the sake of the baby in my womb, I had abandoned all dignity.

No matter the aftermath, I couldn't let my child come to any harm.

I was willing to give my life to protect this child.

Reese, however, was too enraged to listen.

She tore at my maternity dress, slapping my face. "Wife? So eager?"

Under Reese's relentless assault, my hair was a mess, blood streamed down my face, and my clothes were in tatters, exposing much of my body.

"Wow, didn't expect this bitch to have a decent figure. No wonder Jake's obsessed, even posting about how he's willing to go to the ends of the earth for you.

"Let's see this seductress in all her glory.

"Think having a baby will get you into the high society? A whore will always be a whore. Trying to steal my man? I'll make sure you never find peace!

"Go to hell!"

At this moment, I couldn't care less about my exposed state. I curled up, turning my back to Reese, desperately shielding my baby as she continued to beat me.

"Ha! That's right! This is what happens to mistresses."

Reese's friends cheered and laughed, applauding her actions.

Some, unable to watch any longer, pulled out their phones to call the police.

But Reese's friends were quick, snatching the phones and smashing them on the ground.

"Assault is illegal!"

Several people were outraged, but faced with the possibility of their phones being smashed too, they didn't dare to do anything.

I felt as if I had been abandoned by Jake and the world, lying alone in a pool of blood, hopeless and powerless.

Reese, with a fierce expression, roared, "What's it to you how I deal with this mistress?

"My boyfriend is Jake!

"Even if I beat this bitch to death, Jake will sort it out for me."

With Reese's friends in full attack mode and the crowd too scared to intervene, nobody dared speak up.

Just then, Reese's phone rang.

She deliberately put it on speaker. Jake's voice came through. "I'm on the plane now; I should be there by evening.

"Here's five million dollars as a settlement. Don't ever contact me again. I'm just using you for something."

Reese's face turned sour.

Her voice turned icy. "Breakup? I don't agree!

"Is it because of that slut?

"If she's stealing my man, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

Jake was momentarily stunned. "Slut? What slut?"

Reese retorted, "You'll find out soon enough!"

Desperate for help, I tried to call out but had no strength left to speak.

Reese ended the call, her eyes blazing.

It seemed that Jake's mention of a "settlement" had pushed her over the edge.

"Think you can climb the social ladder with this baby?

"Let's see if Jake will give you a second glance without the baby!"

In my terrified gaze, Reese mustered all her strength and kicked my belly with full force.

"No!!" I screamed hoarsely.

After doing this, Reese made another call to Jake, her voice sweet and completely different from before.

"Jake, I've hit someone!"

Jake was taken aback but responded calmly, "I'll handle it."

I couldn't describe the excruciating pain that had overwhelmed my entire body.

With Jake's guarantee, the psychotic Reese, in front of everyone, brandished a fruit knife. Seeing the blade, the crowd around us recoiled, stepping back.

Reese's friends glared with malice, ensuring nobody pulled out their phones to call the police.

I cried out, "Please, someone, call the police!

"My stomach is killing me, my child... save my child!"

I could feel the blood beginning to seep through.

Reese declared, "Who's gonna dare?

"I'll teach this bitch three a lesson, it's none of your business.

"Because of this bitch, my boyfriend is about to break up with me when I was planning to marry him."

Reese, knife in hand, pointed it at the crowd as a threat.

"Hold her down, isn't she supposed to be pretty? Now I'm going to ruin her face, let's see if Jake will even look at her again."

Her friends hesitated, frightened by the sight of my body being covered in blood.

"Reese, maybe just stop?"

"Don't cause any more trouble."

Reese shook her head. "Don't worry, it won't end in death. Doesn't she have the resilience to take a beating?

"Plus, Jake promised he'd sort it out for me."

Her friends' eyes gleamed with anticipation.

Eventually, they grabbed me and pinned me to the ground, and I felt dizzy, on the brink of unconsciousness, without the strength to struggle.

With the piercing pain amounting, Reese carved my face with the knife.

My vision blurred with blood.

My heart was as dead as my hopes, tears streaming down my face.

"Let's see if you dare to seduce men from now on."

Reese gloated as I lay there.

At this moment, all I could think of was my baby in my belly.

The pain in my abdomen continued, and compared to the near-disfigurement of my face, it was almost insignificant.

In a foggy haze, tears blurring my vision, I watched the blood seep, feeling my world had been torn apart.

Through the long, agonizing wait, a middle-aged man named Lenny Sanfield, who claimed to be Jake's driver, pushed his way through the crowd towards us.

I'd never seen him before; I remembered that Jake's driver had taken a long leave due to family issues, so this must be one of Jake's temporary replacements.

He had a rugged aura, sun-kissed brown skin, and was dressed in a crisp suit.

Seeing me lying there, bleeding, he was clearly puzzled, not recognizing me.

He turned to Reese and asked, "Mr. Austin's flight is at 5 p.m., I'm here to pick you up first and wait for him at the airport.

"Why did you beat her up like that?"

Reese proudly showed off to Lenny, saying, "Jake will sort it out for me, what are you scared of?"

Then, she took her phone from her friends and pointed the camera at me.

"See? This is what happens to a homewrecker!"

Lenny dialed Jake's number.

"Mr. Austin, Reese has kind of messed someone up.

"Shall I record a video for you?"

Then, Lenny took out his phone and took a video of the bloody me lying on the ground and sent it to my husband！