When the car drove into the orphanage, I saw Herschel dragging Liza out angrily and questioning her in a cold voice, “Didn't you say you would return in a month? Why are you back now?”

Liza cried out in pain in a delicate voice, then said with tears in her eyes, “I just wanted to give you a surprise, don't you really want to see me?”

“That’s not what I meant.” Herschel felt a little guilty when he saw the red marks on her hands. He rubbed his eyebrows and sighed.

“You've disrupted my plan. Carlos has not made any arrangements yet. Your presence is a variable. Once Carlos's identity is transferred, I will make arrangements for you and your son.”

Liza refused to give in. She covered her ears and shook her head, looking extremely sad.

“I don't want it. You clearly said you would marry me. Why do you want my child to call someone else his mother now? 

“I have no status and no position. Do you still want me to lose my only son?”

Herschel's heart softened and he forcibly held the person in his arms to comfort her, “I love you too, but Sallie has been with me for so many years, I cannot let her down. 

“I can give you everything except the status. Don't you want to have a wedding? Let's go abroad at the end of the month, okay? Let Carlos be our witness.”

Dissatisfaction flashed across Liza's face, but she quickly concealed it, just cried and gave in in the end, “Herschel, I'm just afraid that you don't want me anymore. The last time you came to see me was a year ago. Do you love me less now that you have a child?”

“How could that be? I just wanted you to rest assured during the confinement period. Didn't I ask your mother to take care of you too? If I go on business trips more often, Sallie will inevitably become suspicious.”

As he spoke, he had already lifted Liza's head and kissed her, his hands also wandering around her waist and he could not wait to tease her.

“Not only do I miss you, my body also misses you, do you feel it?”

Watching the two of them kissing and flirting with each other and then hiding in a nearby room, I clenched my hands on the steering wheel suddenly and the string of reason in my mind completely broke.

It turned out that every time he went on a business trip, he would find an excuse to see Liza and even her mother knew about it.

Then what was I in the eyes of their family?

Was this a joke?

I looked at the rearview mirror and realized that I had tears streaming down my face without knowing when. I could not help but let out a miserable smile.

It turned out that five years of living together day and night and taking care of the in-laws was not as good as a romantic encounter after knowing each other for a year.

Since they were going to hold their wedding abroad, I would help them make their fake wedding come true!

After contacting my assistant to prepare the divorce agreement, I turned around and drove to the embassy without looking back.

Applying for Australian permanent residence was not difficult, especially for a family like mine.

In the past, I was willing to endure hardships with him for love. That time when I did not love him anymore, I naturally would not put myself in a difficult position anymore.

I got the documents that afternoon and was about to go home when I received a call and rushed to the orphanage.

“This is Carlos's information. He just turned one year old. I don't know which parents are so cruel. The child is obviously fine. 

“Fortunately, he is lucky to meet a good person like you. He will only have a good life in the future.”

I looked at the information and my hand unconsciously went up to my stomach, feeling a little dazed.

I remembered when we just got married, we were lying in a small rental house and Herschel caressed my belly with his eyes full of love.

“Sallie, can we name our child Hensley from now on? I hope he will have great ambitions and inherit my career.”

At that time, I smiled and said, “I hope he can pursue the freedom of mountains and rivers and not suffer like us.”

“Okay! Then let’s call him Carlos.”

He knew clearly how much I wanted a child and how much love I had in welcoming him, but he still managed to cut off my hopes with his own hands and even gave the name to that illegitimate child.

I found it ridiculous to think that the child I had been waiting for five years died at the hands of his father.

I blinked back my tears and pushed the photo back as I said, “Sorry, it may take a week to complete the formalities.”

“What in a week?”

The door was pushed open, Herschel and Liza walked in side by side, with traces of joy on their faces.

Looking at this face again, I just felt sick and turned my head away without answering.

Seeing this, the dean quickly tried to smooth things over, “Adopting a child is not a trivial matter. Many families would consider it again and again. Mrs. Herschel just wants to think about it again.”

Herschel frowned, walked up to me and held my shoulders, somewhat dissatisfied as he asked, “Sallie, didn't we agree on this? Why are you going back on your word?”

I smelled the perfume he used to cover up the smell and pushed him away expressionlessly.

“Where does that perfume come from?” I asked in a cold tone.

Herschel's face froze and he explained in a panic.

“I just ran into Liza, she's volunteering here and I had a conversation with her. I guess I got her perfume smell accidentally.”

Liza smiled and hooked her hair, revealing the kiss mark on her neck, then stretched out her hand towards me, pretending to be envious.

“Long time no see, old classmate. You are married to Herschel now. I guess you are living a happy life. But why do you look old?” she asked with a grin on her face.

I looked at her white and tender fingers doing manicures and then looked at my own hands covered with calluses from overwork and felt dazed.

When I was in school, I loved beauty the most and I would change my manicure every month. But after being with Herschel, I never dressed up properly again.

He had a bad stomach, so I learned how to cook and make soup. He was busy starting his own business, so I took care of all the housework.

How ridiculous! 

In just five short years, I had been worn down by the daily necessities of life, but this had become an excuse for him to not love me.

Seeing that my expression was not right, Herschel gave Liza a warning look. 

But in the end, he did not say anything and just changed the subject, “Sallie, why do you suddenly not want to adopt Carlos? I have already promised Mom that I would bring him home today. 

“You know, Mom has always wanted to have a grandson. I cannot bear to disappoint her and it can also ease the family atmosphere.

“And Carlos is so young, how pitiful he is in the orphanage. Aren't you the kindest person? How could you bear to see another child suffer?”

“Enough!” I could not stand it anymore, so I slapped his hand away. The emotions I had been suppressing finally burst out and I yelled at him. “Who will feel sorry for my child? He is not even a month old, he did not even have a chance to be born!”

Without waiting for him to respond, I spoke firmly, “You can take Carlos home, but the formalities must be completed at the end of the month! I cannot bear to see another child appear under my name the day after I lost one.”

I would be divorced and leave at the end of the month, so they could make as much noise as they want.

When he heard the deadline of half a month, a trace of panic flashed across Herschel's face. He even suspected that I knew it all, but he quickly convinced himself that I was just too sad.

Thinking of the lost child, Herschel felt a little bit reluctant and agreed quickly, “Okay, we’ll come back at the end of the month to complete the formalities. Sallie, don't be sad anymore and don't worry about your health.”

After saying that, he smiled apologetically at Liza and said, “Sallie is not very emotionally stable, I need to take care of her. Thank you for taking Carlos with you. My mother also wanted to thank you for introducing Carlos to her.”

Liza glanced at me and gave a smug smile before answering, “It doesn't matter. I have not seen my aunt for a long time after all.”

When Herschel drove out, I subconsciously opened the passenger door, but touched Liza's hand.

Liza looked at me in surprise, then said embarrassedly while holding the child, “I feel carsick, could you please sit in the back?”

After saying that, he looked at Herschel with a look of grievance.

I did not move, but just smiled and asked, “Herschel, what do you choose?”

The man was silent for a few seconds and looked apologetic to me as he said, “Sallie, she is not feeling well, please let her go.”

I curled my lower lip in self-mockery, but also felt disappointed that it was just as I expected.

I suddenly remembered that when we bought the car, he enthusiastically labeled the passenger seat of all the cars as a wife-only seat and hugged me as he made the promise, “Sallie, my passenger seat is only open for you.”

At that time, those promises were no longer valid.

I watched Liza proudly sit in the passenger seat. The stickers in the front row were ironic and glaring. I just went to the back seat in silence.

I would not ask for any special seat anymore, since I would not ask for him anymore.

“Sallie, don't you think Carlos and Herschel are destined to be together? They look so alike, your mother in-law will be very happy to see them, as if they were your biological children.”

When I heard her words, I looked up subconsciously, only to see Herschel frowning slightly with guilt. In the end, he just barked, “What nonsense! All children look alike.”

Liza pouted in dissatisfaction and continued her confrontation, “I’m just talking, Sallie, you won't be angry, right?”

“No,” I answered expressionlessly.

Herschel breathed a sigh of relief when he heard this and changed the subject. “By the way, I just saw you holding a document in your hand. What did you do this afternoon?”

Before I could answer, Liza interrupted, “Ah! The child seems hungry.”

Herschel really diverted his attention and did not ask any more questions until he got out of the car.

Along the way, the two of them talked and laughed from time to time, teased the children and their actions were intimate and familiar, completely different from the perfunctory attitude they showed when they were with me.

I closed my eyes and felt mocking. His love was so cheap.

Before entering the villa, Liza suddenly found an excuse to take a few steps behind and whispered in my ear provocatively, “Sallie, I will take away everything that belongs to you bit by bit!”

I stood outside the door and watched a group of people come up to greet her with smiles, as if they were a family.

My mother in-law, who used to speak ill of me and looked down on me in every way, was that moment teasing Carlos in Liza's arms, with a kind look on her face.

My father in-law, who had not given me a good face for a long time, smiled and took out an envelope, stuffed it into Liza's arms.

I suddenly remembered that a long time ago, when they learned that I had agreed to Herschel’s proposal, they did the same thing.

At that time, Herschel’s mother held my hand and was so excited that she did not know what to say.

“Sallie, you are a good girl. You have been wronged by following us, Herschel. From now on, we will be your parents and will always treat you as our own daughter.”

However, after my parents went abroad in anger and Herschel successfully started his own business, they changed their attitude.

Over the years, I had endured all the quarrels and covert ridicules.

I loved Herschel and did not want him to be caught in the middle, so I tolerated and tried to please them everywhere.

I thought that even if their hearts were like ice, I could warm them up.

But it turned out that this family had hidden iron under the ice.

Herschel surrounded his family with a look of happiness on his face, but he quickly realized something and looked towards the door anxiously.

Seeing me staring at them blankly, with no light in my eyes, my heart ached suddenly.

Herschel walked up to me and pulled me over, asking cautiously, “What's wrong? Are you unhappy? Mom is just too happy and thinking that she is a classmate, she invited Liza to have dinner with her.”

Without waiting for me to say anything, Herschel’s mother interrupted me with disdain, “What's there to be unhappy about? She cannot give birth to a child and won't let me hold a grandchild? 

“Herschel, you really spoil her too much. She eats and lives in our house and yet she dares to throw a tantrum. 

“Go out and see which daughter-in-law is not doing anything like her. Liza is here today, so let Sallie cook!”

I subconsciously looked at Herschel, but saw that he was as silent as ever and I could not help but laugh at myself.

If he really loved me, why would he have seen me humble myself so many times? But I never doubted it before.

Not wanting to cause any more trouble, I did not argue and turned to go to the kitchen.

When the meal was served on the table, the family was already seated.

Liza smiled and asked me to sit down, acting like a hostess as she said, “Sallie, sit down and eat too. I remember you loved this the most.”

The next second, a few more shrimps appeared in the bowl.

I was silent for a moment and put the shrimp on the plate.

“I don't eat this.”

Liza's eyes instantly turned red and she looked helpless and aggrieved as she asked, “Do you hate me so much? You don't even want to eat the shrimp I peeled.”

Herschel’s mother could not help but slam her spoon and stood up, her face full of disgust.

“What do you want? Liza means well. Do you really want to ruin our happiness? Get out if you don't want to eat!” she yelled.

Herschel also frowned and looked at me with disapproval, as if I was being unreasonable.

“Sallie, why are you so hostile to Liza? She introduced Carlos to us and has done a great service to our family, but you keep throwing tantrums against her. She is innocent!” he snapped.

I guessed they loved Liza just because she was giving birth to Carlos. So, when I looked at this big family, I just found it ridiculous.

I actually laughed out loud and questioned him despite everyone's surprised looks, “Herschel, do you remember that I am severely allergic to shrimp?”

When he ordered pasta, he would specifically ask the store not to put shrimps in it and he would even avoid eating seafood.

He said that everything about me was a big deal, but then he had forgotten it.

Herschel felt flustered at first, then thought I was making a big deal out of nothing and his face turned ugly as he responded, “It's just a minor allergy, it won't kill anyone, why bother to embarrass Liza on the spot.”

I took a deep breath, put down my spoon and walked away.

But he stopped me with a disappointed tone, “Sallie, how did you become so selfish and cold-blooded now?! I know you feel bad about losing your child, but what does it have to do with them? Eat that shrimp as an apology!”

“Even though I might die?”