Jeffrey tugged irritably at his tie, looking like he wanted to say something to defuse the tension, but he remained silent.

Beside him, Carina spoke up, her voice a fragile, hesitant whisper.

"Alice, please don't blame Jeffrey. I had the housekeeper put your things in the guest room."

As she spoke, she gently stroked her belly, and tears instantly welled in her eyes.

"Alice, please don't go. If it's because of the baby... I can get rid of it. I know this baby was a mistake. None of you want it…"

Before she could finish, she was sobbing, her body swaying as if she might collapse.

"Don't you dare!"

Jeffrey's voice was raw as he pulled Carina into a protective embrace, his eyes flashing at me with pure venom.

"If she wants to go, let her! But no one is touching my child! You and this baby are all that matter to me now!"

"Alice, if this is why you came, then get out!"

I let out a cold laugh and strode into the guest room.

The lace bed set was crumpled in the dog's bed, covered in dirty paw prints. The once-exquisite pattern was now a filthy mess.

I picked up the lace, my finger trembling as I pointed at it. "Carina, explain this! This is your idea of 'in the guest room'?"

She shrank back. "I didn't mean to. I felt sick, so I just put it down... I didn't think the dog would..."

She started to bend over. "Alice, don't be angry. I'll have it dry-cleaned for you."

But the moment she bent down, she cried out.

"Ah! My stomach."

Jeffrey lunged, shoving me violently to the floor.

My head slammed against the sharp corner of the glass coffee table. A sharp pain exploded behind my eyes, and I felt a warm liquid trickle down my temple.

I bit my lip, refusing to make a sound, just smiling up at Jeffrey, wanting one last look to see if this man had a heart.

He was already holding Carina, checking on her frantically, the glare he shot my way filled with a cold, absolute disgust.

"What the hell do you want? I'm begging you, just stop. Do you get some sick pleasure tormenting us over a piece of old lace?"

A cold hollowness spread through my chest.

He had been cold to me before, but he had never looked at me with such hatred. He truly despised me.

Suddenly, it all felt so pointless. Why was I still here, letting him humiliate me?

I gave up.

The lace was stained, just like our relationship. It could never be clean. I didn't want it.

And I didn't want him.

I pushed myself up, my vision blurred by blood. "Jeffrey, I wish you two a lifetime of happiness. I hope you're still this devoted when Page Six plasters your faces everywhere."

As I turned to leave, he grabbed my arm. Seeing the blood on my face, his expression flickered with something like exasperation. "You're not thinking straight. Go back to California for a few days. I'll call you in three days. Don't say anything you'll regret."

I wrenched my arm from his grasp and walked out.

The home we had spent years building... and in the end, I was just a guest.