I glanced at the dining table, where Felix and Clara sat beside them while talking to their baby in Clara’s belly. And I was alone. Cooking for all of us was like being a maid watching my master’s intimacy.

“I can’t wait to see his face,” Felix spoke while rubbing Clara’s stomach.

“He’s a boy. He’ll be very handsome like you,” Clara replied, followed by laughter from both of them.

That was my dream, but Clara got it from Felix.

I admit that I was devastated to see that Clara always managed to attract Felix’s attention throughout the day in various ways. Felix even preferred to accompany Clara at night rather than me.

When Felix was with me for just a few minutes, Clara would call for Felix for various reasons, whether screaming in pain or calling for Felix to show that the baby in her belly was kicking.

I needed the same attention, too. There was never a good time for me to tell Felix about my pregnancy, and now my husband was ignoring me.

If it weren’t for our unborn child, I wouldn’t want to stay between the two of them. To hell with a short marriage!

After all, I don't want to live with a man who hasn't finished with his past. Felix also looks like he would happily live with Clara and their future son. His desire was very clear. Felix is ready for a family, but not with me.

I didn’t want my child to be born without a father.

“What are you cooking, Alice?” asked Felix, who came to me, rubbing my head.

“Don’t worry, I’ll make breakfast for you two,” I replied curtly.

Felix chuckled and kissed the top of my head gently. No matter how sweet he was, I wouldn’t melt down as long as Clara was in this house and Felix gave her attention.

“You seem still angry,” Felix teased.

“Hey, why do you care? I don’t have the money to pay for your concern.” I laughed, pretending to return Felix’s joke when what I said was my own opinion.

The smile on Felix’s face faded. He was offended by my words, but I didn’t care. I was also too fed up pretending to be nice to Clara, preparing everything for Clara’s comfort in this house. Instead of keeping it to myself, I thought it would be better to get what was on my mind out in the open.

But it’s so hard for me.

“Alice, if there’s a problem, just tell me,” Felix said, trying to comfort me.

“No, Felix. I’m just not in a good mood.”

“Are you sure?”

I nodded slowly. There were so many things I wanted to say, but my mouth couldn’t get them out straight away.

I wanted to say that I didn’t like Clara being here, that I didn’t like Felix acting like Clara’s husband and ignoring me, and much more. But I already know how Felix would react if I said all that.

It would disappoint me.

“Alice’s bad mood is because of me, Felix.” Clara joined in and got closer to me.

She then clasped her hands together and looked at me sadly. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said.

I took a long breath. “Please, don’t talk to me,” I replied, turning my back on her.

So far, I have managed to avoid talking to Clara because I am sure she has an evil plan to destroy my life by showing herself to Felix and me again. Several times, I saw her smiling triumphantly at me when she managed to get Felix to pay attention to her.

“Alice, please.” A heavy sigh was heard from Felix’s voice.

“Don’t be angry with her, Felix. I’m to blame for making her uncomfortable with my presence.” Clara spoke so sweetly.

“So, just go!” I sneered again.

Felix’s gaze turned gloomy, showing his anger at my attitude. Ah, I hate pretending to be nice to a cunning woman. But oh well.

“My goodness, you have such a big belly, Clara. You must be starting to feel overwhelmed.” I rubbed her belly like a neighbor who was happy that Clara was about to give birth.

But it was just an act.

I swear on my baby’s life, it was just acting.

I didn’t hate Clara’s unborn baby at all. However, my relationship with Clara has been full of disagreements since the beginning because Clara always started arguments with me.

Felix and I had a family-like relationship before. I considered him my older brother, and he thought of me as his younger sister. Behind that, I fell in love with him seventeen years ago.

“It’s difficult but delightful, Alice.” Clara stared at her belly. “Ah, Felix. Can you take me to the doctor for a routine check-up today?” Felix responded to Clara with a nod and a sincere smile. He reached out to stroke Clara’s stomach.

Felix smiled contentedly at my slightly gentle demeanor. “You guys continue talking. I have to take care of something for a moment.” Felix was gone a moment later.

I’m done with my acting. I ignored Clara and refocused on my cooking. But Clara followed with her big smile and her narrowed eyes mocking me.

“If I can’t get Felix, neither can any woman, Alice. Even if it’s you, I’ll make him leave you.” Clara threatened me as she grabbed the spoon of soup from my hand.

I looked into her eyes, which showed her seriousness about what she was saying. I did suspect that Clara wanted to take Felix away from me.

She’s cunning!

“Oh yes, one more thing. I’m telling you, this is not Felix’s child.”

“This is not Felix’s child.”

My body reflexively lost its balance, and I took a few steps back, surprised by what I had just heard. I had indeed suspected something about Clara coming to Felix and claiming to be pregnant with Felix’s child.

But I didn’t expect my suspicions to be true. And I didn’t know how Clara convinced Felix of that. Felix even seemed to love Clara so much at the moment, which meant that Felix was looking forward to the baby’s birth.

“Don’t be surprised, Alice. Haven’t you suspected it all along?” Clara laughed guiltlessly.

“I’m going to tell Felix about it,” I said with fiery eyes.

Hearing that, Clara laughed even harder. “Yes, just say it, Alice. You have no proof and will only feel embarrassed,” she retorted.

It was true that I had no evidence of what Clara had said. But I didn’t want Felix to get caught up in Clara’s evil plan. I knew Clara still loved Felix so much and was unwilling to let Felix be my husband.

“Do you think Felix will trust you?” I said irritably, emphasizing my words.

“Then, you think you are the one Felix trusts the most?”

I wanted to scratch the triumphant smile off her face. I have hated Clara ever since Felix first introduced me to her. She always has a way of getting under my skin, making Felix and I fight big time. But now I’ve learned a little of her cunning game.

“You’re just a lucky orphan loved by the Richard family, Alice. How sad!” she said, looking at me with disgust.

Yes, I confirmed her words even though it hurt. I was an orphan who grew up in an orphanage. That’s where I met and became friends with Felix because Richard’s family was one of the biggest donors to the orphanage where I lived.

From that moment on, I depended a little on Felix for my life, and Felix didn’t mind that either. But I never intended to take advantage of his kindness. It’s just that being so comfortable around Felix made me fall in love.

Our closeness became more of a concern for Richard’s family, and I began to be treated like an essential part of them. Felix’s parents selflessly bore the burden of my education and my life.

“You’re good at taking advantage of people, Alice.” Clara patted me on the shoulder several times.

I brushed her hand away. ‘Watch your mouth, Clara!’ I snapped at her, feeling resentful of her words.

“Oops! Did I hurt you, Mrs. Sycophant?” she taunted.

“Bitch!” I replied without hesitation to her taunt.

Clara’s mouth opened. I turned off the stove and prepared food, trying to ignore her. She was the one who started the argument with me, so I just served her. I also told her not to talk to me earlier. Clara herself couldn’t resist teasing me.

After all, what I said wasn’t entirely wrong if the baby didn’t belong to Felix; that meant Clara was also having a relationship with another man.

“How dare you!” Clara grabbed my shoulder and pulled me so I was forced to face her and...

SLAP!

A slap landed on my cheek. The sound of the blow was so loud that it echoed in every corner of the room until it made me feel like there was blood in my mouth.

It hurt a lot. But I wasn't caught off guard. I laughed out loud, making Clara look even more inflamed with emotions that she finally couldn't bear.

“Ah, that’s fun.” I took a deep breath to show Clara that the slap didn’t bother me. It wouldn’t even affect my life. I knew she was furious but was still trying to restrain herself so I wouldn’t tell Felix. But I was already having fun with this.

“I could kill you, Alice!” Clara threatened.

I stared into her sharp eyes. “Hmm... is that so?” I challenged her

However, it was my fault because I assumed Clara was bluffing. She suddenly pulled my hair very strongly and started the attack. I replied that I did not want to lose to her, so I pulled her long hair back. But Clara pushed me with all her strength.

My body was pushed hard, and my stomach hit the ceramic edge of the kitchen and then I sat sprawled on the floor as an intense pain spread throughout my stomach.

Meanwhile, Clara was laughing hysterically.

“Hey, you still don’t believe me, Alice? I never play around when I attack,” Clara said with a cold-blooded, murderous gaze.

Scary!

“You could go to jail if you kill me, Clara,” I stammered in pain.

“I can turn the murder into something that looks like you committed suicide.”

Every step she took towards me scared me. With the pain continuing to eat away at my body, I got up and ran up the stairs to my room to escape. All I could think about at that moment was saving my unborn child. Nothing else.

Unfortunately, when I reached the top of the stairs, Clara caught up with me and tried to pull me back. I, who was still fully conscious, immediately held on.

“You’ve lost your mind, Clara!” I shouted.

Clara pulled me back. “You take everything from me, Alice! I hate you!” Clara shouted back.

I kept trying to avoid her, but the back of my shirt was gripped tightly by her, so I fell, and now, my stomach hit the stairs.

I screamed as the pain became unbearable. But simultaneously, I heard Clara scream, followed by a series of loud bangs. And when I turned around, I found Clara rolling down the stairs until she collapsed at the bottom.

I couldn’t bear to look at her, but I also didn’t have the energy to help. My vision started to blur as I realized blood was spilling out of my body, scattered on the floor.

I opened my eyes slowly because my body felt so sore and found myself in a white room with the sound of an electrocardiogram machine filling the room where I was lying. I didn’t see anyone around me when I realized I was in the hospital. Somehow, I got there.

My stomach still hurts, even though it’s not as painful as before.

“Ah, you’re finally conscious, Ma’am.” A nurse entered.

I replied with a weak nod, hoping to get good information from the nurse about my condition. I don’t know how long I was unconscious, but I remember everything that happened to Clara and me. I remember very well that Clara’s condition was not my fault. I didn’t push her at all.

“How long have I been unconscious?” I asked.

“One week, Ma’am,” the nurse replied while examining my condition.

Ah, I didn’t think it had been that long. But why didn’t Felix show up in front of me? He should at least be worried about our baby if he weren’t worried about me.

“My baby! How is my baby? He’s fine, right?” I just remembered that. I tried to sit impatiently, waiting to hear from the nurse, but my stomach felt even worse than I thought, causing me to collapse back on the pillow.

The nurse tried to calm me down, but I was not calm, of course. Maybe this is the right time to tell Felix I am pregnant with his child.

“Is there a family that can be contacted to discuss your condition and that of your fetus, ma’am?” asked the nurse.

“Family? So, there’s been no one to accompany me all this time?”

The nurse shook her head. “We tried to talk to your husband, but he didn’t want to.”

Instantly, my chest tightened at the sound of it. Felix wasn’t the slightest bit worried about me. He didn’t show the slightest concern and acted as if we were strangers. I felt that Felix was starting to consider me not as his wife.

I have been thrown away now.

“Then just tell me. What happened to me and my fetus?” I asked forcefully.

“You had a miscarriage, Ma’am. And we had to remove your womb immediately because if left in, it would be dangerous for you.”

My gaze was blank, and my ears suddenly deaf, unable to hear anything around me: silence but no calm in my mind. Yes, my world had collapsed. The womb that had been my reason for survival between Felix and Clara was gone. Then what was the point of living now? Everything was gone.

My heart was cracked, shattered, then turned to ashes. Everything was useless.

“Ma’am, are you okay?” Slowly, the nurse’s voice was heard again.

I just nodded uncertainly in response to the nurse’s question.

“It’s gotten so bad because you were late coming to the hospital. Otherwise, even if you had a miscarriage, it’s possible that you wouldn’t have had to experience fetal damage, Ma’am.”

“So?” I am weak, but I still asked it.

“You won’t be able to get pregnant again after removing the womb.”

I burst into tears. My pride in being a woman was being able to give birth to a child. Now it’s gone. I am a useless woman. Even if I reincarnate into life after this, I will feel worthless.

“What about my husband?”

“He came with his other wife and asked for an ambulance to pick you up at home.”

His other wife. It must be Clara. Felix was only worried about Clara, the cause of the destruction of my life.

Not only Clara but Felix is also guilty of what happened to me!

I didn’t ask Felix to prioritize me over Clara because I also knew how Clara was feeling at the time. But at least he took us to the hospital at the same time. He didn’t just come to take Clara without thinking about me.

The information the nurse said cut me to the core.

“Please contact your family to ask for their consent for the surgical removal of your womb.” The nurse ended the conversation.

I was still silent, full of anger, disappointment, sadness, and regret all at once. The pain in my stomach was unmatched by the collapse of my world in just a moment. Who should I share my sorrow with if even my husband is indifferent?

Besides, I have no family. Since I was a child, I lived in an orphanage because my parents had an accident and died. Felix was the only one after that. If I told my in-laws, I would be blamed, too. They would think I was making up stories.

All that was left was myself.

“Alice!” Felix shouted, suddenly coming and yelling at me.

I turned around with a feeling of resignation. “What is it this time?” I asked weakly.

“You killed my baby and Clara!” Felix snapped.

Ah, I see. Clara might have a miscarriage, too. But really, I didn’t push her in the slightest. Even on those stairs, I didn’t touch her. She was the one who tried to push me off. Yeah, I thought this would happen. Their love was so strong, and I was the culprit for them.

“But Clara is still alive, Felix. You can have another baby with her,” I remarked indifferently.

Yes, bland. There wasn’t the slightest desire to defend myself against such accusations. I was already immersed in a reality that hurt me so much. My body could move, but my heart was paralyzed.

“ALICE!” Felix shouted.

“DON’T YELL AT ME!” I replied, raising my tone even though my voice was trembling violently.

I pointed at his face while glaring at him. “You and your whore are the killers!” I snapped.

“What do you mean? You’re still alive.”

“It doesn’t matter if you believe it or not, but Clara tried to hurt me, and she fell herself.” I started to slow down my voice a little.

“It was your fault, Alice. You—”

“It was your fault! You only defended the whore who didn’t carry your child!”

Felix was instantly silent. He stared at me in disbelief. His gaze showed that he was not ready to accept the fact that the child Clara had conceived was not his. His desire to be with Clara again was extreme, as could be seen in his eyes.

It could be seen in his eyes; Felix never wanted me.

“It should have been you who died, Alice.” Felix cursed me and then left.