Mark Morgan, a powerful figure in Hawkins, fell in love with a female college student who sold sandwiches. He used much money to hire her as his nutritionist.

The two of them made a bet involving the child in my womb. 

Valerie Murphy made me, who was pregnant, eat only a sandwich for all three meals, "I guarantee that if your wife obediently listens to me, she will definitely give birth to a healthy, chubby baby boy."

From then on, everything from small things like 20 cent green onions and ginger to $23 folic acid and even the $180 prenatal ultrasound that was necessary during pregnancy, all required filling out an application form with Valerie.

All were rejected by Valerie as unnecessary expenses.

In three years, I was pregnant six times and all ended in miscarriage due to malnutrition.

During my seventh pregnancy, Valerie declared, "Mark, you're definitely going to lose this time. When your wife gives birth to a healthy, chubby baby boy, you'll let me leave!"

This time, I had a massive hemorrhage and called Mark, begging him to take me to the hospital.

Valerie frowned, "Luisa, it costs 80 dollars in gas to drive the car once. That's enough to feed poor children in the mountainous areas. I bet you're just trying to get Mark's attention, aren't you?"

I pleaded desperately.

Mark coldly hung up, "Val's words are right. Don't be so dramatic, or I will divorce you right now."

He then turned around and bought 30 million dollars that worth of jewelry for Valerie.

That night, I had a massive hemorrhage and lost my seventh child.

But I unexpectedly overheard Mark talking to someone.

"Mark, you know very well that Luisa has been malnourished for the past few years and it's impossible for her to give birth to a healthy child, so why do you still let Valerie manage things?"

"I just want Val to stay by my side, even if it's just for one more day. This is the last time."

It turned out that all seven of my children had become sacrifices for their love.

——

My face turned pale and my heart ached to the point of collapse. I called my mother, "Mom, I want to divorce Mark."

My mother was stunned for a moment, then anxiously asked me, "What's wrong, honey? Did Mark bully you?"

When I was pregnant, my mother was so happy, thinking she would finally have a grandchild. 

She knew how much I loved Mark all these years and she was certain that Mark and I would definitely end up together.

At that moment, tears streamed down my face, "Mom, it's nothing, I'm just tired. Let's go abroad."

My lower abdomen was still throbbing with pain.

Seven years, seven children.

I was ridiculed by my mother-in-law as a hen that couldn't lay eggs and mocked by people in the Hawkins circle as a miscarriage machine.

"Luisa Joyce has been with Mark for seven years, but she miscarries every time. Who knows if she's been messing around outside and ruined her uterus, that's why she can't have children, right?"

The first time I miscarried, I cried until I almost fainted, constantly apologizing to Mark, "I'm sorry, I'm useless, I couldn't protect the baby."

Mark held my hand tightly and comforted me, "It's okay, as long as you're alright, nothing else matters."

The second and third time, his smile grew wider each time.

Now I know that his excitement back then wasn't for the little life growing in my womb.

It was because Mark believed he’d get another chance to have a child and bet with Valerie again. Then, if they spent enough time together, Valerie would eventually fall for him.

Mark, you are so heartless!

I hung up the phone.

I covered my aching stomach and wanted to go back to my room, but I bumped into Mark and Valerie in the corridor.

"Why are you here?" Mark's face instantly changed, looking at me with disgust. "Are you stalking me?"

"It's none of your business."

One day and one night, he didn't care whether my stomach hurt or not, or if I was alright, but instead questioned me.

Valerie, however, frowned, "Miss Joyce, you're too extravagant. You're perfectly fine, yet you come to the hospital to waste money. Aren't you just trying to get Mark's attention?"

I went for my routine prenatal checkup and she called me wasteful.

Yet the thirty million dollars jeweled necklace around her neck sparkled blindingly.

“Running to the hospital all the time—don’t you get it? If something happens to the baby, I’ll lose my bet with Mark again.”

“I don’t want your husband. He’s too rough every time we sleep together. He even hurt me last night. Miss Joyce, please control your husband!”

Another bet.

Poor unborn children—seven of them—never even got to call me “Mom” before leaving me forever.

My palms clenched into fists.

Red-eyed, I glared at her.

"Miss Murphy, you have legs, don't you? You can leave anytime you want—no one's stopping you! Is being a mistress something to be proud of?"

Valerie's eyes reddened as she clutched her chest, wounded. “Miss Joyce, do you think I want this?”

Mark supported Valerie's shoulders, his cold gaze piercing me. “You know Val is strong-willed and keeps her promises. How could she leave without winning the bet? Why must you humiliate her like this?”

Valerie hit Mark’s chest, crying until her eyes were red. “This is all your fault! If you hadn’t trapped me, I wouldn’t have to live with the shame of being called a mistress.”

Tenderly, Mark wiped away her tears and softened his tone, “Only the unloved are mistresses, you’re not.”

My breath caught and I looked up in disbelief.

“Stop crying. You're newly pregnant. Too much crying isn't good for the baby.”

My whole body trembled and my chest hurt.

A child?

Valerie has a child?

“Why didn't you tell me?”

“I didn't want to tell you because I feared you'd react like this.” Mark’s voice was calm, but the contempt in his eyes stabbed me deeply. “Looks like Val was right after all—you really are jealous of her.”

I was so shocked to see his reaction.

The way he looked at me was like how he’d stared at the driver who hit me with his car—wild and furious, like he was ready to lose control and beat him to a pulp.

Only when I held him did he stop.

Mark cried, saying he loved me, so he couldn't bear anyone hurting me.

Yet now, for another woman, he repeatedly hurt our child, repeatedly betrayed my trust.

Valerie shyly buried her face in Mark's chest, lifting her chin triumphantly at me. “No name, no status. I won't bear your child! Unless... you divorce her!”

I slowly turned to look at Mark. My palms clenched in unease.

Would he agree to Valerie's demand?

Mark frowned, glancing at me. His tone was unexpectedly light as he said, “Fine.”

I held my breath when I heard it and tears streamed down my face as I turned to leave.

Back home, I began packing my things only to find the pledge Mark wrote when he was eighteen.

[I, Mark Morgan, swear I will never betray Luisa Joyce. I will cherish her, trust her and love her forever. If I break this vow, I’ll spend my life alone, never knowing love again.]

A lifetime turned out to be only seven years.

Mark had just entered the room. 

He didn't see me toss the paper into the trash.

This fool husband still believed I was carrying his child.

“It's just an act. You're still pregnant. No need to empty everything out for real.”

I let out a mocking laugh. “Then how else could I calm Valerie down? If she ignored you, you’d be mad again, wouldn’t you?”

Mark fell silent for a moment.

After a while, he wrapped his arms around my waist from behind.

“You know I care deeply for her. This divorce is only temporary. Once she gives birth, I'll come back to you, okay?”

“Aren’t you afraid that after the divorce, I’ll marry someone else?”

He smiled helplessly, “Others might, but you won’t.”

Mark was used to my subservience and my waiting, convinced that I couldn't live without him.

That was why he thought I would still be waiting for him after the divorce.

“Besides, you’re carrying my child. I promise you, after this, we’ll live a good life together.”

I bit my lip hard, trying my best not to cry out loud.

Mark, our child was already indirectly killed by you!

But I didn't need to tell him the truth.

“Okay.”

Seeing me so readily sign my name on the divorce agreement, Mark hesitated for a moment, inexplicably flustered, “Listen, I love you. So… After everything is over, you’ll remarry me, right?”

“Of course.”

He lied to me seven times and I only lied to him once.

Mark, that was what you owe me all the time. 

I wondered, what kind of expression will you have when you know the truth?

Before leaving with my luggage, the hospital suddenly called, saying that my mother had a sudden heart attack and was in the ICU.

The surgery would cost fifty thousand dollars.

I begged Mark to lend me some money.

But as he was about to transfer the money, Valerie, who had just arrived, snatched his phone and reprimanded me with a disapproving look.

“If I’m not mistaken, you and Mark are in the divorce cooling-off period. You’ve already signed the papers, so how can you still use his money?”

“Besides, good people are always blessed. If your mother is kind, she’ll get through this without surgery.”

“Mark, don’t you think I’m right?”

Mark looked at me awkwardly.

Valerie held all the financial power in the family.

To get money, I had to get Valerie's approval first.

Looking at my mother's pale face, my voice almost trembling, I choked back tears and knelt down to beg Valerie, “Please, I can fill out the forms, you can let me fill out as many forms as you want, I only have my mother left.”

“Don’t try to make me feel guilty.” Valerie ruthlessly pulled me away. "I told you, if you want money, earn it yourself. Mark worked hard for this. It’s bad enough you don’t value him, but you’re also so wasteful.”

My eyes were red-rimmed.

I questioned Mark, "Is that what you think too?"

"Mark, if you lend money to your ex-wife, it proves you still have feelings for her. I'm going to get an abortion right now!" Valerie shouted, clutching her stomach and rushed towards the obstetrics and gynecology department.

Mark followed closely behind.

I cried, grabbing his hand, "Mark, can you transfer the money first? I promise I won't appear in front of you again for the next few days. I swear."

"Val is right. If your mother was a kind person, she would be better without surgery. I'll go comfort Val first, we'll talk when I get back..."

He coldly pulled his hand away from mine and left without looking back.

At the same time, a sharp sound came from the emergency room.

The doctor came out, "I'm very sorry, Miss Joyce, we can’t save your mother, she has passed away."

"No…"

It hurt me so bad until the world seemed to spin around me. 

I remembered my mother smiling as she watched me wear my wedding dress, smiling and saying that she would wait until the day she could hold her grandchild.

But now, she would never see that day!

My mother was cremated.

I sat numbly in the funeral home all night.

Valerie updated her WhatsApp Story again with a picture of Mark leaning on the hospital bed, gently stroking her head with a tender look in his eyes.

[At my most broken moment, I'm so glad you were there for me. If you hadn't been willing to donate a kidney to my mother, I might not have a mother anymore.]