My husband, Jonathan Rivers, was a notorious playboy in Polesburg's elite circles. Beautiful women surrounded him constantly, yet he claimed to have fallen for me at first sight, saying it was a love that would last forever.

He dismissed all the other women around him for my sake. Everyone said I was his destined soulmate.

Seven years into our marriage, I had seven abortions for him, simply because he said he did not like children.

Then on Father's Day, I saw him on his secretary's social media feed. The same man who claimed to be away on business was there with a child beside him, calling him "Daddy" loudly.

It turned out that when he said he did not like children, he meant that he did not like children with me.

I dialed his number through tears. "Do you want another wife?"

A definitive answer came from the other end of the phone.

After hanging up, I wiped away my tears. Jonathan's secretary had sent me a text message. It was a family photo of the three of them in front of an amusement park. The child's face was identical to Jonathan's.

Linda Walsh's explanation followed immediately. "I'm sorry, Mrs. Rivers. I sent that by mistake. Please don't misunderstand.”

"Mr. Rivers only pitied Henry for not having a father, so he lied about the business trip to come play with us."

I saw through her clumsy misdirection immediately.

"It's fine. He's just an illegitimate kid, I suppose. Growing up without a father was probably what made him call just anyone 'Daddy.' You should really teach him better manners, Ms. Walsh."

Jonathan called me the next moment.

"Claire Young, what nonsense are you spouting? Henry isn't illegitimate. He's my kid!"

Hearing those words, my already frozen heart was pierced with a sharp sense of pain.

"Back then, I dismissed all of the women around me for you, including Linda.”

"She went overseas alone to give birth to Henry to avoid affecting our relationship. Think of all the hardships she and the child endured!"

Jonathan could see their seven years of suffering, but he could not see the pain I endured through seven abortions for him.

Linda's soft sobbing came through the phone. "Mr. Rivers, your wife doesn't like Henry and I, does she? It's my fault. I shouldn't have given birth to Henry. I made him bear the stigma of being illegitimate from birth.”

"I'm bringing Henry home tonight. From now on, Henry will be my legitimate child!"

Jonathan's voice brooked no argument. Without waiting for my reply, he hung up.

I sat on the couch in a daze. Tears fell like broken pearls, soaking my clothes. I stared at the seven ultrasound photos on my phone, as if they were silently mocking my helplessness.

That night, Jonathan kept his word. He brought Henry Rivers home, along with Linda, who accompanied them.

They wore matching family outfits from the park, as if they were a real family of three, and I was the extra one.

Jonathan held Henry in his arms, showing him around the house, his eyes filled with undisguised adoration.

"Henry, would you like to live in this big house with Daddy and Claire from now on?"

Henry nodded eagerly, then looked at Linda. "What about Mommy? I want Mommy to stay with me!"

Linda forced a bitter smile. "Henry, be good. From now on, Mrs. Rivers will be your mommy!"

Henry immediately refused, glaring at me with hateful eyes. I stood there with my arms crossed, expressionless.

"I don't have children. Don't call me mommy randomly!"

Linda held the wailing Henry, looking at Jonathan helplessly.

Jonathan frowned with displeasure, his tone impatient as he spoke. "Claire, what are you making a fuss about now? Linda's been so understanding. She's even willing to let you have her child!

"Becoming a mother without any pain is a good thing. You don't know how blessed you are!"

I looked at him calmly.

"You personally took away my right to be a mother, yet you want me to accept an illegitimate child as my own? What about the seven children I aborted for you?"

Jonathan’s face showed a rare trace of guilt, which Linda keenly caught. She picked up Henry with tears in her eyes.

"Since Henry and I aren’t welcome, we won't disturb you anymore. We won't appear around you again, Mr. Rivers.”

"Henry, say goodbye to Daddy. We won't see him anymore."

Henry cried out for his father with tearful eyes.

Each cry seemed to tear at my heart. If my children with Jonathan had been born, would they have called out "Daddy" and "Mommy" in such sweet voices too?

Jonathan's fleeting guilt vanished instantly. He grabbed Linda's arm to stop her from leaving. His voice was firm.

"I still make the decisions in the Rivers household. If I say Henry is my child, then he is my child! It doesn't matter if Claire refuses to accept it!"

He determinedly took Linda's hand and brought her and Henry back inside.

Jonathan settled them in the master bedroom. It was only after that did he spare some attention for me, who was standing dazed in the living room.

"Claire, Henry wants to sleep in the master bedroom with Linda and me, so you’ll need to move out for this month. You can move back when he's adjusted to the change here."

He spoke casually, as if it were a trivial matter. Without waiting for my answer, he turned and left, following Henry's repeated calls.

It was not a request for my opinion, but a notification. It was so firm and so unquestionable.

I suddenly remembered the year we first met. Jonathan had firmly grasped my hand, telling me that I would be his only love for life. He defied his family for me, and reformed his playboy ways for me. That Jonathan had once braved everything for me countless times.

I thought we would not repeat the mistakes of others, but it was also Jonathan who, in the seventh year of our marriage, brought home an illegitimate child and turned me into a laughingstock.

That night, I packed my things and moved out.

The next morning, I received news that Jonathan was hosting Henry's sixth birthday party.

The elite wives of Polesburg all inquired about me. Some were concerned, while others were gloating. Jonathan really could not wait, could he?

I replied to each message individually. "It's Jonathan's b*stard child."

Since he had the audacity to do such a thing, why could I not be frank about it?

Before noon, Jonathan returned in a rage, followed by a tearful Henry and Linda.

Seeing me leisurely eating at the table, Jonathan’s hand swept the dishes off the table. Food and water splashed everywhere. Broken glass pierced my calf, and I could not help but turn pale.

Jonathan did not even glance at me. I endured the pain and looked at Jonathan stubbornly.

He sneered. "Stop acting weak now, Claire. How can you be so vicious? It's Henry's birthday today and yet you told everyone he's a b*stard!"

Linda held the resentful Henry in her arms, tears streaming down her face. "Mrs. Rivers, I don't mind if you dislike me, but you don't have children. Henry is still the Rivers family's only heir. He's just a child. Do you know how much gossip hurts him?"

I looked at her coldly. "I only stated the facts. Isn't Henry a b*stard child? He's an illegitimate child with an unknown father!"

Jonathan suddenly slapped me. The force was so great that my lip split. Blood dripped from the corner of my mouth.

I looked up at him through my tears, yet his eyes were calm.

"Apologize to Henry and Linda!"

I retorted sarcastically, "Why should I apologize to a b*stard?"

Linda cried beside us. "Mr. Rivers, Henry isn't illegitimate. It's all my fault. I shouldn't have given birth to Henry, making him the subject of gossip. I shouldn't have brought Henry back to claim his rightful place."

Her words further enraged Jonathan. He grabbed me and dragged me all the way to the dim basement.

I struggled desperately, looking at him in terror.

"Claire, have I been too lenient with you? How dare you defy me!" He shoved me into the dark wine cellar.

I looked at him in despair. He locked the door without hesitation, his voice calm.

"You can come out when you've finished reflecting!"

Facing the complete darkness before me, I screamed in despair. He knew perfectly well that I feared darkness the most. He knew perfectly well that whenever I misbehaved as a child, my father would lock me in a dark room.

This was my lifelong nightmare.

Jonathan had once held me countless times with such tenderness. He promised that he would never let me suffer the slightest grievance.

Even so, it was also him who personally gave me a terrible nightmare.

I kept banging my head against the door until my fingers were bloody from clawing at it. I broke down and screamed.

"I was wrong! I shouldn't have called Henry an illegitimate child!”

"Please! I shouldn't have defied you! I'll never do it again, Jonathan!"

However, even after I shouted until my voice was hoarse and I was completely exhausted, no one came to open the door.

Finally, Linda's voice came from outside. She laughed sweetly. "Mrs. Rivers, you look so pathetic! It's too bad Mr. Rivers gave me the basement key. You'll have to please me if you want to get out!"

I begged desperately. "I'm sorry! I was wrong! Please let me out!"

Even so, Linda would not relent. She laughed and demanded I continue.

Just then, her phone rang. Her voice turned pitiful. "Mr. Rivers, Mrs. Rivers still refuses to admit her mistake. She's calling me a whore and Henry a b*stard.”

"All right, I'll keep Mrs. Rivers locked up until she apologizes."

After hanging up, Linda was triumphant.

"Mrs. Rivers, you finally fell into my hands! When you schemed to make Mr. Rivers abandon us years ago, you should have known this day would come!"

Her footsteps soon faded away.

I collapsed weakly on the floor. My voice was already hoarse, and the darkness silently consumed me. I could not control myself and bit my wrist until it bled. Blood flowed freely, and the blood loss made me dizzy.

Memories flashed through my mind like a slideshow. There was Jonathan, who knelt at my family's door for three days and nights to marry me.

There was Jonathan, who drove away my abusive father. His body was covered in blood, yet he was still holding and comforting me.

Then there was Jonathan on our wedding day, firmly placing the ring on my finger and promising to love me forever.

Yet all those Jonathans had eventually become the man who had calmly locked me in the basement. The beautiful memories of the past turned into blades that shredded my happiness to shreds.

Blood stained my clothes, and my consciousness gradually faded.

When I woke up again, I was already in the hospital. My wrist was wrapped in thick bandages.

I stared calmly at the bandaged wound. Wounds could heal, but the scars carved into my heart would never disappear.

The nurse notified them that I was awake. Jonathan rushed in, followed by Henry and Linda.

He embraced me tightly, his voice full of fear.

"Claire, why didn't you just apologize? Do you know you almost died?"

I calmly pushed him away. The scent of Linda’s rose perfume still clung to him, stinging my nose, and I frowned slightly.

"I did apologize. Linda wouldn't let me go."

Jonathan looked suspiciously between Linda and me. Linda's tears immediately began to flow.

"Mrs. Rivers, I know you don't like me, but you can't slander me! I endured it when you called me a whore and Henry a b*stard, but why must you slander me too?"

She cried pitifully, and Jonathan and Henry immediately rushed to comfort her. Jonathan looked at me impatiently.

"Claire, how long will you keep playing these underhanded tricks? Why can't you accept Henry and Linda?"

It was not that I could not accept them. It was that Jonathan's eyes were full of them and could not accept me.

"Don't think that hurting yourself will stop me from acknowledging Henry. I'm still holding his birthday party tomorrow!"

He pulled Linda and Henry into his arms, forming the image of a picture-perfect family with his beloved woman and child in his embrace. Meanwhile, his wife who he had once sworn eternal vows to seemed repulsive in comparison.

I let out a hoarse, low laugh. Jonathan took this as a sign of agreement.

"Remember to attend Henry's birthday party!"

I watched calmly as they left the hospital room. I opened my phone and booked a flight for tomorrow night.

I was discharged from the hospital that evening. Before I even reached home, I heard laughter from the doorway. The scene I had fantasized about countless times appeared before me.

Henry sat in Jonathan's lap while Linda smiled, feeding him spoonful by spoonful. My arrival seemed like that of an unwelcome guest, disrupting the perfect moment.