My CEO husband, Clayton Lockwood, was convinced I was a gold digger.

Every time he went to comfort his first love during her depressive episodes, he would buy me a limited-edition bag.

After half a year of marriage, my walk-in closet was filled with them.

After giving ninety-nine bags, he noticed I had changed.

I no longer cried my heart out or argued until I was hoarse when he visited his first love.

I also did not brave the storm and cross the city anymore just because he said he wanted to see me.

I only asked him for a rosary for our unborn child.

When I mentioned our child, Clayton’s gaze softened. “Once Ruby’s condition improves, we’ll go to the hospital for a checkup first, then get a rosary.”

I obediently agreed.

Little did he know that I had a miscarriage ten days earlier.

I had also prepared a divorce agreement that was ready for his signature.

Ten days after my miscarriage, I met Clayton Lockwood in the hospital corridor.

He was carefully helping Ruby Sanders walk. He was looking at her with a gentle gaze.

Clayton frowned when he saw me.

“What are you doing here? Didn’t I already transfer you some money to compensate for your emotional distress?

“Isn’t it enough?”

I shook my head.

This time, being even more generous, he transferred five million dollars into my account.

I never dreamed that my less-than-a-year-old marriage could be worth so much money.

Five million dollars.

That was what my child’s life was worth.

Ruby held Clayton’s hand and looked at me apologetically.

“Hazel, please don’t take it the wrong way. Clayton just gets overly protective of me and doesn’t always think before he speaks.”

She then looked at my stomach.

“I heard you were hospitalized, too. Is the baby alright?”

Before I could answer, Clayton hurriedly comforted her.

“It’s probably just a minor pregnancy scare. I’m sure everything’s fine.

“Don’t worry yourself over it. Just focus on getting better, okay?”

I instinctively touched my lower abdomen as my heart ached.

Yeah, everything was fine.

It was merely a miscarriage.

It was not as important as Ruby, anyway.

Otherwise, why would Clayton not stop by to check on me even though he knew I was hospitalized in the same facility?

Had he simply asked one more question, he would have learned that our child was already gone.

As I forced back my tears, I took the printed divorce agreement from my bag and handed it to him.

“Clayton, I want to set up an insurance policy for our baby. Could you sign this for me?”

His indifferent expression softened when I mentioned the child. He readily took the document and signed it

As he signed it, he asked casually, “Why are you using this bag today? Didn’t you like the limited-edition bag I got you last time?”

I smiled and said, “I do. I like it very much.”

Ever since Ruby was diagnosed with depression, Clayton would suddenly disappear every few days to be with her.

He said, “Ruby has always been very sensitive, even as a kid. Now that she’s sick, what if something happens when I’m not with her?

“Don’t worry. I just don’t want her to do anything foolish. It’s nothing more than that.”

He promised me he would go off to accompany Ruby only ninety-nine times.

After the ninety-ninth time, he would fully commit to me.

Ever since then, every time he left to see Ruby, he would have his assistant buy me a limited-edition bag as compensation.

It was one of the most expensive brands, and it was my favorite.

Ten days ago, I received the ninety-ninth bag.

I eagerly searched for him, hoping he would come home with me.

That was when I saw Clayton holding Ruby tightly in his arms.

I was stunned, and my heart shattered into pieces.

“What’s going on here?”

I stepped forward with tears welling up in my eyes. I demanded an answer.

Clayton panicked and released Ruby instantly.

“Hazel, don’t misunderstand. It’s not what you think.”

I was about to speak, but Ruby quickly said, “This is all my fault. I shouldn’t have bothered you two. I’m sorry.

“Clayton, from now on, don’t concern yourself with me. Just leave me out here to rot.”

As soon as she said that, she rushed toward the street and was knocked over by a bicycle.

Clayton’s expression instantly shifted. Without a second thought, he shoved me aside and lifted Ruby into his arms.

Before I could react, I tumbled down the stairs and fell heavily to the floor.

A dull, throbbing pain spread through my lower abdomen. Trembling, I reached down, and I was shocked to see that my hand was covered in blood.

“My baby... No, my baby...

“Clayton... honey!”

I clutched my stomach and called out to Clayton with the last vestiges of my strength. I hoped he would turn back and take me to the hospital.

He paused and glanced back. His eyes held only hatred.

“Hazel, you know about Ruby’s depression! Why did you provoke her?

“If anything happens to her because of this, I’ll never forgive you.

“Consider this a lesson. Stay away from her. Do you understand me?”

After saying that, he carried Ruby into his car.

In the end, a kind passerby who could not bear to see me in that state took me to the hospital.

The doctor told me I had miscarried.

It was a healthy baby boy. His tiny hands and feet were all fully formed.

I lay on the hospital bed and called Clayton thirty-eight times.

The only response was a five-million-dollar transfer into my bank account, along with one concise and clear threat.

“Consider this a lesson for you. Learn from it and stay away from Ruby from now on.”

I could no longer hold back my tears. They fell onto my phone and wet the screen.

I could only force out a response.

“Okay.”

‘Clayton, I truly learned my lesson this time,’ I thought.

It was over for us.

...

When Clayton handed me the signed divorce agreement, I snapped back into the present.

He then reminded me, “If there’s nothing else, go home. You’re an adult. Be sensible, and don’t take up any more medical resources.”

I nodded and said, “Okay.”

He continued, “Your little stunt really shook Ruby up. I’m going to be with her for the next few days, so don’t bother reaching out unless it’s an emergency.”

I nodded again to show that I understood.

“Okay.”

Clayton was taken aback for a moment because I was actually being obedient.

He let go of Ruby’s arm and approached me.

“A-Are you okay?

“Is the baby troubling you?

“Once Ruby is feeling better, I’ll take you for a proper prenatal checkup.”

I was stunned.

I was pregnant for six months, and this was his first time offering to join me for a checkup.

Unfortunately, it was too late.

I murmured a faint acknowledgment and pretended not to see Ruby’s resentful expression.

As we passed each other, I noticed that Ruby was wearing a rosary hidden under her collar.

Clayton and I had gone to the church together to pray with it. We prayed for our child’s safe arrival.

Half a month ago, I could not find the rosary at home and grew terribly anxious.

When I called Clayton to ask about it, he accused me of making a fuss over nothing. It was just a rosary, and it was no big deal if it went missing.

Yet he was the one who had secretly taken this supposedly unimportant thing and given it to Ruby for her protection.

A sharp, twisting pain gripped my heart. Each breath was agonizing.

However, I had no strength left to argue. It was as if my heart had truly gone numb.

I took out my phone, snapped a photo of the signed document, and sent it to my lawyer with a message.

[Go ahead and start the divorce proceedings.]

...

When I returned home, the housekeeper was preparing dinner.

When she saw me, she paused for a moment and brought me a cup of warm water.

She asked worriedly, “Madam, are you alright? You look very pale. Shall I take you to the hospital?”

“It’s fine.”

I smiled and shook my head.

Well, even other people could tell that I was not okay.

Why could Clayton not see it?

It had been ten days, and not once did he check on me.

A wave of anger washed over me.

I was not sad about him. I just could not accept my circumstances.

I could not accept that my marriage was ending like this.

I could not accept that I lost my child.

I could not accept that after fighting for us for so long, I had fallen out of love.

Once I returned to my bedroom, I began packing my belongings into a suitcase.

Just as I was almost finished, Clayton suddenly came home.

He froze when he saw the suitcase in my hand.

He became nervous as he asked, “Why are you packing? Where are you going?”

I casually brushed him off without looking at him.

“I’m in a bad mood. I’m going to travel to clear my head.”

He grabbed my wrist and shoved a gift bag in my hand.

“This is for you.

“My secretary, Ms. Clark, said this bag is the latest spring-summer limited edition. It’s a national exclusive and would be perfect as a diaper bag.

“I also bought this toy specially for our baby. The salesperson said it’s great for newborns.”

He seemed nervous, yet his eyes shone with an eager light.

The hopeful glint in his eyes made me speak without thinking.

“Clayton, our baby is already—”

Before I could finish, he interrupted me.

“Ms. Clark said your due date is at the end of December, but I just promised Ruby I’d go travel with her then.

“So, I figured, since you’re so understanding, you wouldn’t mind having the baby alone, right?”

The unspoken truth remained stuck in my throat like a stone. It was bitter and sharp.

I opened the walk-in closet and revealed the ninety-nine bags arranged neatly inside.

“Clayton, you’ve given me ninety-nine bags. Count them.”

Clayton was shocked.

“I’ve given you ninety-nine bags already?”

I responded softly, “Yes.

“So, do you still intend to keep your promise?”

Clayton pursed his lips tightly.

I knew he was in a difficult position.

However, I wanted an answer, even if I already knew it deep down.

Sure enough, after only a brief hesitation, he said, “Ruby’s condition hasn’t improved. Let’s just... forget our agreement.”

That was my last straw.

I nodded. “Alright. I understand.”

Clayton was taken aback. He could not believe I had agreed so easily.

He pulled me into his embrace and said excitedly, “Thank you for being so understanding, Hazel.

“I promise that as soon as Ruby is stable, I’ll come home and make it up to you.”

I made a quiet hum of acknowledgement and told him I had just one request.

“I can’t find the baby’s rosary. Can you get a new one for him?”

When I mentioned our child, Clayton’s expression softened even more.

“Okay. We’ll get the best, most perfect rosary for our little one.”

My eyes welled up. The pain of losing our child hit me all over again.

“Okay.”

The truth was, I would never see my child again.

After he left, I went to the drawer and took out a stack of medical records. I had organized them carefully.

They were sorted by each milestone. There was the first confirmed pregnancy.

There was the first prenatal checkup.

There was the first prescription for stabilizing the pregnancy.

Every night Clayton was not home, I would take them out and look at them repeatedly.

When I looked at them, I felt the anticipation and joy of becoming a mother for the first time. They also represented my hopes, as a wife, for a happy family.

However, that anticipation and hope had already turned to dust.