Three months into my pregnancy, Evander Cresswell finally agreed to marry me.

One evening, while friends gathered at our home to discuss the wedding, his sister-in-law suddenly laughed.

“Thalia, you’re so lucky! You actually grew up to marry that bastard Evander. Unlike me—I was stupid back then. I even had an abortion because of him.”

My chest tightened.

She grinned, leaning closer. “That idiot didn’t even know how to use a condom. I had to teach him!” Then she playfully punched Evander’s shoulder.

I froze.

Seeing my expression, she waved her hands as if to soften the blow.

“Don’t get me wrong, I was just joking. He was naive, you know? Watched too much porn, nowhere to vent, so he begged me to let him try. Look at him now—well trained, right? You should thank me. My son turned out well, didn’t he?”

My fury boiled over. I threw my teacup in her face.

“If it’s all in the past, why bring it up now? What exactly are you trying to do?”

Before she could answer, Evander exploded.

“You’re unreasonable! Get out!”

That night, he kicked me out into the freezing cold.

The last thing I heard was Althea Ravenscroft’s shrill laugh echoing behind me.

“My boy, you’re naughty! Want a fight? Take mommy's punch!”

They even bet ten million I’d crawl back, humiliated and begging.

But I was done.

——

When he shoved me out, Evander’s face twisted with rage.

“We’re all friends. Do you really need to cause such a scene? I told you—Althea is like a sister to me. If I wanted her, why would I marry you? You’re insane. Get out and calm down!”

He turned back to Althea, his voice softening into that familiar, gentle tone.

“Don’t mind her. It’s my fault. She’s pregnant and thinks she’s some queen mother.”

The others laughed.

“Careful, Evander. It’s winter. Don’t let the baby freeze, or your wife will leave you.”

“Leave? Look at her! Thirty pounds heavier already—who’d want her?”

“You’re lucky you agreed to marry her. Give her an inch and she’ll open a dyeing factory!”

Althea slung her arm around his shoulder.

“Pregnant women are a pain. A sister’s better. Drink! If I don’t drink you to death tonight, I’m not your mama!”

“Mama? Screw you! You call me mama or I’ll kill you!”

“Use your enoki mushroom? Hahaha—”

Their laughter roared inside as I stood in the snow, wiping tears I hadn’t noticed falling. My cheek burned from shame, my hand numb from the cold.

I didn’t hesitate. I took a taxi straight to the hospital.

The doctor glanced at my form, frowning.

“Miss Corbin, the father’s signature is required for an abortion. Isn’t he here?”

“He’s dead.”

The doctor fell silent, then quietly filled out the paperwork. The sympathy in his eyes cut deeper than any blade.

Once, Evander only had me in his heart. But the moment he brought Althea into our lives, everything changed.

Half-dazed, I finished the forms. While paying at the counter, a notification buzzed on my phone.

A video. From Althea.

In it, Evander knelt before her, licking at her rhinestone-studded nails. Disgust twisted his face, yet he still forced a laugh.

“Damn, Althea. Do your feet stink? You trying to kill me?”

She sneered. “You’re honored hot mama lets you atone for your sins, and you still dare complain? I’ll teach you a lesson.”

A second later, her message followed.

“Thalia, don’t be angry. I already taught this rebellious son a lesson for you. He’ll be obedient from now on!”

I stared at the video, numb.

With a bang, every sweet memory I’d clung to shattered into dust.

The pain tore through my chest, crushing my insides.

Evander—who claimed to have mysophobia.

The man who never once held my hand, who recoiled when I leaned in for a hug.

The man who only got me pregnant because he was drunk that night with Althea.

When we returned home, the guests had gone, leaving bottles and trash scattered everywhere.

Evander lounged on the sofa, cigarette between his lips, legs lifted off the ground, unmoving.

“Clean it up. These bastards really know how to piss me off.”

Before, I would have done it without a word—his obedient babysitter.

But this time, I stayed still.

“Evander…” I forced the words out. “Let’s break up.”

He barely looked up from his phone.

“What? Say that again. I didn’t hear—Althea just threw ten kills in a row and ruined my game. Damn idiot. Nearly made my pants fall off.”

He cursed into the mic.

“Hey, give me another kill! You want your dad to spank you?”

I drew a deep breath. “I said, let’s break up.”

This time, he heard. His phone clattered against the floor.

“Are you insane?” His eyes narrowed. “What nonsense are you spouting?”

I sank onto the chair, pressing my aching stomach.

“I’m serious. I think… Althea might be better for you.”

From the broken phone came Althea’s shrill voice.

“Hey, don’t hang up! Mama’s about to win—it’s the qualifying round!”

His jaw tightened, anger flashing in his eyes.

“So this is my crime? Being close to Althea?”

“How many times must I tell you? There’s nothing between us—just pure friendship!”

I let out a bitter laugh.

“Pure friendship? The kind where you lick feet, hug, and fuck without condoms?”

His fury snapped. He grabbed me, shoving me onto the sofa. His breath burned against the tip of my nose.

“Jealous?”

“It’s just a kiss. I’ll compensate you.”

But in my mind, the image of him kissing Althea’s toes blazed like fire.

I shoved him away. “Don’t touch me!”

He crushed me tighter.

“Don’t pretend. Isn’t this what you’ve wanted?”

“You’re mad, but we already have a child. Why fight with that idiot over me?”

The ringtone cut through our struggle. Althea again.

“Where are you, you useless son of a bitch? The enemy’s already taken the high ground! If you don’t log in now, I’ll disown you!”

Evander shot me a look, then sneered.

“You’re breaking up? I’m the one who’s been robbed.”

He picked up the phone.

“Alright, alright. Women are trouble. Give me a minute.”

The moment the call ended, he grabbed his phone and dove back into the game.

“Stop being difficult. Tomorrow I’ll take you shopping—buy whatever you want.”

I didn’t answer. My body ached too much, my stomach cramping sharply.

I whispered his name, barely a breath.

No reply.

From the bathroom came bursts of laughter—his and Althea’s voices, tangled together, mixed with the shrill chaos of the game.

Each sound pierced through me, until I could no longer tell whether it was my stomach or my heart that hurt more.

I heard Althea’s voice through the headset.

“Did you coax him? His fighting power’s soaring. You really are my boy. Keep it up—Mommy’s going to be King tonight!”

Evander laughed.

“What’s there to coax? Just buy him a few gifts. Damn, dead again? Can’t you signal?”

I stayed up all night, listening. By dawn, Evander yanked me out of bed.

“I promised you a gift, didn’t I? I won’t break my word. My dear wife, I’m not angry anymore.”

Swallowing the bile rising in my throat, I followed him to the car.

The moment the navigation turned on, Althea’s voice echoed from the speakers.

“Boy, turn left ahead. Go straight. Damn it, you missed again! You’re getting hammered by mama!”

My stomach churned. He caught my expression and smirked.

“Relax. I lost a game to that idiot, so I have to use his voice pack for a month. Almost over. Be patient.”

At the mall, I spotted a Hermès bag. I reached for my wallet, but Evander darted ahead to pay.

Then a voice I knew all too well called out behind me.

“Hey, that bag’s nice. Suits me.”

Althea.

She strutted over, trying on bags, smiling wide.

“Well, well. You’re not carrying your ugly backpack anymore? So feminine—Mama almost doesn’t recognize you.”

She rolled her eyes dramatically.

“What’s wrong? Charmed by Mama? Get in line. There are ten thousand ahead of you.”

The bile rose higher. I forced myself to speak.

“Miss Ravenscroft, I came here first. I’ve already paid.”

Althea poked Evander’s chest with her manicured finger.

“But I like it too. My boy, you decide—sisters or women? Don’t you dare put a woman before me.”

Evander burst out laughing.

“Alright, alright. It’s rare for you to want something. How could I resist you?"

My breath hitched, pain stabbing through my abdomen.

“Honey, don’t be angry,” Evander soothed quickly. “Althea hasn’t bought a bag in eight hundred years. Let her have this one. We’ll get you another. Any style you like—I’ll buy it for you.”

But I didn’t want leftovers. Not anymore.

I curved my lips into a smile that tasted of blood.

“Evander, let’s talk.”

He ignored the edge in my tone, pulling out his phone.

“That restaurant you mentioned last time—it’s perfect. I’ll book it. Tonight, just you and me. Nothing is more important than my wife.”

But that night, I waited three hours alone at the restaurant.

A message finally came. Working overtime. Need money for the baby’s formula.

My phone buzzed again. Althea’s status update.

A photo of the Hermès bag.

My boy is so sensible and filial to her mama I’m so happy! Drinks on me tonight to celebrate.

The comments flooded in:

“Oh my god, isn’t this the new limited edition? Three hundred thousand? Evander is too generous!”

“Althea, careful—your sister-in-law might beat you up. She’s stingy as hell.”

“Don’t remind me. Thalia ruined the last party. Couldn’t even drink. If Evander hadn’t kicked her out, I’d have made her kneel and apologize.”

Althea replied with a bomb emoji.

“Can a sister be the same as a wife? Don’t marry, or you’ll end up with someone like Thalia—nothing but trouble, can’t even hold her liquor.”