After three years of IVF, I finally got pregnant with my first child.

In the seventh month, I was kidnapped and shut up. They cut my belly open and took away the child who was not yet full term.

The pain made me pass out. When I woke up again, my husband was on his knees in front of my bed, crying. “Corinne, I’m sorry. It’s my fault I didn’t protect you and the baby.”

Seeing my stomach so flat, I sank down and had no choice but to accept what was real.

My husband vowed he would put the kidnappers in prison. After he went out to take a phone call, I spotted an earbud he had left. Just as I was about to return it to him, I softly heard voices from the earbud.

“Brother Jeremy, Corinne Beaumont endured more than three thousand injections and took so many traditional medicines and supplements. Her health was badly drained before she at last became pregnant. And you simply removed the not-yet-term child like that?”

“Simply because Ophelia Rousseau says she wants to test whether a preterm baby can make it? You treat your own child like that? If Corinne hears about this, won’t she create a scene with you?”

——

“Calm down, she has no idea. Don’t talk about this to anyone, or you know the consequences.”

In the hallway, Jeremy warned in a cold, quiet voice.

From the earbud, his friend’s flattering voice spoke, “Got it, got it, don’t worry. Oh, right, you and Ophelia have been secretly together for over two years, and you still don’t plan to divorce Corinne and marry Ophelia?”

He remained quiet for quite some time. I thought he would stay silent. Then he said in a cold, harsh tone, “Ophelia still wants to play for two more years. Once she has enjoyed enough, I will divorce Corinne.”

As he spoke, his look softened. “When that time comes, I will give Ophelia a grander and more lavish wedding.”

My body froze as I forced down my rough breathing from anger.

I heard his brother speak. “Damn, you didn’t even give Corinne a wedding before. So you were keeping it for Ophelia.”

“Corinne doesn’t deserve one.”

Jeremy’s voice was like a devil’s whisper that stayed in my heart.

In our three years of marriage, I had always hoped for a wedding that was mine, but Jeremy said, “Be obedient. Once you have the baby, I will give you a grand wedding.”

Sometimes I pushed back a little. “If I don’t give birth, can’t we still have a wedding?”

Yet he had seemed powerless and sighed softly. “You know my family is very strict. My parents always wish for me to continue the family bloodline. Only after you deliver the child do I feel confident to take you home to meet them.”

I had believed his words. For years, I took many supplements and herbal treatments. My arms had been filled with needle marks. Just when I finally saw a bit of light, reality hit me.

Noticing movement outside, I quickly lay back on the bed and put the earbud back in its place.

Jeremy came in after pushing the door open, his face wearing his usual gentle look. He stepped forward and adjusted the blanket for me, speaking softly. “Corinne, I have a big project to cooperate with tonight. Be good. I will come back to see you tomorrow.”

I grasped the blanket corner, and a small bit of hope crossed my heart.

Jeremy treated me kindly. Perhaps what I heard earlier was only a misunderstanding?

As soon as the ward door closed, my phone buzzed.

When I opened it, I found it was a friend request from Ophelia.

After hesitating many times, I finally tapped accept.

The next second, she sent several photos one by one, fingers intertwined, kissing beside the sea, and even private mirror selfies of them bathing together…

Soon after, her almost-showing-off message came: [See clearly? What you dream about is something I can easily have. Know where you stand. As long as I wish, that position can belong to me anytime.]

[Oh, right. Did he say he has a big project tonight? It’s not a big project. He’s coming to go a few hundred rounds with me!]

[I’ve bought umbrellas of every kind already. I’ll let you see them.]

A picture of a white sheet filled with different umbrellas came into view.

My entire body froze, as if I had fallen into cold water.

Everything earlier was true!

Jeremy really paid people to kidnap me and forcefully take out my child for his childhood sweetheart, and I was just part of their flirting!

After I came back to my senses, I shakily opened my contacts and dialed a long-saved number.

“Magnus, I lost our bet. I’m ready to leave with you and won’t come back to South Briar anymore.”

The other end sounded a bit excited but still controlled. “You’ve been wronged. Do you want me to help you get revenge?”

I paused in shock for a second, then replied, “No. I’ll handle it myself. Revenge should be done by my own hands. Come fetch me in a week.”

During hospitalization, Jeremy would always squeeze out two hours from his packed schedule to keep me company. He was so soft and attentive that I believed the earlier scene was just an illusion.

Until the fourth day of hospitalization, Jeremy walked in with nothing in his hands, guilt on his face. “Corinne, I was too busy with work today and forgot your food. I’m sorry.”

My hand gripped the phone, which was placed face down. The glow showed through the thin blanket, exposing the video Ophelia had sent two minutes before.

The video showed Jeremy handing the thermal lunchbox, together with my food, to a street dog.

Just because Ophelia said, “That little dog is so poor,” the normally cold and extremely clean-freak head of the Ramsey Group lowered himself and half-knelt to personally feed the stray.

Then Ophelia sent a nearly proud message. [See that? You are only fit to share food with a stray dog.]

My eyes dropped and settled on his knees. The dirt on his black suit pants stood out clearly.

Noticing my silence, Jeremy followed my gaze and spoke calmly, “I just brushed against something by accident.”

I shifted my eyes away, my throat full of bitterness.

It felt like countless white ants were chewing inside my heart, sharp pain drilling deep into my heart.

Jeremy had barely sat for a minute before he stood to say farewell. “Corinne, there’s a project at the company. Order some takeout and eat.”

I stayed silent the whole time.

With a bang, the door shut, cutting me off from Jeremy, and my dark phone screen lit up again.

It was a photo Ophelia sent. In the hospital hallway, the man walked out of the ward and happily moved toward her.

That man was Jeremy, who had just gone out.

So the one he loved had been waiting outside, which explained why he had been so impatient.

I squeezed my hand hard, my nails pressing deep into my skin. My chest felt as if it had been torn open, a cold breeze rushing in and freezing me through.

The following day, I personally took care of the discharge process.

When I reached home, I saw Ophelia and Jeremy walking out of the study. My entire body trembled.

Suddenly, I recalled the time I had accidentally gone into the study before. Back then, Jeremy’s face had been dark as he warned me, “The study is not a place for idle people to enter. If there is a next time, I really get mad.”

As if to remind me, the next day he placed a sign on the study door that read “Corinne and dogs are not allowed to enter.”

But now Ophelia could walk into his study so easily, just like she easily walked into his heart.

It felt like my heart had been tightly held by a large invisible hand. The heavy pain made breathing hard for me.

They spoke with great excitement. Only when they bumped into me did they realize someone else was in the house.

“Oh my, sorry, sister… I-I don’t notice you. It’s all because I’m so careless… You don’t get hurt from the fall, right?”

Ophelia showed an innocent look, but the hand holding my wrist secretly pressed harder, her nails sharply digging into my skin.

The pain made me draw in a cold breath. I quickly pulled my hand away. She used the chance to drop to the floor and said seriously, “Sister, I let you push me back. Don’t be mad, okay?”

“Apologize!” Jeremy looked at me with a dark expression.

I held back the ache and heaviness in my chest and tried to explain, “I didn’t push her. She pinched me….”

Just when I was about to show the injury, Ophelia softly cut in, “Jeremy, I am fine. Sister doesn’t mean it. Maybe she sees me standing too close to you, so she…”

Jeremy’s face turned firm, his voice full of clear authority. “Corinne, apologize. Don’t make me say it a third time.”

My face stiffened a little as I stared at Jeremy in disbelief.

“I said it. I didn’t push her.”

“Still refusing to admit it, so this is how your late parents raised you?” Jeremy’s words were harsh, his eyes cold.

His words were like a knife, deeply stabbing into my heart.

My parents passed away in a car crash on my birthday, and it was also that day when I met Jeremy.

I once thought he was a blessing from heaven, comfort sent by my parents’ spirits above.

But the truth gave me a cruel slap across the face.

Seeing that I firmly refused to apologize, Jeremy immediately called the bodyguards. “Slap her until she admits her mistake.”

I struggled to get away, but the bodyguards held my shoulders tightly, making me unable to move. The last bit of hope rose in my heart. “Jeremy, I am your wife, can you… even just once, stand by me?”

“Slap her. Don’t show mercy.”

Without even glancing at me, Jeremy guided Ophelia to the couch and gently examined her injuries.

The harsh palm, driven by strong force, struck my face harshly. My cheek burned with pain, and before I could say anything, many slaps rapidly followed.

After the hundredth slap hit, my vision spun around. I opened my mouth and spoke unclearly. My swollen face could no longer be recognized, and blood ran from the corner of my lips. I spat and coughed out two teeth mixed with blood.

Jeremy’s voice came from a short distance away. “Admit your mistake or not?”

I opened my mouth and stubbornly replied, “I’m not wrong… I didn’t…”

Before I could finish, Jeremy cut me off. “Keep slapping.”

“If she doesn’t admit it, keep slapping.”

The nonstop sound of slapping echoed again. I gritted my teeth hard and stubbornly refused to admit I was wrong. When the ninety-ninth slap landed, my sight went dark, and I passed out.

When I opened my eyes again, I was lying in the cold, damp guest room.

I struggled to sit up. The wounds on my face had not been treated. I slowly headed to the second floor, planning to go to the bedroom to get the first-aid kit.

But I noticed the door was slightly open, and my hand on the knob suddenly stopped.

From inside came the woman’s soft, breathy gasps and the man’s low, heavy groans, along with the sound of bare bodies hitting together.

Every sound felt like a sharp knife, stabbing deep into my heart, leaving it bloody and torn.

My whole body shook as I pulled my phone from my pocket. My hands trembled so badly that I failed to open the recording several times.

After I finished recording a short video, I quietly turned around and left, and sat on the sofa until dawn.

When Jeremy came down the stairs and saw me, his eyes settled on my badly bruised face. Hesitation appeared in his eyes.

“You’re already an adult, and you don’t even know how to put on medicine?”

Jeremy turned and went to the bedroom to get the first-aid kit. He personally treated my wounds, his brows tightly drawn as he carefully applied medicine to every place.

I stayed still, my whole body stiff as I watched him do everything.

After finishing the treatment, Jeremy spoke in a cool voice with unquestionable authority. “Go cook a bowl of grilled cheese sandwich.”

My fingers shifted slightly as I asked, “Is it you who wants to eat, or Ophelia?”

Since Ophelia came back to the country, Jeremy no longer had the habit of having breakfast at home.

Even though I made breakfast for him in many ways, he ignored it every time and always left quickly, saying, “The company is too busy, I don’t eat first.”

But afterward, I discovered that the “company is busy” he spoke about was really him spending time with Ophelia.

Jeremy stiffened for a moment, obviously not expecting me to ask. His tone suddenly turned cold. “You pushed Ophelia yesterday and still refuse to apologize. What is wrong with cooking a bowl of breakfast today to make it right?”