Looking again, Michael had already wrapped his arms around Regina and was trying to calm her down.

"Don’t get an abortion. You know my condition. Your child might be my last chance to be a father."

As he spoke, he pulled a black card from his pocket and handed it to Regina.

"There’s 50 million on this card. Buy yourself a new bag. Please don’t get upset. It’s not good for the baby."

Regina gave a cold smile and threw the black card at my face.

"I don’t care about the charity of rich people like you. I’ve said it before, we are only partners for having a child. Don’t try to shame me by offering money. I have dignity."

The edge of the card scratched my cheek. Blood dripped onto the blanket. Only then did Michael seem to realize I was in the room. He frowned.

"Elizabeth, you’ve seen it yourself. Regina and I are only partners. She doesn’t want my money or my body."

"So stop being so petty. Once her child is born, you can be its mother. Isn’t that the same as having your own child?"

I tried my best to hold back, but tears still fell from my eyes. My nails dug into my palms, but even that pain felt distant. I could see the hidden pride in Regina’s eyes and Michael’s growing impatience.

Just as he opened his mouth to speak again, I interrupted him.

"Alright. You can have as many children as you want. I don’t care."

I had already decided to divorce Michael.

He let out a long breath and hugged Regina tighter.

"See? I told you Elizabeth is a kind person. Can you go for the prenatal checkup now?"

Regina pouted and pushed him away.

"We’re just partners. You don’t have to be so close to me."

"I’ll go by myself. You stay here with your wife."

She turned and left the room. Michael quickly followed, carefully guarding Regina’s belly, without even glancing back at me. I suddenly felt exhausted

I had left home ten years ago, met Michael ten years ago and married him eight years ago. I always knew he wanted children. However, I also knew he had azoospermia. So, when I got pregnant for the first time, I cried with joy the entire night.

I walked carefully, hoping he would go with me to the hospital. But he always said he was busy and had to travel. Still, I could never forget his cold expression.

"Elizabeth, pregnancy is survival of the fittest. If you miscarried that easily, it’s better not to have it."

At that moment, I truly believed what he said. From then on, I went to my checkups alone and took the medicine to protect the pregnancy by myself. So, I endured the nausea and quietly got out of bed at night to massage my swollen legs.

The care I had imagined receiving from him had all been given to someone else.

A few hours later, Michael sent me a rare message on WhatsApp.

[Elizabeth, you should get more rest these next few days after the miscarriage. I’ve arranged for someone to bring nutritious meals. Don’t forget to eat.]

I didn’t reply. Just like he had ignored my many messages before. The last one I sent asked what time he would come home. He never answered.

Now that I think about it, he was probably with Regina at the time. After that, I didn’t see him for several days. I only heard updates from the nurses.

Like how Regina got upset and refused to eat the nutritious meals, so Michael immediately replaced them without hesitation. Or how she gave the food she didn’t eat to the servants. One nurse said she saw Michael late at night massaging Regina’s feet himself.

I looked at the meal that had just been sent to me and lost all appetite. No wonder it was full of things I hated. They hadn’t even thought of giving it to me.

After all, it was just something Regina no longer wanted.

I asked the nurse to throw those things away for me, then lay back on the bed and fell asleep. I didn’t know how long I had been sleeping, but I suddenly felt like I couldn’t breathe. When I opened my eyes, I saw the bed was covered with bright, fresh roses.

My throat felt itchy and tight. I quickly covered my mouth and nose.

"Who sent these roses? Take them away!" I coughed painfully as I shouted.

Just then, Michael walked in with his assistant. His face was dark.

"Useless. Don’t you know the lady is allergic to roses? Get them out of here!"

The assistant started crying as she carried the flowers away. Michael gently wiped the tears from the corners of my eyes. As soon as he touched my skin, which was already red and itchy from the allergy, I trembled.

"I’m sorry, Elizabeth. The assistant went to the wrong room. Are you alright now?"

The wrong room? Just then, Regina entered the ward with a pale face. She glanced at the roses still being removed and laughed coldly.

"So, the surprise you mentioned was fake. I waited the whole day for it."

"I’m sorry for disturbing your relationship."

She turned to leave.

Michael looked nervous.

"No, it was a mistake. Elizabeth is allergic to roses. I would never give them to her."

Regina's eyes turned red.

"Really?"

"Of course. If you don’t believe me, feel my heartbeat."

Michael took her hand and placed it on his chest. Then, slowly, they moved closer to each other and kissed. I got out of bed, my face swollen. I forced a smile, though it looked worse than crying

"Michael, let’s get a divorce."

When he heard that, he pushed Regina away and stared at me.

"What did you say? Say it again."

I was about to speak when Regina interrupted me. She looked pleased but wiped her lips as if it meant nothing.

"Mrs. Coldsworth, don’t get the wrong idea. I kissed Mr. Coldsworth because of hormones. It didn’t mean anything."

"Honestly, women shouldn’t be too selfish. Many women want a man like Mr. Coldsworth. But he only keeps you around. You should be grateful."

I didn’t even look at her. I just said calmly, "Didn’t your mother teach you not to interrupt people when they’re speaking? Or did you not have a mother?"

Regina’s eyes turned red immediately. Seeing this, Michael raised his hand and slapped me without thinking. It was the first time he had hit me in our eight years of marriage. He seemed to regret it right away, but still stood firm.

"Elizabeth, don’t go too far. You’re an orphan yourself. How can you say something so cruel?!"

I didn’t want to argue anymore. When I left home, my family didn’t help me at all. They even locked my records.

That was why Michael only knew me as an orphan.

But now, who was really in the wrong?

"Yes, I’m cruel, but it’s still better than getting someone pregnant before our divorce!"

"I already told you, what happened with Regina was an accident. You’re hurt and it’s hard for you to get pregnant now. Do you really want me to die without children or grandchildren?!"

Michael’s eyes were cold.

"Elizabeth, when did you become so heartless?"

My lips trembled.

"Why is it hard for me to get pregnant? Don’t you know the reason?"

Michael’s expression changed. He looked nervous, like he wanted to explain.

"Enough! Stop fighting. It’s all my fault, okay?"

Regina screamed, pushed Michael away and ran out of the room. Michael turned to glare at me.

"If anything happens to the child, I won’t forgive you."

"And don’t talk about divorce again. That trick is getting old."

After Michael left, I lost all my strength and collapsed to the ground. The doctor gave me allergy medicine and I applied for discharge as soon as I finished taking it. I went home carrying a divorce agreement that only needed his signature.

As soon as I opened the door, a crystal glass fell at my feet. It hit my knee, which turned purple right away. I knelt on one knee in pain and couldn’t stand up for a long time.

"I’m not as delicate as you rich people. Take all these things away. I don’t want them!"

After smashing the glass, Regina also threw down the limited-edition bag nearby. The things I once wanted but couldn’t have were now trash in her hands. Michael stood nearby holding a bowl of soup, looking helpless.

"Alright, then don’t take them. But drink this soup to warm your stomach. Don’t starve the baby."

"Why are you so clueless? This isn’t what I wanted!" Regina shouted as she pouted.

"I regret asking you to be my baby’s father. I didn’t think you would get me pregnant so fast. I don’t understand why your wife has tried for years but can’t get pregnant."

In the past, no matter how careful I was, Michael was easily annoyed. Now, Regina refused him again and again, yet he didn’t seem upset at all. He didn’t even notice my swollen knee.

He just said to me calmly, "You’ve been pregnant before. You should know what pregnant women like. Go make a bowl of the soup you used to drink for Regina."

"I won’t. I’m not your nanny."

I turned to go upstairs.

Michael grabbed my wrist.

"Can’t you stop being selfish? When the baby is born, he’ll call you mom."

Looking at his handsome face that once felt like a gift from heaven, I suddenly felt sick. I handed him the divorce agreement.

"Sign it and I’ll make the soup."

Michael signed without even reading it. He looked like he expected it.

"Are you jealous of the gift I bought Regina? Fine. You can buy one too if you want, as long as you behave."

I had never asked him for money. Even when he was so poor he couldn’t afford to eat, I never begged my father. I stayed by Michael’s side through everything.

Now, Michael thought I was a woman who only cared about money. I put the divorce papers away and went to the kitchen to make the soup. After I finished this bowl, I would leave him for good.

As I poured the soup into the bowl, my phone rang again and again.

It was an unknown number.

"Elizabeth, your mother is in critical condition and being rescued in the hospital. She’s crying and wants to see you one last time … "

I hadn’t seen my parents in ten years since I left home after a fight. When I heard this, my legs almost gave out. I wiped away my tears and got ready to go to the hospital.

When I placed the soup on the table, I was still in a daze.

Michael noticed something was wrong.

"Elizabeth, what’s going on?"

I shook my head. My face was pale and I didn’t want to say much.

"Something happened. I need to go out for a while."

My background had always been hidden. Now that we were getting a divorce, there was no point explaining anything. Regina picked up a small bowl of hot soup and brought it to me.

"Mrs. Coldsworth, you’ve worked hard. You should drink some soup before you leave."

I raised my hand to stop Regina.

"No need-"

Before I could finish, she suddenly let go. The hot soup spilled all over me and some of it splashed on the back of her hand. She quickly covered her hand and started crying.

"Mrs. Coldsworth, I was just trying to be nice and offer you soup. But you wanted to burn me? Fine. But what if you hurt the baby in my belly?"

Regina grabbed onto Michael’s sleeve.