The slap landed weakly, with almost no force.

Yet, it seemed to deal Shane a crushing blow. His whole body went rigid.

"Shane, do you even know what her filthy rumors have caused? Three newlywed couples have already demanded their money for the wedding back. One woman has undergone an abortion. Her husband is threatening suicide! And now you want me to go apologize—have you thought about what they'll do to me?"

Shane closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.

"I know, I know… but I have no choice. Fleur is pregnant. How could she bear that kind of danger?

"It's me who wronged you… but in the end, this is also your fault. If you had stopped me earlier from staying at her place on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, none of this would have happened!"

I stared at him in disbelief, my heart still aching despite myself.

I had stepped barefoot on shattered glass and left a scar as big as a bowl, and still I couldn't stop him from going to Fleur's side on those days.

And now he was turning the blame on me.

"Lily, if you hadn't always outshone her, she wouldn't have been under so much pressure, and she wouldn't have made such mistakes! Just help her this once. I'll never bring up the past again!"

"As for the baby—once it's born, it will be registered under our household. It'll call you 'Mom' and call Fleur 'Aunt'. That should be enough, right?"

Fleur still stood there arrogantly, her face full of displeasure.

"This is my child. Why should it call someone else Mom?"

I laughed bitterly, tears spilling from my eyes.

On what grounds did they think I would treasure the product of an affair like a precious jewel?

The moment I started to refuse, furious shouting from the neighboring mediation room nearly tore through the ceiling.

"Where's that foul-mouthed little slut hiding? Drag her out here! I want her to pay for my son's life!"

Only then did Fleur finally feel fear. She dropped to her knees with a thud and cried out to me, "Lily, save me!"

But as she drew close, she whispered with savage excitement, "I gave them your mother's address. If you don't go in there and take the beating, it'll be your dying mother instead!"

My mind reeled. After Shane stopped me from calling the police twice, I knelt on the floor and begged him for the first time, tears and snot streaking my face.

"My mom is in danger! Please don't be so cruel. She's always treated you and Fleur well!"

Shane still didn't believe me—just as he hadn't for the past ten years.

"Why are you dragging your mom into this? She's in the hospital. What could possibly happen to her?

"Hurry and go in. Don't be afraid. You're just apologizing. This is a public place—they won't dare do anything to you."

When I was pushed into the mediation room, like being shoved into a grave, I suddenly laughed in a strange way.

"I'm pregnant too. If I die, it'll be two lives lost."

In the moment Shane froze in shock, Fleur suddenly shoved me inside.

"There you go, playing the victim again! You haven't been pregnant for years since your miscarriage. Besides, I already switched—"

The door slammed shut with a bang, swallowing my fate whole.

For some reason, Shane grew restless and panicked outside. He didn't even hear what Fleur kept muttering until a shrill ring made cold sweat break out all over him.

"Mr. Galingston? Your mother-in-law's condition is critical. Please come to the operating room immediately to sign the consent form!"

Shane's breathing hitched. He lifted his foot, about to rush toward the hospital.

But before he could take a single step, a scream of unimaginable agony rose from behind him and nailed him to the spot.