After saying those words, I could no longer hold on and felt myself slipping into unconsciousness.

However, the physician kept shouting at me. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said, "Lady Wentworth, you mustn't fall asleep. If you sleep now, you will never wake up. Think of your husband, your child! They are waiting for you!"

The King chimed in from the side. "That's right, you have served me greatly. Once you recover, I'll grant you the title of Duchess Protector, with all the wealth and glory that comes with it. As for your child, if it's a girl, she'll be a princess consort; if a boy, he'll become a high official. Hold on! I have already sent for Roland!"

Hearing the King say this, I forced a weak, bitter smile.

I was not a fool. When I shielded the King from the assassins, I already knew that the child in my belly could not be saved.

As for Roland, he would certainly not come.

Just then, the person the King sent to find Roland rushed back. He dropped to his knees with a thud, not daring to look at the King.

The King frowned, absolutely furious. "Where is Roland?!"

The Royal Attendant, Finch Thatcher, trembled. "Lord Wentworth refuses to come, and he said, he said not to use these tricks to gain sympathy."

I already knew that Roland's harsh words were definitely more than just that. However, Finch was being mindful of the King's dignity by not repeating them. Of course, in Roland's heart, I was not even half as important as Vivian.

Yet I was Roland's legally wedded wife, while Vivian was merely a mistress. For the sake of chasing after his lover, he actually disregarded the King's safety and led the Royal Guard to appease Vivian.

Even that signal flare was something I had to kneel before him and beg for before he left. In my previous life, when I lit the signal flare, he called me vain and power-hungry. In this life, when the King sent someone to summon him, he still ignored it.

If he loved Vivian so much, why did he marry me in the first place?

Rage surged in my heart, and I spat out another mouthful of blood.

The physician steadied himself and looked at the King anxiously. "Your Majesty, Lady Wentworth is too agitated. If she doesn't have family by her side at this moment, I'm afraid she truly won't make it!"

The King glanced at me and ultimately suppressed his anger. He yanked the pendant from his waist and threw it to Finch.

He shouted, "Tell him this is my command. If he still refuses to come, I will have him executed!"

The King was truly enraged. He had many guards around him, yet not a single one was present when he was attacked today. I risked my life to save him, yet he could not even summon my own husband.

For him, the supreme ruler, this was an absolute humiliation.

In my condition, I could not be moved. We were waiting for the life-saving medicine to be prepared.

This time, Finch did not come back alone.

I struggled to open my eyes and saw a face all too familiar from my previous life, Vivian's maid, Ivy Porter.

Actually, Ivy was initially my maid. However, she poisoned my meals when I became pregnant. By the time it was discovered, I was already on the brink of death.

I refused to let Ivy go and was about to have her punished to her death when Roland walked in with Vivian on his arm.

Vivian sobbed beside him, clutching Ivy's hand as she looked at me pitifully. "Mirella Ashford, how can you be so cruel? You didn't die, did you? Why must you take a maid's life? You're simply too ruthless! Roland, why don't you give her to me? Although I'm just nobody, I can at least spare a maid's life."

Roland turned to Vivian and sighed helplessly. "You're always so kind-hearted. Mirella, Vivian is right... You didn't die, so why make such a fuss? Just give Ivy to Vivian, and don't be so dramatic about things anymore."

I stared at Roland in disbelief. I was carrying his child and was nearly poisoned to death, yet he thought that since I was still alive, I should not hold a grudge.

It was utterly ridiculous.

But back then, I still loved Roland and believed that Vivian clouded his judgment. I thought that as his legitimate wife, I should be understanding and forgiving.

That was until one time when I saw Roland talking with Vivian.

His eyes were full of indulgence as he said, "Next time you poison someone, be more discreet about it. If you get caught again, I won't help you."

Vivian clung to Roland's arm and whined playfully. "I know, I know. Thank you so much this time, darling."

Ivy stood beside them, smiling.

The three of them looked so happy together, while I felt like I had fallen into an ice abyss.

So, from the very beginning, Roland knew everything and even deliberately turned a blind eye. I was the only one kept in the dark.

My heart swelled with overwhelming hatred, and seeing Ivy again now made me tremble with emotion.

In Ivy's eyes, my reaction looked like a sign of guilt. She was somewhat restrained at first, but now she has become brazen again.

She said, "Lady Wentworth, Lord Wentworth said he's accompanying Lady Sinclair right now. As for you, as long as you're still breathing, that's good enough. If you bother him again, he'll divorce you. Not only that, he'll make the child in your belly call Lady Sinclair 'mother'!"

She continued, "Lady Wentworth, Lord Wentworth also said he doesn't even like you. He only married you because your family had power and influence to help him advance his career. Now that he's already Commander of the Royal Guard, keeping you around is just an act of charity. If you keep making trouble, you'll be dead before you know it!"

After Ivy finished speaking, the King's expression turned completely grim. He smashed the teacup in his hand onto the ground.

When the attendants heard the commotion, they all dropped to their knees.

However, Ivy remained oblivious. She swaggered up to me and mocked, "Lady Wentworth, I advise you to save yourself the trouble. Your little sympathy-seeking act won't work on Lord Wentworth at all. As for this random man? If you think you can make Lord Wentworth jealous, you're dead wrong."

She continued, "If I tell Lord Wentworth the truth... That you disregarded the baby in your belly just to have an affair with this random man... Don't you think Lord Wentworth would tear you to pieces?"

Ivy looked triumphant.

Just because the King's robe was soiled and he was now wearing ordinary linen clothes, she mistook the King for some random man I found.

The King's expression was absolutely terrifying. He laughed coldly and ordered the guards who rushed over to restrain Ivy immediately.

Ivy panicked. She finally realized what was happening. However, just as she opened her mouth to speak, a servant covered her mouth and dragged her out.

"Have her dismembered, and throw the pieces in front of Roland. I want to see what's so great about this Roland that Lady Ashford must endure such humiliation!"

I noted the King's choice of address and blinked slowly. The King now completely separated me from Roland.

My gamble did not go in vain.

The medicine the physician waited for was finally ready. After I drank it, I fell into a peaceful sleep.

When I opened my eyes again, an unfamiliar maid quickly helped me sit up.

She explained, "Lady Wentworth, the assassination attempt on His Majesty is a matter of great importance. His Majesty has already returned to the palace first, but he specifically ordered that you rest and recover here. Once His Majesty has dealt with everything, he will come to see you."

I nodded. In my previous life, the King's assassination caused a huge commotion, and Roland's reward was only granted after the investigation was complete. The King was also shaken by the incident, so the fact that he remembered me was already good enough.

I just needed to wait patiently for the King to handle everything.

I relaxed and was about to speak when hurried footsteps suddenly approached. Before I could turn my head, my chin was gripped by a pair of rough hands.

It was Roland. He stared at me with a dark expression.

"You really have some nerve, going behind my back to have Ivy killed! Do you know how heartbroken Vivian was when she saw Ivy's body? You evil woman! I must have been blind to have chosen you in the first place!"

I was slapped so hard my head turned to the side, my cheek burning with pain. "Is that so? Then let's get divorced!"

I wiped away my tears. I held these words in for too long. I originally planned to wait for the King's official order so I could leave Roland with my honor intact. But now, I truly could not take it anymore.

The hatred and resentment from my previous life, combined with the pain of this life, overwhelmed me. It was as if I were trapped in a cocoon, unable to breathe or struggle free.

Roland, who was so arrogant moments ago, suddenly froze when he heard my words. He frowned and looked me up and down.

Just as I wondered what he was planning to do, Vivian appeared.

Yesterday's turmoil seemed not to have affected her at all. She was still breathtakingly beautiful.

Whenever she appeared, Roland's eyes saw no one else. He carefully pulled Vivian into his arms, and the same hand that just struck me now gently caressed Vivian's face.

He asked, "Why did you come? Aren't you still recovering?"

Vivian shook her head. "I was worried about you, darling, so I came to check on you. But at the door, I overheard your argument with Mirella, and it was because of me. I don't want to cause trouble between you. Perhaps you should let me go instead. Then you would never be troubled because of me again."

As Vivian spoke, she began to cry. Her tears fell one by one onto Roland.

Roland was heartbroken and frantically tried to comfort her. "What nonsense are you talking about? You know you're the only one in my heart. She only gets a shred of my pity because she's carrying my child. She's unfit to raise a child. Once she gives birth, I'll give the child to you to raise and elevate you to my official wife!"