Unable to bear witnessing Barret and his affectionate companion any longer, I turned on my heels and departed with my luggage.

Without lifting his gaze, Barret's voice carried a hint of concern. "Lauren, where are you going with your pregnant condition? Are you planning to stir up trouble?"

Trouble?

At the mention of trouble, I couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Over the past three years, whenever I expressed even the slightest discomfort with Ruby, Barret labeled it as causing trouble.

All he wanted was for me to accept Ruby's place in our family willingly.

And it seemed that way now.

This room, once our wedding chamber, now felt alien with Barret and Ruby nestled together in the living room.

"Barret, I won't cause any more disturbances.

"I'll keep to myself from now on.

"Whether I'm carrying a child or not is none of your concern."

Throughout, Barret never met my gaze.

My words were firm, tinged with a calm resolve.

It had been days since my miscarriage and my mother's passing. If he truly cared, he would have reached out.

Whenever he glanced my way, he must have noticed the deflated state of my once-swollen belly.

Perhaps my newfound determination surprised Barret. He finally looked up, his initially angry eyes softening as they landed on my stomach.

"Your belly? Where's the baby?"

Seeing my shrunken abdomen, Barret shot to his feet.

"The baby? Are you even worthy of caring for it?"

My tone grew colder than ever before. I'd never dared to confront Barret like this, but today was different.

Barret hesitated, processing the weight of my words.

At that moment, I opened the door and wanted to leave with my luggage.

"Explain to me! What happened to the baby?"

Barret rushed after me, his face etched with concern.

"Barret!"

In an instant, Ruby's voice rang out, accompanied by a pained cry. She was struggling to stand with her injured ankle.

Barret, who had just appeared anxious, immediately set me down and hurried back to assist Ruby.

"Ruby, please, don't try to move with your injured foot."

Barret's concern was evident, his worry for our child momentarily forgotten upon hearing Ruby's distress.

I couldn't help but sneer.

My hands instinctively moved to cradle my belly.

Baby, did you already sense what kind of father you have? And was that why you were hesitating to enter this world?

But perhaps it was for the best. So when you were born, you wouldn't have to know the absence of a father's love.

A tear trickled down my cheek.

It was a product of my utter despair towards Barret.

Once more, I reached for the door, ready to leave this desolate home, only to be stopped by Barret's firm grip.

"Don't you owe me an explanation about the child?"

Barret's cold voice came from behind.

After being halted repeatedly by Barret, I made a decision not to depart.

I pulled my suitcase back, meeting Barret's icy gaze, and spoke deliberately.

"Since I became pregnant, have you ever shown concern for the baby in my womb?

"Have you ever accompanied me to a prenatal appointment?

"Do you even know how our child is progressing?

"Have you ever listened to our baby's heartbeat?

"Barret, what right do you have to demand an explanation from me now, about the child?"

I gestured towards Barret, releasing a torrent of pent-up emotions all at once.

In that moment, I felt like a woman on the brink of madness.

Barret appeared stunned, likely because he'd never witnessed me so hysterical before.

"But... that child is mine too," he muttered.

A flicker of guilt crossed his features as he lowered his gaze.

"Barret, please don't be like this. This child is just a tool for her to ensnare you.

"I've lived abroad for years and seen countless such schemes.

"If it weren't for her claiming her mother was gravely ill, would you have agreed to this child?

"And who's to say she won't use it as leverage for child support in the future? Maybe it's her mother's idea!"

Ruby pulled Barret and said quietly, full of contempt.

My head spun.

I discarded my luggage and seized Ruby's shoulders firmly.

"What are you talking about?"

My eyes blazed with fury as I held Ruby's shoulders.

She could do whatever she wanted to me.

But she could not slander my mother and my child.

"Barret, she is hurting me."