Mom chimed in as well, "Helena, don't be scared. We're here. Just say what you need to say."

Helena looked at me nervously, then spoke as if she were mustering all her courage.

"Gideon, Ophelia tricked you. She had a boyfriend all the way up until the wedding, and she didn't break up with him afterward, either. She often sneaks out to rendezvous with this lover of hers."

My head buzzed, and I couldn't help but snap, "What nonsense is that?"

"Let her speak!" Gideon barked.

He grabbed me and then looked at Helena, his eyes cold. "How do you know that? What else do you know?"

She shot me a smug look, a flicker of ruthlessness flashing through her eyes, yet her tone sounded as if she were doing this for my sake.

"Phee, at this point, I can't keep helping you lie to Gideon anymore."

Then, with a clap of her hands, someone pushed the door open and walked inside.

The moment I saw Nolan Pembroke, my blood ran cold. He was the man my adoptive parents had once sold me to, and the bastard had tried to force himself on me despite knowing I was still underage.

In the end, I barely escaped with my life after smashing his head.

"This is Phee's lover," Helena continued. "Everyone in their village knows that they're a couple, but Phee never told you anything."

"You're lying!"

I lunged forward as if I were a cat whose tail had just been stepped on and slapped her across the face.

Helena screamed, and Gideon quickly slammed me against the wall. His eyes were bloodshot as he roared at me, "How many things have you been hiding from me exactly?"

"She's lying! I have nothing to do with Nolan Pembroke!"

I fought back tears, trying desperately to defend myself.

Nolan, however, suddenly grabbed my hand.

"Phee, you forgot your old lover now that you're living the rich life?" he asked, his face oozing with sleaze. "I, for one, still remember that red mole on your chest very clearly."

Gideon's head buzzed, and time seemed to stop. He slowly turned around and punched Nolan, sending him flying across the room.

Nolan lay sprawled on the floor, blood pouring from his nose. Seeing Gideon stalk toward him, he frantically got up and ran away.

The others in the room turned to me in unison.

I stood with my back straight, but my body wouldn't stop trembling.

"I have nothing to do with him. You can go check. I—"

Before I could finish, Gideon slapped me hard, sending me falling to the floor.

"How dare you betray me, Ophelia Fairchild!" he roared, his face filled with anguish.

Dad looked away, sighing, while Mom's disgust was as clear as day.

"I knew from the start you were never any good—lying, dropping out of school, messing around with men. What are you not capable of?"

In that moment, they all believed Helena's story.

My heart plummeted. I opened my mouth, but before I could say anything, a sharp pain suddenly shot through my abdomen.

Panic gripped me as I clutched my belly, scrambled to my feet, and tried to run outside.

Gideon's face darkened as he yanked me back.

"Trying to run now that you're humiliated, huh?"

Seeing blood running down my legs, my mind went completely blank. I turned around and, in complete despair, slapped him hard.

"I'm pregnant! The baby… I'm about to lose the baby!"