"Have you thought it through? If you go through with this, it may bring you pain in the future," the doctor asked, her voice laced with concern.

I gently placed a hand over my lower abdomen, feeling the faintest spark of life within. Looking at the doctor with a calm I didn’t fully feel, I replied, "Yes, I’ve thought it through. Let this child go to another family that can give them happiness."

The doctor hesitated, her eyes searching mine for a trace of doubt. But seeing my resolve, she let out a soft sigh and turned back to her files. "Next week, pack your things and ask a family member to accompany you the day before the surgery to complete the formalities."

She seemed tired, as though this wasn’t the first time she had heard such a decision. Her sigh lingered in the room long after she left.

Later, I checked into a small hotel and settled down. Opening my laptop, I began organizing the files my professor had just sent over. No one in the academic circle knew about the surgery, and I wanted to keep it that way. If they found out, they’d only worry about me, and I couldn’t bear that.

"What should I do? The charming CEO only has eyes for me! I love him so much, I’ll work hard to be his partner for life! #Mr.Chandler"

The comments underneath made it worse, a chorus of support for their so-called "perfect couple."

"The domineering CEO from those short dramas has come true! I’m swooning!"

"[+1] I can’t handle this—they’re too cute!"

...

The picture showed a handmade dress—a gown I had asked Theo to help me find before leaving on a business trip. I had planned to wear it for our anniversary, but his response had been anything but supportive.

"It's just an anniversary, and you still want a handmade dress? Do you really think my money grows on trees?" he had snapped impatiently.

Now, seeing that very dress in his secretary's hands, displayed so openly on her social media, I felt a bitter irony. Still, I casually liked and commented under her post:

"The CEO from the office drama has become a reality, huh?"

I assumed my comment would go unnoticed, lost among the sea of sycophants fawning over her. But, to my surprise, a sharp-eyed colleague caught it and deleted it almost immediately. The entire comment section vanished shortly after.

They didn’t need to bother. I wasn’t the type to cling to a man who didn’t value me. Even if that dirty man knelt before me, begging for forgiveness, I wouldn’t give him so much as a glance.

Later, as I lay in bed, trying to will myself to sleep, Theo’s phone vibrated loudly in the room. The sound startled me, dispelling any remnants of sleepiness. I scrambled to mute it, my hands trembling.

For a brief, foolish moment, I thought he might have noticed my absence and called out of concern. But when I answered, his voice was anything but caring.

"What’s wrong with you? Have you lost your mind? Why are you commenting on Celeste’s post? She’s threatening to quit now!"

I couldn’t say a word, stunned into silence.

"Since you’re coming back from the airport, stop by the boutique street and pick up a gift for her. Apologize properly. We’re still working overtime here, and if she really quits, your project will have to be suspended."

His words were like a slap, each one stinging more than the last.

"Oh, and she’s been craving your sweet and sour pork ribs. She said she’s tried them before and loved them. Can you make some for her tomorrow?"

I froze. My chest felt hollow, and my hands went cold. I thought my heart had already turned to stone, but as his words sank in, I felt the familiar sting of betrayal. My nose burned as tears threatened to fall.

Why, even now, did his thoughtlessness still hurt?

He once instructed the housekeeper to keep me out of the kitchen, saying, "Your hands are meant for research, not cooking or washing dishes."

But back then, I was determined. Despite the burns and blisters from hot oil, I persisted. Mary, the housekeeper, couldn’t bear to watch me struggle and quietly guided me through each step. After countless attempts, I finally perfected the recipe.

The sweet and sour pork ribs he so casually mentioned? I spent hours secretly learning from tutorial videos, practicing over and over. Mary patiently corrected my mistakes until I got it just right. I even adjusted the sweetness because I knew he didn’t like overly sweet dishes. When I finally made it for him, I thought it would mean something.

But in the end, every bite ended up in her stomach.

Anyone with half a brain could see what was happening—how the boss doted on that “little girl” so blatantly. And now, he wanted me, his wife, to personally buy her a gift and apologize on her behalf? Where did that leave my dignity?

When Celeste threatened to resign, Theo panicked as if the entire company would crumble without her. His desperation was so evident that it stung.

I didn’t want to go. Every fiber of my being screamed against it. But Theo held the economic lifeline of our research team in his hands. If I refused, I knew he wouldn’t hesitate to cut our funding. The thought of jeopardizing months of hard work and my team’s efforts weighed heavily on me.

So, after much deliberation, I decided to go.

After all, buying her a gift was insignificant compared to the importance of our team’s research project.

It was late at night, and the drive from home to the company took barely ten minutes. Theo’s effort to keep everything hidden from me was convincing, but not enough to fool me.

When I entered his office, I was greeted by a scene that felt like a dagger to my chest. Celeste was perched on his lap, her arms wrapped around his neck as she teased him. The indulgent smile on Theo’s face—a look he used to reserve for me—now belonged to her.

My heart clenched painfully, my face drained of color. The gift in my hand trembled as I gripped it tightly, my teeth clenched to keep myself from making a sound.

Inside, they continued their shameless flirting, oblivious to the world outside their bubble. The man who used to whisper sweet nothings in my ear was now kissing another woman without restraint.

I couldn’t bear it any longer. Anger surged through me as I threw the door open and hurled the gift in my hand at them.

"Theo, how dare you betray me? You make me sick!"

The shock in his eyes was brief. He quickly shielded Celeste, his focus entirely on her. When he noticed the faint red mark on her hand from the gift I had thrown, his face darkened with rage. Without hesitation, he grabbed the vase on his desk and hurled it at me.

Pain shot through my arm as the vase struck me, but the ache in my chest was far worse. I couldn’t tell which hurt more—my injured arm or my shattered heart.

"Fiona, have you lost your mind? Do you know what you’ve done? Celeste just secured a massive deal for the company, and I was rewarding her. Do you have to go this far to hurt her?"

His words pierced me. While he stood there protecting her, did he even notice how my heart bled? I opened my mouth to respond, but the words died on my tongue.

Celeste, now nestled in his arms, trembled delicately. She reached out and tugged at my sleeve, her voice soft and pitiful.

"Mr. Chandler, please don’t yell at Fiona. She loves you so much and was only worried when she saw us together. I never wanted to ruin your relationship."

She turned to him, her voice quivering with understanding.

"Mr. Chandler, thank you for everything, but I think I should resign. I don’t want to cause any more trouble for you or Fiona."

Hearing this, Theo tightened his hold on her waist and glared at me with icy disdain.

"Fiona, are you satisfied now? You’re standing there like a statue—are you mute? Apologize to her! She just brought in an important deal, and now she’s leaving because of your jealousy. How do you expect me to face the company after this?"

I stared at Celeste’s provocative face, my gaze dropping to the faint strawberry mark on her exposed V-neck. It was like a slap to my sanity. My mind spiraled into chaos. The man who once claimed to love me deeply was now betraying me—right in front of my eyes.

My pride flared, stubborn and unyielding. Apologize to her? Never.

"You won’t apologize, will you? Then prepare to face my wrath," Theo said coldly, his tone devoid of the affection I had once known.

I assumed his punishment would be as simple as cutting off my credit cards. But no, his next move struck at the heart of everything I valued.

With a blank expression, he picked up the phone and dialed the finance department.

"Suspend the sponsorship for the Westhaven Project. I’ll inform you of the next steps later," he said curtly.

The words hit me like a hammer. The geological survey project I had poured my soul into—gone, just like that. My chest felt tight, my breath shaky.

Swallowing my pride, I forced myself to suppress my anger. I took a deep breath, smoothed the edges of my expression, and stepped forward. Extending a hand to Celeste, I curved my lips into a strained smile and spoke the most insincere words of my life.

"I'm sorry. I misunderstood the relationship between you and Mr. Chandler. I hope you won’t take it to heart and will continue working hard to bring more success to the company."

Celeste didn’t even glance at my outstretched hand. Instead, she ignored me completely, as though I didn’t exist. She turned to Theo, her fingers lightly tugging at his sleeve as she leaned into him, her voice soft and coquettish.

"Mr. Chandler, it’s fine. I’m not upset. But my heart… my heart feels hurt. You can’t just brush me off with a few words and call it settled."

Theo’s expression softened into something I hadn’t seen in years. With an indulgent smile, he reached out and pinched her cheek, his tone laced with affection.

"You little troublemaker. You only know how to tease me, don’t you? But when someone else bullies you, all you do is hide in my arms."

Celeste blushed and shyly hit his chest with her fist, her voice tinged with feigned innocence.

"With President Theo here, who would dare to bully me?"

My arm throbbed with pain, a dull numbness spreading, and the ache in my lower abdomen made every step unbearable. All I wanted was to leave.

Since Celeste had no intention of accepting my apology, why should I continue to humiliate myself? I turned to walk away, desperate for an escape.

Just as I reached the door, Celeste’s voice stopped me.

“Fiona, let’s go together. One more person isn’t a big deal—just an extra bowl and chopsticks. Come eat with us.”

Her words were like salt in a wound. Theo and I were husband and wife, yet her invitation made me feel like an outsider in my own relationship.

“Come on, don’t be so petty,” she added, her tone light, but her eyes sharp.

I forced a bitter smile, the ache in my arm a painful reminder of my vulnerability. More than that, I knew I needed to tend to it quickly; any delay might make it worse.

“No, I still have work to do at the institute,” I replied politely, masking my pain. “You two enjoy your meal.”

But as I descended the stairs, I heard Celeste call my name. Her voice echoed in the stairwell, sharp and insistent. Confused and wary, I stopped and turned to face her.

“Fiona,” she began, her tone dripping with mock concern, “you saw us sleeping together that day. Why are you still clinging to this marriage? Being the president’s wife is nothing but a title. Why not let it go? If you step aside, I can ensure Mr. Chandler continues sponsoring your project. If not…” She smiled, her gaze cold. “…you’ll regret it.”

Her audacity left me stunned. I knew Celeste was younger and, perhaps, more attractive than I was, but her arrogance was almost laughable.

I met her gaze and replied calmly, “You may be his latest fascination, but Theo won’t give up his empire for you.”

I turned to leave, dismissing her words as the delusions of someone drunk on temporary power. But I underestimated her cunning.

Just as I reached the next step, Celeste grabbed my hand. Before I could react, she slapped herself hard, the sound reverberating through the stairwell like a gunshot.

Moments later, Theo appeared, his face a mask of fury. Celeste crumpled to the ground, clutching her cheek, tears streaming down her face.

“She… she pushed me down the stairs!” she cried, her voice weak and trembling.

Theo’s glare burned into me, his eyes filled with rage. Without a word, he shoved me aside. My lower abdomen slammed into the edge of the fire hydrant, and a searing pain shot through me.

I felt a warm trickle down my thighs, and cold sweat beaded on my forehead. My legs buckled as I reached out to him, whispering his name.

“Theo…”

But before I could finish, Celeste’s voice pierced the air.

“Mr. Chandler, I’m in so much pain. Please… save me.”

She clung to him desperately, her voice trembling as she added mockingly, “Oh, Fiona didn’t even realize it’s just her period acting up.”

Theo scooped her up without hesitation, sparing me only a cold, disdainful glance.

“Fiona,” he said icily, “I must have spoiled you too much. You pushed her, and now you’re blaming me for your… condition? Do you have no shame?”

He turned and left without a second glance, carrying Celeste in his arms.

I sank to the floor, clutching my abdomen, my vision blurring. Theo had once written memos to remind himself of my period, knowing my cycle like clockwork. Yet now, he didn’t even notice that it was over a month late.

I was shaking with despair as I called the emergency number, desperately trying to reach my colleague and best friend. After dialing, I lost consciousness, my body succumbing to the overwhelming pain.

Theo… If he knew he had caused the loss of his own child, would he break? Would he go mad with guilt?