Henry hadn’t come home for two days, while Anya’s taunting messages kept coming.

The one that stood out most was when she bragged, “In three days, Henry is throwing me a party for our two-year anniversary.”

My hands shook and I froze on the spot.

My mind went back to the anniversary of my first time with Henry. I had begged him for so long before he finally agreed to take me to the amusement park. But that day, he was distracted the whole time. When I asked him about it later, he scoffed, “I don’t see the point of you women celebrating these things all the time. Do you really think an anniversary can keep anything?”

My thoughts were cut short by the sound of my phone ringing. It was Henry calling.

I instinctively answered the call and the soft, breathless sounds of a man and woman tangled together came through.

Anya’s voice panted softly. “Henry, I want to wear a wedding dress on our second anniversary. Let me pretend to marry you, okay?”

Henry’s voice was breathless. “Sure. I’ll fuck you in your wedding dress, it’ll be something special.”

Anya giggled. “Hate it, Henry! Aren’t you afraid she will get jealous and make a scene?”

“If she gets upset, I’ll lock her in the basement, her son Andrew, too. Then no one will bother us.”

The disgusting voices made my stomach churn. I swallowed my nausea and hung up.

I stood, walked to Henry’s study and went to his computer. I typed in Anya’s birthday.

The screen unlocked.

I sneered. “Henry is really the same as before.”

In the three years when Henry and I loved each other most, he went from knowing nothing about love to becoming gentle and caring under my guidance. I taught him everything, even how to set phone screensavers and computer passwords.

Before he met Anya, Henry had been involved with other women, but those flings were nothing serious. I didn’t care, even when he used their birthdays as passwords.

But after meeting Anya, Henry changed completely.

I pushed my thoughts aside, drafted a divorce agreement and printed it in the study.

Suddenly, the paper in my hand slipped to the floor. When I bent to pick it up, I saw a broken piece of the table corner resting on a keepsake pouch.

I recognized it instantly; it was the blessing bag I had earned by climbing nine hundred and ninety-nine steps, kneeling to Henry with each step.

Now it lay tossed in a corner, treated like a piece of trash.

My heart trembled. My sincerity had been trampled without a thought. Eight years of feelings ended in that moment.

The next day, while I was packing my clothes, Anya suddenly barged in.

She glanced at what I was doing and smirked. “So, you know you can’t beat me and you’re giving up? Hmm, smart choice. Remember to divorce Henry and take your son’s things with you. I don’t want that bad luck left here.”

As she spoke, Anya leaned on one hand and stroked her flat belly with the other. Her face was full of pride as she said, “From now on, my child will be the true heir of the Taylor Family. As for that bastard of yours, he deserved to be eaten by pigs.”

I froze, my gaze turning dark as I stared at her. She flinched slightly. “Why are you looking at me like that? Am I wrong? That brat deserved to die. He was always targeting me. Do you think I can’t deal with you, too?”

She laughed coldly. “Hahaha, he’s dead anyway, ah!”

I rushed forward and slapped her. “Anya, you’ll pay for this!”

A sharp look flashed in Anya’s eyes. She raised her hand as if to strike me, but dropped it and instead grabbed my wrist, pulling me forward.

She stumbled out of the room just as Henry came upstairs. Seeing the scene, he rushed over to help her up.

Then he turned on me. “Kate, what’s wrong with you? You were a mother once, too. Why would you be so cruel to harm Anya’s child?”

I met his eyes and repeated his own words back to him. “Didn’t you say the child wasn’t even formed yet, so it didn’t matter if it died?”

Henry froze for a moment, then looked away, his voice still stubborn. “Anya is different from you. She’s been weak since she was young, so she’ll be more careful when she’s pregnant.”

“Just apologize to Anya and let this go.”

“And apologize to Andrew, too, after all, you’re the one who failed to raise him as a child.”

I looked at Henry coldly. Anya quickly said, “It’s okay, Henry. She probably heard I was pregnant and worried about how it might affect Andrew, so she thought…

“I’m a little upset, but this is our first child. I just didn’t expect her to be so cruel.”

“That slap just now was the lightest punishment and warning she could give me. I only ask that she not hurt my child. For anything else, she can come to me directly.”

Henry’s face darkened. He walked up to me and said, “Apologize to Anya.”

“I did nothing wrong. Why should I…”

My head snapped to the side, my cheek burning.

“I said, apologize to Anya. If you don’t, you’re not leaving this room today.”

I stared at Henry for a long moment, realizing he wasn’t joking.

Thinking of the things I still needed to prepare for Andrew’s burial, I swallowed my resentment and humiliation, then bowed to Anya. “I’m sorry.”

Anya’s eyes fell on the necklace around my neck and she feigned curiosity. “Henry, doesn’t that look like a lucky charm? Since you can’t come with me to pray for the baby these next two days, why don’t you lend me yours for a while?”

My heart tightened. That necklace was made from Andrew’s severed finger.

Without hesitation, Henry reached toward me. “Give it to her.”

When I didn’t move, his brow furrowed. “Kate, can’t you hear me?”

“Anything else, I can give her. Not this.” I gripped the necklace tightly.

But Anya was set on taking it. Henry yanked it from my neck and shoved it into her hand.

The moment she saw it clearly, she flung it away in disgust.

I ran out like a madwoman, trying to catch it, nearly throwing myself off the third-floor balcony.

Henry grabbed my hair and yanked me back.

Behind me, Anya’s eyes flashed with jealousy.

“Kate, are you crazy? If you want to die, don’t do it in the house. That’s bad luck!”

I ignored Henry completely. Even when he almost tore my scalp, I didn’t make a sound.

Thinking of the severed finger necklace lying in a corner, I shoved Henry away, pushed Anya aside and rushed downstairs.

In the flowerbed, bright roses bloomed. Anya loved flowers, especially roses, so a year ago Henry filled the yard with them for her.

But I was allergic to pollen. Even after I begged Henry three times to consider my feelings, he refused.

He even called me pretentious in secret, saying, “No one else has allergies, but you do. Trying to act special?”

I endured the sting of my pollen allergy and tore at the rose bushes with my bare hands.

The thorns cut into my skin, but I didn’t care.

After a long while, thunder rolled overhead and the autumn wind slapped my face, blowing my tangled hair.

Soon, heavy rain poured down. I bit my lower lip, forcing myself to stay calm.

Just as I was about to lose hope, I saw something.

I pushed aside the roses and pulled out the broken, mud-stained necklace, holding it close to my chest. Instinctively, I looked up at the master bedroom on the third floor.

Through the closed window, I saw two figures, locked in an embrace, kissing passionately. The sight sent a jolt through my heart, leaving my mind blank.

I gripped the severed finger tightly.

Andrew, Mom will take you away.

Two days later, I woke up in the hospital.

I opened my eyes and saw Henry sitting by the bed, peeling an apple. Without even looking at me, he said, “You know your body isn’t well, yet you still do such shameless things. Don’t think this will make me pity you.

“If Anya hadn’t been so kind and worried you might die there, I wouldn’t have saved you. Now that you’re awake, go thank her.”

He finished peeling the apple, then began carving it slowly. “Anya was terrified when you fainted. The doctor said she miscarried and needs care.”

“Since you’ve been pregnant and given birth before, you should take care of Anya’s daily needs.”

My face was pale, my eyes empty as I listened to Henry’s endless words.

When I didn’t respond, his eyes flashed with irritation. “I’m talking to you. Didn’t you hear me? Or did you lose your voice after getting caught in the rain?”

I stayed silent and Henry waved his hand impatiently. “Don’t play stubborn with me. Don’t forget, your Vergara family fell long ago. You’re only alive now because my Taylor Family kept you.”