Caitlin's POV

The cold white fluorescent lights of the clinic buzzed overhead. I lay on the examination table, my heart pounding with anxiety. Dr. Evans finally straightened up, a gentle smile appearing on her face.

"Caitlin, although it's still very early, everything is completely normal." She pointed to the blurry image on the screen. "Here is the heartbeat. It's strong and steady."

A sense of profound relief brought tears to my eyes instantly. My child, this fragile little life, was still stubbornly surviving after experiencing the chaos, the betrayal, and the shredded wedding dress.

"Thank you, Doctor," I choked out. "Thank you so much."

Dr. Evans handed me a tissue. "Congratulations, this is wonderful news. Have you told the child's father?"

The smile on my face froze. Tell Hudson? Share this sacred joy with him? It felt like an absolute fantasy. All of his attention, sympathy, and his entire being had already been completely swallowed up by Bella.

How could I dare entrust this precious secret to a man who couldn't even protect my wedding dress or my dignity?

"Not yet," I said, my voice dropping. "Too much has happened, I'm not ready yet."

Dr. Evans nodded, her eyes showing understanding, but she also became more serious. "Take your time. But given your past medical history, you must avoid any stress or physical exertion. We will monitor your condition closely."

Her reminder awakened my deepest fears. Two heartbreaking miscarriage experiences. When I lost the first one, Hudson held me and cried for days; but the second, late-term miscarriage a few years later almost drained all of our energy.

Since then, a layer of cautious distance had grown between us. I was afraid to embrace hope again, and perhaps he was afraid of facing loss again.

Her reminder awakened my deepest fears, two heartbreaking miscarriage experiences. When I lost the first one, Hudson held me and cried for days; but the second, late-term miscarriage a few years later almost drained all of our energy. Since then, a layer of cautious distance had grown between us. I was afraid to embrace hope again, and perhaps he was afraid of facing loss again.

And now, with a new life awakening inside me, I couldn't bear another blow.

Especially right now, with Hudson deeply entangled in Bella's drama and completely ignoring me, it was highly likely he would treat this child as an unmanageable burden.

Leaving the clinic and returning to the apartment building, I didn't go upstairs. Instead, I hid in the lounge area. I needed time to digest all of this.

My phone buzzed. It was a news push notification. Glancing at the screen, I started shaking with anger.

My face—that face covered in tear stains and shock inside the bridal boutique—was glaringly displayed on the cover of a viral video.

The video clearly captured the footage of Bella frantically shredding my wedding dress, and the most piercing scene of all: Hudson holding Bella tightly to comfort her, while I was left hanging to the side like a pathetic joke.

The title was highly inflammatory: "Homewrecker Caitlin Finally Gets Her Just Desserts! Bella Fights Back to Reclaim True Love Hudson!"

With stiff fingers, I scrolled through the comment section. The internet had thoroughly nailed me to the pillar of shame.

"Oh my god, poor Bella! She's been through so much. Caitlin is obviously a gold digger trying to steal Hudson away."

"Hudson and Bella are a match made in heaven. Caitlin should step aside."

"Look at Caitlin's expression, she's so damn cold. Bella is clearly heartbroken. This woman is simply a monster."

"Her father sacrificed himself to save Hudson! How can Caitlin be so cold-blooded?"

The direction of public opinion was ruthless and twisted.

Netizens quickly dug up Bella's tragic background: the daughter of a hero firefighter, a genius artist deeply traumatized by her father's sacrifice. Rumor had it she had received psychological treatment abroad and had now returned covered in scars, only to face the vicious woman who had stolen her high school sweetheart.

Bella, the tragic hometown goddess. Hudson, the hero tortured by conflict, forced to bear a debt of gratitude he could never repay. And me, Caitlin Norris, the vicious homewrecker.

The comments grew increasingly malicious, demanding that I leave, slapping all sorts of labels on me, and even starting to send threatening messages. An online campaign to support Bella had already begun.

Late that night, Hudson finally came back. He saw me sitting alone in the unlit living room, the cold light of my laptop screen reflecting those vicious insults.

Looking utterly exhausted, he sat down next to me. His hand hovered in mid-air, but ultimately, he didn't touch me. "Caitlin, I'm sorry about today. Bella completely broke down. Her therapist just finished checking her into the hospital."

"So you were with her the whole time," I stated coldly.

He sighed. "She kept crying and calling my name, refusing to let go. This building is too triggering for her, and seeing you made her break down even more. She misunderstood everything, thinking you wanted to steal me away from her."

"Misunderstood?" I laughed out of pure anger. "She shredded the wedding dress we were going to use for our marriage! And you held her in your arms, leaving me alone to watch my future turn into a pile of rags!"

Hudson rubbed his face in agony. "I know how bad this looks! But she's sick, and she only feels safe when she's by my side! I know this is unfair to you, but I'm begging you, can you please just endure this for a little longer? Once she stabilizes, I promise everything will go back to normal. We will get married, I swear."

Looking at this face full of guilt, my heart hardened bit by bit.

"Alright, Hudson," I said in a low voice, a cold tear quietly slipping down. "I will endure it."

He let out a long sigh of relief, hugged me tightly, and pressed a kiss to the top of my head. "Thank you, Caitlin, you are the most understanding woman I have ever met."

I closed my eyes in his embrace, letting my tears soak his shirt.

He was so immersed in his "great responsibility" that he didn't notice my despair at all. As long as Bella remained his first choice, I would always be the dispensable one!