Eve had watched me grow up and knew my temperament well. She paused to gauge my reaction, and when I didn't interrupt her, she continued, "She also said that all pregnancy expenses should be covered by you.

"After all, since you can't have children, you might as well get involved and experience it for yourself."

My face darkened when I heard this. I straightened my sleeves and asked, "Anything else?"

Eve added, "She also mentioned that since you don't have children, all your assets will eventually belong to this child."

I couldn't help but laugh. What a masterful plan this family had concocted! I kept my composure, despite the anger that bubbled within me. I knew this wasn't the time to act.

When Eve asked how I planned to respond, I simply smiled and told her to carry on as usual.

She then brought me lunch, and I sat by the bedroom window after eating, gazing at the scene below. At the moment, Abel was escorting Cora out of the house.

Memories rushed back to me. It was also an afternoon like this when I returned to my parents in tears five years ago. I had adamantly declared that I would marry no one but Abel.

At the time, my parents already had someone else in mind for me—Andre Schmidt, the only son of the Schmidt family.

Schmidt Corp was one of the top companies in Jonesburg, and Andre and I had been neighbors since childhood. My parents adored him and frequently invited him over for meals.

However, I never saw Andre in that light. My entire heart was set on Abel after meeting him, and I had no interest in marrying into the Schmidt family.

I argued with my parents, saying that our generation should have the freedom to choose our own spouses. Besides, I was sure Andre didn't have feelings for me, either.

But my parents insisted that if Andre didn't like me, he wouldn't have gone out of his way to pick me up and drop me home so many times after my outings. It was just that I didn't care whether Andre liked me or not at the time.

The day I met Abel was during the student council recruitment event on the first day of university. We both reached for the same application form at the exact moment.

He was incredibly polite. He apologized and offered the form to me. I still remembered that he wore a gray tracksuit that day. His eyes were clear as day, and his smile was warm and radiant.

In addition, he was tall, and his hands were strikingly attractive—a detail that captivated me as someone who admired hands.

Later, I got his phone number, and he casually replied as soon as I introduced myself, "Ah, Ms. Larkin, I've heard so much about you."

From that moment on, I found myself hoping to bump into him on campus. I even went out of my way to join the student council just to spend more time with him.

It was love at first sight, and I willingly followed in his shadow ever since.

After we got married, Abel suggested managing my company so I could live a leisurely life as a stay-at-home wife.

I didn't refuse. I believed that as a couple, we should be of one mind. Plus, Abel's family wasn't well-off, and I thought it was only right to support his ambitions.

Both my parents and my close friends had advised me to think it through.

Even before the wedding, my parents had warned me that Abel wasn't marrying me solely out of love but was also drawn to the financial security our family provided. I dismissed their concerns and said it didn't matter as long as Abel truly loved me.

After our marriage, Abel's parents began enjoying a much more comfortable life. They quit their factory jobs and lived contentedly on the monthly allowance Abel sent them.

Abel's parents would often boast to everyone that he was now a successful CEO, attracting countless relatives from the Brooks family seeking his help.

Some even went as far as asking Abel to arrange marriages for their children, insisting he match them with prominent figures in Jonesburg.

Despite their demands, I wasn't bothered. I thought that since my family had wealth, helping them a little wouldn't hurt.

What Abel didn't know was that Andre came to see me on the night before my engagement. He brought me a share transfer agreement.

Andre said he hoped I would sign it so that I would have the financial security to walk away from Abel if my marriage ever turned unhappy.

Clenching his fists tightly, he looked at me seriously and said, "It's not just the Larkins backing you—you also have me. If he ever hurts you, I won't let him get away with it!"

I laughed and told him he was overthinking. I trusted my judgment ever since I was a child, and I firmly believed Abel would never betray me.

Looking back now, everyone's warnings were true, but I ignored them all since I was too blinded by love.

After marriage, Abel would always find faults with me, even though I tried my best to please him. He'd criticized my lack of housekeeping skills, claimed I had a temper, and compared me unfavorably to his friends' wives, saying they were more virtuous.

At the time, I was devoted to Abel and even changed my habits for him.

He liked to see me at home when he returned, so I made an effort to always be there. I even experimented with different recipes to make him delicious meals.

My best friend, Rachel Jackman, remarked that marriage had turned me into someone unrecognizable. The once lively socialite who loved shopping and photography was now changing herself for a man.

Abel's parents, on the other hand, were very pleased with me. During every family gathering, his relatives would praise me for being beautiful and kind-hearted.

It seemed the only person in the entire family who could find fault with me was Abel himself.

For years, I thought I wasn't doing enough. But now, I realized Abel never saw me as anything more than a stepping stone. How could he ever see my worth if he had never truly loved me?

And so, that was how these people settled Cora into my home without even consulting me.

Cora personally knocked on my door to invite me to dinner that evening. After I declined three times, she started crying outside my door in a soft, pitiful voice.

Her cries grew louder, eventually drawing Abel's attention. She took the opportunity to say, "Aspen seems to have a big problem with me. I called her to dinner, and she scolded me instead."

Annoyed, I opened the door and stared at Cora, who was sobbing with a delicate, pitiful expression.

Abel rushed over, his face full of concern as he grabbed her arm to comfort her. "Stop crying. Let me handle this."

Cora then pulled a hairpin from her pocket and held it out to me. "Aspen, I made this myself. Please accept it. Let's get along from now on, okay?"

Before she could finish, I interrupted, "Stop dreaming. Who are you putting on this act for?"

Cora buried herself in Abel's arms upon hearing that, seemingly heartbroken.

Abel stormed over in fury and slapped me across the face. "Aspen, I warned you! Cora is pregnant and needs to remain calm. You vile woman! Are you trying to harm her and the baby?"

His expression was one of pure contempt, as if I were some unforgivable criminal. Nonetheless, I knew that that slap had shattered any remaining trace of connection between us.

I furiously glared at the pair of despicable people before me. Then, I stepped forward and delivered two sharp slaps to Abel's face without hesitation.

I slapped Abel with almost all my strength, and his cheeks instantly turned red and swollen. His face was full of disbelief as he said, "Aspen Larkins, are you crazy? How dare you hit me!"

I glanced at my own reddened hand and let out a cold chuckle. "You were the one who raised your hand first. Now, you're upset with me?

"I am the eldest daughter of the Larkin family. Do you think you can humiliate me however you like?"

Hearing the commotion, Vivian hurried over to mediate. "Aspen, Abel acted out of impulse. Don't hold it against him."

Seeing my expression remain icy, she quickly tugged on Abel's sleeve, signaling him with repeated blinks.

This was the first time Abel had ever raised a hand against me, and I could see he was nervous. Perhaps it was because Cora was there, or maybe it was his male pride, but Abel turned his face away.

He was unwilling to admit he was wrong.

"Abel Brooks!" Vivian shouted. She knew very well that if the standoff continued, Abel would come out of this worse off.

Abel finally spoke, though his tone was far from apologetic, "I admit I acted on impulse earlier. But if you'd just come down and had dinner with Cora like you were asked, none of this would've happened."

His words didn't sound like an apology at all. Every sentence was laced with blame, accusing me of being unreasonable.

My heart sank once more. I skipped dinner entirely and stayed in my room.

I didn't see or speak to anyone in Abel's family again that night. Only Eve felt sorry for me, and she brought my dinner up to my room.

…

The next day, I stayed in bed until noon. When I finally got up, I saw the family gathering for lunch and left the house without a word.

When I reached the office, my assistant, Lyla Jacques, informed me that rumors had begun circulating. People had somehow learned that Abel had returned from his six-month business trip with a pregnant woman, and whispers about my situation had spread throughout the company.

Barely half an hour after leaving the house, I received a message from Abel. He told me to bring back two boxes of gourmet honey for Cora when I returned and suggested I also buy her some jewelry as an apology for upsetting her the previous day.

The commanding tone of his message was so absurd that it almost made me laugh. I replied indifferently, "If she wants it, you can arrange it yourself."

Just after I sent the message, Eve informed me that Cora had taken all the health supplements my mother had sent over for me, claiming they were beneficial for her unborn child.

I asked casually, "What did they say about it?"

Eve was clearly irritated when she replied, "The whole family couldn't be happier. They said that whatever she wants to eat, she should just ask for it."

My mom would arrange for someone to deliver health supplements to me every three months as she wanted me to take better care of myself. And now, my mom's thoughtful gesture had become their gain.

Even Vivian, who usually knew where to draw the line, had allowed it. I saw no reason to give them any more courtesy.

If this was how they treated me, why should I protect their dignity?

I went straight to the office and convened a meeting with the senior executives. After reviewing the company's recent developments, I reorganized the work structure and issued new directives.

"I am returning to the office, effective immediately. As of today, Abel Brooks is no longer permitted to step foot in Larkin Nation."