The two of them were already dressed in the living room.

When Lucas heard what I said, he froze.

He let out a sigh and walked over to me, pulling me into his arms just like he always did when he tried to comfort me.

“Zoe, why are you being so petty again? Emily is pregnant—of course she needs to stay with me.”

“Don’t worry, the master bedroom is still yours. Emily and I will take the room farthest away. Once she gives birth, I’ll ask her to move out.”

His voice was soft and calm, but I couldn’t forget what he said at the hospital.

I shoved him away with a cold laugh, pointed at the door, and told them to leave again.

“Zoe, I know you’re upset about me and Lucas. But Lucas’s mother really wants a grandson, and he’s under so much pressure. Can’t you be a little more understanding?”

“I love Lucas as much as you do. I just want to give him a child. I’m sorry for hurting you—but I don’t regret it.”

Emily’s unwavering words moved Lucas. He took her hand in his.

“Emily, don’t belittle yourself like that. It makes me feel worse.”

I’d seen that heartache in Lucas’s eyes countless times before—but now, it wasn’t for me.

Tears streamed down my face. My chest tightened with pain so sharp, I could barely breathe.

Then my expression softened involuntarily, and Emily stepped forward, offering a tissue.

“Zoe, what’s wrong? Here, wipe your tears.”

The very next second, a prickling itch spread across my face. I realized too late—there was pollen on the tissue. I was allergic.

Instinctively, I shoved the tissue—and Emily—away.

She fell to the floor with a dramatic cry. “Ah! Why did you push me?!”

I ignored her and frantically searched for anti-allergy medicine.

Lucas rushed to help Emily and guided her aside protectively.

Then he turned to me, furious, and slammed the medicine box shut with a glare.

“Zoe! What’s your problem? Yes, I betrayed you and married Emily, but she’s done nothing to you! Apologize to her now! You’ve scared the baby!”

Gasping for air, I tried to explain through shallow breaths.

“I’m allergic... I need the medicine...”

“There aren’t even flowers in the room. Maybe that rash on your face is some other illness.”

His accusation made me laugh bitterly.

He had forgotten. Forgotten how terrified he used to be of my allergies—how he gave up his childhood flower arranging classes just to avoid bringing pollen home to me.

And now, he was keeping my life-saving medicine from me for Emily.

I shoved him away and scrambled for the medication, downing it desperately.

“You’re insane! How could you push a pregnant woman?! If you won’t apologize to Emily, don’t bother coming to the company anymore. Hand your position over to her—it’s the least you can do.”

As the medicine began to work, I clearly heard what Lucas had said.

Rage and despair surged through me.

I’d sacrificed everything for the company, working day and night, even sleeping there more often than at home.

And now he wanted to give it all away?

“I don’t agree!” I snapped.

Lucas began walking toward the door, cradling Emily. Panic shot through me.

Was he going to the company now?

I lunged to stop him, but in my haste, I slammed my leg into a stool.

The pain made my knees buckle, and I collapsed to the floor.

At that moment, the door opened.

“Lucas, didn’t you say you were taking Emily away? Why are you still here?”

It was Lucas’s mother, Sandra Evans.

So he had already planned to take Emily away. I laughed bitterly at myself.

“Lucas, how many more lies are you hiding behind?”

Lucas stepped forward to help me.

I avoided his hand and braced myself on the table to stand.

“Are you with Emily because of the child? Or do you really love her?”

“I don’t want to leave you. But she’s pregnant, and you two don’t get along. So I’ll take her to live somewhere else for now. Don’t worry—I’ll come back in two days.”

“Zoe, I’ve told you already, once the baby is born, I’ll come back to you.”

His expression turned uneasy. He couldn’t even meet my eyes.

Lucas had repeated these words to me more than once. That he didn’t care about Emily, that he still cared about me.

But the truth was, if he had loved me, even a little, he wouldn’t have treated me this way.

I stared at him and spoke slowly, each word deliberately.

“What if I have a child too?”

Everyone was stunned.

“If I have a child too, will you give up Emily and marry me?”

I stared into Lucas’s eyes, desperate for an answer.

Sandra scoffed.

“You’ve been pregnant so many times and never kept a child. The doctor already said your health isn’t good. How could you possibly have a baby now?”

She had always looked down on me, but ever since Emily came along, her attitude worsened.

The first thing she did when she entered was examine Emily from head to toe.

When she saw that Emily’s belly was fine, she smiled in satisfaction.

To please her—my supposed future mother-in-law—I had done everything she wanted, given her every gift she asked for, yet never once did she say anything kind to me.

And Lucas? He never told her the truth—that the reason I didn’t give birth was because he didn’t want me to.

I looked at Lucas, mockery in my eyes.

The first time I was pregnant, Lucas had been kidnapped.

I spent every cent I had trying to gather the ransom, even begged my father. That nearly destroyed our relationship. He disowned me.

In the end, I went alone to deliver the money to an abandoned warehouse.

Lucas had been held for ten days and had developed a high fever.

There were no vehicles around.

I carried him on my back, step by step, out of that wilderness.

After getting him to the hospital, I passed out from exhaustion.

When I woke up, I learned I’d lost our first child.

Lucas sat by my bed, crying like a child.

After that, I got pregnant a few more times.

Each time, Lucas would hold me gently and ask me to terminate.

“Zoe, wait until the company stabilizes. I want to give our child a better life.”

And I believed him, again and again.

But when things finally calmed down and I was ready to try again, it was too late.

I took endless medications, visited countless hospitals, even knelt in prayer in front of priests—

But nothing worked.

The pain of losing each child was a wound carved into my soul, and it never stopped hurting.

My hand drifted to my belly.

No matter what, I had to keep this child.

Lucas’s voice cut through my thoughts.

“Zoe, I know how much you want a child. Emily’s baby can be yours too, so you don’t need to worry. And if Emily helps you at the company, it’s still for the good of the child’s future.”

I laughed bitterly.

“Lucas, you want her to manage the company? Do you want her to ruin it?”

“Last time you asked her to handle a business meeting, she overslept and arrived late. That delay cost us ten million!”

Lucas was silent. He knew exactly how incompetent Emily was.

I couldn’t let him drag the company down for her.

I pulled out my phone and called a senior executive.

I had equal authority with Lucas, and he knew that if I refused, it would be nearly impossible to install Emily in my place.

He rushed over and knocked the phone from my hand.

“Zoe! If you don’t want Emily to take over, fine! But do you have to tell everyone? How will she ever face anyone again?”

His outburst stunned me. Even now, all he cared about was protecting Emily’s image.

I bent down to pick up my phone, but he was faster.

He stepped on it—hard—until the screen went black.

Then he turned to me, faced dark, and suddenly pulled me into an embrace.

Before I could resist, he dragged me into the bedroom and locked the door behind me.

“Calm down. I’ll let you out tomorrow.”

I banged on the door and shouted until I had no strength left.

Eventually, I collapsed onto the bed.

Then, without warning, the door opened.

Emily stood there with a smile, holding out a bottle of pills.

“Zoe, do you love Lucas that much? Why not let go?”

“Do you recognize this bottle?” she asked.

I glanced at it—it was the medicine I’d been taking for years to treat infertility.

Emily laughed so hard she cried.

“That’s not infertility medicine. It’s birth control.”

“You’ve taken it countless times over the years. Your body’s been damaged for a long time—it’s no wonder it’s hard for you to conceive now.”

She sighed, feigning sympathy.

“You’re so pitiful. You were tricked for ten years and still think a baby will win Lucas’s heart. But think about it—if Lucas ever intended to marry you, why didn’t he protect your child in the first place?”

Her words hit me like an explosion.

For a moment, I couldn’t breathe.

Tears blurred my vision.

How could I expect sincerity from Lucas?

What I mistook for love was just my unwillingness to let go.

Emily left with a smug smile.

I collapsed onto the bed, staring at the fallen bottle of pills, my heart aching.

Once, to help me get pregnant, Lucas pressed me onto the bed for days, claiming his passion would bring results.

When he heard about a doctor who specialized in infertility, he traveled across the country just to get these very pills for me.

“Zoe, as long as you keep taking the medicine, we’ll definitely have another baby,” he said.

But that man had been a lie from the beginning.

Tears slipped down my cheeks as exhaustion finally dragged me into sleep.

When I woke up the next morning, the door was open.

I rushed to the company—only to find my office completely rearranged.

The assistant who had been with me for three years looked at me nervously.

“Zoe... President Evans appointed Emily as the new general manager this morning. He said you won’t be coming back, and told us to throw out everything in here.”

Fueled by anger, I stormed into Lucas’s office—only to hear him speak as if it were all perfectly normal.

“Zoe, I know you’re upset. But Emily promised she’ll work hard to learn. And you’re still here—you can teach her.”

I clenched my fists. “Lucas, I told you—this company is mine too! Emily isn’t qualified to take my place!”

I decided then and there to rally the other executives and have her removed.

But Lucas grabbed my arm.

I thought, just for a second, that he was going to apologize.

Instead, he handed me a cardboard box.

“You’re clearly in a bad mood, so I won’t argue. If you want to stay, you can be Emily’s secretary. For now, help me bring this to her office.”

Disgusted, I yanked away and tossed the box.

It hits the ground, scattering its contents everywhere.

I stared down at what had spilled out, my voice shaking.

“What is this...?”

Lucas sounded annoyed.

“Diapers. Baby clothes. Emily said she wants to pick them out today. You’ve got experience, so just help her choose some.”

His words stabbed me like knives.

Back when I was full of hope and preparing baby supplies, he had never once helped.

Now I understood—he never planned to have a child with me. He only ever cared about his child.

“Lucas! You’re a monster!”

I shouted, unable to hold back any longer.

When I slapped him across the face with all my strength, a red mark bloomed instantly.

“Ah! Lucas!”

Wrapped in nothing but a towel, Emily came rushing over.

I turned toward where she had emerged—and froze.

There was a bathroom in Lucas’s office.

That was new.

Looking around now, the entire room bore traces of her.

A framed photo of the two of them sat on the desk.

A pink mug.

Her clothes were draped over the sofa.

What had they been doing here every day?!

My knees gave out, and my vision blurred.

Lucas shot me a furious glare, then followed Emily’s instructions to get ice for his swollen face.

After he left, Emily casually dried her hair with a smirk.

A bracelet on her wrist caught my eye—it looked familiar.

I had one too, though mine was much cheaper.

Noticing my stare, she lifted her arm and smiled proudly.

“Lucas bought this for me a long time ago. He couldn’t even afford food then, but he still got it for my birthday because I wanted it.”

I felt like I’d been punched in the gut.

When I was pregnant and starving, rationing one bowl of food for three days to save money, Lucas had been spending everything to please Emily.

She kept flaunting the latest designer clothes and handbags lying around the office—presents from him.

I couldn’t take it anymore. I laughed coldly.

“Emily, what’s so impressive about being a shameless woman? Everything you’re using was bought with the money I earned. And don’t forget—I can take it all back whenever I want.”

Emily’s face darkened. She hadn’t expected me to say that.

A dangerous glint flashed in her eyes as she lunged toward me.

She shoved me hard, and I fell before I could react.

My only thought as I hit the floor was to protect my belly.