Evelyn's POV:

Lena looked pleased with herself. She lifted her chin slightly and laughed coldly.

“Want the bracelet back? Then jump in and get it yourself.”

Her eyes were filled with mockery.

“Oh, I forgot."

"You can't swim, do you?”

“Then you can call the police and ask them to help."

“Aren’t you so fond of calling the police?”

Laughter erupted around us.

“That bracelet is worth at least six hundred thousand dollars. It’d be a waste not to retrieve it.”

“Isn’t it your grandmother’s keepsake? Why do you hesitate?"

Each word, cut deeper than the last.

I clenched my teeth.

Stared at the deep pool ahead, overwhelmed by helplessness. I hadn't imagined that Lena could be this cruel.

“If you can’t get it back, then blame your own stupidity. Don’t blame me.”

Lena mocked, and I closed my eyes, stepped forward, forced myself to jump in.

Splash.

The water instantly closed in around me, as if trying to drag me down to the bottom of the pool.

Water rushed into my nose and throat, my body struggled instinctively. Yet the more I struggled, the deeper I sank.

I forced myself downward, then, my fingers finally touched something icy.

That bracelet, at the bottom of the pool.

Summoning the last bit of energy I had, I struggled upward to the edge of the pool.

“Evelyn, I’m sorry, don’t push me...”

Lena suddenly screamed.

She threw herself into the water before I understood what was happening.

A sharp pull yanked me off balance, and a hand grabbed my leg.

Unprepared, water immediately flooded into my nasal cavity and throat, leaving me unable to breathe.

Underwater, Lena was smiling.

I choked violently, struggling in the water, with my strength faded.

The sensation of death closing in turned my face ashen, my body ice-cold. The sounds from the poolside echoed faintly into my ears.

“James, save Lena! Evelyn pushed her and jumped in herself!”

"She's insane!"

“James, you have to protect her!”

All the voices filled me with even greater rage and despair.

It's not true.

They are liar.

Another splash.

James dived into the pool.

A flicker of hope ignited within me. After all, James knew better than anyone how afraid I was of water.

He knew I couldn't swim.

And besides, we were husband and wife, I think he wouldn't leave me.

He had promised it.

I remembered how, in the past, James had fired one of his subordinates at the company on the spot just for trying to undermine me.

Clinging to that memory, I forced myself to conserve my strength as I waited for him, but James didn’t look at me. Instead, he swam straight toward Lena.

He lifted Lena out of the water, then shoved me hard, as if he found me utterly repulsive.

My chest tightened. I could barely breathe, struggle, and swim toward the edge again.

Pathetic.

And utterly humiliating.

The cold wind made me shiver.

On the opposite, Lena weakly leaned into his chest, sobbing.

“James, I was so scared....”

“Evelyn dropped it herself. I don’t know why Evelyn suddenly lost control and pushed me down."

“I really thought she was trying to kill me…”

Seeing her put on that fragile act, I interrupted in fury.

“Lena, it was clear...”

My voice was hoarse and weak from choking on water for so long.

James glanced at me, but the first thing he said was a cold sentence.

“Apologize to Lena.”

The words hit harder than water. I stood there, frozen in place.

My evening gown was soaked through, my body trembling from the cold, my skin drained of all color.

“Apologize?”

“Why should I?”

I lifted my head stubbornly.

“I didn’t push her.”

“She's pretending, can’t you see that?”, I said, my voice hoarse, my throat burning.

“It was Lena who threw the jade bracelet into the water.”

“That bracelet is a keepsake..."

"Stop lying”, James cut me off impatiently before I could finish.

"It’s disgusting.”

“I even heard Lena’s desperate cries for help.”

James lowered his voice as he looked at me.

“Don’t you hear what everyone is saying about you?”

“You’re really embarrassing me.”

At that moment, the murmurs around me drifted clearly into my ears.

“That’s truly disgusting. She is still refusing to admit it.”

“She can’t even swim, and she still jumped in. Now she’s blaming others?”

“Lena was the one who got pushed, and she’s still defending Evelyn. She’s far too kind…”

The girls around twisted the truth without restraint.

I'm forcing myself to calm down, nearly begging him to believe me.

“James, please, Lena threw the bracelet into the pool."

“I can’t swim. I almost…”

“Enough, Evelyn!”

“When did you become so vicious?”, James interrupted me again.

“Why did you refuse to admit it?”

“If your grandmother knew you’d turned into someone this disgusting, she would be deeply disappointed in you.”

My gaze went hollow, a chill creeping up my spine.

He knew exactly where my weakness lay.

He knew full well that my late grandmother was the one I cherished the most.

And he used that very thing to hurt me.

Disappointed?

“If she were disappointed”, I said coldly.

“My grandmother would be disappointed that I married a man who doesn’t trust me."

My words made James freeze for a moment, and my voice was trembling.

“And another thing, you are my husband, James. How can you side with an outsider like this?”

“If you love Lena so much, then let’s get a divorce.”

“I’ll set you free, and you can marry her!”

All sound died away.

Every gaze around us turned toward me.

My defiance ignited James’s anger.

He strode forward, his face darkening as he raised his hand.

Smack!

The slap rang out sharply, leaving my ears buzzing. I even staggered and fell.

My abdomen lightly struck the poolside floor.

My heart grew cold, and I wrapped my arms around my abdomen.

I was pregnant, and James knew that. How could he do that to me?

He had no right to hurt my child!

"Apologize", James said coldly.

I trembled as I stood up again, yet I still let out a cold laugh. I turned my gaze toward Lena.

“Lena, I’m sorry for coming to reclaim what belongs to me.”

“I’m sorry for not divorcing James, forcing you to resort to such disgusting tricks to humiliate me.”

Every word I spoke froze Lena’s expression, while James grew furiously angry.

He strode forward aggressively.

The distance between us closed rapidly.

I instinctively took a step back, staring at him warily.

“You’re still keeping that stubborn attitude?”

“Fine!”

Before I could react, James suddenly shoved me hard. The force was too strong, sending me straight into the pool.

Splash.

I fell straight into the water again.

Water rushed in instantly.

It was hard for me to breathe as I struggled in panic and exhaustion.

On the shore, James only spoke in a mocking tone.

“Stay down there and repent for what you’ve done.”

Then, he intimately pulled Lena away. They are leaving without hesitation.

I was left alone in the pool, ignored by everyone. I struggled weakly until I was completely drained.

“James, I regret only one thing.”

“Marrying you.”

My vision blurred, and I finally lost consciousness.

Evelyn's POV:

“Evelyn…”

“Evelyn, please don’t pass out…”

At last, on the brink between life and death, I was pulled out of the swimming pool.

It was none other than my best friend, Anne Foster, who saved me.

The bracelet on my wrist was icy cold, just like my heart at that moment.

I had already lost consciousness.

With no other choice, Anne wrapped me in a bath towel and rushed me to the hospital.

That night, I burned with a high fever, my body cold as ice.

Anne held me tightly, sobbing nonstop, pleading for me to recover.

…

The next morning.

I woke up, exhausted. Seeing the familiar surroundings, I knew I had been brought back home.

Anne must have remembered clearly, I hated the sharp smell of hospital disinfectant more than anything.

My body was so cold it trembled uncontrollably.

My lips quivered as I tried to say something.

“Evelyn, Evelyn?”

“Are you okay?”

Anne hurried over, checking on my condition before placing a hand on my forehead.

It was still burning hot.

“Where is my bracelet?”

I looked around hazily, panic flashing in my eyes.

Anne gently took my hand and whispered.

“Don’t worry, darling.”

“I’ve already put it back on your wrist.”

“Something that important, no one will ever be able to take it from you again.”

I looked at the bracelet glimmering on my wrist, and at last, the corners of my lips curved into a faint, relieved smile.

That was good.

“Did James come back at all last night?”

Suddenly, I thought of James. My voice was hoarse and bleak.

The moment Anne heard his name, she frowned, anger flaring up instantly.

“Why are you still asking about that bastard?”

“Are you stupid?”

“That bastard didn’t come back all night. He’s probably sleeping with his mistress again.”

“And yet when you were burning with fever, you were still whispering his name.”

“Are you out of your mind?”

“Is the world really so short of men for you to love?”

Anne spoke as if venting all her rage.

I endured it in silence, not daring to argue back.

I only spoke hoarsely, exhaustion weighing on every word.

“Anne, don’t be angry.”

“I’ve decided.”

“I’m letting go.”

“I’ve asked Charlie to prepare the divorce papers.”

Hearing that, Anne finally let out a sigh of relief.

“Good. At least you’re thinking clearly.”

“Just consider that you were blind before.”

“Alright then, what do you want to eat? I’ll go buy it for you.”

Her tone softened.

I blinked. Perhaps because my mouth tasted bitter, I only wanted something sweet.

“I want minced pork porridge, and a slice of red velvet from the shop on the next street…”

The moment she heard that, Anne pressed a hand to her forehead.

“You really know how to bully me, making me go that far just to buy cake.”

“It’ll take me at least half an hour to drive there and back.”

Even as she complained, Anne still sighed.

“Fine. Who told me I’m your friend?”

“Wait here. I’ll be back as soon as I’ve bought the food.”

I smiled sweetly, even mustering the strength to wave goodbye to Anne.

The room fell into silence, but not for long.

The door suddenly flew open, catching me off guard.

“Anne, you’re back so soon...”

My words stopped short.

I saw James holding Lena close, his gestures intimate and gentle.

James cleared his throat and looked at me as if issuing an order.

“Lena was traumatized by what happened yesterday, so I’m letting her stay here to recuperate.”

“Move to the guest bedroom.”

“Give this room to Lena.”

Hearing those words, my eyes went completely blank.

Involuntarily, I thought back to the days when I had first moved into this place.

Back then, my heart had been filled with excitement as I said this would be the home that belonged to James and me alone.

A place where no outsiders would ever be allowed to step in.

“Alright, let this be our own sweet little world, okay?”

“Don’t worry. I won’t let anyone else come in and disturb you.”

Those were the promises he had made.

He had even indulged me with a gentle kiss, saying that this house was like his heart, one that held only my reflection within it.

And for a time, he truly kept his word.

Once, simply because his female secretary had casually come over to retrieve some documents, and he was afraid I might feel upset, he fired that secretary on the spot.

Yet now, here he was, brazenly bringing Lena back.

And even demanding that I give up the bedroom for her.

I was so exhausted that I no longer had the strength to resist.

Some things, he had already chosen to forget.

No matter how much I reminded him, perhaps he was only pretending not to remember.

I merely looked at him coldly, saying nothing.

“Can you do that?”

My silence seemed to anger James.

He questioned me in a cold voice, looking at me with utter disgust, as if I were nothing more than an extra, a surplus existence.

Thinking of the slap from the other day, and the despair I felt when I was pushed into the swimming pool, I no longer wanted to provoke James.

“Fine.”

“I’ll pack right away", I spoke heavily, my voice hoarse, then slowly sat up in bed.

Only then did James seem satisfied.

He reached out to rub Lena’s hair and said he would go downstairs to make breakfast for her, then quickly disappeared down the hallway.

The pale smile on Lena’s lips instantly twisted into a sneer.

Hearing this, my movements paused for a brief moment.

Make breakfast?

The man who always claimed to hate stepping into the kitchen, who disliked the smell of cooking oil, was now willingly making breakfast for Lena?

Clearly, throughout our entire relationship and five years of marriage, he had never once stepped into the kitchen to cook for me, not even a single bowl of noodles.

Without comparison, there truly would be no pain.

I only let out a bitter smile, then slowly lowered my gaze, forcing myself to steady my emotions.

“So, Evelyn?”

“Does it feel good, being slapped by your husband and shoved into the pool?”

She glanced at her nails, mocking me.

Her voice was piercingly sharp, yet deliberately kept low,

so that James downstairs wouldn’t hear.

“Your cheek is still red.”

“Have you come to your senses yet?”

“Kneel down and beg me to spare you now, and it might still be in time.”

“Oh no, don’t forget, you also have to take the initiative to sign the divorce papers and get out of this house.”

My head throbbed as if it were being split apart.

I frowned at her words.

Get out?

Don’t even think about it.

I calmly gathered the fever medicine from the table, took it with me, and slowly walked out of the room.

“Only someone shameless would take pride in seducing another woman’s husband, Lena.”

“If I were you, I’d be so ashamed I’d want to die.”

My words struck straight at Lena’s sore spot.

They hit her where it hurt the most, leaving her completely unable to retort.

“Bitch, shut up!”

“Who gave you the right to talk about me like that?”

“Die, you bitch!”

And in the very next second,

driven by pure rage, she shoved me hard from behind.

I lost my balance and fell violently down the staircase.

I had no time to react.

With a heavy crash, my body tumbled down, rolling several steps, my abdomen slamming hard against the stairs.

Blood quickly seeped out, spreading across the staircase in a shocking crimson.

I clutched my stomach, bone-deep pain surging through me, leaving me utterly unable to speak.

At the same time, the sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway.

Evelyn's POV:

As my consciousness slowly blurred,

I heard a dull thud.

Lena deliberately collapsed to the floor and screamed loudly.

“Evelyn, I know I was wrong.”

“Please, don’t be angry with me.”

“I didn’t mean to take your room…”

“James, help me…”

She acted the part perfectly.

Through the haze, I vaguely heard footsteps quicken.

James rushed over, completely ignoring me, and ran straight to Lena.

“Lena, are you okay?”

She sobbed as she leaned into his arms, crying uncontrollably. Her tears soaked into his clothes, making her look unbearably fragile.

James turned in fury and pointed straight at me.

“Evelyn, how can you be so vicious?”

“How could you push Lena?”

The accusation was so absurd that I almost found it laughable.

My voice was hoarse, my life force draining away with every breath.

I couldn’t help thinking of the child in my womb.

Perhaps the baby didn’t want a terrible father,

and a weak, powerless mother like me,

and so had chosen to leave instead.

“Push Lena?”

“If I pushed her, why would I be the one lying here in a pool of blood?”

“James, are you blind, or are you stupid, to believe everything Lena says?”

My words, filled with exhaustion and despair, made his eyes flicker with a trace of hesitation.

But Lena weakly clung to him, sobbing softly.

“James, my stomach hurts so much… my leg too, it feels like it’s about to break.”

“But you shouldn’t blame Evelyn.”

“After all, when she pushed me down, she fell down too…”

Her words were like pouring oil onto a fire, instantly wiping away the hesitation in his eyes.

He let out a cold, mocking laugh.

“Pushed Lena and then fell herself?”

“That’s your retribution.”

“Now stay here and suffer through it.”

I froze, my eyes widening in shock.

When I saw him bend down to lift Lena up and prepare to leave, I disregarded everything and grabbed the hem of his pants.

My entire body trembled violently. My voice was weak and broken from excessive blood loss.

“James, you can’t be this cruel.”

“Please… can you take me to the hospital?”

“Our child… are you really this heartless toward our child?”

His movement paused for a moment.

But at that instant, Lena let out a weak cry of pain in his arms.

James’s gaze turned icy.

He coldly kicked me away.

“That’s enough, Evelyn.”

“Stop pretending.”

“If you still had the strength to question me just now, then you also have the strength to go to the hospital by yourself.”

“Take good care of yourself.”

With that, he carefully carried Lena away, leaving me alone on the staircase.

Blood continued to flow, even staining the jade bracelet on my wrist red.

I gasped weakly, trying to crawl back to the room to get my phone and call Anne.

But with no strength left, I collapsed in the hallway.

Before losing consciousness, the only thought in my mind was,

I’m sorry, baby.

I couldn’t protect you.

The child, the only bond connecting me and James, was likely gone as well.

This marriage, too, no longer had any reason to exist.

…

When I woke up, my mind felt hollow, as if my soul had left my body.

I saw the doctor standing beside the bed, and Anne sitting anxiously nearby.

Her eyes were red-rimmed with panic.

“Evelyn, how are you?”

“How did I leave for just a moment and come back to find you lying in a pool of blood?”

“What happened?”

I closed my eyes in exhaustion, my hand resting on my abdomen.

There was nothing there. Only emptiness.

As if the child wasn't appeared.

“James brought Lena home, and Lena pushed me down.”

Anger flared in Anne’s eyes.

“Lena again, that bitch…”

I calmly looked at the doctor.

“My child…”

I hesitated.

The doctor sighed, his voice lowering.

“I’m very sorry, Mrs. Claire.”

“But you lost too much blood, and you were brought to the hospital too late…”

“The child couldn’t be saved.”

I closed my eyes, too tired to even cry.

Maybe, my tears were dried, in this bury marriage.

The child I had carried for three months, barely even formed, was ultimately killed by my husband’s mistress.

And James had stood by coldly, indifferent.

How ridiculous.

If before, I still had a little hope that James would change his mind, would save me, would love me like in the past.

Now, that hope is gone.

Only utter despair remains.

After explaining how I should take care of my body after the miscarriage, the doctor left the medical report on the table and walked away.

I lay there silently, staring at the ceiling.

My gaze was utterly empty.

Anne looked at me, her expression falling as well.

“Evelyn…”

I tilted my head toward her, my voice hoarse.

“Has lawyer Charlie sent the divorce papers yet?”

She nodded.

“He called earlier. I answered for you.”

“The divorce papers will be delivered to the hospital soon.”

Good.

From the moment I saw James carry Lena away, leaving me in a pool of blood, I regained my senses.

At this moment, all I wanted was to end this rotten marriage between James and me.

I just want to leave him.

The sooner, the better.