At the marriage certificate ceremony, Bryan Waldorf's sister sent me a picture of her pregnancy test pack.

Bryan left me without hesitation and took her home to take care of the baby.

Then, she posted a close-up photo of the two of them, with our bedroom in the background.

Then, Bryan sent me a message.

[I drank too much at the celebration party that night and Celia is pregnant. I have to take care of her all the time.]

[She originally wanted to give birth to the child without telling me and raise it alone, but she is still so young and will become a top cardiac surgeon in the country in the future... I can't ruin her, nor can I give up this innocent life.]

[Don't you want to have a child as soon as possible? After she gives birth, I will send her abroad for further studies and the child will be raised by you. In the future, she will only recognize you as her mother.]

Seeing that I didn't reply, he added.

[The marriage certificate may have to be rescheduled after Celia gives birth.]

I stared at the phone screen, laughing with red eyes.

Did he think that the only daughter of Harrington must be with him?

I called Austin Lambert directly, "Let’s get our certificate now. Are you coming?"

——

After getting the certificate, Austin rushed to the airport cursing.

He was waiting at the airport for a business meeting in Italy, but I called him to the City Hall.

Thinking of his gritting teeth just now, I couldn't help but feel a little guilty.

"Claire, did I owe you in my last life? I chased you for eight years and didn't even look at you and now you want to get the certificate?"

I looked at the clock. "It's almost time to get off work, are you going to get it or not?"

He instantly wilted, "Get it! I brought the certificate, the flight was rescheduled and my parents also knew about it. It would be a waste if I didn't get it."

***

I guess I didn't respond until Bryan finally called.

His voice was a little anxious, "Claire, don't think too much. I only have you in my heart and I just admire Celia. That night was really just an accident."

"Well, I understand." My voice was calm and without any waves, "It's inevitable for men."

There was silence on the other end of the phone for a few seconds and I heard him take a deep breath.

"Where are you now? I'll send a driver to pick you up. Celia is having morning sickness now and I really can't leave..."

I interrupted him, "No need."

His voice suddenly turned cold, "Claire, are you angry with me? I have explained clearly that I will leave after Celia gives birth to the baby. What else do you want from me?"

My heart was stuffy and I unconsciously clenched the marriage certificate in my hand, trying to keep my voice steady.

"Bryan, let's break up."

He was stunned for a moment, then sneered at himself

"Don't you know how I treated you over the years? Yes, I made a mistake, but which man doesn't make mistakes? I'm already making up for it, why do you have to be so demanding?"

I pursed my lips and said nothing.

Seeing that I remained silent, his patience finally ran out, "Okay! It's up to you, break up if you want! You have to come back to me crying in less than half an hour!"

The phone was hung up rudely and there was only a busy tone in my ears.

I took a taxi and returned to the home that once belonged to us.

I didn't want to find him, but wanted to pack up and leave.

When I opened the door, Bryan was wearing an apron and the table was full of carefully prepared dishes.

He and Celia sat opposite each other, eating and laughing. He gently picked up food for her and even carefully fed her.

I naively thought that such a gentle look belonged only to me.

I remember that every time I cooked for him, he would hug me from behind and whisper in my ear, "My baby, you've worked hard."

It seemed warm, but in the past five years, he had never even poured me a cup of hot water.

He was the youngest professor of cardiac surgery at the top medical school in Sydney.

He always said, "My hands are for surgery, so I must protect them at all times."

Even when he held my hand, he was very careful.

But now, he made an exception and cooked for Celia.

Bryan saw me, snorted and laughed and made an expression of "I knew it".

Celia greeted enthusiastically, "Claire, you're back! Do you want to eat together?"

I silently passed her and went straight to the bedroom.

"Stop!" Bryan stood up suddenly, his face terribly gloomy, "Celia is talking to you, please respond. Don't you even have the most basic manners?"

I turned around slowly and sneered, "How do you want me to respond? Thank her for rushing to give birth to a child for my fiancé, so that I can become a mother painlessly? Or rush up and slap her a few times, scolding her for being a cheap mistress and getting out of my house?"

"You!" Bryan was choked and his veins popped.

Celia suddenly covered her mouth and retched, tears coming.

Bryan asked in panic, "Celia, what happened? Are you feeling uncomfortable?"

"Bryan, I'm fine..."

She trembled and grabbed Bryan's sleeve, but cried to me.

"Claire, it's all my fault. I don't want to live in your house, but I really have nowhere to go. I will leave as soon as the baby is born and will never disturb you and Bryan again."

As she said this, she suddenly touched her belly and sobbed, "I'm sorry, baby. Mommy doesn't want to abandon you. But Mommy did something bad and must be punished. My baby… I'm sorry..."

As she said this, she retched violently again and collapsed in Bryan's arms.

Bryan looked at me with disgust, as if I had committed some heinous crime.

"Are you satisfied now?"

I sneered and turned away.

My attitude completely angered Bryan. He suddenly grabbed the glass on the table and threw it at me.

There was a sharp pain in the back of my head and with the sound of glass breaking, I fell heavily on the stairs.

The sharp pain made me sweat instantly and I couldn't stand up for a while.

"Why are you pretending? Get up quickly!" Bryan scolded impatiently behind me.

Celia came over hypocritically, "Claire, you should be okay, right? I saw the cup just lightly rubbed your shoulder..."

"Shut up!" I gritted my teeth to interrupt her and stood up with all my strength.

Seeing my bad attitude towards Celia, Bryan's eyes suddenly turned cold,

"Celia has no appetite. You go and cook her your best crucian carp and tofu soup. Remember not to put onions, she doesn't like it."

"No." I refused without hesitation.

"This is an order!" Bryan's face was terribly gloomy, "Claire, do you think you have a choice?"

I clenched my fists and looked him in the eyes, "I will never do it. Now what can you do?"

Bryan's eyes flashed with cold light and he strode forward and roughly grabbed my arm and pushed me into the kitchen.

The door was heavily closed.

"Don't even think about coming out until the soup is ready!"

"Bryan, you're crazy!"

I slammed the door hard, shouting "Let me out" at the top of my lungs, but all I got was dead silence.

My palms were swollen and burning from slamming and finally, I slid down to the ground powerlessly, leaning against the cold door.

Their conversation was clearly heard through the door.

Celia whispered softly, "Bryan, isn't this too much for Claire? If she doesn't want to do it, then don't do it. It doesn't matter if I don't drink the soup."

Bryan sighed, "Celia, she has been spoiled in the Harrington Family for so many years. I must change her eldest daughter's temper. Since she will marry into the Waldorf Family in the future, I must follow the rules of the Waldorf Family, otherwise how can she take care of our children well?"

"The Waldorf Family is a medical family and they have always been the most concerned about being kind to others, but she is too straightforward... My mother has never liked her very much."

Celia asked puzzled, "Bryan, then why don't you break up with her directly?"

It suddenly became quiet outside.

I held my breath and leaned against the door motionlessly.

Yes, since I was so unbearable in his eyes, why should he tolerate me and keep me?

The silence lasted for a long time and Celia urged cautiously, "Bryan?"

Bryan's calm voice pierced my heart like a knife, "The Harrington Family's background is one of the best in Sydney and it has helped my career a lot over the years..."

I covered my chest tightly and tears could no longer be controlled.

So that was it. For so many years, he had always been interested in the Harrington Family, not me.

In a trance, I remembered that year when my grandfather had a sudden heart attack and it was Bryan's bold surgical plan that saved his life. I fell in love with this young and promising doctor with superb medical skills at first sight.

I just gave him a banner to express my gratitude, but I didn't expect him to start pursuing me crazily.

He never took the initiative to ask for help from the Harrington Family and those secret operations were arranged by me without telling him. How ridiculous, I was always worried that he would refuse to accept it after knowing it.

The kitchen door was pushed open. Bryan was obviously startled when he saw me and then frowned,

"You cry like this for making soup? Get out, it's annoying to watch!"

I stood up despite the dizziness and staggered towards the bedroom.

The moment I pushed the door open, a chill instantly climbed up my spine.

The bed sheet was changed to the pink lace style that I hated the most. The photo of me on the bedside table was replaced with a photo of a strange baby. In the closet, there was not a single piece of my clothes left.

Bryan's voice came from behind, "The guest room is too small. It's inconvenient for Celia to stay in the master bedroom now."

Celia added timidly, "Claire, you shouldn't mind, right? Don't worry, I'll..."

"Oh." I interrupted her directly, "Where are my things?"

Bryan looked away and said, "I asked the servants to move to the utility room. The nearest guest room will be converted into a baby room. You can choose a guest room to live in."

I was silent for a while and nodded, "Okay."

In the utility room, my haute couture dress was thrown on the ground casually and my jewelry was scattered in the dirty corners, like garbage that no one wanted.

I took a deep breath and looked at Celia who followed me in with sarcasm, "Are you so impatient? You can't even wait for me to leave?"

A trace of embarrassment flashed across her face and then she changed to an innocent expression,

"Claire, what are you talking about? Bryan asked the servants to clean up these things. I didn't do anything."

I sneered and pointed to the shoe prints on the dress, "Did the servants do this too?"

"So what if it was me?"

She suddenly lowered her voice, a vicious light flashed in her eyes, but she pretended to be afraid and retreated.

"Claire, please let me go!"