Sophia Miller took my hand with a gentle, understanding look.

“Look, this LDR suite really is wonderful—so private and quiet. Daniel worked so hard to secure it for you. You can wait here in peace for the birth, and with both of us taking care of you, you’ll definitely deliver the baby smoothly.”

“I understand that pregnancy hormones make emotions run high, but you really shouldn’t hurt Daniel’s feelings like this. Being pregnant isn’t an excuse to be unreasonable, right?”

Inwardly, I let out a cold laugh. Private and undisturbed?

That just made it easier for them to have their affair.

In my past life, I could still hear Daniel and Sophia’s words:

“Sophia, Lily looks so disgusting giving birth. Only when I’m looking at your beautiful face do I not feel sick…”

“Good thing you recommended this suite. It’s private enough that no one will disturb us. I don’t want something as trivial as Lily’s delivery interrupting our 100-day streak in bed!”

That was when I finally understood—he hadn’t done any of this for me.

He just didn’t want my labor interfering with their intimacy, and keeping up his image as a devoted husband was a bonus.

I yanked my hand away in disgust and sneered:

“My mother only gave birth to my brother. Who do you think you are, acting like you can call me ‘sister’?”

“And what, are you deaf? I said I don’t need you to take care of me. You can get lost.”

“Oh, wait—no. You can go take care of your precious Daniel, the kind of care you give in bed.”

My words made Sophia’s eyes brim with tears, as if I’d just delivered the gravest insult.

Daniel immediately stepped in front of her protectively.

He tore up the divorce papers in anger.

“Lily, are you a mad dog, snapping at everyone you see? Sophia’s just my childhood neighbor. There’s nothing between us!”

“Do you know she offered to look after you one-on-one, deliver your baby herself, and not take a single cent? She’s so thoughtful, and you dare insult her reputation?”

“Lily, are you acting like this because you’ve got someone else on the side?”

A group of young nurses, who’d been eavesdropping, gave me looks full of disdain.

“I knew it—why else would someone with such a good husband still want an abortion and a divorce? Turns out she’s the one cheating. Pregnant and still being promiscuous—what a disgrace. Poor Mr. Carter, worrying about her all this time.”

“Dr. Miller is a top OB-GYN. So many expectant mothers seek her out, and now she’s putting aside her busy work to take care of you for free, and you throw mud on her name? You really are a heartless, rotten woman!”

I listened to their insults without reacting, and said to Daniel:

“Say whatever you want. Even if you rip this one up, I’ll just print another.”

“In short, I’m not having this baby, and I’m definitely getting the divorce.”

Without another word, I turned and left, not bothering to argue further.

That night, Daniel didn’t come home, while I booked an appointment for an abortion the next day.

The next morning, just as I opened the door, several unfamiliar bodyguards blocked my way.

“Sorry, ma’am, but you can’t leave the villa.”

“Why not? This is illegal confinement—get out of my way!”

One of them looked uncomfortable.

“Ma’am, we don’t want to make things difficult, but Mr. Carter ordered us not to let you take a single step outside. We’re just following orders.”

I took a deep breath and turned to the housekeeper.

“Where’s Daniel?”

She looked conflicted, hesitating for a long moment before speaking softly:

“Mr. Carter is in the underground garage with Miss Miller. He said… he’s giving her your custom-made sports car.”

I stared in disbelief.

That sports car was a custom-made gift from my brother, Michael Carter, after he learned I was pregnant—a gift worth millions.

I hadn’t even driven it once, and Daniel was going to give it away?

Fuming, I stormed down to the underground garage, and sure enough, there they were—Daniel and Sophia Miller.

Sophia ran her hand along the gleaming body of the car, her eyes glinting with greed, though her voice feigned modesty.

“Daniel, are you really going to give me this car? It looks so expensive… won’t Lily be upset?”

“No. She upset you yesterday, so it’s only right I make it up to you. As long as you like it, that’s all that matters.”

Sophia’s face lit up with joy as she opened the door, ready to slide into the driver’s seat for a test drive.

“Daniel, this car was a gift from my brother. Who gave you the right to give it away?”

I stepped in front of her, fury in my voice.

Before Daniel could speak, Sophia piped up with mock indignation.

“Lily, you’re being way too petty. This is marital property, and besides, Daniel’s been taking care of you for so many years—doesn’t he have the right to handle a little thing like a car?”

“Is this a conversation between husband and wife, or did we invite you to weigh in?”

“A ‘little’ car? Then why were you practically drooling over it just now? Stealing from someone and acting so righteous—you really are shameless.”

I shoved Sophia aside, making her stumble. Daniel caught her instantly, holding her protectively and checking if she was hurt.

She shook her head, eyes brimming with tears.

“Daniel, I’ve been a doctor for so long and never once accepted a patient’s gift. How could I steal someone’s belongings?

A husband is a wife’s protector—I just couldn’t stand seeing Lily try to put you down at every turn. I only wanted to speak up for you, but she misunderstood me…”

Daniel, moved and pained, turned to me with anger in his eyes.

“Lily, has pregnancy made you stupid? How long are you going to keep making trouble?”

“Sophia’s right—we’re married. Half of what’s yours is mine. She endured such a huge insult from you yesterday, and now she’s willing to put it aside to take care of you. I’m going to make it up to her. I’m giving her this car, and that’s final.”

“Don’t think I don’t know you’ve scheduled an abortion. That doctor is Sophia’s friend—she told her everything. This is my child. You may be cruel enough to reject him, but I’ll protect him! From now on, you’ll stay at home and carry this baby until it’s safely born.”

I hadn’t expected Daniel to actually imprison me for the sake of his and Sophia’s child.

Instinctively, I looked down at my belly—four months along, barely showing.

But I knew that if I kept it, my stomach would swell like it had in my previous life, as if it would burst at any moment.

I never understood why, despite eating normally during pregnancy, my belly had grown nearly twice as large as other expectant mothers’, leading to a dangerous delivery and death from massive hemorrhage.

Back then, I’d begged Daniel for a C-section, but Sophia had insisted that natural birth was better for the baby.

And Daniel had only said:

“Lily, haven’t you always wanted our child to be healthy? Do it for the baby—just bear with it.”

Even reborn, I couldn’t erase the memory of that tearing agony. The thought alone made me tremble, the vision of blood filling my eyes.

The cruelest part? The life I’d nearly died to give was nothing more than the illegitimate child of my husband and his mistress.

This time, I would change my fate.

“You’re right,” I said, forcing a smile. “We can’t waste Dr. Miller’s kindness. If you want to give her the car, then by all means, give it to her.”

“But my brother had the car’s performance customized to my preferences. Why don’t I give Dr. Miller a quick demonstration so she can get familiar with it—just so she doesn’t run into any danger in the future?”

Daniel finally broke into a satisfied smile.

“Lily, I knew you were the most considerate. Let’s do that, then.”

Sophia put on her fake gratitude act, thanking me sweetly.

But Daniel had people block the garage exit—obviously afraid I’d take the chance to drive away.

Fortunately, I had already guessed he’d do that.

Ever since coming back from hell itself, I couldn’t guarantee how much I could change… but one thing was certain: I was no longer afraid of dying.

If I wanted something, no one could take it from me again.

I started the engine, my gaze locking on Daniel’s face, the corner of my lips curling upward.

“Daniel, you just said something I really liked—‘We’re still married, so what’s mine is half yours, and what’s yours is half mine.’”

“So now, I’m taking back my half.”

Before they could react, I slammed the gas pedal down and drove straight into the wall ahead.

“Lily!!”

When I opened my eyes again, I was in a nearby hospital.

Daniel’s face was full of sorrow as he spoke softly:

“Lily, how are you feeling? The baby didn’t make it. Don’t worry—once you’ve recovered, we’ll do IVF again and you’ll be a mother.”

See? I knew it—his grief and anxiety were never for me, only for the love child he shared with Sophia Miller.

I didn’t care. At least I had successfully ended the pregnancy.

“No need. Once I’m discharged, we’re getting a divorce.”

Daniel froze for a second, then stood up in anger.

“Lily, what the hell is wrong with you? If you didn’t like that LDR suite, fine, I’ll cancel it—but I guess my kindness just gets treated like garbage.”

“From the moment you crashed that car, I’ve been worried sick, not sleeping a single night—and now, the second you open your eyes, you ask for a divorce?”

“You think I don’t know? Just because I wanted to give the car to Sophia, you deliberately wrecked it out of spite, killing our child in the process. I’ve never met a woman as petty as you! And I haven’t even started holding you accountable—where do you get the nerve to divorce me?!”

I let out a cold laugh.

“Yes, I did it on purpose. So what? A woman like Sophia is only fit to be a human trash bin.”

“As for that child—I never intended to keep it. Losing it was exactly what should have happened.”

Margaret Carter suddenly appeared out of nowhere, jabbing her finger in my face as she began to curse.

“How can you say something like that? That was your own flesh and blood! How can there be a mother as heartless as you?”

“I know—you killed my grandson for some man outside. My son treats you so well, and you repay him by cheating and wanting a divorce. Why didn’t you just kill yourself in that crash?”

Expressionless, I lifted my head.

“Even if I die, I’ll make sure the divorce is final before my last breath. Spending one more day married to your son makes me sick.”

Margaret was so angry she could barely breathe, tugging on Daniel’s arm.

“Son, let’s go. Leave this black-hearted slut to her own fate—she’ll get what’s coming to her soon enough!”

Daniel looked at me coldly.

“Lily, you’ll regret this.”

Regret?

Never.

I had calculated the speed in advance, and with the airbags deploying, I’d only lost the baby and suffered a minor head injury. There was nothing else seriously wrong.

I didn’t go home. Instead, I checked into a hotel and told my brother I was getting a divorce.

That night, I woke up overheated—only to find myself in the arms of a strange man.