On my thirtieth birthday, the first thing I received was a video of my husband livestreaming himself cheating with a female streamer.

At the birthday banquet, everyone’s eyes had settled on me, waiting to watch the chaos, convinced I would cry and cause a scene like before, begging my husband to return home.

But with my eight-month pregnant belly, I calmly finished the banquet and then went to Zion Payne’s grandmother to declare that I wanted a divorce.

“Starting today, the child in my belly will be your great-grandchild, but will have nothing to do with Zion.”

Grandma Ravenna Payne never imagined that I, who had once cared for Zion so deeply, would stay calm when faced with his open cheating and even quietly decide to keep the child but remove the father.

She didn’t know that from the moment I got pregnant, Zion had been messing around with women outside, switching through who-knows-how-many young models and small starlets.

Every time, I sobbed and acted out, pitifully pleading for him to return home.

But the next day, Zion would still walk out proudly, getting photographed kissing yet another new woman.

Last night, because my pregnancy signs were harsh, I called Zion, but I heard messy gasps coming from the other end.

“Brother Zion, tell me, between me and that woman, who holds more space in your heart?”

I clearly heard Zion’s voice, the man who once promised he would care for me his whole life, heavy with desire.

“Of course it’s you. That woman is dull from the start. After she got pregnant, she puffed up like a pig. Just seeing her makes me want to throw up.”

In that moment, the baby in my belly went still, and the heart in my chest went quiet too.

Since Zion was no longer the Zion who once cared for me, I chose to cut away the father, keep the child, and hand him back his freedom.

Only after I truly walked off did he lose his mind searching for me.

1

On my thirtieth birthday, the first “surprise” I got was a livestream.

On the screen, Zion held an esports female streamer by the back of her neck and kissed her.

But an hour earlier, he had been kneeling in front of me, kissing my eight-month pregnant stomach.

All the guests at the banquet turned to look at me at once, showing pity and barely held-back excitement.

“Ma’am…”

The butler had sweat at his temples and quickly took the phone aside. “Do you want me to turn off this livestream room?”

He spoke in a low voice, worried I would break down again like before and hurt the baby.

My voice was calm. “No need.”

“Just go ahead and cut the cake.”

“Not… not wait for President Payne to come back?” the butler asked in a careful tone.

I shook my head. “No need.”

The people waiting to enjoy the scene went still.

Someone had intentionally placed the livestream in front of me, expecting me to fall apart, sobbing like all those times in the past.

But I did not.

I got up according to the plan, cut the cake, and blew out the candles.

Then the whispering stopped, hiding itself, speaking openly behind me.

“What’s wrong with Natalie Morrison? Why isn’t she crying?”

“Didn’t she always cry like the world was ending every time she caught him cheating?”

“Didn’t she catch Zion with that young model before? She got so mad, she risked the baby, cried for three days and nights until he bothered to come home.”

“Valentine’s Day was even worse, with that big stomach, she ran to the seaside crying and begging him to return.”

“And the ending? President Payne soothed her a little and went back to playing the next day.”

“Maybe she finally knows he doesn’t care about her tears. Looks like she learned something?”

“Haha, maybe she’s trying to copy that online ‘strong female lead washing underwear with a cold face’ trope? Too bad she didn’t cry this time.”

Laughter broke out again and again.

They believed I was acting like the “respectable wife.”

I heard every whisper but didn’t respond, only held my stomach and stared outside the window.

Fireworks burst one after another in the night sky. I had planned them for my own thirtieth birthday.

The lights reflected on the glass and also showed in my eyes, bright and brief, impossible to keep.

It wasn’t that I wasn’t hurting.

I had just cried too much, and I was tired.

After the banquet ended, I had just taken off my gown when Grandma Ravenna stormed in.

Her face was pale from anger, her cane hit the floor loudly, and she told someone to call Zion.

No one answered.

She had the butler throw the streamer’s livestream onto the tablet, turned on the mic, and said in a cold voice, “Zion, get back here right now.”

On the screen, Zion Payne leaned on the sofa in a lazy pose, smiling at the camera. The woman beside him adjusted her setup, with loud music playing behind them.

“Grandma,” he said in a laid-back voice, “I’m busy here. I won’t be coming home tonight.”

“The little girl is doing a PK battle; it’ll affect her ranking.”

After he ended, he seemed to recall something and added, “Oh, right, tell my wife she did fine today, didn’t cry. Finally acting like a real Mrs. Payne. She’s thirty now, anyway. Tell her to keep it going.”

The tablet was slammed down on the table.

Grandma Ravenna was shaking with anger, turning to grab my hand tightly. “This heartless kid! Natalie, if you want to cry, then cry. Don’t hold it in. Grandma is here.”

But I handed her a cup of water and softly said, “Grandma, I’m not angry, but I do have something I want to tell you.”

I started slowly, speaking gently, “The year I got into university, my family couldn’t afford the fees. You helped pay for my schooling.”

“I’ve always kept that kindness in mind.”

“So when you asked me to watch over Zion in college, I agreed. The reason I could later be with him was all because you brought us together.”

“I once thought I was really happy, but after five years of marriage, Zion changed into someone else, flirting everywhere. I cried, I argued, but nothing changed. Six months ago, I actually wanted to get a divorce.”

“But at that time, I learned I was pregnant.”

Grandma Ravenna’s hand tightened, as if she didn’t want to hear anything more.

“He acted like a caring father again, and I softened and stayed. But after a few months, he went back to the same habits.”

I lifted my head. My voice was quiet, but steady.

“Grandma, I’m thirty now. I don’t want my child to grow up with a dad like this.”

Grandma Ravenna’s eyes turned red. She pulled me close, patting my back, her voice rough. “If you want to leave, Grandma won’t stop you, but the child…”

“I want to keep the child but remove the father.”

I gently cut in, “The child will still be your great-grandchild, but will have nothing to do with Zion. This is my only wish at thirty, Grandma… can you help me?”

The room stayed quiet for a long while. I thought Ravenna would say no to such an unreasonable request.

But she shut her eyes for a moment, then finally nodded.

“Alright… Grandma will take care of it. Even though I am Zion’s grandmother, in my heart, you are also my granddaughter.”

My nose prickled as I wrapped my arms around grandma, hearing her quiet mumble. “You two were so sweet back then… how did things end up like this?”

I dropped my gaze.

Zion had truly cared for me once.

The proud golden boy of Greenville’s elite circle had softened every hard habit for my sake, sitting through classes with me, building small game projects with me, cutting off all those messy friend groups.

On the day we had our wedding, the game we created together, “Knowing Me,” went live in a big way.

He said he wanted our love to stay forever, just like the game staying online.

On the day I became pregnant, he had reddened eyes as he moved all his property into my name, announced it publicly on every platform, and even placed the notice inside our game.

To countless people, we were seen as the perfect pair.

But when the moment came where our love shifted, the first person who chose to walk away was me.

Returning to my room late at night, I saw my phone suddenly light up.

Zion had sent over two photos of lingerie.

[I heard the little crybaby didn’t cry today? Getting more sensible, good girl.]

[So choose one for me, which of these two is more useful?]

[You pick one for me, and I’ll keep the other as your thirtieth birthday present.]

Looking at those lines of text, I kept a blank face and sent nothing back.

Once the screen went dark, I didn’t feel even the smallest shift inside.

Zion had always been like this, liking to watch me get jealous, lose control, break down because of him, then be pushed to lower my head and give in because I loved him.

But I was truly worn out.

So drained that I didn’t even have the energy to argue with him anymore.

Grandma Ravenna said to give her a week, and she would settle everything.

I didn’t have to do anything, just quietly wait for the week to end, and I would finally be free.

The next morning, when I woke up, there was a familiar presence beside me.

I didn’t know when Zion had come back. He leaned against the headboard, his fingertips lightly playing with my loose strands of hair in a distracted way.

His other hand rested on my swollen belly, his head lowered, as if he were truly listening to something.

“The baby is moving.”

He smiled at me. “Wife, he’s scratching me.”

As if responding to his words, a clear small movement pressed against his palm, tiny but sure.

My heart suddenly ached sharply, but I didn’t move away.

Zion had always been like this.

No matter how wildly he fooled around outside, whenever he returned to me, he acted like the gentle, patient husband, the father waiting for his baby to come.

He would soothe me softly, pull the blanket over me, and when my emotions slipped, he would repeat over and over, “Wife, I’ll fix myself,” “Don’t cry, alright?”

As long as I ignored the dirty things he did outside, we could still keep a marriage that looked warm and proper.

But I couldn’t keep doing that, and that was why I chose to walk away.

“Sit up and eat a little.”

Zion leaned down and kissed my forehead.

“After we eat, I’ll drive you to the hospital for the checkup. Isn’t your appointment today?”

At the dining table, while he watched me drink milk, Zion suddenly chuckled, with a hint of testing in his voice.

“Wife, I thought you would call me last night crying, just like when you used to catch me cheating, calling nonstop until I picked up.”

“What happened, little crybaby suddenly switched personality? You really don’t care anymore?”

I held the cup without raising my head.

“Isn’t this exactly what you’ve been hoping for?”

My voice stayed even. “A quiet, obedient Mrs. Payne who acts like nothing ever happened.”

Zion clearly stopped, as if my words caught him off guard.

Then he reached out and brushed my hair, like calming a small pet that had finally stopped resisting.

“It’s good you understand now. Men like us, how could we not have social situations to deal with?”

“Wife, relax. No matter what, you will always be the only woman I marry. The ones outside are just passing shadows.”

Passing shadows.

Those simple words landed lightly, soft and weightless, yet hard to breathe through.

I suddenly thought back to many years ago.

When Zion confessed to me, he had promised that in this life, he would only love me, stay true to me, and never turn his back on me.

So promises really do wear away. To the point where even he no longer trusted his own.

My nails pressed into my palm, the small pain spreading slowly, barely keeping me alert.

“Let’s go.”

I got up, cutting off Zion.

During the drive to the hospital, the car stayed quiet.

In the past, I would speak happily at times like this, chatting about the baby.

Only when the topic was the baby did I feel that Zion still cared about me, still cared about this family.

But now, I didn’t want to keep pretending anymore.

And even though Zion looked at me several times through the rearview mirror, he didn’t say a word.

Right before we reached the hospital, Zion’s phone rang.

The voice on the other end sounded upset, saying something about “causing trouble at the house,” “pulling someone away,” and “forcing her to marry an old man.”

Zion’s face didn’t change at all.

“That’s her family’s issue. What does that have to do with me? Didn’t I tell you, when I’m with my wife, don’t bring me anything else?”

He ended the call right away.

A moment later, Zion parked the car at the hospital entrance, put his hand on my belly, and spoke softly, “Baby, we’re at the hospital.”

I thought Zion might still have a bit of conscience left.

But after I took my number and turned back around, I saw the seat beside me was already empty.

Zion’s reply showed up quickly.

[Something happened.]

[The day after tomorrow is your mom’s death anniversary. I will come back for you and the baby.]

[Do your checkup alone today.]

I laughed mockingly, finished all the examinations by myself, and sat quietly in the hallway waiting for the results.

On Instagram, that esports girl streamer posted a new picture.

The restaurant lighting was soft and close. The Zion who should have been sitting beside me at the hospital was sitting across from her, looking focused.

The caption under it read, [Thanks to Brother Zion, I wasn’t dragged off by my own mom to marry an old guy. I’ll love him forever and stay with him.]

My throat tightened. I bit the inside of my cheek, placed a hand on my belly, and slowly rubbed it.

“Baby.”

I asked calmly, “If one day Daddy and Mommy get a divorce… will you blame Mommy?”

The baby inside me shifted, very lightly.

I already knew my own answer.

After leaving the hospital, I headed to the office by myself.

I started going through the shares, sorting the projects, and splitting the groups and resources under my control.

Anything I could settle clearly, I handled right away; anything I couldn’t finish yet, I placed into lists, noted with risks, numbers, and plans for division, packed together, and sent to the lawyer that Grandma Ravenna contacted for me.

As for the Payne family assets, I could not take a single part of them.

But this company was something Zion, and I built it from nothing, and I had to take what belonged to me.

Not for my own sake, but for the child inside me.

Since I had already decided she would not be born into the Payne family, I needed to lay out every step for her myself.

Her name, assets, and future, I would arrange them one by one for her.

Even if she no longer stayed in the Payne family, she still had to grow up secure and free, never having to rely on anyone’s pity.

After I confirmed the last file, my trusted assistant lowered his voice and asked, “President Morrison, for the project ‘Knowing Me,’ do you want the payout or the project itself?”

I didn’t reply right away.

Instead, I logged into “Knowing Me” again.

When the familiar page showed up, my fingers stopped for a moment.

This ancient-style game, from the world-building to the character design to every story path, was almost completely built during the best years between Zion and me.

Many nights staying awake, many times tearing everything down to redo it, those busy, focused, working-together days had truly existed.

I thought I had already settled my feelings, but right then, I still felt a small bit of hesitation.

I naturally tapped into the couple space shared by Zion and me, only to be pushed out instantly.

The female owner in that space had already been switched, at some unknown time, to that player “Maeve Larson.”

Zion clearly saw that I logged in.

He didn’t give a single word of explanation.

The next moment, a pop-up asking for a two-million transfer showed up on my screen.

[One of the small online figures working under me is streaming “Knowing Me” and needs a nice background setup.]

[The couple area, let me borrow it for now.]

He really knew how to “borrow” things. He took over the secret place we spent more than half a year building in a single second.

I chose to log out right away.

Then I looked toward my assistant and said, “I want the ‘Knowing Me’ project itself.”

And I wanted full say over it. I didn’t want Zion and another woman ruining this game.

During the next two days, I fully moved my attention away from Zion.

But he showed up everywhere.

Inside the game, Zion and the streamer Maeve were always together.

Her room stayed open nearly all day, the headlines growing more suggestive each time, the viewer count rising fast.

I never clicked in, but people kept “accidentally” sending me screen captures.

The latest picture showed Zion setting off fireworks in Maeve’s stream.

He lit them for a whole hour and a half just to celebrate her getting first place in a PK match.

I curved my mouth slightly and blocked the person who sent it, lowering my head again to sort the plans for my mother’s death anniversary.

Everyone kept talking about how Maeve was the woman Zion kept beside him the longest.

I guess whether she might one day take my place.

But no one noticed that I no longer wished to fight anyone for this “Mrs. Payne” role.

On my mother’s death anniversary, I dressed in all black, a white flower fastened to my chest, standing in the middle of the living room.

The guests all wore serious looks, lowering their voices while speaking. After giving their sympathy, they nodded at me one after another.

Everything should have ended calmly and with respect.

Until just as I was telling the staff to guide the guests to their seats, a purposely softened but still pointed voice came from outside the doorway.

“Ya… why is everyone wearing black clothes?”

I lifted my head and saw Zion standing at the entrance.

Behind him stood a woman dressed in bright red with heavy makeup, curled hair hanging over her shoulders.

She carefully leaned half her body forward, her eyes moving across the room, finally stopping on the memorial photo of my mother in the center of the living room, as if she only just understood.

“Ah… today… Someone passed away?”

Then she seemed to realize she had spoken out of place, quickly pulling a red flower from her hair, holding it between her fingers as she walked toward my mother’s memorial stand.

“Sorry, sorry, I didn’t know… can I put this flower here?”

Seeing her reach toward my mother’s memorial, the blood in my body went cold. I almost acted on instinct and pushed her away.

“Leave! Who told you that you could come in!”

The woman stepped back in a rush, almost losing her balance, but Zion caught her with his hand.

I stared at Zion, my voice shaking from trying to hold myself together, “Zion, didn’t I tell you not to bring those cheap women from outside into this house, messing up the place!”

“And today is my mother’s death anniversary!”

All the guests went still, their eyes turning toward that woman.

Maeve clearly hadn’t expected me to actually push her. She stared at me for a few seconds, looking lost, then her eyes turned wet right away, tears dropping as if on command.

“I-I didn’t try to cause trouble, it’s my birthday today, so I wore red… just hoping for a bit of luck…”

“I really didn’t know today was your mother’s death anniversary, I just… I just came home with Brother Zion because he told me to…”

Her voice got weaker and weaker, and in the end, she leaned straight into Zion’s arms, acting like she’d been hurt badly.

Zion’s face had already darkened completely.

He lowered his head first, checking her carefully, then eased his voice. “Were you scared?”

Maeve shook her head, then nodded, tears falling even faster, but she still held onto him as she whispered, “I’m okay.”

Only then did Zion lift his head and stare at me, his eyes cold and empty.

“Natalie, I assumed you had finally matured and learned to think. I didn’t expect you to still act like this.”

“Your mom has been gone for so long. I only learned today that her death anniversary falls on the same date as Maeve’s birthday.”

“I brought her in because I thought adding a bit of cheer might make the day lighter for your mom’s death anniversary. It’s not like I did anything wrong. And even that bothers you?”

“So childish.”