My husband was convinced I was the reason his first love couldn’t have children. He told me, full of hate, “You give Jenny a child, then you can get lost.” But then, he was the one who took that child's life away. In the end, he cried, begging for my forgiveness. I just shook my head. “I’ll never forgive you. We’ve lost our past.” 1. “Ow!” Right then, Liam clamped down on my wrists, mercilessly. Tears welled up in my eyes. “Liam, I’m your legal wife, you can’t treat me like this…” Hearing me, Liam scoffed as if he’d heard the funniest joke. My chin tightened as Liam sneered, “Wife? You think you deserve that title?” A sharp pain shot through my heart. “You caused Jenny’s car accident, made it so she can never have kids. A vicious woman like you… if Jenny hadn’t begged me, I would have made you pay long ago!” “No, it wasn’t me…” I tried to defend myself, but it was useless. All the evidence in the accident pointed straight at me. Liam had zero patience for me. His narrowed eyes were dark with menace. “Not you? Then who schemed to crawl into my bed and tipped off the paparazzi?” That night, I’d had too much to drink and woke up in Liam’s bed. Next thing I knew, reporters were camped outside the door, waiting for us. The Hayes family, pressured by the media storm, forced Liam to marry me. And because of that, Liam hated my guts. “I don’t know how that happened…” I sobbed, trying to explain. “Ah!” A familiar, unwelcome sensation started below. I squeezed my eyes shut, a hot tear escaping down my cheek. “I already promised I’d have a baby for you, why do you have to go this far… Ouch, it hurts…” A piercing agony twisted inside me. Heart dead, I just endured Liam’s movements. It seemed like this was the only way – acting this way made Liam despise me more, made him finish faster. Liam gripped my waist, his voice dark. “You stole Jenny’s place, ruined her chances of having a family. I won’t let you get away with it!” I stayed silent, but my passive resistance only seemed to fuel his cold fury. Liam’s low voice was clear in my ear— “Chloe, you better get pregnant fast. You think I want to touch you? You make me sick!” After the long ordeal, Liam slammed the door and left. Ignoring the discomfort, I went to the bathroom to clean myself up, carefully applying some ointment. Married for a year, every time Liam came home, he’d torture and humiliate me like this. He wanted me to have his child, then divorce me. Back then, I thought it was just angry talk. I’d foolishly, happily agreed to give him a baby. I thought, if we had our own child, maybe he’d change towards me. But now, a year into the marriage, I knew with painful clarity: no matter what I did, he would never love me. Tears streamed down my face like broken pearls. “Why…” I whispered to myself. “Why treat me like this? It wasn’t my fault. Why won’t you believe me!” I sniffled, turned, and numbly opened the nightstand drawer. I took out the birth control pills I always kept hidden and swallowed one dry. I wasn't going to make things easy for them anymore! Bang! Just then, the door was kicked open— It was Liam, back for his phone. He saw the pill bottle in my hand, froze for a second, then realization dawned. He snatched the bottle, glanced at it, and threw it violently to the floor. Pills scattered everywhere. “Chloe, you dare take pills?!” I flinched, terrified of this Liam. He looked like a raging lion. Seeing my silence, he dragged me into the bathroom, shoved his fingers down my throat, and snarled, “Spit it out!” Gag— Retch— The pill came up with the sour bile from my stomach. I had no strength left to fight, just a desolate emptiness in my heart. “Cough, cough…” Leaning against the tub, I coughed weakly, my voice barely a whisper. “Liam, you’ll regret treating me like this…” 2 “Regret?” Liam snorted. “Who do you think you are?” I closed my eyes. My voice was barely audible, yet it felt like it took all the strength I had left. “Liam, I’m tired. Let’s get a divorce. Yes, I love you. I’ve loved you for so long, from seventeen to twenty-seven. But that doesn’t mean you can trample all over my dignity.” I glared at the madman before me. Liam’s face was an icy mask. He completely ignored my feelings, warning, “Chloe, don’t play games. Behave, have the baby, and maybe I’ll let you walk away with your life.” “If you want a child, go find someone else! Why does it have to be me!” I screamed, breaking down. Liam looked down at me imperiously. “Because you hurt Jenny. You have to pay the price!” “It wasn’t me! I told you, what happened to Jenna Sullivan has nothing to do with me!” I asked weakly, “Why? Why won’t you just believe me?” Liam frowned. Just then, his phone buzzed on the table. I heard his voice change— “She collapsed? Okay, I’ll be right there.” Liam clearly had no more patience for me. He finished the call and turned to leave. “Liam! Don’t go…” I don’t know where the courage came from. Hearing he was leaving, I pushed myself up against the edge of the tub, trying to stand and follow him. But suddenly, my vision went black, and I crumpled heavily to the floor! A sharp pain flared in my lower abdomen. I felt like something was draining away… I curled into a ball, whimpering softly, “Liam, help me…” Click. The door shut. He was gone. In his heart, I would never compare to Jenna Sullivan. My heart died. My head spun, and then everything went dark. Mercy General Hospital. I was having a nightmare. “No, it wasn’t me…” “Liam, you have to believe me, I really didn’t hurt her!” The man’s eyes were cold, ignoring my pleas. Suddenly, his hands were around my neck. “Chloe, just die!” “Ah—” I woke up with a start, drenched in cold sweat. The faint smell of cigarette smoke hung in the air. Click. The sound of a lighter being set down on a table. Then, a man’s deep, cold sneer. “Awake? I thought you were dead.” A bone-deep chill swept over me. I was fully awake now. “Sorry to disappoint you,” I said, my voice hoarse. Liam tapped ash from his cigarette, stood up, and walked over to me. He looked down, his voice dripping with contempt. “Hiding the fact that you were already pregnant. What kind of game are you playing now?” 3 I froze. “Pregnant?” Instinctively, my hand went to my stomach. I was… pregnant? Right now, a baby was growing inside me. Mine and Liam’s child. A tiny flicker of hope sparked within me. With this baby, maybe Liam would… A sharp pain in my jaw shattered the fragile dream instantly. Liam’s voice was icy cold. “Chloe, let me warn you. Whatever tricks you’re planning, if you hurt Jenny in any way, I will never forgive you!” “And besides, a woman like you can’t raise a child properly. After it’s born, I’ll have Jenny raise him.” I listened in shock, my vision blurring. I couldn’t even see his face clearly anymore. Jenna Sullivan. His heart only had room for Jenna Sullivan. I don’t know where the strength came from, but I ripped the IV needle out of my hand, jumped off the bed, and ran barefoot towards the door. “What do you think you’re doing?” Liam grabbed my wrist, frowning. My eyes filled with tears, but I fought to keep them from falling. “I won’t have this baby! I’m going to find a doctor and get rid of it!” Liam gritted his teeth. “Chloe, you dare!” “You want to give my child to Jenna Sullivan to raise? I won’t let you have your way!” “I could never accept my own child calling someone else ‘Mom’!” Liam gripped my thin wrist tightly, my defiant face reflected in his pupils. Suddenly, Liam’s expression softened, as if remembering something. Then just as quickly, his brow furrowed, the gentleness replaced by cold shadow. He spoke each word slowly, like a dark prince— “Chloe, are you asking to die?” “Yes! I’d rather die than give birth to—” My voice cut off abruptly as Liam threw me back onto the bed. “Ugh…” The impact knocked the wind out of me, forcing out a muffled cough. The man’s voice was low, terrifying. “You want to die? I can grant you that wish. But this child, you will give birth to it for me!” I blinked, cold tears finally spilling over, unable to hold them back any longer. Sobbing, I poured out my pain. “Liam, I hate you.” “I hate that you don’t believe me, hate how you torture and hurt me, and I hate you even more… for trying to steal my child.” Liam’s eyes gleamed with a sharp, cold light. He studied me, his voice filled with disgust. “Once the baby is born, you can get lost.” Bang— The door slammed shut. Muffled sounds came from outside— “Keep an eye on her. Don’t let anything happen.” “Yes, Mr. Hayes!” 4 The Hayes Estate. This was my third day locked up. In the quiet, dim room, I huddled in a corner of the bed, face buried in my arms, lifeless and drained of all spirit. Click. The bedroom light suddenly switched on. Used to the darkness, I felt a surge of fear. “Turn it off… turn off the light.” Mrs. Gable, the housekeeper, came in carrying a bowl of oatmeal, her voice full of sympathy. “Mrs. Hayes, dear, you need to eat something. You have to take care of yourself. Even if not for you, think of the baby. The baby’s innocent.” “You’re such a good young woman. Why does the master only think about that woman outside and not cherish who he has right here? Sigh…” “The baby.” Hearing Mrs. Gable’s murmurs, I felt dazed. I shifted my stiff body. I felt so weak, like I could collapse at any moment. I hadn’t had a drop of water in three days. My voice was raspy. I tried several times before managing a whisper, barely audible. “Is… is Liam back?” Mrs. Gable gently shook her head. I looked up, a self-mocking smile touching my lips. “He’s… with Jenna Sullivan again, isn’t he?” Mrs. Gable pressed her lips together, just looking at me sadly, saying nothing. “I need to see him.” Mrs. Gable seemed like she wanted to dissuade me. “Mrs. Hayes…” “If he doesn’t let me go, he can prepare to collect my body and the baby’s!” Mrs. Gable’s unspoken words were cut off. My face, pale as paper, held a shocking look of determination. She must have been frightened by my expression. She quickly agreed, “Okay, okay… Mrs. Hayes, I’ll call the master right now. Please don’t do anything rash.” Mrs. Gable took out her phone and dialed. “Master Hayes, you need to come back quickly… Mrs. Hayes is…” Bang! The bedroom door was kicked open. The person entering radiated furious anger. I remained huddled in the corner, not even lifting my head, my voice flat. “You’re back.” Liam strode to the bedside, roughly tilted my face up, and ground out, “Chloe, are you trying to threaten me with death, huh?” I was so thin I barely looked human, utterly drained of strength. But I knew I had to fight for myself, or I’d really die here. I looked at Liam with determined eyes. “Let me leave.” Liam sneered coldly. “In your dreams!” I tried to push his hand away. My messy hair covered half my face; I must have looked like a ghost. My voice hoarse, I cried out, “Either let me go, or kill me!” Compared to my breakdown, Liam seemed unnervingly calm. He said coldly, “If you want to die, you’ll wait until after the baby is born.” My heart sank. I looked at him in despair. I couldn’t even cry anymore. Liam suddenly mentioned, “They’ve identified the hit-and-run driver. Once he’s caught, let’s see how you talk your way out of it then.” A flicker of hope sparked in my eyes, but it died just as quickly. “Liam, the car accident had nothing to do with me. How many times do I have to tell you before you believe me?” Even if they found the driver, what difference would it make? Liam still wouldn’t believe me. He’d assume I’d already bribed the driver. In his mind, I was the one responsible for Jenna Sullivan’s accident and infertility. No matter how I explained, he wouldn’t listen. Bottom line: Liam said I did it, so I did it. Heh… I bit my lip, tasting blood. Liam’s voice came from above. “No rush. The truth will come out soon enough.” He paused, then commanded coldly, “Now, eat this!” My voice raspy, I refused, “I won’t eat— Mmph—” Before I could finish, his cold fingers pried my mouth open. Then, he grabbed the oatmeal from the nightstand and poured it straight into my mouth… “Cough… Liam…” I choked, flailing my hands weakly against him, looking utterly wretched and pained. Clack. Liam slammed the bowl back down on the table. He watched me coldly. “You dare starve my child? Then I’ll make sure that old man, Chris Archer, finds no peace even in his grave.” My vacant eyes slowly regained focus, my voice trembling. “What… what are you going to do?” 5 Liam sneered. “His ashes are still buried at the Oak Hill Cemetery, right?” Looking at his emotionless face, I quickly shook my head. “No, don’t!” I grabbed the sleeve of Liam’s suit jacket, my pale face stained with tears and grime, begging in a raspy voice, “Liam, I know I was wrong, please, I’m begging you, don’t hurt my grandpa…” He remained cold. “I’ll eat now, I’ll eat right now…” I immediately grabbed the oatmeal from the nightstand and started wolfing it down. A suffocating feeling gripped my throat, but I didn’t dare stop. I knew Liam too well. If I showed even a hint of defiance now, he really would send someone to desecrate Grandpa’s ashes. Grandpa was the kindest person to me in the whole world. I couldn’t let Liam do that. My desperate effort to eat seemed to satisfy Liam somewhat. A crack appeared in his stony expression. He frowned, snorted dismissively, then turned and strode out. The door closed. I put down the bowl. My stomach churned violently. I jumped off the bed and rushed into the bathroom. Retch— I threw up everything I had forced down. My stomach felt like it was being twisted by a giant hand, the pain making it hard to even stand steady. My vision blurred. Standing in front of the mirror, I suddenly didn't recognize myself. I used to be the cherished darling of the Archer family. Ever since falling for Liam and becoming his wife, I had completely lost myself. But still, he wouldn’t even look at me. I tried to force a smile, but couldn't. “Sob…” I covered my face and cried helplessly. Just then, my phone vibrated. I answered. A soft female voice came through. “Chloe, it’s me.” It was Jenna Sullivan. “Can we meet?” I walked into the lobby of The Serene Spoon. Jenna was already waiting at a window table. The gentle piano music matched Jenna’s elegance perfectly—a picture of refined beauty. I wasn't in the mood to appreciate it. I sat down. She glanced at me, then pulled a document from her designer bag and slapped it on the table. Her tone was almost commanding. “This is the divorce agreement. Sign it, and I can convince Liam to let you go.” “Why should I listen to you?” Jenna lifted her chin slightly, sneering. “Chloe, who do you think you are? In Liam’s eyes, you’re nothing! Don’t you feel ashamed clinging to the title of Mrs. Hayes?” My hands resting on the table clenched unconsciously. I shifted my gaze from the agreement, looked up at Jenna, and retorted, “No matter what, I am his legal wife. Even if we get a divorce, he should be the one talking to me about it.” Jenna’s face hardened. “Chloe, you don’t have any other choice!” She paused, then suddenly smiled cryptically. “Either sign, or I’ll have the hit-and-run driver point the finger at you.” “What did you say?” I felt a wave of dizziness. I studied Jenna’s expression carefully. Her face was full of mockery and triumph. Thinking back on what Jenna had just said, realization slowly dawned. “Could it be…” Jenna chuckled lightly. “That’s right. I planned everything.” I was stunned. “Why would you do that?!” “I orchestrated everything perfectly. I thought Liam would send you to prison.” Jenna’s expression suddenly turned vicious, her teeth clenched. “But I never expected him to marry you! What right do you have to be Mrs. Hayes?!” A chill ran down my spine. A terrible premonition surfaced. “Jenna Sullivan, you’re insane!” I shot up from my chair. “I’m going to tell Liam about this!” Jenna stood up too, stepping closer, a dark glint in her eyes. “You won’t get the chance.” I froze for a second, not understanding. Before I could react, she forcefully shoved a knife into my hand. Then, Jenna grabbed my hand holding the knife and pulled it hard, stabbing herself.
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