Seven months into my pregnancy, my boyfriend finally said that he had saved up enough money for the betrothal gift, and we could get engaged.

At the engagement party, my boyfriend said that he had lent all that money to his younger brother to buy an apartment the day before, but I didn't even complain.

But after seeing my dowry, he beat me.

A single hard slap of his in my face made me sober up. You money-grubbing, miserly man, go to the hell!

As soon as the gift-showing session started, my face started burning, and I felt extremely embarrassed.

I was pregnant, so the engagement party was very humbly held, and we only invited our close relatives and friends.

According to the local customs, the parents of both the bride and groom must publically display the betrothal gifts and dowry to relatives and friends, which mirrors the parents' concern and love for the new family. Our parents agreed earlier that the betrothal gift should be 188,000 dollars.

Isabella, this card contains the betrothal gift, take it. My boyfriend's mother took out a bank card and handed it to me casually.

I reached out to take it, but my mother slapped my hand.

Mrs. Moore, this was against the rules. When we show off our betrothal gifts, cash is preferred. What's the point of giving a card? Who knows how much money this card contains, if any?

My boyfriend's mother was so embarrassed and angry that she said, "What do you mean? Why would I lie to you? There is surely 188,000 dollars in this card, not a penny less!"

My mother sneered and said, "It's OK. I won't pick on you for not having cash. This card isn't Isabella's, right? You can just transfer the money directly to Isabella's account via mobile banking."

But my boyfriend's mother refused to transfer the money and started arguing with my mother.

Damian Moore quietly tugged me on my sleeve and said, "Isabella, please persuade your mother. I'm telling you the truth. My mother took those money two days ago to pay for my brother's apartment. His girlfriend was a snob and she firmly insisted on buying a house. I know, you're different, Isabella. You have never been that materialistic. Today is a significant day of ours. Don't let these trivial matters affect your mood."

I glanced at my friends and relatives, who were whispering among themselves, then looked down at my bulging belly and gritted my teeth. Then I agreed.

I walked up to my mother and pulled her away. Under her disappointed look, I saw my own reflection, which did not even have the least bit of self-esteem.

I was so stupid, which made for my pathetic situation. I was manipulated like this by him!

If my mother knew that I had given these 188,000 dollars to Damian, she must have already hit the roof!

Soon, it’s time to display my family's dowry.

My mother took out the bank passbook with a balance of 1 million dollars in my name, as well as the property ownership certificates of two houses and three shops under my name, and showed them to the relatives and friends present.

After Damian's mother took a closer look, she started to yell,

Why isn't my Damian's name on these certificates?

Isabella, I'll help you safekeep this one million dollars. You young people spend money lavishly and can't manage your money. When you need it, you can ask me for it anytime. As for the other properties and shops, you must share their ownership with Damian! Damian was a grown man, and all the family property must be under his control!

My second aunt couldn't stand it anymore and interrupted her, "In accordance with our local customs, dowry was always given to girls. It's considered the girl's pre-marital property. Why should Damian get a share of their ownership? Your requirements are simply unreasonable! I think your Moores were crazy about money, right?"

Damian's mother continued to yell, "Hey! Damian, look! I told you, Isabella didn't really plan to live with you. Which bride would hold pre-marital property in her own possession and never care for her husband? Those who have done so are preparing for divorce in the future!"

Now I even doubt who's the biological father of the child she was carrying! If you are the father, why would Isabella not side with you?

If you don't do as I say today, this marriage will be halted now. Who will be shamed, you or us? You had already be pregnant, after all! Damian's mother's smug expression was so nasty that even an onlooker wanted to give her a tight slap.

By then, I understood what they were after. No wonder their family kept postponing the engagement.

I gritted my teeth and looked into Damian's eyes. "Damian, what do you think?"

Damian lowered his head and didn't dare to look at me. "Isabella, why don't you listen to my mom? Anyway, this was our common property in the future, there's no need for you to worry about it!"

My son was right! Your family doesn't even have a son. When your parents die, not to mention your dowry, even your family property... Damian's mother was talking excitedly, but Damian quickly covered her mouth.

I finally couldn't help but yell, "Damian, are you even a fucking human being? My family bought the house for us! My family paid for our car! I secretly lent you 188,000 dollars because you said you didn't have that much money, but your mother used that sum of money to buy a house for your brother and used a bank card to fool my family!"

I've endured all this! Now you want to take away my dowry? You want to take my parents' property? Do you even have the slightest bit of conscience?

As if some water was poured into a frying pan, there was a buzzing commotion running through the crowd, and all the relatives and friends began to point fingers at Damian and said,

The bride's family bought a house and a car for them. This was the first time I've seen this. Isn't the man just a gigolo?

Maybe even a gigolo is worthier to be reckoned than him. Don't you hear they are even going to lay hands on her parent's legacy?

Damian's face flushed red, and he became angry and took two steps forward. In my shock, he slapped me in the face and said, "Being rich makes you that pompous, huh? I know you have always looked down on me and my family!"

Damian's mother yelled again, "Isabella, no matter how rich your family is, it doesn't matter! Your family don't even have a son. Why aren't you able to realize that!"

My mother was so angry that her body was shaking all over. She rushed over to protect me, tears streaming down her face.

I was badly dizzy from being slapped, my mouth was full of the taste of blood, and I was disappointed bitterly by this man! I looked at him, gritting my teeth and saying word by word,

Damian, I'm done with you, let's break up!

Isabella, let's break up! I'm not the one who's embarrassed anyway. What would you do with the baby you're carrying? I'll wait for you to come back and beg me on your knees!

That's right! You bitch! You're pregnant before you're married, and you're so slutty. If my son doesn't want you, who else would want you? Son, let's go!

Most of the friends and relatives at the scene had quietly left. Only my parents and I stayed there. My mom burst into tears, and my dad had a gloomy face. "I told your mom a long time ago that Damian was no decent man. He has a bad character. He used sweet words to bewitch you that you lost your mind. You even followed his advice, secretly getting pregnant to force us to agree on your marriage. Do you know how many times your mom cried in private?"

Dad, I'm sorry. I know I was wrong. I don't know what happened before. Maybe I fell for him too much. But I'm sober now. I'm going to get the baby aborted tomorrow and start over!

At night, I lay in bed, crying loudly under my quilt, for the humiliation that my family and I had suffered that day and for my past blindness.

When I thought back carefully to this past relationship, I realized there were many problems that I had never realized before.

We met through a blind date. He was a P.E. teacher at a university, tall and handsome.

But I was plain-looking, so I have always been very self-abased after we got together. He was very gentle to me and kept telling me that there were many outstanding young girls who expressed their love for him. I was almost pulled strings by him. He said I didn't know how to dress gracefully, had no temperament, and had a bad temper. That made me feel burdened all the time.

So, over the past few years, I was the one who paid for our dating, apartment rent, and other expenses. And I paid them willingly, for fear that I would be of no value and could not compare to those "excellent" girls around him.

When we were planning to marry, he brainwashed me in advance. He told me that the betrothal gift was no good thing, that good girls would not be too materialistic, and that things like houses and cars would tarnish our pure love.

I believed it, and because of this, I had conflicts with my parents and argued with them many times.

Little did I know that his whole family had been eyeing our family fortune. How stupid was I!

When I went to the hospital the next day, I was told the baby was already mature, and induced labor was my only option. The doctor asked me to think it over carefully.

I touched my belly and burst into tears. The fetal movement of my 7-month-old baby was already tangible. It was connected to me by blood. I had imagined how he or she looked like countless times. I really couldn't bear to let it go!

At that moment, I received a disgusting message from Damian:

Isabella, I shouldn't have hit you yesterday, but you were too aggressive and impatient. It's not my fault, right? And my mom was doing this for our own good. How about this? Come to my mom today, kneel down and admit your mistakes. Deal with the dowry according to her requirements, and I'll forgive you. When you give birth to our child, if it's a son, we'll get married right away.

When you come to apologize, remember to buy some valuable gifts! My mother was angry and needs you to mollify her! By the way, buy a gold bracelet for my sister-in-law, pick one that was heavier. It's her birthday today, and my brother has no time to buy a gift because he has to stay at home to take care of my mother.

I was at a loss. I don’t understand why I fell in love with such a scumbag with underdeveloped cerebellum before!

I was sorry, kid. I don’t want to have anything to do with that scumbag anymore!

Doctor, I've thought it over carefully. Let's start the abortion!

I thought I could start over after the abortion, but unexpectedly, after a series of examinations, the doctor told me that because I did not get enough nutrition during pregnancy, I now had severe anemia, so induced abortion might well inflict heavy bleeding. That would be life-threatening.