I am Charles Grant’s crush, and everyone said that he was really loyal to me.

But on our third wedding anniversary, I found out that he had gotten a replacement for me.

They even had a three-year-old child.

I caressed my belly and tore apart the pregnancy report that I had brought to give him as a surprise.

On our third year wedding anniversary, I wanted to surprise Charles Grant, my husband, with news that I was pregnant.

But before that, on a whim, I checked his phone and saw a photo.

The woman in the photo looked similar to me, and the child in her arms resembled Charles.

I heard the bathroom door unlocking, and I looked over to see Charles coming out. Our gazes met.

The sight of his phone in my hands made his expression sink. He demanded, “Why are you going through my phone without my permission?”

I found this hilarious. The screenlock password was my birthday. Why make it so easy if he did not wish for me to look through his phone?

My silence made him come forward to pluck the phone from my hands. When he saw the photo, he was stunned, then a storm of emotions raged in his eyes.

After some time, he looked at me and said in displeasure, “You shouldn’t have searched through my phone.”

I had known Charles for years, but this was the first time he was angry at me. He seemed mad and embarrassed because I had discovered his secret.

I looked down and clenched my fists as I tried to stop my voice from quivering. “Who are they?”

All I got in answer was silence. Awkwardness that brought about unease filled the air. I snuck a look at him as he scratched his head in frustration. Finally, I saw regret in his eyes. “The kid’s mine. She…”

He seemed tongue-tied as he stared at me hesitantly for a long time. Then, he continued, “She’s my ex.”

My eyes stung, and it made Charles feel lost. In a panic, he wiped away my tears and said gently, “It’s not what you think, Lulu. I broke up with her after you came back. She never told me that she was pregnant and gave birth on her own. She only contacted me a year ago.”

His explanation was really weak. After all, he had never mentioned the fact that he had an ex.

When I went to study abroad, we had no contact with each other. Yet when I came back, I saw that Charles had been waiting for me loyally.

But it was all fake. While I was not around, someone else kept him company.

I stared at him and asked, “If she had told you back then, who would you have chosen?”

His eyes flickered with uncertainty, then he scowled and snapped, “Don’t use these meaningless hypotheticals to test me.”

He chose to run when faced with this dilemma, but I saw him wavering.

I sucked in a deep breath and forced a smile. “Do you want a divorce, Charles?”

He immediately rejected the idea and got changed in a hurry before leaving. He did not spare me another glance.

On the third night, he came back smelling of alcohol and pinned me under him.

His kisses burned, and he was so aggressive that I did not have the chance to catch my breath. The thick smell of alcohol assaulted my nose, but there was also a barely noticeable smell of perfume that came with it.

When I was about to suffocate, he let me go. Charles’s bloodshot eyes were misty.

“Lulu, you have no right to ask for a divorce.” His quivering voice was laced with sadness, as if I was the one in the wrong.

I pushed him away and sat up as I asked coolly, “Did you change your cologne?”

The perfume lingering on his body was a sweet scent unique to women. It was obvious just where he had spent the past two days.

Charles offered no explanation and just gave me a smile. He did not bother hiding the mockery in his eyes.

“Lulu, do you think I’ve crossed the line? But you’re even worse. You chose me because I was the next best thing, but you still like Ethan, don’t you?”

It had been three years since then, so when I heard Ethan Lawson’s name, I could not associate the name with him right away.

It was only when I saw the vindictive look on Charles’s face that I came to a realization.

Charles was still bothered by the fact that I had studied abroad to chase after Ethan.

His next words hit where it hurt. “If you really want to divorce me, why don’t we go to your parents’ house first and ask for their opinion?”

My adopted parents’ stern faces rose unbidden to the forefront of my mind. They were followed by rebukes and insults.

I clenched my fists and felt a chill down my spine.

When I looked at Charles again, his smile had turned even more malicious. In an instant, I came to realize many things.

“Is this revenge, Charles?”

He readily admitted it and told me blatantly that this was just the beginning. “Since you don’t love me, I’m going to make you suffer.”

With that said, he got up and left the room.

I caressed my belly and tore apart the pregnancy report I had prepared to show him as a surprise.

Charles’ threats were not empty. A few days later, he brought his lover and her son back home.

The three of them sat on the couch in the living room. Charles played with the boy in his arms, while Susan Niel, his affair partner, sat by the side. She had a gentle look on her face and was smiling happily.

When I came downstairs, the homely scene made me feel embarrassed, like I was an intruder.

Susan was the first to notice me. Her smile faded, and, feeling uneasy, she tugged at Charles’s sleeve.

Charles looked up and stood up while holding the boy.

He pinched the boy’s cheek and said softly, “Zach, say hello to the lady.”

Zach looked at me shyly before he greeted me sweetly, “Hello, Ma’am.”

I did not think that I was angry. All I felt was grief. It was as if there was a heavy stone on my chest, and I could not breathe.

Feeling awkward, I stood where I was while grimacing. I opened my mouth, but I did not know what to say.

Charles wiggled his eyebrows at me, as if this interested him greatly, and he loved watching me being put on a spot.

While he continued delighting in my misery, I went upstairs like a loser running away.

When I was about to go to bed, Charles knocked on my door.

After putting a glass of warm milk by my bed, he sat down as if nothing had happened and stared at me silently.

I met his gaze squarely and tried to see whether there was any emotion in his eyes.

But aside from indifference, I saw nothing.

The staring contest lasted until I asked, “What exactly do you want, Charles?”

He did not want to divorce me, but brought his ex and illegitimate son over to boast about them.

Did my grief and embarrassment bring him joy from his successful revenge?

“I want to see you suffer,” he said matter-of-factly. Even though he was smiling, he teared up.

I smiled bitterly and said in resignation, “You win, then.”

“Is that so?” Charles growled and grabbed my wrist. His gaze was as cold as that of a viper.

“Are you hurting because I’m with another woman, or because you have no other choice but to be with me?

“Are you thinking about Ethan now? Unfortunately for you, he never fell in love with you despite you trying to win his heart for six years.”

“Your parents won’t agree to your divorce. As long as I don’t agree to it, you can only stay beside me!”

My wrist hurt because of his grip. I wanted to break free, but he only tightened his hold.

A wave of helplessness washed over me when I saw the crazed look in Charles’s eyes.

It was as if he loved me but hated me at the same time. That was why he was doing all the ridiculous things.

But was him finding a replacement during the three years I was away an act of loving me?

Knock, knock.

The sudden sound of knocking on the door made Charles regain his rationality. He let go and turned to the door.

Susan’s delicate voice came through. “Charles, could you come out for a bit?”

Charles stood up and opened the door to speak with her.

“What is it?”

“Zach wants to sleep with you. I’ve been trying to calm him down, but it’s useless. I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. I’ll go with you.” He comforted the uneasy Susan with a gentle voice before he gave me a meaningful look and left.

The sight of the shut door made me sigh in relief.

The next day, Charles came to me saying I should move out of the room so that Susan and Zach could move in.

His reason? He was used to this room, and Zach was still young, so he needed his company.

“Zach is my only son. I want to give him the best of everything.”

His serious and stern expression made me sick. I got up and rushed to the toilet.

As I gagged into the toilet bowl, Charles came over and stared at me coldly. His voice was full of scorn. “Stop pretending. You’re not throwing anything up.”

His hurtful words were like knives that stabbed into my heart. My chest hurt, but I laughed.

I had almost believed that this man loved me.

Before we got married, Charles got a replacement for me.

His relationship with Susan was a toxic one. They kept getting together and breaking up, until, in the end, they broke up for real after I came back three years later.

I knew of it, but I chose to take a risk and pretended not to know as I married Charles.

Among my limited choices for a husband, he was the best one.

Over the course of our three years of marriage, I avoided getting pregnant because I did not want to give away my heart.

But just when I fell for him bit by bit due to his constant gentle affection toward me, he gave me a brutal wakeup call.

I was a clown for lying to myself. I was the real joke.

Once I packed up, I moved into the guest room. Susan came over right away to apologize to me.

“I’m sorry. I’m not doing this on purpose. Charles is…”

She paused and appeared troubled. Her hesitant look gave me plenty of room for imagination.

Even though she looked similar to me, she had a gentle appearance. Her delicate nature made others want to protect her.

I could smell a sweet perfume on her.

As I stared at her, I could not quell my curiosity. “What do you intend to do next? Are you going to be Charles’s lover or patiently wait for him to marry you?”

Perhaps Susan was not expecting my reaction, since she seemed caught off guard. Panic flashed in her eyes, and she instinctively said, “How could I possibly—”

Charles came over at that moment, and she did not finish her sentence. “What’re you doing?”

There was an intimidating edge to his question. Susan immediately teared up and looked at him pitifully.

When Charles noticed that something was off, he scowled and glared at me, as if asking me why I bullied his lover.

“Charles, are you going to let your lover and illegitimate son stay here without a proper status? What’s Zach going to call me? His stepmom?”