Eleanor was woken the next morning by a harsh scraping sound.

In the living room, several workers were tearing down the wedding photos of her and Harrison from the wall. The glass frames dragged across the floor, leaving long, jagged lines behind.

"What are you doing?" Eleanor asked.

Her voice was still raspy from sleep, but it carried a chill.

The man in charge replied casually, "Mr. Luther's orders. The new Mrs. Luther is moving in and doesn't like seeing other people's photos on the wall."

The new Mrs. Luther?

A memory occurred to her then.

In her previous life, when she woke up to find her wedding photos being taken down, she'd cried and begged the workers to stop.

Right after that, messages from Harrison and Winona arrived, informing her that they were moving in.

Winona had followed up by sending countless obscene photos, leaving Eleanor unable to process what was happening.

When Harrison finally brought Winona through the door, Eleanor had lost control entirely, screaming and making a scene so ugly that all she earned in the end was Harrison's disgust and Winona's triumphant smile.

Now, watching the wedding photo she'd once treasured get crumpled up and stuffed into a trash bag, Eleanor felt nothing at all.

If anything, it seemed laughable.

After experiencing that kind of heartbreak once, the pain really didn't feel as devastating the second time around.

Just then, her phone vibrated in her hand, and Winona's name appeared on the screen.

Dozens of photos followed in quick succession of Harrison gently stroking Winona's pregnant belly, his eyes soft, Harrison standing in the kitchen cooking for her, patient and attentive, and the two of them cuddling together on the couch, Winona's cheeks flushed.

Every photo carried a timestamp that perfectly matched the days he'd claimed to be on business trips or stuck in meetings.

At the end of the spam was a taunting message. "Eleanor, Harry said my belly's getting big, and living elsewhere isn't convenient. He's bringing me back to 'our home' today."

Another message popped up immediately after.

This one was from Harrison, and it was identical to the one she'd received in her previous life. "Eleanor, I'm bringing Winona home today. Clean up the master bedroom and let her stay there. She's pregnant, so be considerate."

Eleanor sneered. It was just as she'd expected.

She deleted the messages and sat quietly on the couch.

The door opened, and Harrison walked in with Winona, instinctively positioning himself in front of her as though shielding her.

Eleanor let out a quiet scoff.

"Eleanor?" Harrison frowned. "Didn't I tell you to clean the room? Is the master bedroom ready?"

Her gaze dropped to Winona's swollen belly. She remembered that this child never made it to term in her previous life.

"Eleanor, please don't be angry," Winona said the moment she saw her, her eyes reddening instantly. "I'm only joining you and Harry temporarily. Once I give birth, I'll leave. Please, just take pity on me and let me stay for a while."

Eleanor smiled so gently that it was almost unsettling.

Harrison froze. The words he'd prepared stuck in his throat. He'd expected tears, shouting, or hysterics. He hadn't expected this.

"Of course," Eleanor said softly, nodding. "Pregnancy isn't easy. I'll go clean up the master bedroom right now."

Winona's smugness barely had time to surface before her expression faltered in confusion. This wasn't how things were supposed to go.

Harrison looked at Eleanor, confusion written all over his face. "Eleanor, are you really okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Eleanor tilted her head as she looked at him, her eyes unreadable. "Didn't you say she'd be leaving soon? I can wait."

As she turned toward the guest room, the smile on her lips deepened.

Behind her, Harrison and Winona spoke in hushed voices, clearly trying to figure out what her reaction meant.

…

That night, Eleanor had just finished showering when the door to the guest room was pushed open.

Harrison paused when he saw she was awake, then walked closer, deliberately lightening his steps. "Eleanor, about what happened earlier… do you really not mind?"

He reached out tentatively to pull her into his arms. Eleanor didn't move away and even leaned closer.

"Mind what? You said you'd handle it. I believe you."

Eleanor let him hold her, though her heart was already numb.

The arrangements for her war correspondent assignment were already in motion. Before long, she and Harrison would never cross paths again.

Early the next morning, Harrison woke up in the guest room. Hearing movement in the bathroom, he pushed the door open and saw Eleanor bent over the sink, retching.

"What's wrong?" he asked as he hurried over. "Are you feeling sick?"

Her face was pale, and she didn't look at him. "It's nothing. I'm just a little nauseous."

Harrison rubbed her back gently. After she steadied herself, he spoke with hesitation. "Eleanor, Mom found out yesterday that you already knew about Winona. She said there's no point hiding it anymore."

Eleanor lifted her head and met his gaze in the mirror.

"She wants us to go back to Luther Manor today," he continued. "She also wants me to bring Winona so we can all have dinner together as a family."

A family?

Eleanor laughed silently.

In his eyes, Winona was already family.

She remembered the family dinner at Luther Manor in her previous life.

On the way back, they were in a car accident, and Winona lost the baby. After that, Harrison treated Winona with excessive care under the excuse of guilt.

Now, she knew how ridiculous that had been. It hadn't been guilt at all. It had been love.

"If you're not feeling well, rest for a bit," Harrison said. "I'll have the driver come pick you up later."

He left the bathroom after saying that.

In the end, Eleanor still went to Luther Manor.

As soon as she stepped inside, she heard her mother-in-law, Miranda Coleman, laughing as she coaxed Winona.

It wasn't until their housekeeper, Lauren Smith, noticed Eleanor at the door that she spoke up quietly. "Mrs. Luther is here."

The laughter stopped abruptly.

Miranda glanced at Eleanor, her smile vanishing. "Since you're here, sit down. Dinner's almost ready," she said flatly.

Eleanor chose the seat farthest away.

The smell of steak made her gag, and she covered her mouth.

"What's wrong?" Miranda said sharply. "Does the food not suit your taste? You're so delicate. You're nothing like Winona. She eats everything with an appetite. You can tell she's built for bearing children."

As she spoke, she piled food onto Winona's plate. "Winona, you're truly a gift to our family. Once the baby's born, I'll raise it myself."

Winona lowered her head shyly and glanced at Harrison. "Thank you, Miranda."

Harrison suddenly slammed his fork down, his expression dark. "Mom, I've said it before. I'll only have one wife for the rest of my life, and that's Eleanor!"

Winona's face went pale.

Meanwhile, Eleanor lowered her eyes and smiled coldly.

He'd said the same thing at their wedding, yet he already had someone else in his arms.

…

No one enjoyed the meal.

When they left, Harrison caught up to Eleanor and spoke softly. "Eleanor, my mom's always been like that. Don't take it to heart."

She didn't respond.

When they reached the car, Eleanor reached for the back door out of habit, but it opened from the inside. Winona was already sitting there, smiling innocently. "Eleanor, I get carsick. Harry said I should sit back here."

Harrison looked a tad awkward. "She's pregnant. It's safer for her back there."

Eleanor paused for a moment, then withdrew her hand calmly and got into the passenger seat instead.

The car fell silent.

All of a sudden, Winona leaned forward and met Eleanor's gaze in the rearview mirror. "Harry, it feels stuffy in here."

As she spoke, she deliberately tugged at her collar, exposing a glaring red mark on her neck.

Eleanor remained expressionless until her gaze fell on the platinum iris necklace around Winona's neck.

Her pupils shrank.

In her previous life, Winona hadn't been wearing it on their way back from Luther Manor, so why was she wearing it now?

That necklace had been placed around Eleanor's neck by her father, Michael Sutton, on her 18th birthday.

Her mother, Annabelle Fox, had smiled and said, "Our little princess is all grown up. This is your coming-of-age gift from us. We hope you'll be blessed with a lifetime of happiness."

It was the only thing they'd left her and the only thing she could remember them by.

Eleanor turned sharply, her voice shaking. "Why do you have my necklace? Give it back."

Startled by her reaction, Winona instinctively clutched the necklace, looking at Harrison with a wronged expression. "I don't know what you're talking about. Harry gave it to me."

Harrison gave it to her?

Eleanor looked at him and felt as though she were staring at a stranger.

He knew exactly how precious that necklace was to her.

Even in her previous life, no matter how bad things had gotten between them, he'd never touched it. And now, he'd taken it from her jewelry box and handed it to Winona himself.

Eleanor snapped. She unbuckled her seatbelt and lunged toward the back seat, reaching for the necklace. "That's mine!"

"Ah!" Winona screamed.

The car screeched to a stop by the roadside.

"That's enough, Eleanor!" Harrison snapped coldly. "It's just a necklace. I already gave you One and Only. That old necklace was something you wore for years. I gave it to Winona because she liked it. She didn't even mind that it was secondhand, so why are you causing a scene?"

"M-My stomach hurts…" Winona sobbed in his arms, barely able to breathe. "Harry, my stomach…"

Harrison's expression changed instantly. He turned to Eleanor, his voice icy. "Get out and take a cab home."

Another wave of nausea surged through Eleanor, followed by sharp pain in her lower abdomen. Her face went pale as she clutched her stomach. "Harrison, I don't feel well either..."

"Stop it, Eleanor!" he snapped impatiently.

The door was opened, and he pulled Eleanor out of the car.

Then, Harrison ordered his driver, "William, go to the hospital."

"Yes, Mr. Luther," William Jones replied as he turned the car around.

The black car sped away, leaving Eleanor standing on the crowded street as pain surged through her body and darkness crept into her vision.

She tried to wave down a cab, but she didn't even have the strength to lift her arm.

Her body finally went limp as she fainted.

…

When she woke up again, the sharp scent of disinfectant filled her nose.

The doctor chided her, "You're awake. You fainted due to anemia and emotional distress. Where's your husband? You're six weeks pregnant. How could he be so irresponsible and leave you alone like this?"

Six weeks pregnant?

"D-Doctor, are you sure you're not mistaken?"

Eleanor's voice trembled despite her effort to steady it. She stared at the man in the white coat in front of her as darkness swam at the edges of her vision.

"How is that possible? I…"

In her previous life, this child didn't exist.

The doctor didn't seem surprised by her reaction. He simply slid the ultrasound report toward her and said evenly, "Ms. Sutton, you're six weeks pregnant. There's no mistake. It's written clearly in the report."

He paused, glanced at her pale face, and softened his tone slightly, though his words remained cruel.

"You're showing severe signs of threatened miscarriage. I've prescribed medication to stabilize the pregnancy, and you'll need strict bed rest. If you don't manage to keep this baby, given your physical condition, it may be very difficult for you to conceive again in the future."

Eleanor's gaze slowly dropped to her still-flat belly, and her hand moved there on its own.

A tiny life was growing inside her.

This sudden, unexpected variable sent waves crashing through the calm she'd maintained since her rebirth, stirring her heart into turmoil for the first time.

When she walked out of the hospital, the blazing summer sun stung her eyes.

She instinctively pulled out her phone and opened her chat with Harrison, only to find it empty.

During the days she'd been hospitalized, he'd been just as he'd been in her previous life. He hadn't given her a single call or message.

Should she tell him that they had a child?

The thought barely formed before she crushed it herself, her heart aching with that familiar, dull pain that felt like it had been ground down again and again.

What would telling him change? He already had a child now.

If anything, he might even think she was lying to compete for his attention.

She didn't dare gamble, and she didn't want to.

…

The moment Eleanor stepped through the front door, the broken moans of a woman and a man's heavy breathing drifted down from the second floor, obscene and piercing to the ears.

She paused mid-motion while changing her shoes, her expression calm and unsurprised.

Step by step, she walked upstairs. The sounds grew clearer until she stopped in front of the nursery door.

Through the narrow crack, Winona's dress was bunched around her legs as she sagged bonelessly in Harrison's arms. The flush on her face hadn't faded, and the corners of her eyes were still damp.

Beneath them was the little bed Eleanor had personally chosen for their future child.

Her stomach churned violently, and she nearly retched.

"Harry, I really love this room," Winona said in a hoarse, post-intimacy voice. "Let's use it for our baby later, okay? But the moon lamp is too sharp. Can we replace it?"

"Sure," Harrison replied, sounding mildly helpless but indulgent all the same. "Those were just thrown together before. If you don't like them, I'll have someone come replace everything tomorrow."

Thrown together?

Eleanor's mind instantly flashed back to the sight of Harrison carrying that moon lamp home, eyes bright with excitement like a child eager to show off a toy.

"Look, honey. Our baby will never have to be afraid of the dark," he had said.

While she was lost in that memory, Harrison's gaze fell on Winona's abdomen, his eyes filled with a tenderness Eleanor had never once seen directed at her.

"Winona, don't worry. I'll give our baby the very best this world has to offer."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Winona suddenly lifted her head. Her gaze slipped precisely past Harrison's shoulder and met Eleanor's cold eyes through the crack in the door.

A flicker of triumph crossed Winona's lips before she buried herself back in Harrison's arms, her voice turning tearful and vulnerable.

"Harry, you'll always treat me this well, right? I'm so scared. I heard Eleanor's health has always been poor, and the doctor said it'd be hard for her to have children. If… I mean, if someday she did get pregnant, would you stop loving our baby?"

Harrison patted her back gently, completely unaware of Eleanor standing outside the door, assuming Winona's reaction was just pregnancy-induced anxiety.

"You're overthinking it," he coaxed. "This is my first child. Everything I have in the future will belong to him."

His voice was impossibly gentle, yet every word cut into Eleanor like a blade.

"Even if Eleanor really did have my child, I'd love them just the same. Don't worry."

"Really?" Winona nuzzled closer, her voice filled with satisfaction and delight. "Harry, you're the best."

Outside the door, Eleanor let out a silent scoff.

Love them the same, huh? How generous.

She lowered her gaze to the ultrasound report in her hand, her fingers whitening from the force of her grip.

She would never allow her baby to be tainted by even a trace of this place, and she would never let her child grow up in an environment this pretentious and revolting.

Eleanor calmly pulled out her phone, opened the nursery's surveillance feed, recorded the obscenities, and saved it.

"Mr. Wilbur? It's me, Eleanor. I need you to draft a divorce agreement for me."