“And Lucy, you’re pregnant. You need to stay emotionally stable. No more stirring up trouble, okay?”

For a moment, Arthur and Lucy both looked distinctly guilty.

I ignored them and turned to the butler.

“Starting today, Ms. Lark’s daily care must be exceptionally meticulous.

“She’ll have five specially prepared, nutrient-rich meals and shakes daily. Provide her the highest quality prenatal supplements, collagen peptides, and superfoods to ensure both Lucy and her baby receive optimal nourishment.”

A trace of surprise flashed across Lucy’s face.

“Cadence, I really can’t eat all that...”

“Of course you can. You’re eating for two now. Don’t worry about your figure. You need to eat well for the baby’s sake.”

Lucy, who had always taken pride in her looks and figure, grew visibly uneasy at the mention of weight gain.

She looked at Arthur nervously.

“Arthur, I don’t want to...”

Arthur, currently irritable and distracted, waved his hand. “Just do as she says.”

I affectionately took Lucy’s hand and said gently, “Lucy, pregnancy hormones do all sorts of things. Weight gain, skin changes, breakouts, and even hair loss. It’s all perfectly normal. You mustn’t stress. I’m going to take good care of you and the baby.”

Lucy was so frightened that her palms grew sweaty.

She mistook my show of consideration for an implied sinister plot.

While she maintained the appearance of eating the nourishing meals I ordered the kitchen to prepare, she secretly forced herself to vomit afterward.

To maintain her figure, she exercised frantically for two hours daily and ate only salads. She privately hired a prenatal yoga instructor, demanding a customized plan to “avoid gaining weight.”

I watched all this unfold while selecting a gown for the anniversary gala.

I then instructed the butler, “Ms. Lark is getting a lot of exercise these days. Prepare another nutrient supplement for her. Make sure she takes it.”

I was determined to see just what kind of child could survive the actions of such a reckless mother.

...

That weekend, I put on an haute couture gown, donned my jewelry, and calmly attended the Carter family anniversary gala.

At the gala, everyone still showed me respect.

I mingled with a practiced smile, handling the social interactions with ease.

Arthur only arrived half an hour after the gala began.

He came hand in hand with Lucy. Her belly was slightly protruding.

The entire hall erupted in murmurs.

“Isn’t that the Lark family’s adoptive daughter? She actually showed up with Mr. Carter?”

“So, she really wormed her way into the family now. That baby in her belly must be Mr. Carter’s!”

“Cadence must be furious. She’s going to tear her apart.”

When Lucy saw me, she smiled triumphantly, brimming with smugness.

As they passed by me, Lucy suddenly stumbled and fell toward me.

I was prepared and stepped aside.

She grabbed my wrist and staggered back.

“Cadence... why did you push me?”

Her face instantly turned pale. She clutched her stomach with tears in her eyes.

“Arthur, my stomach hurts...”

Arthur’s face turned ashen. He raised his hand and swung it toward my face.

“Cadence, she’s your sister! And she’s pregnant! Do you have to be so ruthless?”

Caught off guard, I took the slap. A searing pain spread across my cheek.

My heart had hardened from their past cruelties.

Yet fury seethed within me.

“If I were that ruthless, she’d never have been allowed in our home. She certainly wouldn’t be able to flaunt herself in front of me or slander me in public.”

Arthur abruptly turned his gaze toward Lucy.

Lucy’s eyes reddened with feigned hurt.

“Arthur, are you taking her word over mine?”

Once again, he turned a cold and dismissive glare toward me.

“Cadence, I’ve heard enough. Apologize to Lucy. Now.”

I said coldly, “I did nothing wrong.”

Lucy’s sobs grew louder.

Arthur glared at me with an icy gaze.

“Since you refuse to see reason, all the monthly payments from our agreement are frozen, effective immediately. We’ll discuss reinstatement when you get on your knees and apologize to Lucy.”

I let out a self-mocking laugh. I had been foolish to try reasoning with a cheater.

I removed the ring that I had worn throughout my three lifetimes and hurled it violently at his face.

“Behind every great man is a great woman. You built your success upon me. Now, your downfall will start with how you’re treating me.

“You’ve chosen your mistress over me. I hope you can live with that choice.”

Having said that, I turned and left. I did not see Arthur’s livid and ashen expression.

Over the following days, the servants sensed the shift in power. They paid only lip service to my orders while undermining me.

I received mere leftovers and scraps as meals.

Online, a continuous stream of alleged “scandalous revelations” about me emerged.

[Infertile for Years, the ‘Desperate and Deranged’ Mrs. Carter Targets Rival’s Pregnancy.]

[Mrs. Carter Indulges in A Roster of Male Prostitutes for Nightly ‘Comfort.’]

[Barren Wife Drove Mr. Carter into Another’s Arms.]

Suddenly, I, who was the actual victim, became the public enemy.

While reading the trending topics, Arthur coldly said to me, “If you kneel and apologize to Lucy, I’ll have the trending news taken care of. I can even smooth things over for you at the family dinner tonight.”

At that moment, I received a text message.

It looked like my plan was finally entering its final stage.

That night, everything I had set up would bear fruit.

I looked at him and said, “You’re the one who leaked that story to the press. You set me up. You’re in the wrong here. You should be on your knees, apologizing to me.”

“You’re out of your mind!” Arthur scoffed in anger before storming out and slamming the door.

At the family dinner, I was seated at the far end of the long table. I was left with cold dishes and plain soup, ignored by everyone.

Lucy, however, was pulled by my mother-in-law to sit beside them.

“Lucy dear, your belly is pointy. It’s a sign that you’re having a baby boy.

“Arthur, you must take good care of Lucy. She’s the one who’s actually doing something for the Carter family.

“On the other hand, a certain troublemaker has been completely useless. Just the sight of her is disgusting.”

Everyone surrounded Lucy and offered her all sorts of flattery.

No one cared that she was the other woman. They all followed my mother-in-law’s lead and relentlessly humiliated me.

Lucy kept glancing in my direction. Her gaze was filled with smugness.

Just then, Arthur’s assistant rushed in. His face was pale with shock.

“Mr. Carter, we have a serious problem! Henzon Group just outbid us for the development rights to that key plot in the east district!

“And that’s not all! Several of the key suppliers of our shipping partnership and the tech park project just cut us off at the same time. They said Henzon Group made them a better offer. Our company’s core resources are all being poached. At this rate, our entire business could collapse!”

Arthur stood up in shock.

“How is that possible? Where would they get that kind of liquid capital?”

The assistant was breaking into a cold sweat.

He said in a trembling voice, “I looked into it. Two weeks ago, Henzon Group brought in a new majority shareholder with a massive cash injection. That shareholder was... your wife.”

A deathly silence fell upon the air.

Arthur looked at me with disbelief.

“Cadence, you did this?”

I met his gaze with a sweet smile.

“Yes. I did.”