I wandered back home in a daze. Sam and I had been living together for the past six months, and our wedding was supposed to happen in three months. However, I wasn’t even sure if there was a point in going through with it anymore.

Without another word, I packed a suitcase, grabbed my things, and walked out. Thankfully, I still had an apartment nearby—the one my mom left me before she passed, filled with her favorite decorations.

As I pulled up to the apartment building, thunder cracked across the sky, and moments later, heavy rain started pouring down.

The moment I unlocked the front door and stepped inside, I knew something was wrong.

My mom’s favorite genuine leather couch cover had been swapped out for a bright pink one, and the little potted plants she gave me were gone, too. The entire apartment had been redecorated in some kind of childish, cartoonish theme.

Then, I heard Lily’s laugh coming from the bedroom. Fuming, I stormed over and shoved the door open. Even the bedroom had been changed.

Lily was lounging on the bed, while Sam was crouched on the floor massaging her feet. When Lily saw me, she looked smug, like she was showing off.

“Amy, Sam is just the sweetest. He saw me struggling in heels, so he’s giving me a foot massage.”

“Shut up!” Sam snapped and glared at her.

In response, Lily clutched her stomach and looked at him with big, teary eyes. “Sam, why are you yelling at me? What if you scare the baby?”

The baby? Was she pregnant too?

My vision blurred with rage. I charged forward, trying to drag her off the bed. However, before I could touch her, a strong force yanked me back. It was Sam, and he shoved me to the ground.

“Amy, what are you doing?” he shouted.

That was when he noticed the bruise forming on my arm, and the anger in his eyes turned to guilt.

“I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to push you that hard! But you were out of hand. Lily’s pregnant. You can’t just attack her…”

Worried, he reached out to help me up, but I smacked his hand away.

“So she’s pregnant, and she gets treated like royalty, but it’s fine for you to throw me to the floor?”

Tears streamed down my face. I looked at him with nothing but disappointment.

“Why did you take her here?” I yelled. “Who gave you the right to touch anything in this apartment? You know how much this place meant to me!”

Sam looked stunned by my outburst. He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me, trying to calm me down.

“She didn’t have anywhere else to go. Someone tried to hurt her at a hotel, and she was too scared to stay there again. I couldn’t bring her to our place either. She’ll stay here just for now. As soon as we find her a place, I promise she’ll leave.”

“This was my mom’s home!” I cried, struggling in his arms. “How could you bring another woman here and let her change everything? Sam, I hate you!”

I pounded my fists against him, but he held on tightly.

“Okay, okay,” he said quickly. “We didn’t throw anything out. Your mom’s stuff is all in the storage room. I’ll take Lily away right now if that’s what you want.”

“Get out!” I screamed. “Both of you, get out of my house!”

I grabbed everything I could reach—pillows, picture frames, anything—and hurled them at them like a madwoman.

Lily shrieked and darted out of the room, knocking things over in the hallway with a loud crash. Sam let go of me immediately and ran after her. He helped her up, and soon, they both left my apartment.

A few minutes later, my phone buzzed. It was a text from Sam.

“Amy, please don’t be mad. I’m taking Lily away for now. It’s storming tonight, and she’s been scared of thunder since she was a kid. I have to stay with her tonight. But I swear, I’ll come back to you tomorrow.”

I sank to the floor, covered my face with my hands, and broke down crying. Outside, lightning lit up the sky, and thunder rumbled through the city, drowning out the sound of my sobs.

I didn’t know how long I cried for, but it wasn’t until a dull pain started throbbing in my stomach that I finally snapped out of it.

I gently placed my hand over my belly and forced myself to stand.

“I’m sorry, baby,” I whispered. “I used to be so excited to meet you, but your father doesn’t love us anymore. He doesn’t deserve to be your dad… and I can’t bring you into a world so full of cruelty.

“I’m sorry.”

Once I calmed myself down, I threw out everything Sam and Lily had brought into this place. Then, I opened the storage room, only to see everything I held dear had been tossed carelessly onto the floor.

The pain in my heart tightened. I knelt down and quietly began picking up the pieces, tears falling as I moved.

Three out of five small flower pots were shattered, and the plants inside were nearly dead, barely holding on. My mom’s pure white Persian rug, the one I’d taken such good care of, was now covered in muddy footprints, like someone had stomped on it on purpose.

The leather couch cover had been torn in several places with deep, jagged slashes that couldn’t be repaired. Everything I’d spent years maintaining had been destroyed, just like my relationship with Sam; it was broken beyond recognition.

I cleaned until past midnight before finally collapsing onto the bed.

The next morning, I was jolted awake by loud banging on the front door. Still groggy, I stumbled over and opened it, only to be slapped across the face.

Sam’s mother, Mary Johnson, stood on the other side, her expression cold.

“I always knew you were worthless,” she snapped. “But I didn’t think you’d cheat on Sam to be someone’s mistress? Are we not giving you enough money, that you needed a sugar daddy for kicks?

“You’re a disgrace! No wonder your family went bankrupt. You’re filthy, through and through. You’re not good enough for my son! Sam knows what kind of trash you are now, and he’s done with you. I’m here to tell you: pack your bags and leave this city. Stay away from my son, forever.”

The sting on my cheek burned hot, and I could taste blood in my mouth. However, I held back my tears and looked her in the eye, calm and steady.

“You don’t have to worry. I’ll stay away from your son,” I said. “But you’d better keep him away from me too.”

She sneered. “You think you’re some precious gem? You’re trash. Crawl back to wherever you came from.”

“Mom! What are you saying? I’m not calling off the wedding! Amy is pregnant with my child. She’s going to be my wife!”

Suddenly, Sam’s voice cut through the air as he ran over.

Mary froze, her face going pale. “What did you just say? She’s pregnant? Even if she is, it’s not your child. That illegitimate kid has nothing to do with our family!”

She gave me a filthy look before turning back to Sam, her voice rising with anger. “You told me yesterday that Lily’s pregnant with your child, so you have to marry Lily—now! If she stays unmarried, her reputation will be ruined."

“As for this one…” she sneered, eyeing me from head to toe. “I guess her sugar daddy’s got some energy left, huh? To think he even managed to knock her up. Get her out of here, Sam. Do you want her dragging our family name through the dirt?”

Sam looked conflicted. His lips parted, then closed again, eyes flickering with hesitation.

For a moment, I hoped maybe he would speak up to defend me and our child. However, he didn’t. He said nothing as his mother humiliated me.

Instead, he said, “I love Amy more than anything, so I care about none of those. I’ll raise this baby like it’s my own.”

He then pulled me aside and whispered, pleading with his eyes. “Lily’s pregnant, and the doctor said her uterine wall is too thin. If she gets an abortion, she might never be able to have children again.

“You know she’s about to graduate, so she can’t risk the scandal of being an unwed mother. Even though I’ll marry her, it’s just temporary. As soon as her child is born, I’ll divorce her and marry you instead.

“We’ll be a family—just you, me, and the baby. Everything will go back to the way it was.”

I stared at him, completely numb. It felt like my blood had frozen over, and my heart was hollow, like someone had carved it out.

To protect Lily, he let his mother shame me and insult my child. He’d rather have her call it an illegitimate kid than say a word.

Right then, all the love I had for this man vanished. I was done.

“Mary isn’t the only one who doesn’t want this child. I don’t want it either,” I said coldly as I watched Sam’s mom storm out of the room.

Sam’s eyes flickered with pain and confusion. He spoke softly, trying to explain. “Amy, please don’t overreact. I’ve told you before. Lily is like my sister. I promised her brother I’d take care of her, and you’re my love, the woman I’m going to marry.”

“Oh, so your mom just said that you’re marrying Lily. Congratulations!”

“You know that’s not true. Lily’s pregnant, and she’s too physically weak to get an abortion. She’s still in school, and if people find out she’s pregnant before marriage, her reputation will be ruined. The only thing I can do is marry her, have the baby, and then we’ll be done. Please don’t be upset.”

“Her reputation? What about my reputation? You know, everyone online’s calling me shameless for 'stealing' someone else’s husband. Doesn’t that matter to you? Sam, I will abort this baby. This is the end of us.” My gaze was fixed on him as I spoke.

Seeing how determined I was, Sam’s face turned grim. “Amy, you’re just acting on your emotions right now. Look, we’ll deal with the baby later. For now, you can get some rest at home.”

After that, Sam dragged me back home with him, and from that day on, I was confined. He even took my phone and made sure I was watched at all times. I couldn’t understand why he couldn’t let me go when he didn’t love me anymore.

Days later, Lily’s mother, Lisa Aldrige, barged in.

As soon as she entered, she pointed a furious finger at me. “What did you do to bewitch Sam? He’s about to marry my daughter, and here you are, hiding away in his house! Get out of here right now. Don’t you dare take my daughter’s place!”

As she yelled at me, she ordered the servants to start clearing out my things from the master bedroom.

“My daughter and Sam got married today, and she’s the new owner of this house now. Get all of her stuff out!”

I was about to reach out to stop her when her words hit me like a punch to the gut.

“So, Sam and Lily really got married today? They’re legally a couple, and I’m the mistress?”

Just like that, the full weight of it all hit me. Although I was prepared to leave Sam, hearing it tore me apart inside.

Lisa wasn’t done. “Of course! My Lily’s carrying Sam’s child, unlike you, who’s pregnant with some illegitimate child yet still clinging to your ex. You should be thrown out for good!”

Her anger was rising, and before I could react, she shoved me.

I stumbled, too dazed to defend myself, and crashed to the ground. Pain shot through me, starting from my heart and spreading to my abdomen. Suddenly, my face drained of color.

“Stop! What are you doing?” Sam rushed in, drenched in sweat.

Without a word, he shoved Lisa aside and pulled me into his arms. The servants froze and glanced nervously at Sam, unsure of what to do.

Lisa pointed at him, furious. “Sam, you’ve married my daughter. How could you still involve yourself with this woman? How could you do this to Lily?”

“Shut up!” Sam barked, his face dark. “This is not the time or place for your tantrums. Get out!”

He gestured for the bodyguards to escort her out.

I didn’t care about the pain anymore. I looked straight into Sam’s eyes and asked, “So, you did marry Lily today? What she said was true?”