Hearing those words, Camille’s face immediately turned pale with panic. She rushed to cover both of their mouths, her hands trembling.

“I didn’t mean to harm Colette. I was just too scared. I only wanted you both to be careful.”

Seeing her panic-stricken sincerity, both Magnus and Spencer’s hearts melted instantly. Their expressions softened, and they nodded repeatedly, reassured by Camille’s words.

But the way they exchanged glances, long, quiet, and laden with unspoken promises, left Colette with no doubt. They still intended to follow through.

Unable to bear the sight any longer, Colette turned away, drifting like a ghost back to the bedroom where she and Magnus had once shared stolen moments of passion.

She had once dreamed of marrying Spencer, the man she had adored since childhood. But after everything that had happened, guilt twisted in her chest. She believed he had chosen someone else because of his disappointment in her.

Even after Spencer humiliated her time and time again, enlisting countless gossip sites to torment her online, Colette stayed silent, swallowing the bitterness in her heart.

When she married Magnus, the wounds began to heal slowly, almost imperceptibly. That small bedroom became her sanctuary, her personal utopia, a place where she could forget the pain.

But now, with the truth laid bare before her, Colette stood in the room Magnus had meticulously designed just for her, an unbearable irony gnawing at her heart.

Eight months ago, they had shared their first night here, the night they conceived their first child.

Colette’s eyes lingered on the bright red bedsheet, and a wave of nausea twisted in her stomach.

Her heart ached as she silently whispered an apology to the unborn child, already a target of its own father’s indifference.

With trembling hands, she reached for her phone and booked an appointment for an abortion.

To bring a child into this family, this twisted, broken family, would be a tragedy far too great.

Rather than waiting for them to destroy the child, she would take matters into her own hands and ensure the baby would never suffer.

The appointment was set for three days later, on the same day as their routine prenatal checkup.

She would have preferred another day, but since the wedding night scandal and the explosive nude photos, the gossip and online abuse had never stopped.

If she went out alone, the insults would drown her, a tidal wave of cruelty she could never outrun.

But with Magnus by her side, there was still a semblance of respect, a small buffer from the venomous public eye, thanks to the Ferrero family’s power.

Magnus didn’t notice a thing amiss. As always, he had prepared everything for the trip early in the morning, down to the last detail.

Along with the necessary documents and medical records, he had thoughtfully packed fruit and snacks.

Anyone observing them would have believed he was the perfect husband.

But now, staring at his flawless profile, Colette could only sigh bitterly. His act was convincing, too convincing.

Magnus’s car was an eye-catching sight. The moment they stepped out, a wave of gazes turned their way.

As expected, the admiration quickly turned to disdain and contempt the instant people saw her face.

One particularly bold woman shoved a camera in Colette’s face, shouting as she broadcasted live, “You little vixen! Seducing the Ferrero family’s eldest son wasn’t enough for you? Now you’ve gone after the younger one, too? The Ferrero family didn’t throw you out and even let you marry in, are you proud of that?”

Other onlookers quickly joined in, adding to the mob.

“I heard you and the eldest Ferrero were childhood sweethearts for over a decade. Now you’ve just switched husbands, so there’s no lingering affection, huh? The second son treats you so well. Are you cheating on him behind his back?”

As the words were spoken, the crowd’s eyes roamed over her with filthy gazes, their laughter laced with cruelty.

Colette had heard this kind of talk so many times that she was numb to it. Instinctively, she raised her hands to shield her face.

Yet, despite her best efforts, the tears still fell uncontrollably, and the pain in her chest intensified.

She knew she hadn’t cheated; it was never her intention. The ones who had orchestrated everything were Magnus and Spencer.

But to the outside world, the elder son was the poor, betrayed victim, while the younger one appeared to be the loyal, devoted man who stayed by her side through it all.

And the one carrying all the blame was her and her alone.

“What are you filming for?! This is illegal, don’t you know that?! Believe it or not, the Ferrero family can sue you one by one!”

Magnus arrived just in time, gripping Colette’s hand tightly and shielding her completely behind him.

She had witnessed scenes like this countless times before, each one moving her to the brink of tears. But today, something changed, and Colette suddenly understood.

With the Ferrero family’s power, if Magnus truly wanted to sue, how could she have weathered this storm for so long?

She was a fool; not once had she ever questioned him.

Slowly, Colette pulled her hand from his grasp. She could no longer bear to watch him play the role of the dutiful young master from a prestigious family.

“…Let’s go to the consultation room.”

Once inside, she would ask to switch the checkup for an abortion. She would release the child from this mess.

Magnus noticed the resistance in her touch, the coldness in her expression. For a brief moment, his body froze.

He reached out again, nervously taking her hand and asking what was wrong.

Before she could answer, his phone rang its special ringtone, the one he had set himself, cutting through the tension.

Magnus quickly picked up his phone, and the nervousness in his eyes vanished like smoke.

As he read the message on the screen, a grin spread across his face, impossible to suppress.

“Colette… the baby’s fine, really. It’s just some routine checkups, nothing to worry about.”

“I won’t be much help just standing there. Something urgent came up at the office, so I’ll head back first.”

Colette understood instantly, and a bitter irony twisted inside her.

It was Tuesday, the day Magnus could spend with Camille.

“Alright.”

“But there are too many people around. You need to walk me to the consultation room first.”

Magnus didn’t hesitate. “Colette, it’s just a little crowd. When did you become so sensitive? They’re not going to eat you,” he said, brushing her off as he strode ahead.

He pushed through the crowd without a second glance.

Feeling the growing, invasive stares from every side, the familiar sense of dread crept up on Colette once more.

She shouted Magnus’s name, trying to follow him, but the crowd pressed in, blocking her way.

He paused for a split second, his head turning at the sound of her frightened voice.

But then, the text from Camille flashed in his mind, asking to meet, and without a second thought, Magnus chose to leave.

No matter how loudly Colette called after him, he didn’t so much as glance back.

As the crowd saw him walk away, their murmurings grew louder, and the air thickened with tension.

Then, as if the sight of her abandonment had stirred something in them, a group of burly men surrounded her.

“Colette, your husband doesn’t want you anymore; what now? Looking for another man? We can help with that.”

Colette pushed back, but the pressure from the growing crowd was overwhelming.

Her pregnant belly, heavy and sensitive, was shoved and squeezed, sending waves of pain shooting through her body.

A cold sweat beaded on her forehead.

“No… Please, stop…” she whispered, her voice trembling, but no one heard her or cared.

The crowd closed in tighter, suffocating her. She had nowhere to turn.

It felt like she was drowning in a sea of strangers.

By the time security arrived, her body was battered and bruised, and half her clothes had been torn away, leaving her shoulder exposed to the air.

Seeing her crumpled on the floor, the crowd descended like hungry wolves sensing blood, their phones raised high, snapping photos and filming the spectacle.

Colette curled up in a ball, feeling as though she were nothing more than a stray dog discarded by its owner.

It wasn’t until a compassionate nurse rushed to her side and guided her into the consultation room that the crowd finally dispersed, their eager gazes following her every step.

Even after sitting in the quiet room, Colette’s body trembled as though the wolves outside were still circling, ready to strike.

The obstetrician, a woman with a soft touch, stroked Colette’s hair gently. After hearing the nurse’s account, her face softened with pity.

“No wonder you were so determined to terminate. ”

“At this stage in your pregnancy, we typically wouldn’t allow it. But given your situation, we can make an exception and apply for it.”

Just as the doctor turned to leave, Colette’s hand shot out and grasped hers.

“No, doctor, I’m not having an abortion.”

“I want a divorce, now.”

When Colette returned to the Ferrero Residence, a thin stack of papers weighed heavily in her hand: a divorce agreement.

Just moments before, she had called her family, her voice unwavering as she declared her decision to divorce. No matter the consequences, no matter the losses tied to severing the marriage alliance, she was ready to bear it all.

Her parents had scolded her sharply, their voices cutting through the phone line.

“Colette! Haven’t you already embarrassed the Moore family enough?!”

“You made a scene on your wedding night, and the Ferrero family let it slide because of our ties. And now you’re throwing a tantrum?!”

Colette had bit her lip, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. If she had a choice, she wouldn’t have torn apart the marriage alliance; she had only wanted a quiet life in the Ferrero family.

But after everything that had unfolded, she saw the truth clearly: Magnus and Spencer had never seen her or the child growing inside her as anything more than a pawn in their games.

Magnus knew what would happen if he left her alone there, but still, he chose to meet Camille.

“Even if it means embarrassing myself again, I’m getting a divorce!”

Her father’s anger flared at her words, his rage almost palpable.

“No matter what happens, the marriage alliance between the Moore and Ferrero families cannot be broken! If you insist on divorcing, we’ll adopt Camille as our goddaughter!”

The moment those words left his mouth, everything changed. Their fury seemed to evaporate in an instant.

Gwen Moore, her mother, suddenly beamed with excitement.

“Why didn’t we think of this before? We can adopt Camille as our goddaughter! She’s sweet, well-behaved, and capable. If she joins the Moore family, she’ll definitely bring us honor!”

Like flipping a switch, they went from furious to eager, their thoughts now consumed with finding the perfect excuse to welcome Camille into their fold. They even pressured Colette to go through with the divorce immediately.

Colette’s heart, already shattered, was now ripped open once more, but this time, it was by her own parents.

She looked up at the sky, letting out a bitter laugh that seemed to mock her own pain.

"Don’t worry. I’ll get a divorce."

With a final, resolute glance at the villa she had once called home, she walked inside.

Magnus had always played the part of the perfect husband, greeting her with a warm smile the moment she returned. He’d even go as far as to help her take off her shoes and socks as if to prove his devotion.

But today, as Colette searched every corner of the house, she found no sign of him.

It wasn’t until she reached the second floor that she heard his voice, the familiar, low sound of him panting.

And then, to her horror, there were two other voices, voices thick with shameless passion.

At that moment, her body went stiff, frozen to the spot.

She never could have imagined that their so-called "sharing" would mean three people together. And worse, this betrayal, this humiliation, had unfolded in broad daylight while she had been at the hospital for a prenatal checkup.

Colette’s hands trembled as she threw open the bedroom door with a force that echoed through the room.

The three figures tangled on the bed and froze in shock at the sight of her.

But Magnus and Spencer quickly snapped to attention, rushing to cover Camille with a quilt, desperate to shield her from Colette’s gaze.

Spencer’s voice boomed, sharp and defensive.

“Who gave you permission to come in?! Camille’s body is none of your concern!”

Magnus, too, looked at her with a mixture of disbelief and confusion.

“Colette, weren’t you at the hospital? Why are you back so soon?”

Colette's gaze was cold, filled with an icy disappointment that made the air feel heavier.

She glanced slowly at the trembling woman wrapped in the blanket, the image of betrayal carving into her heart.

“This so-called ‘urgent company matter’... was this it?”

Magnus stiffened, his body freezing at the words. His mouth opened, but no sound came out, the weight of the truth pressing down on him.

Then, from the bed, Camille’s voice broke through, weak and remorseful.

“I’m sorry… Colette, I’m so sorry… I know you’re angry; it’s all my fault… You can hit me, yell at me... I won’t fight back.”

Magnus instantly panicked, his arms shooting out to pull her close. His voice roared in anger.

“Colette, you’ve gone too far!”

“Even if you saw something, couldn’t we have talked it out afterward? Why barge in like this?”

“Don’t you know how humiliating this is for a woman? Did you ever think about Camille’s feelings when you burst in here like that?”

Colette looked at him, stunned, disbelief spreading through her like a cold fog.

Her heart, already numb from everything she had endured, was stabbed again.

So, he did understand that it was a woman’s humiliation to be caught like this.

Yet, on their wedding night, he had let Spencer and the whole Ferrero family barge in, a crowd of strangers watching them.

Even her parents had stood there.

The nightmarish scene flashed before her eyes, those photos, naked and degrading. Every time she dared step out into the world, she was bombarded, cursed, and taunted. It was too much for her to bear.

Her vision blurred, swallowed by the darkness of those memories.

With the last of her strength, Colette slammed the divorce papers in front of Magnus.

“If you love her so much, then divorce me! I’ll give you what you want!”

Magnus furrowed his brows in irritation as if her words were some kind of joke.

“Colette, are you a child? Throwing a tantrum over something so trivial?”

“Our families have been intertwined for generations. Our bond is deeper than that. It can’t just end with us.”

Colette could no longer be bothered to argue. Without hesitation, she flung the divorce papers at his face.

“I’ve already spoken to my family. They agreed. All that’s left is for you to sign.”

At those words, the confident look on Magnus’ face slowly began to falter, as though his resolve was beginning to crack.