Just as I was about to tell him to find someone else, a sweet, syrupy voice called out nearby.

“Mr. Curran! Come over and take the group photo! I saved a spot right next to me!”

His impatience evaporated instantly. He responded softly, “Okay,” before hanging up.

I made my way home alone.

As dawn approached, just as I was drifting off to sleep, a sudden force yanked me from the bed. Trent’s furious voice rang in my ears.

“Lizzie’s ears are red from the cold, and you’re here sleeping soundly all night?”

He yanked me from the bed and threw me onto the cold, unforgiving floor. My stomach collided with the sharp corner of the nightstand, and a muffled cry escaped my lips.

He paused for a moment, his hand halfway to me as if to help, but his words cut through the silence, accusing.

“Can’t you stand properly? What if you hurt the baby?”

I lowered my gaze, trying to soothe the restless baby inside me, refusing to meet his eyes.

He pressed his lips together, his hand hovering over my stomach with obvious reluctance.

“How’s the baby doing lately? Still active?”

I frowned the urge to push him away rising within me. But before I could act, Lizzie barged in, wearing a freshly bought wool hat.

Her eyes quickly flicked over the scene, and her expression darkened slightly. She spoke with a touch of bitterness.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Curran, for interrupting you and Miss Heather. Please, go ahead. I’ll just take a cab by myself.”

Trent rushed to stop her, his voice tinged with concern.

“I’ve told you before, it’s unsafe for a woman to take a cab alone. What if something happens?”

He turned to me, his tone growing more patronizing.

“Alright, stop sulking. Come on, let’s go soak in the hot springs together.”

I couldn’t help but scoff inwardly at the arrogance in his voice.

This New Year’s outing had been planned by Trent and his tight-knit group of childhood friends. Originally, it had been just them, Trent and his pals, until Lizzie, after becoming his assistant, weaseled her way in, quickly becoming part of the group. I, on the other hand, remained a stranger in their circle.

“You go ahead. I have other plans.”

I dismissed him coolly.

Trent hesitated for a moment, surprise flickering in his eyes.

Once they left, I took my time, sitting down to carefully apply a flawless layer of makeup.

Ever since I became pregnant, I had become hyper-vigilant—avoiding makeup, steering clear of raw foods, and researching even the mildest medications whenever I felt under the weather.

Trent had often shared these little anecdotes in his private group chat, mocking me for my “pregnancy brain” with his friends.

I purposely delayed my departure, ensuring I wouldn’t run into Trent downstairs, before grabbing my small suitcase and heading out.

But just as I was about to hail a cab, Trent’s Cayenne pulled up in front of me, halting me in my tracks.

The window rolled down, and Trent’s gaze swept over me, sharp and questioning.

“Where are you going?”

Caught off guard, I quickly lied.

“Hermoine asked me to stay at her place for a day.”

Hermione was a colleague of mine.

Only after the words left my mouth did I remember that I had mentioned days ago that Hermione was abroad on vacation.

Luckily, Trent didn’t seem to recall the conversation. His eyes stayed on me, his expression a mix of confusion and surprise.

“Forget about Hermoine’s place, wife. Come with us to the hot springs.”

Lizzie, noticing how Trent couldn’t seem to tear his eyes away from me, frowned, her mood souring instantly.

She suddenly pushed the car door open and pretended to step out.

“Mr. Curran, they got me this beautiful bathrobe for the hot springs. I’ll go try it on while you have a little chat with Miss Heather.”

Trent’s frown deepened, but he reached out and ruffled Lizzie’s hair, helpless.

“Aren’t you grown-up enough for this? Can’t you be a little more mindful?”

“When we get to the hot springs, stay close to me. Don’t wander off or get too close to anyone else.”

With that, he slammed the accelerator down, speeding off with Lizzie.

During my pre-surgery check-up, I stumbled upon a post from Lizzie on her social media.

[Another day of being spoiled by my boss! Thanks to Mr. Curran for the surprise; it really motivates me to work harder!]

The accompanying picture revealed Trent renting out an entire hot spring resort just for her. He had even arranged a “rose waterfall,” with 9,999 frozen roses, to celebrate her first New Year in New Valley.

The comments were flooded with envy and admiration.

One comment, though, caught my eye. [Why are you still calling him Mr. Curran? Shouldn’t it be hubby by now?]

I spotted Lizzie's reply, punctuated by a sheepish emoji.

[I wouldn't dare! If some old hag hears it, she'll make a scene.]

The response came quickly, sharp, and almost gleeful.

[Haha, what right does she have to cause trouble? You might not know this, but she and Trent only had a ceremony and didn't even bother to register their marriage. All it takes is one word from him, and she'll be packing her bags.]

I clicked on the commenter’s profile and recognized him as Larkin Ford, one of Trent's closest friends.

With a sigh, I liked both Lizzie’s and Larkin’s comments.

Moments later, my phone rang.

I picked it up, only to be met with Lizzie's tearful voice.

"Sister Heather, I’m so sorry. I didn’t think you'd see my post..."

Before I could respond, Trent's voice replaced hers, cold and impatient.

"Don’t you have anything better to do? Spying on everyone around me, stirring up drama?"

Nearby, Larkin chimed in lazily, his voice dripping with mockery.

"Sis-in-law, I was just kidding. If it bothers you so much, I'll skip the holiday fun and come over to apologize in person."

I cut him off, my voice calm yet firm.

"There’s no need to apologize. You were simply speaking the truth."

In Trent's family, couples only registered their marriage after having a child.

When my parents discovered this, their anger was explosive, and they forbade me from continuing my relationship with Trent.

Not wanting to add more pressure, I kept this secret from my family and complied with Trent’s family's demands.

Trent hosted a small gathering with friends and arranged a simple wedding ceremony for us. In that moment, he spoke with such deep emotion.

"Even though we haven’t registered our marriage, you're the wife I've chosen. This ceremony is non-negotiable."

Tears welled in my eyes, believing I had just married happiness itself.

Little did I know, in the eyes of his friends, I was nothing more than a laughingstock.

After the surgery, I lay on the cold, sterile table, my gaze fixed on the small, lifeless form being placed into a bag, weighed with finality.

From the delivery room next door, the piercing cries of a newborn echoed, a harsh contrast to the silence in my heart.

Without a word, I signed the cremation consent form the doctor had handed me.

I stayed in the hospital for two long days. When I finally returned home, the house greeted me with an emptiness I couldn’t shake.

I unlocked my phone and scrolled through Lizzie’s social media updates.

Over the past two days, she had flooded her feed with photos of herself and Trent visiting various places.

There were pictures of him feeding her candied hawthorn, taking her to a music festival, and even carrying her on his back when she grew tired at Disneyland.

His tenderness, his patience, those same gestures he had once shown me when we first fell in love.

But I didn’t feel anger. I didn’t feel sadness. I only felt… numb.

I packed the baby items I had so carefully bought into a box, ready to burn them as an offering for my child.

Just as I was about to reach the door, it suddenly flew open, slamming into me.

Trent stormed in, fury blazing in his eyes.

“Heather, what have you been doing these past few days?”

The door knocked on me, and the box slipped from my hands.

Tiny onesies, sheets, and baby bowls tumbled to the floor, scattered like broken dreams.

Heartbroken, I knelt down to gather the scattered baby clothes.

Trent’s boot came down hard, crushing the delicate fabric under his heel, his teeth gritted in fury.

“I’m talking to you! Answer me!”

As I stared at the dirt smudging the tiny clothes, my heart felt as if it were being shredded. I hastily tried to wipe the stains away, my hands trembling with desperation.

He sneered his voice cold and cutting.

“Fiddling with these useless things all day. Are you just trying to remind me that you’re still carrying my child?”

“Fine, for the sake of the child, I won’t call the police. But you have to give Lizzie an explanation!”

“And as for the baby, we won’t rush to register our marriage. We’ll see how you behave first.”

I stared at him in stunned silence, unable to comprehend his words.

He didn’t know yet that I had already ended the pregnancy. So why was he suddenly so furious?

Just then, Lizzie walked in, her eyes swollen and red from crying. She reached out, pulling at Trent to calm him down.

“Mr. Curran, it’s fine if Sister Heather doesn’t admit it. She’s still pregnant; don’t be too hard on her…”

Trent’s hand gently rested on Lizzie’s head.

“How can we just let this slide? I brought you into the company to protect you, not to see you treated like this!”

His gaze turned to ice as he pointed a finger at me.

“Kneel down. Apologize to Lizzie.”

I stood there, frozen, my heart pounding as I lifted my gaze to meet his.

“For what?”

“For this!”

Trent hurled Lizzie’s phone at me. The screen lit up with a message from Lizzie’s roommate.

[Lizzie, did you upset someone?]

[Some pregnant woman barged in, screaming downstairs, calling you a mistress, and saying you're being kept by your boss!]

[She was swearing like crazy, and now the whole neighborhood’s gossiping about you!]

What madness was this?

With just a few messages like these, Trent had already sentenced me.

Seeing my silence, Trent sneered, his voice dripping with disdain.

“What? Struggling to find a way out of this?”

His eyes narrowed, and he threw down an ultimatum.

“If you won’t apologize, then fine. Kneel here, let Lizzie slap you twice, and once she’s calm, we’ll move on.”

I could hardly believe my ears.

My oversized jacket concealed my belly, yet in his eyes, I was still pregnant. Despite that, he had no hesitation in demanding I kneel.

“Trent, are you out of your mind? You want me to kneel before your little mistress?”

As soon as the words left my mouth, Lizzie dissolved into tears.

“Sister, I swear, I’ve never crossed any line with Mr. Curran!”

Her eyes welled with tears as she turned to Trent, her voice quivering.

“Mr. Curran, it’s all my fault that Heather misunderstood. Don’t worry, I’ll go on a blind date tomorrow, marry a random man, and have children. That’ll make her believe me, right?”

Trent’s expression darkened like a storm cloud, his fists clenched in fury. Without warning, he kicked me hard in the leg.

Caught off guard, I sank to my knees, the cold floor pressing against my skin. Before I could push myself back up, Trent yanked my arms behind my back, pinning me in place.

He gripped my chin, forcing me to lift my face, his eyes cold with dominance. With a gesture toward Lizzie, he commanded her to slap me.

Lizzie froze, her hesitation hanging in the air like a fragile thread.

“Don’t be afraid,” Trent murmured, his voice smooth but cruel. “I’m here. No one will blame you. She owes you this. Do what you need to vent your anger.”

Encouraged by his words, Lizzie’s hand trembled as she raised it, her face torn between uncertainty and resolve. Then, with a sharp, stinging motion, she slapped me twice.

Each slap was a crushing blow to what little dignity I had left, shattering any hope of leaving with a shred of grace.

I clutched my chest, my body trembling uncontrollably as tears fell, unbidden and relentless.

“Trent, I’m calling the police!”

He scoffed, his voice dripping with scorn.

“Call them? Please. Let them investigate how you showed up at Lizzie’s place yesterday, spreading those lies about her.”

A cold smile tugged at my lips, my voice hoarse and deliberate.

“Oh, I will. Let’s investigate thoroughly, shall we? Let’s see who the real liar is.”

Suddenly, Lizzie’s shrill scream cut through the tense air, her voice raw with indignation.

“Heather, do you have any idea how much damage these rumors can do to a girl? Even if they’re cleared up, people will still talk behind my back!”

I couldn’t help but stare at her, incredulous.

“I’ve already agreed not to make a scene. Why can’t you just let this go? Why do you keep making it worse?”

Her eyes welled with tears, and with a sigh, she crumbled, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Mr. Curran… I’m so tired. I just want to do my job and be left in peace. I don’t understand how I became the villain in all this. I’m sorry... I just want some peace and quiet…”

Lizzie broke down in tears, her hands shielding her face as she dashed toward the door.

Trent’s expression darkened in an instant.

“This isn’t good! She’s heading for the river!”

Without warning, he yanked me off the ground, dragging me along with him.

My legs, still weak from the surgery, struggled to keep up.

“Trent, let me go! I just had an abortion!”

He froze for a moment, his eyes narrowing as he glanced at my hidden stomach beneath the oversized coat, the look in his eyes one of disbelief and scorn.

“You’re still lying, even now?”

I stumbled, barely able to keep my balance, as he pulled me toward the river’s edge.

When we reached the spot, Lizzie stood with her feet over the railing, her maroon coat fluttering wildly in the wind.

“President Curran, don’t come any closer! I just want to talk to Heather alone…”

Trent, a sheen of sweat on his forehead, hurriedly shoved me forward.

“Why are you standing there? Go talk her down!”

I stumbled, barely catching my footing, as I was shoved toward the railing.

Without warning, Lizzie grabbed my hand, her gaze now colder than ice.

“Sister Heather, why do you cling to President Curran? He doesn’t love you! Not at all.”

“If you don’t believe me, let’s make a wager. If we both fall into the water, let’s see who he saves first…”

“What are you doing? Let go of me!”

A dark sense of dread washed over me.

Before I could pull away, she held me tight, and together, we were yanked into the frigid river.

I fought, my body flailing against the cold, but Lizzie, with a strength I hadn’t expected, dragged me down, keeping me submerged beneath the surface.

Above the chaos, Trent’s desperate voice rang out, “Someone’s fallen in!”

“Hurry! Get the one in the red coat first! She can’t swim!”

His words pierced the cold, urgent, and commanding.

A chill crept through me, not just from the water but from something far deeper.

I went still, the weight of his words sinking into me like a stone.

Nearby fishermen pulled both Lizzie and me from the water, their hands firm but gentle, dragging us to safety.

The shrill wail of an ambulance siren cut through the air, sending a chill down my spine.

As the rescuers quickly stripped off my soaked coat, I could feel the cold bite of the air, and their hands moved with practiced urgency to start emergency treatment.

Trent was beside Lizzie, patting her back to help her expel the water from her lungs, but his attention snapped to me when his eyes fell on my now visibly smaller belly.

“Heather, where’s the baby?”