Ever since we got married, Adriana never touched a camera again.

Once, I asked if she could take a photo of me, but she brushed it off, saying her camera had been lost. Then she recommended a famous photographer instead.

Turns out it wasn’t lost at all—she just didn’t want to use that lens unless it was for someone she truly loved.

My eyes were too dry to cry anymore. I quietly placed the photo album back where I found it.

On my phone, I booked a plane ticket and drafted a divorce agreement.

If she loved Khalil so much, then I’d set her free.

—

The next morning, my eyes were swollen like walnuts.

Adriana looked genuinely distressed. She personally made me a nutritious breakfast and even boiled eggs to reduce the swelling around my eyes. She peeled them with care and pressed them gently to my eyelids.

Her tenderness and concern made me doubt everything—was last night just a bad dream?

Seeing that I hadn’t touched a single bite, she sighed.

“Allen, we lost our baby. I know you’re heartbroken—I am too. But you still need to take care of yourself. Please eat something, don’t make me worry, okay?”

“Where’s the baby’s body? I want to see him.”

Three months in—my child should’ve been fully formed by now.

But he’d never have the chance to come into this world.

And just like seven times before, her answer was the same.

“I already arranged for the baby to be buried properly. You’re too emotional right now—I didn’t want you to see it and feel worse.”

“Mom and Dad are also devastated. Let’s go to the old house tonight for dinner and spend some time with them.”

...

As soon as we arrived at the old family estate, I saw Khalil holding onto Adriana’s mother’s arm, acting playful and affectionate.

When he spotted me, he raised his eyebrows with a smug grin.

“Allen, you’re here? Long time no see. Come, sit down. I heard your ‘tadpoles’ didn’t pass the quality check again—poor Adriana had another miscarriage. You must’ve cried all night, huh? Try not to wear yourself out.”

Since the wedding incident, things had fallen apart between me, Melissa, and Khalil. I usually avoided coming here when they were around.

But today, luck clearly wasn’t on my side.

I thought of the photo he’d posted—Melissa’s six-month baby bump. I thought of the truth: that child was Adriana’s. My heart twisted painfully.

Adriana had never let my child survive past the third month.

When her mother—my mother-in-law—saw me, her expression immediately soured.

“Useless piece of trash. How many times has this happened now? And you still have the nerve to look tired? How did my daughter end up with someone like you?”

She was Adriana’s biological mother, but only Melissa’s step-grandmother. At fifty, she was still ambitious, and watching the CEO position—originally meant for Adriana—fall into Melissa’s hands, filled her with bitterness.

In the past, Adriana might have spoken up for me.

But now, her eyes were fixed on Khalil, filled with longing and devotion. It was like she couldn’t hear anything else being said in the room.

“Grandma, don’t be angry,” Khalil said with false concern. “It’s not Allen’s fault he wasn’t born to be a father. It’s not like he meant to lose that many babies.”

My mother-in-law scoffed coldly.

“He’s a walking curse. All he does is drag my daughter down.”

Then, Khalil put on a pitiful act and started to stand—but suddenly stumbled, pretending to twist his ankle.

Even though he quickly regained balance, Adriana rushed to his side, shoving me aside without hesitation.

Right in front of her parents, she touched his face and asked anxiously, “Khalil, are you okay?”

He looked over at me with a mocking smile, then said in a pitiful tone.

“Adriana, I think I twisted my ankle... It really hurts~”

Without a second thought, Adriana wrapped her arm around his waist and helped him upstairs—straight into the second-floor bedroom without even sparing me a glance.

My mother-in-law looked at me meaningfully, her words sharp as knives. “You’ve got weak seed and can’t even hold onto your wife. If Melissa hadn’t married Khalil first, you think my daughter would’ve looked twice at you? You still have the gall to sit here and eat? Get upstairs! Just looking at you kills my appetite.”

I had always known that my mother-in-law disliked me.

To her, I was the man Melissa didn’t want—someone clinging pathetically to her precious daughter, a disgrace to Adriana. After so many miscarriages, her disdain for me only deepened.

Still, because she was Adriana’s mother—and because I believed the problem might truly lie with my own body—I swallowed the guilt and endured her scorn.

And Adriana… at least she used to defend me, even if just a little. That was enough to keep me silent.

But now, her heart and attention were entirely on Khalil.

She didn’t even remember I existed.

For a fleeting moment, I wanted to scream the truth, to reveal everything. But in the end, I didn’t.

I had already decided to leave—what point was there in fighting back now?

Wordlessly, I turned and went upstairs.

That’s when I noticed Khalil’s bedroom door was slightly ajar.

Something compelled me to walk toward it.

Inside, what I saw nearly tore me apart.

Khalil—disheveled and half-dressed—was pressed against Adriana, who lay beneath him.

“Adriana, you really do love me the most. Melissa can’t have kids—if Allen has a child first, she’ll lose her right to inherit the company. Who knows how much I’ll suffer because of that.”

Adriana’s breath was uneven, her cheeks were flushed with lust. She asked gently, “Is Melissa treating you well? Has she been mean to you?”

“No,” he chuckled. “Ever since we successfully combined our fertilized egg, she thinks she’s really pregnant. Keeps praising how manly I am, spoiling me like crazy. She's also afraid that I'll be tired so massage my feet, and even treating me better in bed.”

Adriana’s smile faltered. There was a trace of bitterness in her voice.

“As long as she treats you well... as long as you’re happy... then I have no regrets.”

“Adriana, you’ve done so much for me. I can’t marry you, but I can give myself to you. Tonight, I’m yours.”

Adriana finally gave in, lifting her face to meet his lips. The two fell into a frenzied embrace, losing themselves in each other.

I had never imagined that the always cold, restrained Adriana could be so reckless—so lost in passion.

Tears fell silently as I turned and stumbled back to the guest bedroom.

She didn’t come back the entire night.

—

The next morning, Adriana looked at me with an apologetic smile.

“Allen, I really meant to come back last night. But Mom pulled me aside to talk for hours—I just couldn’t get away.”

I didn’t expose her lie. I simply turned toward the door and waited for her.

That’s when a bucket of cold, greasy slop came crashing down over my head.

Khalil stood in front of me, still holding the empty slop bucket, grinning like the devil.

“So, Allen... how’d you like the way Adriana looked under me last night?” he taunted.

He had left the door open on purpose.

Smirking, he added, “Losing a child hurts, doesn’t it? But hey, that won’t be a problem for you anymore. Adriana can’t carry your children ever again.”

“You had the audacity to keep getting her pregnant? Trying to compete with me for the role of Lawson Group’s CEO’s husband? Keep dreaming.”

“Adriana gave everything up for me. She willingly forfeited her inheritance, endured countless painful extractions—just so she could fuse with my sperm. Even those dead babies of yours... they became my nourishment.”

My head shot up, my voice trembling.

“What did you say?”

He sneered, lips curling in triumph. “Why do you think Adriana never let you see the babies after she miscarried? She always said they were buried, right? No—she just didn’t want you to know. I told her eating them would strengthen my body.”

A wave of despair, rage, and disbelief crashed over me.

That’s why she never let me see the babies?

For Khalil... she went that far?

He laughed cruelly.

“Don’t give me that pitiful look. Who can you blame but yourself? Useless father, useless man. Your kids were only ever good enough to feed me.”

I couldn’t take it anymore.

With all the strength in my broken heart, I raised my hand and slapped Khalil hard across the face.

But the slap never landed on Khalil’s face.

Adriana yanked him behind her and took the blow for him.

She shoved me hard to the ground, glaring at me with fury.

“Allen! What are you doing?!”

Khalil pouted, eyes full of a fake grievance. “Adriana, I was just trying to comfort Allen... I didn’t want him to feel too sad about losing the baby.”

“But he got jealous and said I stole the future position as chairman’s husband, then tried to dump slop on me. I panicked and pushed him—it wasn’t on purpose! I even apologized, but he tried to hit me. He said he wanted my child to grow up fatherless!”

Before I could say a word, Adriana turned to me, her face was clouded with gloom. “Allen, I never knew you were such a vain, petty man.”

“You couldn’t protect our child because you’re weak. Why take it out on Khalil? He was just being kind to you. Stop coveting what doesn’t belong to you. Apologize to him. Now.”

I’m weak?

I looked at her face—so familiar, yet suddenly so foreign.

“Adriana,” I asked quietly, “those babies I lost... where did you really send their bodies?”

She frowned.

“Of course I buried them properly. I’ve told you that before.”

Tsk. The Oscars owed her an award. She was a remarkable actress—her lie almost sounded sincere.

I took a slow breath.

“You’re right, Adriana. I shouldn't have wished for something that was never mine. Don’t worry—I won’t fight Khalil anymore.”

With that, I turned and walked away without hesitation.

Adriana stared after me, a flicker of unease flashing across her face. She opened her mouth to call out to me—but Khalil tugged on her arm.

“Adriana... the slop splashed on me. I think I’m having an allergic reaction. Will you take me to the hospital?”

She hesitated for two seconds. Then she stayed with him.

Back at home, I gathered everything Adriana had ever given me over the years—every gift, every letter, every memory.

I tossed it all into a metal burner.

Just as I pulled out our marriage certificate, my phone buzzed with a message.

I glanced at it and saw Khalil's name popped up.

[Allen, I pretended to have an allergic reaction—and Adriana panicked. She called the top dermatologists from all over the country to rush in and treat me.]

[Even if they weren’t local, she insisted on flying them in by helicopter. Aren’t you jealous?]

I didn’t reply.

I watched our marriage certificate curl and blacken in the flames—reduced to ashes.

I wasn’t worried Adriana would see. Because I knew—she wasn’t coming home tonight.

Sure enough, her call came later that evening.

“Allen, Khalil’s allergic reaction got worse. He’s really uncomfortable. Melissa is overseas on bed rest, so as her aunt, I have to help take care of him. Don’t be upset.”

I remembered the picture Khalil had sent earlier.

He was lounging comfortably, eating fruit that Adriana had cut herself—his skin was glowing, without a trace of discomfort.

“I understand,” I said calmly. “The patient comes first. Take good care of him.”

She paused, then softened her voice.

“Allen, I didn’t mean to be harsh with you today. I know you’re grieving the baby.”

“But Khalil is the father of the Lawson family’s future heir. You and I... we can’t carry on the family line anymore. If anything happens to him, and Melissa gets upset, I’m afraid my parents wouldn’t be able to bear it.”

I almost laughed.

Why bother making so many excuses?

“Just stay home, okay? Tomorrow is your birthday. I booked the best hotel and prepared a big surprise. I’ll come pick you up first thing in the morning.”

But morning came and went.

And still—she didn’t return.

I placed the signed divorce papers neatly on the table.

Then I scheduled a voice recording to send to her automatically.

Recipient: Adriana.

After tying up all the loose ends, I picked up my suitcase—and headed for the airport.