Claudine’s strange reaction made Elliot feel uneasy. Could she already know about him and Maeve?

But before she could say a word, a loud commotion came from outside.

“Mr. Graves! Mrs. Melvin passed out again!”

Elliot rushed out as fast as he could.

He cradled Maeve’s unconscious body tightly, his eyes filled with panic and fury.

“Call the doctor! What are you all standing around for?”

The hallway broke into chaos. Soon, Elliot sat at Maeve’s bedside, his face heavy with worry as he fired questions at the doctor.

“You told me she'd be fine as long as she took the medicine. Why did she faint again?”

The doctor, however, was all smiles.

“Congratulations, Mr. Graves—Mrs. Maeve is pregnant. She’s about two months along!”

Claudine froze for a moment. Maeve and Melvin had only been married for half a month and she had once accidentally seen Melvin's medical report—he had azoospermia, meaning he would never be able to have children.

So, the baby Maeve was carrying… It didn’t take a genius to guess whose it was.

Mrs. Graves rushed over, clutching Maeve’s hand with excitement, showering her with comfort and praise.

Elliot’s face lit up, unable to hide the joy in his eyes. He and Maeve shared a look so intimate, it might as well have been silk threads drawing them together.

Claudine closed her eyes, face numb and turned to leave.

But Maeve called out behind her.

“Claudine, aren’t you happy for me? I’m pregnant.”

Maeve looked at her, half-smiling with smug amusement.

Claudine opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, Mrs. Graves shot her a sharp, scornful look.

“What’s with that face? Can’t have kids yourself and now you’re upset Maeve’s pregnant? Even a hen lays eggs eventually.”

“Maeve’s the capable one here—barely married a few weeks and already expecting. Not like you, always bringing bad luck. Got your own parents killed and now you've lost a child too, leaving the Graves Family without an heir. You’re absolutely useless.”

Claudine had grown used to Mrs. Graves’ constant jabs, but this time, her eyes drifted slowly to Elliot.

He didn’t say a word.

Didn’t stop them.

Didn’t defend her.

Just watched in silence.

“It’s okay, Claudine,” Maeve added, voice sugar-sweet. “I know you’re still grieving your loss. Here, take this bracelet— consider this a gift for your child.”

At that moment, Claudine finally noticed—the only heirloom her mother had left her, the bracelet, was now in Maeve’s hands.

Her pupils dilated in shock. She stepped forward on instinct to grab it, but Elliot shoved her back with force.

“Claudine, be reasonable. Maeve’s pregnant now. It’s just a bracelet. I’ll buy you another one—heck, I’ll buy you a few.”

She staggered backward, staring at Elliot with disbelief.

He knew.

He knew what that bracelet meant to her.

Elliot looked away, guilt flickering across his face.

“You know how much it means to me, don’t you?” Claudine’s voice cracked. “It was the last thing my mother left me!”

Her eyes burned red as she screamed, voice hoarse with fury.

She could endure everything else—but not this.

“Ugh, a keepsake? How morbid.” Maeve sneered, peeling the silver bracelet off her wrist with exaggerated disgust.

With a loud crack, she let it fall to the floor, where it shattered into jagged pieces.

“Claudine, that’s enough! You’re being completely out of line!” Elliot roared.

She knelt down, trembling hands gathering the shards, her eyes wide with disbelief.

This was the first time Elliot had ever raised his voice at her—for Maeve’s sake.

“For now, stay away from Maeve. You need to reflect on your behavior.”

He turned to the staff.

“Take her to her room. No one lets her out unless I say so.”

Claudine clenched her fists until her nails pierced her palms, the sharp pain the only thing anchoring her to reality.

“Don’t touch me!”

She yanked her arm away and walked off without looking back.

She was done with all of it.

Claudine was confined to her bedroom, but gossip had a way of seeping through the walls.

“Mr. Graves spent the night in Maeve’s room again. Looks like there’s a new lady of the house.”

“Yeah, I heard Maeve was his first love. Somehow he ended up marrying Claudine by mistake.”

“Mistake or not, Mr. Graves brother died saving him and now Maeve’s carrying the Graves Family’s only heir. It makes the real lady of the house pretty obvious, isn’t it?”

“I feel bad for Claudine. She’s an orphan and back when Mr. Graves had nothing, she stuck by him through thick and thin. And now—just because of some fortune teller’s nonsense—her only child was ripped out of her… all so Maeve could be cured.”

The maid didn’t finish her sentence. A chill crept down her spine.

Claudine was standing behind her.

Her face was eerily calm.

“M-Mrs. Graves…”

No one knew how broken she truly was inside—her heart was already in shreds.

The maid quickly fled, but not before throwing in one final blow as she walked off:

“Don’t call her Mrs. Graves anymore. Mr. Graves said from now on, there’s only one lady of the house–—Mrs. Melvin Graves.”

That night, Claudine came down with a high fever. Burning up and barely able to stand, she forced herself to find the family doctor—only to be met with rejection.

That night, Claudine came down with a high fever. She dragged herself to the family doctor, only to be turned away.

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Claudine,” the doctor said, not meeting her eyes. “Mr. Graves instructed us to prioritize Mrs. Maeve from now on.”

Claudine gave a bitter laugh, her body trembling as she made her way back. As she passed Maeve’s room, she heard something through the door.

Moans. Gasps.

She froze.

Through the crack, she saw Elliot—shirtless—pressed against Maeve, kissing her feverishly.

“Mmm, Elliot… careful. I have baby in there.”

“Relax, Maeve. Of course I’ll be gentle,” he murmured against her skin. “This baby’s the Graves Family's only heir, after all.”

The air was thick with passion and Claudine felt like she couldn’t breathe.

“I just wonder,” Maeve purred, “if Claudine is as stiff in bed as she is in real life…”

“Don’t talk about her,” Elliot grunted. “She’s like a corpse in bed—stiff, unresponsive. Not like you. You drive me crazy. You’re the one I’ve always loved.”

“If you hadn’t broken up with me back then, I never would’ve married her.”

His words slammed into her like a freight train.

Claudine bit down on her lip so hard it bled, not even realizing it.

When she finally snapped out of it, her face was soaked with tears.

She turned and walked away. She didn’t even know how she made it through the night.

The next morning, she sent her brother a text.

[I’ve made up my mind. I’ll join you and the family overseas. I just need to settle something first.]

His reply came almost instantly.

[You serious? That’s amazing, Claudine. Mom and Dad are gonna be thrilled. I’ll take care of the immigration paperwork.]

[What about your husband.]

[I’ll divorce him.]

Her whole body felt drained. Her forehead still burned.

Before she could rise, the door creaked open.

It was Maeve.

Smirking, she gently touched her still-flat stomach.

“I take it you saw everything last night? Elliot’s been sleeping with me every night now. And this baby… it’s his.”

Claudine’s heart clenched. So it had all been intentional. Maeve had wanted her to see.

“Oh, and that bracelet? I smashed it on purpose. And guess what? I casually mentioned that your baby’s stem cells might help cure me and Elliot didn’t even hesitate. He personally took the baby out of you.”

She gave a mocking laugh.

“You have no idea, Claudine… That thing was nearly formed. Almost a little person.”

“Enough! Get out of my room!” Claudine’s voice shook with rage.

She didn’t want to hear anymore. Couldn’t bear to think about it.

That baby had been her whole heart.

And they’d destroyed it like it meant nothing.

Claudine staggered to her feet, refusing to spare Maeve another breath. If Maeve wasn’t leaving, then she would.

But just as Claudine turned to go downstairs, Maeve suddenly darted in front of her, grabbed her hand and threw herself backward.

The two of them tumbled down the staircase together.

The memory of her miscarriage—the last time she’d fallen like this—flashed violently in Claudine’s mind.

“Maeve!” Elliot shouted.

“Elliot, it hurts—oh God, the baby!” Maeve cried out.

“I’m sorry. I never should’ve used that fetus for treatment. If you’re angry, take it out on me, Claudine. The baby doesn’t deserve this.”

Claudine’s head slammed hard against a step. Her vision blurred, ears ringing. The accusation echoed in her ears, but she was in too much pain to defend herself.

“You’ve gone too far,” Elliot growled, voice sharp as steel. “I never thought you could be this cruel. If anything happens to the baby Maeve’s carrying, I swear you’ll pay for it.”

His eyes were full of disgust, like he didn’t even recognize her anymore.

Maeve curled into Elliot’s arms like a wounded bird, tears slipping prettily down her cheeks. She looked fragile. Devastated.

Claudine didn’t care about any of that. She forced out a whisper, using the last of her strength. “Please… take me to the hospital…”

Her voice faded, her eyes fluttering shut.

“No one is to help her,” Elliot said coldly. “Let this be a lesson to her.”

Maeve. The way he’d cried out her name—it said everything. They didn’t even bother hiding it anymore.

As their figures faded from view, Claudine’s body finally gave out. Darkness swallowed her whole.

***

Claudine opened her eyes two days later in a hospital room.

“You’re finally awake. You’ve been out for a full forty-eight hours,” the nurse said, adjusting her bandages.

“Where’s your family? Dropping you off and then vanishing? What kind of family does that?” she muttered.

“I don’t have a family,” Claudine replied softly.

The nurse paused. The air turned heavy with silence.

“You had a high fever that wouldn’t break and the head trauma left you with a mild concussion. You need to rest. No emotional stress, alright?”

No sooner had the nurse stepped out than Elliot walked in.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” he said flatly. “I know you’re grieving the baby, but you went too far. Maeve’s only a little shaken, thank God. You need to apologize to her. Consider this a wake-up call.”

His voice was cold, rigid.

Claudine had long stopped expecting compassion from Elliot, but that didn’t make his cruelty hurt any less.

She didn’t argue. Just gave a faint hum, eyes cast downward.

Something flickered in Elliot’s gaze—uncertainty, maybe even guilt.

The Claudine he knew would’ve snapped back, denied the blame, met him blow for blow. But now she just lay there, quiet and wrecked. And it rattled him.

“Tonight’s Maeve’s birthday,” he said, his tone softening. “I’ve already picked out a gift for you to bring. A car will be here to take you to the party.”

He turned to leave.

“Can I not go?” Claudine asked cautiously.

“No,” Elliot said without hesitation. “What happened last time was your fault. She’s your sister-in-law. It would be rude if you didn’t show up. Besides, this is a good chance to smooth things over between you two.”

Claudine forced a hollow smile.

She didn’t argue.

She picked up her phone and checked the notification from the airline.

Three more days.

Just three days until she could finally leave it all behind.