Allison Benson's POV

The next morning, Calvin left, slamming the door hard. He didn't even look at me.

His usual routine of a hurried morning kiss on the cheek and a mumbled "love you, honey" was gone. He just walked straight out, leaving behind an empty silence and the lingering scent of his cologne.

Right before walking out, he had paused, turned around, and put on a forced smile. "Listen, Allison, about Katerina. Maybe you're right, maybe I've been too invested. I'll keep my distance. It really is just work-related, you know how crucial the company is right now."

He made a placating gesture with his hands. "Let's just stop obsessing over the past, okay? Focus on our next steps. That's what really matters."

"Our next steps? Is that the plan where you expect me to keep trying to get pregnant? While in the meantime, you've already gotten her pregnant?"

I took a step forward, staring right at him. "Tell me, Calvin, who is the father of Katerina's baby?"

His eyes widened, then narrowed again, and he shifted his stance uneasily. "What does that matter, Allison? She is an adult, her private life is her own business."

"Then why would you list her pregnancy logs as a 'Primary User,' and why are her prenatal checkup fees listed under our 'marital assets' expense reports? Are you really standing there telling me you don't know who the father is?"

He was visibly annoyed now. "Allison, you're being irrational. This isn't how we communicate." He was trying to regain control of the narrative, trying to make me doubt myself. "You're losing control of your emotions. You need to calm down."

I laughed again. "Irrational? Losing control of my emotions?" I slowly shook my head. "Tell me, Calvin, what role did you want me to play in this meticulously woven farce? The loyal, understanding wife? Or the 'barren woman' who silently accepts her husband's illegitimate child? What exactly do you want from me?"

He didn't answer. He just stood there, jaw clenched, avoiding my gaze. The silence was like a massive boulder, heavy and suffocating.

"Allison, you're just too stressed out, it's the hormones from the IVF. You aren't yourself right now."

I wanted to scream, wanted to smash something, but I held back, continuing to stare at him, never looking away for a second. He couldn't face my anger; he just wanted me to go back to being the quiet, submissive wife.

He sighed. "I have to go. We'll talk later." Saying that, he turned and left, leaving me standing alone in the hallway.

Talk later? There would be no "later."

The morning sunlight streamed through the windows, illuminating the dust motes dancing in the air, as if narrating a broken story.

I walked back to the tablet. The "Aura" app was still open. I clicked on Katerina's profile again. Her diet, moods, and doctor's appointments were all meticulously detailed, clearly having taken up a lot of time.

I recalled the day he first brought the ring home. "This is state-of-the-art tech, Allison. My team did a fantastic job. It tracks everything—sleep, heart rate, ovulation. It's going to revolutionize women's health. And it will help us too, honey. For our baby." He had slipped the ring onto my finger with such ceremony.

But it was just a prototype, a data collection device. And I was just a convenient, temporary test subject. I was the "Guest User" whose data would "automatically clear every 90 days."

The doorbell suddenly rang, interrupting my thoughts. I jumped, walked to the door, and looked through the peephole. Calvin's mother, Bobbie Brooks, stood on the porch, her designer bag looped over her arm, a dark expression on her face.

I slowly opened the door. Without even a greeting, she pushed her way in, her eyes scanning the living room. "Allison, what is this mess? Why is the house so quiet? Where is Calvin?"

"Calvin went to work." I replied calmly, my tone flat.

She turned around, her eyes boring into me. "And you? Why didn't you go to the doctor? Dr. Chen called me and said you canceled your appointment. What's going on, Allison? Are you giving up? I told Calvin ages ago that this IVF nonsense wasn't reliable, you need to give the Brooks family an heir."

I looked at her, this woman who had tormented me for years over my fertility issues, who constantly humiliated me for "failing" to give her a grandson. This woman who secretly enabled her son's affairs and supported his plan to replace me.

"I canceled it," I said in a low but firm voice. "I have stopped the IVF treatments. There is no longer a need."

Her eyebrows shot up, her face twisting into a mix of shock and anger. "Stopped? What do you mean, Allison? You can't just give up! You have a duty to this family! What about our heir?"

"You already have an heir, Bobbie." I looked her straight in the eye, my voice calm but sharp. "Katerina Copeland is twenty-four weeks pregnant, and Calvin is the father."

The color instantly drained from her face, her jaw dropping slightly. In that split second, I saw pure panic in her eyes, which confirmed my absolute worst suspicions.

She knew everything all along.

Quickly, she regained her composure, the mask of anger slipping back into place. "Allison, what kind of nonsense are you spouting? Are you crazy? Katerina is a bright young thing, yes, but there is absolutely nothing between her and Calvin. They are just colleagues."

"Really?" I asked with a cold smirk. "Then why were you so desperate to ensure the 'Brooks name' was carried on? Why were you so obsessed with making me have a baby when you already knew Calvin had a child with Katerina?"

"You cannot cause a scandal, Allison." Bobbie's voice held a threat, her eyes ice-cold. "It would ruin Calvin and destroy the Brooks reputation. That child will be a Brooks. You must accept it and remain silent."

My blood ran cold. "Accept it? Remain silent?" I slowly shook my head, my movements resolute. "What am I in this house, Bobbie? A breeding tool that gets tossed aside because she can't conceive? An insignificant guest in my own home?"

She stared at me, confusion written all over her face. "What are you talking about? A guest? Allison, what nonsense are you babbling?"

I picked up the tablet. The screen still displayed Katerina's profile. I pointed at the "Primary User" label, then to my "Guest User" status. "This is how Calvin's system defines me, Bobbie. Temporary, disposable. While Katerina is permanent. The mother of the heir."

Bobbie looked at the screen, then back at me, her eyes filled with disgust. "You've lost your mind. You are completely crazy. I will not tolerate this. You will not ruin my son's career because of your hysteria. You have until Calvin gets home to pack your things. You will leave quietly. Otherwise, you will regret it!"

She marched toward the door, her heels clicking furiously against the hardwood floor. Without waiting for a reply, she threw the door open and stormed out, leaving me alone once more.

I stood in the middle of the living room, gripping the trembling tablet with both hands. My knees gave out, and I slumped onto the floor. Tears finally cascaded down my face. All these years of sacrifice, and I was nothing but a temporary stand-in.

My parents had warned me about the arrogance and prejudice of the Brooks family, the hubris born from generations of wealth. But I loved Calvin then, and I believed him.

And now, I saw the truth. I had never truly been accepted by them.

However, the tears dried quickly, replaced by a cold determination. I absolutely refused to be a "Guest User" in my own life.

They wanted me to leave quietly? They wanted me to accept the betrayal? Never! I wouldn't cover for them anymore. I was going to fight for myself!

Allison Benson's POV

Calvin didn't come home that night. Around midnight, I received a text: "Very busy today. Staying overnight at the office, don't wait up."

I thought about all those other similar nights. The nights I lay in bed staring blankly at the ceiling, my mind doing backflips guessing where he was and why he had grown so distant. Now, it all made sense.

"Allison, you just don't understand my stress. This company is everything to me. It's all for our future." And I had always believed him, always trying to play the supportive wife, suppressing my own anxiety. I had learned to bury the loneliness deep inside, carrying the weight of our supposedly shared dreams all by myself.

But it was different now. His absence actually felt like a release.

I went into the bedroom, pulled out my largest suitcase, and started packing. Not just clothes, but documents, financial statements, my old work laptop... everything that proved my independence outside of "us."

Just as I zipped up the suitcase, I heard a key slide into the lock.

My heart jumped, and for a fleeting moment, I actually felt something akin to hope. Had he come back for me? Had he realized his mistake? My brain had momentarily reverted to the past, to the "old Allison" who longed for his affection and desperately wanted to believe in his love.

The front door opened. Calvin stood there, his clothes rumpled, but he didn't look exhausted. He looked anxious. A second later, Katerina Copeland stepped out from behind him.

Her hand rested lightly on his arm. She was pale, her eyes slightly red, and she was wearing one of Calvin's oversized dress shirts, draped loosely over her pregnant belly.

My breath caught in my throat, the air suddenly turning thin. The image of them standing there shattered whatever lingering doubts and hopes I had into a million pieces.

Calvin's eyes landed on my packed suitcase. He grew even paler. His gaze darted back and forth between the suitcase, me, and Katerina.

"Allison, I... I can explain. Katerina... she fainted again. The doctor said she needs complete bed rest. She didn't have anywhere else to go. I just brought her here to stay for a few days until we figure something out."

Katerina took a small step forward, her lips trembling. She looked up at Calvin, unshed tears welling in her eyes, looking like a frightened fawn, totally helpless.

Calvin turned to me, his tone pleading. "Allison, please. She needs help. And you... you've always been understanding and compassionate. Can you just... take care of her for a few days? Just a few days, until I figure things out."

"You expect me, in my own home, to take care of your pregnant mistress, and look at the belly carrying your child?" This was so far beyond my imagination.

"Allison, don't say that!" he snapped suddenly, a sharp edge to his voice. "She isn't my mistress. She is a colleague who needs help. Yes, she is pregnant with my child. But she's in a dangerous condition right now, she needs a stable environment, a home."

Katerina let out a soft sob, leaning her face slightly against Calvin's shoulder as if seeking comfort, sneaking a glance at me with feigned vulnerability.

"You actually expect me to take care of the woman who stole my husband and my future?" My voice rose, filled with incredulous fury. "Do you think I'm crazy, Calvin?"

"Allison, calm down." He stepped closer, trying to grab my arm. "You don't have a job right now, you have plenty of time. It's just temporary, for the health of the baby."

I forcefully shook off his hand, my movement full of disgust and anger. "No," I said, my voice shaking, speaking through gritted teeth. "Absolutely not. I will not be your pregnant mistress's nanny. Get her out of my house, Calvin. Right now!"

Katerina let out a soft whimper and pulled away from Calvin slightly. "Maybe I should just go," she said in a weak, frail voice, taking a step back, pretending she was going to leave.

"No, Katerina, you are staying!" Calvin's voice suddenly boomed. He pulled her back to his side, shielding her protectively. He turned to me, absolutely furious. "This is my house, Allison! My family! I decide who gets to stay!" He pointed at my suitcase. "If you can't handle it, then you can leave!"

Those words hit my heart like a massive boulder, heavy and final. "My house, my family, my decision." His words were a knife twisting deep into my chest. The pain was excruciating, as if I had been hollowed out.

Katerina looked up, a smug smile barely playing at the corners of her lips. "Allison, I am so sorry. I never meant for things to turn out this way."

Calvin let out a cold laugh, mocking. "She never meant for it to turn out this way? Allison, this is all your fault! You're the one being unreasonable! Now, are you leaving or not?"

I sneered. "Oh, I'll leave, Calvin. And when I do, I am taking every single thing that belongs to me. Don't think you'll get to keep a dime. Sooner or later, you will pay for what you've done!"

I walked right past him toward the bedroom and grabbed my packed suitcase.

He didn't try to stop me. He just stood there, Katerina clinging tightly to him, a hint of fear in her eyes.

As I headed for the front door, Bobbie Brooks suddenly stepped out from the shadows of the hallway.

She shot a glance at my suitcase, a gleam of satisfaction flashing in her eyes, before quickly looking away and walking straight toward Calvin and Katerina.

"Oh, sweet Katerina, are you feeling better, darling? Don't worry. You are safe here now. This is your home."

She put an arm around Katerina's waist, pulling her closer. "Katerina, you are carrying our heir. You are part of our family now. I will protect you, we will all protect this child."

I stopped at the threshold, her words echoing in my ears. "You are part of our family now."

That phrase, which I had so desperately craved, now sounded like the death knell of my old life.