After the IVF procedure worked, I finally got pregnant and flew back from overseas, hoping to surprise my husband, Rob Balmer, with the news I'd been waiting so long for.

A friend tipped me off that while I'd been abroad, Rob had taken on a new personal assistant — the clingy, temperamental type who always had to have her way.

At first, I didn't think much of it. In the old days, all I had to do was frown, and Rob would have anyone who got on my nerves shown the door.

But when I got home, I found out the code to the front gate had been changed. I tried our wedding anniversary date again — and that's when the door swung open.

Some woman was leaning against the doorway in my silk pajamas, all drama and attitude, her brows arched like she owned the place.

"Look what the cat dragged in — some beggar showing up at the Balmer estate! Scram! Or I'll set the dogs on you!"

I was so furious I almost laughed. "Go get Rob. I want to ask him just what kind of stray he's been letting into this house."

And I had one more question: Did he still want the heir — the Balmer family's only shot at continuing nine generations of single sons— the one I was carrying right now?

The Tibetan mastiff by the door, emboldened by its mistress, snarled at me a few times.

Lily rolled her eyes.

"And who the hell are you? Rob isn't someone you can just demand to see."

She sized me up with a sneer.

"What is property management even doing, letting someone dressed like a street vendor into this neighborhood?"

My skin is highly sensitive — regular fabrics break me out in rashes within minutes. Rob had specially ordered custom-made clothes from Italian mills just for me. Never in a million years did I think I'd be looked down on for not wearing designer labels.

I almost laughed. After all these years, this was the first time I'd ever been blocked from seeing Rob.

I reached for my phone to call him and give him a piece of my mind — only to realize, to my horror, that the battery had died.

So I just held out my hand and coldly demanded Lily hand over her phone.

"If you set him back on something important, you know what happens."

Lily flinched at my glare. In that split second, I snatched the phone from her.

I dialed the number I knew by heart. Just as I was about to tear into him, Rob's low, tender laugh cut me off.

"Two minutes without a reply and you're already calling? Miss me that much? I'm in a meeting. I'll be home when it's done."

I gripped the phone tighter, my voice stuck in my throat. That kind of intimate tone — if I didn't know I was holding Lily's phone, I'd have thought it was meant for me.

The next second, Lily snatched the phone back triumphantly and cooed into it in a syrupy voice.

"Then hurry back. I want you to cook for me!"

She even put it on speaker.

Hearing the two of them flirt back and forth, I barely held back my fury.

"Rob Balmer. You get back here. Now."

Rob paused, a note of confusion in his voice.

"Lily? Is someone else there with you?"

Lily shot me a dirty look.

"Just some crazy woman. I'll get rid of her in a minute."

Rob said casually, "Yeah. Don't make a scene. We've got a bid coming up — bad press right now wouldn't look good."

Hearing his indifferent tone, I felt like I'd been doused in ice water. He'd flown out to see me just last month — and now, he couldn't even recognize my voice.

I couldn't hold it in anymore. My voice rose.

"Rob! What about me? What about your child?!"

The air went cold. When Rob spoke again, his voice was laced with frost.

"You've got some nerve, running a con like this on me."

His tone turned to ice.

"That kid is definitely not mine. Lily, get rid of her however you see fit."

He still hadn't recognized my voice.

I let out a bitter laugh.

"In that case, there's no point in keeping this baby either."

Rob couldn't have cared less.

"Some bastard from God knows where. Better off aborted."

My nails dug into my palms. I never thought Rob would call his own child a bastard. He probably had no idea that this child would be the only bloodline he'd ever have.

Rob had low sperm count. We'd been married five years and never conceived.

The Balmer family had produced only one son per generation for nine straight generations. When they found out about Rob's condition, they were frantic.

After begging me nonstop, I went abroad for IVF. It took three grueling years before I finally got pregnant with this one.

I came home wanting to surprise him. Turns out, he had a much bigger surprise for me.

I was planning to call my lawyer to start drafting divorce papers when Lily hung up with a sharp click. Her eyes were blazing. She slapped me across the face.

"So you are just a beggar! Trying to pin some random bastard on Rob!"

In my entire life, no one had ever hit me before.

I was shaking with rage. I reached over and pressed the emergency panic button right next to the villa gate.

Lily didn't stop me. She just watched me with a cold smirk.

"You tramp. Do you have any idea what the Balmer name means in this city? I could beat you to death right here and no one would dare say a word."

I glared back at her coldly.

The Balmers were wealthy, but so was my family. Marrying Rob had actually been a step down for me.

How many of his company's bids had succeeded because of my family's connections?

Even the property manager here — I was the one who'd made him supervisor because I thought he'd been attentive enough back in the day.

Within three minutes, property security showed up.

I scanned the group and frowned. I didn't see Thomas Frist, the one I knew.

Before I could speak, Lily batted her lashes at the lead security guard, who turned out to be her cousin.

"Lukas! It's this bitch right here. She's carrying some mystery baby and claiming it's Rob's. I can't get rid of her!"

My stomach turned at the sight of Lily's smug face.

"Get your manager, Thomas, here," I said coldly. "Then you'll find out whether I'm Mrs. Balmer or not."

The guard hesitated.

"Thomas is on a business trip. You know him?"

Lily spat loudly.

"Oh, so that's how you got in! You're sleeping with the property manager! That baby in your belly must be his!"

Someone muttered, "Isn't Thomas married?"

Lily sneered. "So she's a serial homewrecker! Got used up by some married man and now she's looking for Rob to play daddy!"

I gritted my teeth so hard it hurt.

"I am not a mistress. My name is Sherry Knight, and Rob Balmer got down on one knee to marry me!"

But no one was listening. They were all sneering at me.

"She's pretty enough, but she had to go and throw herself at a taken man."

"And of all people, she picks a fight with Lily? That's suicide! Everyone knows Mr. Balmer spoils Lily rotten."

"He's even moved her into his place. They're probably getting married soon. This homewrecker must've found out and came to cause trouble."

At that, Lily's face went dark. She grabbed my hair and slapped me across the face twice more.

"Bitch. I knew you were up to no good."

Her sharp nails tore right through my skin. Warm blood ran into my eye, and the whole world turned red.

But Lily wasn't done. She unhooked the dog leashes and let the mastiffs loose.

"Haven't fed them today. Why don't you be their dinner?"

The second they were free, the drooling mastiffs lunged at me.

The stinking, bloody jaws gaped open in front of my face. I threw my arm up to block, and sharp fangs pierced straight through my forearm.

Between the searing pain and sheer terror, a dull, dragging ache began to spread through my lower abdomen. The IVF had been brutal enough, and my pregnancy symptoms had been especially severe. The doctor had warned that if I didn't take extra care, the baby would most likely not make it.

In just those few moments, I could already feel blood pooling beneath me.

Someone in the crowd got nervous. "Don't kill her. Just throw her out."

Lily let out a cold snort. Immediately, someone rushed to flatter her.

"Lily is the apple of Mr. Balmer's eye! Remember that time someone outbid her for a piece of jewelry at auction? The guy was on his knees apologizing to her the very next day!"

"Even if something does happen, with Mr. Balmer backing you, what's there to worry about?"

The lead guard grabbed me by the arm and started dragging me out, spewing filth the whole way.

"Lily's my cousin, so Rob's practically my cousin-in-law! Trash like you who break up families deserves to be taught a lesson!"

A sharp pain tore through my scalp as Lily grabbed my hair. She studied my face, and something like jealousy flickered in her eyes.

"Even his wife couldn't compete with me. And you think you stand a chance?"

I froze.

"You know he's married?"

Lily sneered.

"That washed-up old hag? Rob got sick of her ages ago! Why do you think he shipped her off abroad?"

Rob had never told her I went abroad for IVF — to give him a child.

Before I could say anything, a cruel smile curled across Lily's face.

"You slut, trying to use a baby to climb up the ranks? Let me tell you something — you don't have what it takes."

She kicked me square in the stomach. The pain doubled me over, and I dropped to my knees.

I could feel the baby's faint life force ebbing away inside me. Panic flooded through me.

"The baby I'm carrying — it really is Rob's! Please, someone take me to the hospital! If I lose this child, he will never forgive any of you!"

At the sight of blood on the ground, the crowd stirred uneasily. The burly guard whipped around and barked at them.

"This is Balmer family business! Anyone who calls the cops answers to me!"

He shoved me face-down onto the ground, forced my head up, and turned to Lily with a fawning grin.

"Go ahead, cuz. Take it all out on her. Just don't wear yourself out."

Lily's palms rained down on my face one after another. My cheeks were numb, swollen beyond recognition.

A glint of satisfaction crossed her eyes. She turned to the onlookers and warned them loudly.

"This is what happens to homewreckers! If I ever catch any of you sniffing around Rob, you'll end up in worse shape than her!"

With that, she gestured to her cousin.

"Strip her. Dump her naked on the street. If she's shameless enough to be a mistress, she doesn't need clothes."

I clutched my collar with what little strength I had left, fighting desperately.

"Let go of me! I am not a mistress!"

As they dragged me toward the gate, I desperately called out a phone number to the crowd.

"Someone — please call this number. Tell them what's happening here. I'll pay a hundred thousand dollars to whoever makes that call."

Someone in the crowd scoffed.

"She's not trying to call for backup, is she?"

The spectators burst out laughing.

"Backup? Who would dare come? In this city, who's bigger than the Balmers?"

Lily dug her nails into my side and twisted.

"Still putting on a show, you tramp? Dressed in rags like that — who could you possibly call?"

I stopped struggling. I looked at the doubtful faces and doubled down.

"Whoever makes that call gets a million dollars."

Before the words even left my mouth, Lily's palm cracked across my face again.

My head went spinning. I spat out a tooth, bloody and broken.

"Still acting! You're not even worth a hundred bucks!"