“You slut who can’t live without a man! Tessa, your mother should see how cheap you’ve become.”

Vanessa shed all pretense of elegance and spat her insults venomously—but clearly, that wasn’t enough for her.

“She’s all yours.” She snapped her fingers mockingly at the bodyguard whose eyes were glued to my exposed body. “Have your fun. Invite more if you want—just don’t kill her.”

“Vanessa, isn’t this a bit too—” Ethan hadn’t expected her to go this far and tried to intervene.

But before he could finish, Vanessa’s eyes welled up with tears.

“You really do love her more! Ethan, what am I to you? A side piece? A plaything? I was such a fool to believe you only loved me! Fine. I’ll leave and take our son. Go enjoy your perfect little family of four!”

Ethan panicked and wrapped her tightly in his arms. “Vanessa, don’t say that! I only love you. I’d do anything for you. Tessa? She’s just a mutt who breeds well. If it makes you happy, do whatever you want with her!”

Vanessa appeared touched by his words and began sobbing harder—but behind his back, she looked at me with a victorious smirk.

Then she leaned in and whispered something in Ethan’s ear with a teasing glint in her eyes. He immediately scooped her into his arms and carried her upstairs to the bedroom, completely forgetting what he had left me to face.

The utility room door shut once again. The bodyguard eagerly tore off his tie, walking toward me with a vile grin. His massive frame blocked the light like a looming shadow.

“...Might sting a bit at first, but I promise you’ll enjoy it.”

He reached for me—but just as he was about to make contact, I plunged the rusted fork into my own neck, and blood sprayed everywhere.

“Ah!” The bodyguard, face splattered in blood, froze in shock, then screamed like a siren.

I couldn’t help but smile faintly. It was a prison trick—designed to look fatal, but avoid hitting anything vital.

But I am too weak now. Days without water, the fever, and sudden blood loss dragged me into a haze.

“If she dies, we’re done for!” I barely heard Ethan’s panicked shouting before I passed out completely.

When I arrived, I was lying in a hospital bed. My wounds were bandaged with care.

No one was in the room. A wave of hope surged in me—I climbed off the bed, determined to escape.

But as I peeked outside, I saw two of Ethan’s bodyguards stationed at the end of the corridor.

Luckily, the doctor’s office was across the hall, its door slightly ajar.

I waited for the right moment and slipped inside unnoticed.

No one was there. I spotted a phone on the desk and dialed the gentleman’s emergency number.

“Ms. Morgan? Are you safe now?” His voice was gentle, full of concern.

His kindness shattered the wall I’d held up. Tears spilled over.

“No... I’m not safe. Not even close.”

Every word made my neck throb with pain, and I trembled uncontrollably—but I couldn’t stop talking.

He was the only hope I had left.

“My husband’s girlfriend used my kids to threaten me. She made me eat rotten food like a dog. I stabbed myself to escape being gang-raped… Sir, I’m at the state hospital now. I... I don’t know if I can make it to our agreed meeting time.”

He was furious—his voice trembled with anger—but he stayed composed.

“Ms. Morgan, give me five hours. I’ll be there before sunset.”

I was about to thank him when I heard hurried footsteps approaching.

I quickly hung up and ducked behind the desk.

A young male doctor entered first—followed by Vanessa.

What stunned me even more was what happened next—they kissed, passionately, like lovers who couldn’t be apart.

I covered my mouth and nose, terrified even my breathing would give me away.

“...Baby, we need to stop,” Vanessa finally said, pulling away faster than him.

I saw the man’s name tag: “Ryan Blake.”

Then it clicked—I’d heard that name before. He was the son of Vanessa’s stepfather. Her half-brother.

“I hate hearing that name.” Ryan gripped her waist so tightly it looked like he wanted to merge her into himself.

“When are you going to leave, Ethan? I swear, I’m going mad. I can’t stand knowing my woman is in another man’s bed—or my son calling him father!”

“Baby, just a little longer.”

Vanessa cradled his face and kissed him softly. “I hate him more than you do. One more month. He’ll be ruined. I’ll take everything. Then the three of us can disappear—together.”

Vanessa and Ryan left quickly as if nothing had happened, and I took the chance to sneak back to the ward.

I climbed onto the bed with difficulty, my heart pounding wildly. What I had just heard shocked me—I'd never imagined Ethan had been so thoroughly played by Vanessa.

As I was thinking about how to use this to my advantage, the door suddenly swung open.

I hurriedly pretended to be asleep, but the person who entered just stood silently at the edge of my bed, unmoving.

Worried they might harm me, I slowly pretended to wake up. Opening my eyes, I found Ethan leaning over me, so close his lips nearly brushed my nose.

He clearly hadn’t expected me to wake up and quickly straightened in a panic.

“I just came to check if you were still breathing,” he said coldly.

His reaction gave me an idea—maybe I could use this to buy time until the gentleman arrived.

“Are you sure Vanessa’s child is really yours?” I asked directly, skipping the pretense.

Ethan’s expression darkened, and he looked at me sharply. “Tessa, are you trying to stir up trouble between me and Vanessa?”

“I’m just giving you a reminder.”

Before I could say more, Ethan suddenly grabbed my hand, his gaze intense. “Tessa, I know what you mean. If you agree to divorce and stop causing trouble, I might consider being with you again.”

His stupidity and arrogance almost made me laugh, but to stall for time, I forced a look of surprised joy. “Really, dear? You mean it?”

“Of course.” My reaction clearly pleased his inflated ego, and he went on, “I’ll get you an apartment. Not as big as our home, but comfortable. I’ll visit often—but you’ll need to be discreet. I am, after all…”

A knock on the door cut him off, and like a startled rabbit, he jumped away, quickly letting go of my hand and stepping back to act innocent.

Ryan entered, greeting Ethan with suspicious familiarity, then turned to me with concern, playing the role of a dutiful doctor.

But the way he looked at me was off—like a predator eyeing fragile prey. It made my skin crawl.

“Ms. Morgan, you’re quite lucky. The fork missed your artery and windpipe. But be careful—you’re already three months pregnant. If you develop an infection…”

“What? Pregnant? Tessa is pregnant?” Ethan cut him off in disbelief.

“You didn’t know?” Ryan said innocently, handing him the diagnosis report.

Ethan snatched it and flipped through it. The deeper he read, the darker his face became.

“I can’t be pregnant... no!”

Before I could finish, Ethan charged at me, eyes blazing. He grabbed my throat and screamed like a madman.

“You whore! You cheated! Tell me—who’s the bastard?!”

“No... I’m not pregnant!”

I choked out the words as pain surged through me. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth, and the freshly stitched wound on my neck tore open, soaking my collar and gown.

“Ethan, stop it! This is a hospital! Let her go—you’re scaring the kids!”

Vanessa suddenly burst in and shoved him away. Jordan, who had followed her in, started crying in fear. Ethan noticed the noise outside and reluctantly let go.

Cough, cough! I collapsed on the bed, gasping violently for air.

“Tessa, you’ve got the guts to cheat but not the guts to confess? If you’re not pregnant, are you saying Dr. Blake lied?”

“He’s—”

I tried to speak, to expose what I saw earlier in the office, but then I noticed Vanessa’s hand gripping Jordan’s shoulder. Her sharpened nails hovered less than a centimeter from Jordan’s eye—ready to strike.

Vanessa gave me a smug smile. Jordan trembled all over, too frightened even to cry.

Then I heard a faint dripping sound—and realized with horror that Jordan had wet herself in fear.

“...Anyway, we’re divorcing. Who the father is has nothing to do with you.”

I looked straight at Ethan and said calmly. I knew he would take it out on me later—but to protect Jordan, this was the only choice I had.

"Tessa, you're asking for death!" Ethan was completely enraged. He yanked my hair, dragged me off the bed, and viciously kicked me in the lower abdomen, one blow after another.

"You’re still my wife—I won’t let you give birth to this bastard child!"

I curled up in agony, trying to shield myself, but it was no use.

I heard Jordan’s helpless cries as she called “Mom” again and again. I struggled to look at her and give her a comforting smile, but Ethan kicked me in the nose, and blood gushed out.

"Ethan, calm down—why dirty your hands? I happen to have an empty operating room available."

Ryan "kindly" stepped in to stop him, handing Ethan a surgical consent form as he spoke. Without reading it, Ethan signed it, then dragged the sobbing Jordan out and slammed the door, cursing.

"You were hiding in my brother’s office earlier, weren’t you? I knew it long ago—the sour stench on you gave it away."

Vanessa walked over with grace. She looked down at my broken body and smiled. Her soft voice reached my ears like a devil’s whisper.

"You want to challenge me? Tessa, you’re not even close. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you—the consent form Ethan signed wasn’t for an abortion. It’s for removing your ovaries and uterus."

The hospital’s efficiency was stunning. Half an hour later, I was in the cold operating room, my wrists and ankles tightly restrained.

The more I struggled, the deeper the restraints dug into my flesh, as if trying to fuse with my bones.

Still, I refused to give up.

It would be dark in less than an hour. The gentleman would come—for me and the children.

"Stop struggling. You won’t escape. And no one’s coming to save you."

Vanessa, now in surgical garb, clearly relished watching me fall into despair. She was a monster.

"My brother’s still prepping. Since lying there is boring, want to see something fun? Like... your mother’s final moments?"

She held her phone in front of me. A video played—footage from a ward’s surveillance camera.

My mother lay in bed, frail and ghostly pale. Her face was twisted with pain, yet her eyes clung to the door, whispering my name over and over, “Tessa, Tessa.”

The moment the door opened, she stirred with hope, trying to rise.

Tears blurred my vision. I was overcome with guilt. I’d trusted Ethan too much, leaving my dearest mother and child in his hands—only to destroy them.

But it wasn’t me who entered the room. It was Vanessa.

“Tessa won’t be coming. She’s in prison. She took the fall for someone else to save you—three years behind bars.”

Vanessa’s tone in the video was almost cheerful. As she spoke, she pulled a syringe from her bag. My eyes widened in disbelief.

“This one injection could’ve saved you. But Ethan gave it to me instead. Oh—and here’s a little secret: I’m not sick at all! Hahaha!”

She laughed and tossed the syringe to the floor, grinding it under her heel. Then she leaned close to my hopeless, unmoving mother. “Don’t worry, Tessa will join you soon.”

“Why? Why are you doing this? Why?!”

I couldn’t take it anymore. I screamed at Vanessa, my voice ragged, struggling against the restraints until my bones felt like they’d snap. The machines around me blared with piercing alarms.

I knew I should stay calm. She was provoking me on purpose. The more broken and desperate I became, the more pleasure she drew from it.

But I couldn’t control it. The sight of my mother’s agony was like a blade stabbing and twisting inside me. The pain scorched my lungs with every breath.

“I’ll teach you a lesson,” Vanessa said with a smug smile. “How dare you compete with me for Ethan? Even if he’s just a man I’ve already discarded, he’s still not yours to touch.”

“Vanessa, you’ll regret this! I swear—if I survive, I’ll make sure you suffer a fate worse than death!”

“Then here’s the bad news,” she sneered. “You won’t be alive for long. After all, accidents do happen with surgery... patients can die unexpectedly.”