Sabrina's POV

“Don’t worry, this is the most advanced one on the market. Not a single word will be missed,” I said as I bit down hard, trying to hold myself together, but the tears still broke free.

Phyll, I hoped you wouldn't regret everything you’d done today.

At the counter, the cashier blushed as she pulled out a raffle box.

“Good day, sir and ma'am! Today’s our grand opening. Just draw a question and answer it, and you can take home any item for free.”

Phyll didn’t care about saving a little money, but with Barbara so excited, he let her play along.

The cashier unfolded the slip and read aloud, “What are the two most touching things someone has done for you?”

Barbara’s expression softened as she looked at Phyll.

“The first one,” she said sweetly, “was the night his wife was in labor and things went wrong. I told him I felt so lonely, and within ten minutes, he dropped everything to be with me and even stayed the whole night.”

My chest tightened.

That night, I was lying in the delivery room, terrified, barely able to breathe through the pain, desperately trying to reach Phyll, but he never came.

It was the wife of one of his clients who stayed by my side, holding my hand and encouraging me through the fear.

Barbara went on, her voice brimming with emotion. “The second thing, and this touched me the most, was when I told him I wanted a baby, he forged his wife’s medical report and had our embryo implanted in her womb.”

For a moment, I couldn’t believe what I had just heard.

The others around us also froze, their faces twisted with shock, all staring at Phyll.

“Phyll… she’s talking about you, right?”

Phyll only shrugged and replied, “So what if she is?”

“Damn, Phyll, that’s… wild. But Barbara can have kids on her own, so why did you make your wife carry your child instead?”

Phyll fell silent for a moment, then sighed and ruffled Barbara’s hair with helpless affection.

“Sabrina nearly lost her life giving birth. And Barbara, despite always acting tough, is terrified of pain, terrified of dying. What kind of man would I be if I let her go through that herself?”

Aside from the cashier, who looked like she wanted to disappear, the others actually applauded him.

A buzzing filled my ears. For a fleeting moment, I wished I had died on that operating table.

At least then, I wouldn’t have to face this humiliating, ridiculous reality.

My brother’s worried face filled my vision. I forced a weak smile, but the tears slipped out anyway.

“Scott,” I choked, “how could he once kneel down and beg me, saying he wanted a child as the symbol of our love?”

The truth was, I never even wanted children. Phyll promised me the same when we married.

But later, he dropped to his knees, saying he didn’t want to disappoint his parents, saying he dreamed of holding the child born from our love.

As such, I gave in. Even when I found out about my infertility, guilt ate at me until I agreed to IVF.

I carried that child for him, vomiting until I was half-dead during pregnancy, nearly dying in childbirth, shedding handfuls of hair afterward from hormone crashes, and losing sleep night after night.

Breastfeeding also felt like my body was being torn apart, like my chest was in a shark’s jaws. The pain it brought made me break out in cold sweats.

And in the end, I was nothing but a tool, a fool who got played over and over again.

Barbara picked out a piece of lingerie, smirking triumphantly. “You know the saying, wives are like clothes, but friends are like your own limbs. Clothes can be replaced anytime, but you can’t cut off your hands and feet. I also didn’t want a stranger raising our baby, so Phyll refused to hire a nanny for Sabrina and just made her do everything herself. Now that’s a true friend.”

She twirled with a laugh, her voice dripping with arrogance. “Look at me now. I’ve got a man supporting me, I get to be a mother without the pain, don’t even have to raise the child myself, and in the future, our baby will look after me. All I have to do is stay beautiful and carefree. Honestly, life doesn’t get any better than this.”

As I felt I couldn’t listen anymore, my stomach suddenly churned until I thought I’d be sick.

Sabrina's POV

I told my brother to ask the shop owner to pack up the surveillance footage and send it to us as evidence. At the same time, we asked the nanny to drop the baby off at Phyll’s parents’ house.

“Miss, what if they refuse to take him?” the nanny asked.

Of course, they wouldn’t want him.

When I was pregnant, they made big promises, talking as if they couldn’t wait to welcome the baby. But once he was born, they stayed as far away as possible, scared that caring for him would be too much trouble.

“Then just leave him at their doorstep,” I said coldly.

Why should I be the one to raise someone else’s child?

I was done playing the fool.

My brother arranged for me to meet with a lawyer friend to discuss divorce. Since he knew I was in a bad mood, he set the meeting in a private room upstairs in a bar.

Partway through, the lawyer excused himself to the restroom. But when he came back, his expression was off.

“Mr. Bowman, what’s wrong?” my brother asked.

The lawyer hesitated, but then narrated, “Uh… Mrs. Higgins, I just passed by the next private room. I saw a man and a woman kissing, and I thought I heard your name mentioned. I can’t be sure, but I think the man might’ve been your husband.”

Even though I’d already prepared myself for this, my chest still tightened when I peeked in and saw Phyll holding Barbara, kissing her like his life depended on it.

Barbara was clearly drunk, perched on his lap with tears in her eyes.

“Phyll, why do you think I told you I wanted a child with you? Because I want to marry you, you idiot!” she cried. “I’ve loved you since we were kids, all these years. But I never dared to confess. I was afraid you’d reject me, afraid we wouldn’t even stay friends.”

She sniffled and continued, “If I’d known Sabrina would steal you away, I would’ve been braver. Phyll, I love you so much.”

Phyll’s eyes filled with pity as he listened to her, then he answered her with a kiss that dragged on for three whole minutes.

Others in the room chimed in, egging her on.

“Exactly! If Barbara had confessed earlier, that broke Sabrina wouldn’t have stood a chance.”

“Poor Barbara, and Sabrina gets to act innocent like she didn’t do anything wrong. Remember how she humiliated Barbara the other day? Phyll, you’ve got to stand up for her.”

Phyll finally pulled back, panting, his voice hoarse. “And how exactly should I stand up for her?”

“Tomorrow’s your son’s three-month birthday party, isn’t it?” one of them said. “Don’t show up. Let Sabrina deal with the guests and the baby on her own. See if it doesn’t break her.”

Another added with a laugh, “Not just that. You and Barbara should spend the whole day in a private room next door, just to rub it in.”

Barbara’s face flushed. “I’d like that. I’ll even wear that lingerie tomorrow, just for you. I promise, it’ll be better than Sabrina, who’s already had a kid.”

Phyll was quiet for a moment, then chuckled. “Maybe it’s time Sabrina learned a lesson. She acts like she’s done me a favor just because she gave birth, always picking fights. Let her sweat a little.”

Little did they know, I stood outside the door, recording every word.

When I showed the video to my brother, his face turned red with rage. He slammed the table and roared, “Over my dead body! Damn if I’ll throw a party for that bastard’s child. Sabrina, tomorrow we’re not going anywhere.”

“No,” I said with a smirk. “We’re going. They want excitement? Fine. I’ll make sure they get all the excitement they can handle in front of everyone.”

The next day, I stepped into the reserved event room.

My mother-in-law immediately stormed over with the baby in her arms, glaring at me. “Sabrina, why did you shove my grandson onto some stranger yesterday? Were you trying to force us into babysitting for you?”

Brows knitted, she continued, “And where’s Phyll? Don’t tell me you threw another jealous fit about him and Barbara and drove him away. They grew up together, running around without a stitch of clothing. What they have is pure friendship. You’re the only one making a fuss every day.”

Then she shot her brow upward and spat, “Don’t think you’re some queen just because you had a child. Our family doesn’t spoil mothers that way. Call Phyll right now, apologize to him, and take care of your own kid. Otherwise, I’ll make sure my son divorces you.”

The other relatives and friends all nodded in agreement.

I smiled and said, “Alright, I guess I really did misunderstand them. But making a phone call to apologize is not very sincere. It’s better to do it face-to-face.”

With that, I pressed the tiny remote in my hand.

The wall between the two private rooms slowly slid open, revealing Phyll tangled up with Barbara on the sofa, both completely naked.

“Well, well,” I drawled, “so this is your version of pure, innocent friendship? Real close and no distance at all.”