1 During my prenatal check-up, Justin received a call, and his face instantly changed. He looked at me, full of internal struggle and pain. “Carrie, Maya’s flight is today. She’s never coming back to the States.” “One last time, I have to see her off.” I gently stroked my belly, watching him silently. “Do you have to go?” Justin’s voice trembled; he dared not look at me. “Carrie, I will live a good life with you from now on. The three of us, as a family, will be good.” With that, he left without looking back. He didn't see me collapse to the ground behind him. In the operating room, the doctor confirmed again. “This baby, we can still save it. Are you sure you don’t want it?” I closed my eyes and nodded. No, I don’t want it. And I don’t want Justin either. The name Maya was a taboo between Justin and me. No one had mentioned it for a long time. Hearing it again today, it felt strangely surreal. Justin’s expression was torn and pained, just like when he knelt before me, begging for my forgiveness. He swore to the heavens, promising me he would completely cut ties with Maya. “Do you have to go?” My voice sounded strangely calm, as if it wasn't my own. But Justin had already left without looking back. His retreating figure was resolute and final. I, however, smiled. A sharp pain shot through my lower abdomen, and blood stained the floor. This child, after all, couldn't be kept. … After the surgery, I returned home, my face ashen. The room was pitch black; Justin hadn’t come back. No calls, no messages. I pulled at the corner of my mouth, a mocking smirk. Where Justin was, was self-evident. Just as I was about to go to the bedroom, the front door suddenly opened. Justin was back. He looked at me, a little surprised, his eyes flickering. “Carrie, why are you in the living room? Why haven’t you rested yet?” He stepped forward, trying to put his arm around me. But I smelled a perfume that didn’t belong to me or him. As my gaze swept over his neck, I also saw a red mark. I should have been furious, but at that moment, I felt a sense of finality and relief. No questioning, no hysterics. I pulled back a step in disgust. “Justin, let’s get a divorce.” Justin froze, then his tone grew irritable. “Carrie! What do you want? I already told you, this was the last goodbye! Why can’t you be understanding?” I looked at the agitated Justin before me, my eyes somewhat unfocused. He rarely lost his temper with me. In everyone’s eyes, Justin adored me. I believed it too. He would spend a fortune to buy me exquisite jewelry. He would even set off fireworks that lit up the entire city on my birthday, just to please me. … These things were countless. Until the appearance of one person: his new assistant, Maya. Only because I asked Maya to get out of Justin’s passenger seat, Maya’s eyes turned red with grievance. Justin then lost his temper with me. At that moment, I knew Justin had crossed a line with Maya. I cried, I made a scene, even threatened to expose Maya and make it impossible for her to stay in the city. Justin, a man of such pride, knelt before me. He said he would end it completely. He said he was just momentarily lost. He said he would fire Maya and never see her again. At that time, touching the child in my belly, I decided to give Justin another chance. But now, I knew, I didn't want this man anymore. Justin was still making excuses. “Carrie, I told you, this was the last time. She’s already gone, can you please stop this? Didn’t we say we wouldn’t bring up divorce anymore?” I looked at Justin, and the man before me seemed unrecognizable, having become a liar whose mouth was only filled with falsehoods. My lower abdomen started hurting again. I was too tired to argue with Justin anymore and turned to go back to the bedroom. A deafening door slam echoed from the hallway. 2 That night, I slept restlessly, my dreams filled with fragments of the past. Justin and I were in an arranged marriage. Yet, we were surprisingly compatible. I had hesitated about this relationship at the time. This circle always had its fair share of affairs. My parents respected my opinion greatly, and they also advised me to think carefully. It was Justin. He knelt before me, swearing to the heavens. “Carrie, I will never betray you in this life!” “I’m not like them! I will treat you well!” “There will only be you by my side!” … The vows in my ears felt like they were from yesterday, yet they had long turned into a joke. When Maya’s eyes were red and she looked timid, I saw the heartache in Justin’s eyes. That favoritism, once exclusively mine, he had given to another woman. I tearfully confronted Justin, even slapping him several times. But I only got his reply. “Carrie, this is how it is in this circle! Besides, I haven’t even cheated!” I broke down. I stopped eating and drinking, even having suicidal tendencies. That night, when Justin woke up with a start, he saw me standing by the window, one foot about to step out. Justin cried then, holding me tightly, dragging me to the sofa, then kneeling on the ground, slapping himself repeatedly. “Carrie, I’ll never say such foolish things again.” “I’ll make Maya leave. She’ll never appear before you in this lifetime.” I looked at Justin, and my heart softened. Later, things between us seemed to return to how they were before. But my heart, I don’t know why, became increasingly numb, colder and colder, until it was utterly desolate. Perhaps, I should have divorced then, but I had a child. That child, whom Justin and I had yearned for for three years. … When I woke up, it was already bright daylight. I went to the living room, only to see the table laden with my favorite dim sum. Justin was looking at me eagerly. “Carrie, you must be starving, right?” “This is from your favorite bakery, Sterling’s Finest.” “Hurry, eat something.” Justin’s expression was natural, as if yesterday’s events had never happened. He even pulled out a chair for me and set out chopsticks. I silently sat down and ate. My body urgently needed nourishment, and I was too tired to argue anymore. Seeing me finish my meal, Justin also relaxed. He thought yesterday’s events were over. “Carrie, I’ll be on a business trip for a while. Take good care of yourself at home.” I calmly nodded. “When you get back, we’ll go file for divorce.” Justin’s face instantly changed. The cup beside him was slammed hard onto the floor. His tone was clearly filled with exasperation and anger. “Carrie, what do you want? I’ve already humbled myself, what else are you dissatisfied with? Why have you become so aggressive now? Carrie, I’m telling you, I’m not getting a divorce!” I looked at Justin’s distorted face before me, my heart surprisingly calm. The old Carrie would have probably cried from being wronged. Back then, she loved Justin. She couldn’t bear to let him go, even if he was emotionally lost. She would rather torment herself to death, just to give him another chance. But now, I didn't want him. “Justin, I’m leaving. It’ll make space for your Maya. Why are you angry? I’m completing your happiness.” Justin grew even more furious. “Carrie! Don’t be so unreasonable! Yesterday, I told you it was the last time. I’ve already fired her as you requested, and we won’t see each other again. What else do you want me to do? Besides, I never even cheated in the first place! What do you want? I love you, only you, just you!” I laughed. I laughed at Justin’s shamelessness. “Justin.” “Do you really think I’m a fool?” “You came back so late yesterday. The red mark on your neck, the perfume on your clothes. This sudden business trip today.” “Justin, honestly, you’re quite shameless.” The room instantly fell silent. Justin’s chest heaved, his face alternating between green and pale. I ignored him and walked straight out the door. Justin probably forgot. When he knelt down and repeatedly promised to marry me, he had signed a divorce agreement. If he betrayed me, I could leave him anytime. Now, that divorce agreement was his comeuppance! 3 Leaving the house Justin and I shared, I returned to my parents’ home. My parents looked delighted to see me back. “Carrie, why did you come over today?” They came to greet me, their faces full of concern. “Didn’t you have a prenatal check-up yesterday? How’s the baby?” I couldn’t hold back anymore, and tears immediately streamed down my face. “Mom, Dad, the baby’s gone. I want a divorce.” My parents didn’t know about Justin and Maya’s affair. At that time, I was filled with resentment, pain, and indecision. Yet, I couldn’t bring myself to be ruthless. I suffered and struggled alone, not telling my parents. My parents instantly fell silent after hearing my words. My mom’s eyes were red, and she hugged me tightly. “What happened? Are you hurt?” I cried even harder. I told my parents everything about Justin and Maya. Our family company still had a partnership with Justin’s family company. If we divorced, we would definitely have to sever ties. My dad slammed his fist on the table. “Divorce!” “Carrie, your mom and I are getting old; we don’t have much ambition left. No partnership, no partnership! We have enough money to support the three of us. No need to compromise!” Hearing my father’s words, I cried even more fiercely. I stayed at home like this. Justin’s calls were incessant, but I didn’t answer. I just wanted to quietly recover my body before dealing with the divorce. But that day, my father suddenly returned home, his face filled with rage. “That Justin, he’s a piece of trash!” It was from my father’s words that I learned Justin had actually started to suppress our family company! I couldn’t hold back anymore. I rushed out the door, determined to confront Justin. How could he have the nerve?! Returning to the house Justin and I shared. There was another person there: Maya, who was supposed to have left the country! Seeing me return, Justin’s face immediately darkened. Maya flinched, hiding behind Justin. Justin’s expression grew even uglier. “Carrie, do you have the nerve to come back?” I looked at him with a cold face. “Justin, why don’t I have the nerve to come back? You’re bringing your mistress into our home; how dare you lecture me? Even if we divorce, you have no right to target my dad’s company!” Justin’s eyes were dark and menacing. “Carrie, this is a warning and punishment for you! How dare you lay a hand on Maya? She was already leaving.” I looked at Justin and only felt absurdity. “I laid a hand on her? Justin, I wouldn’t want to dirty my hands!” Justin, however, sternly demanded. “Who else but you? You actually hired people to kidnap her and tried to humiliate her! Don’t you know, if I hadn’t arrived in time, Maya would have been ruined!” His gaze was cold, and a smirk played on his lips. “You once said you’d ruin Maya, didn’t you?” Yes, the crazy me, who once deeply loved Justin, had sworn to fight Maya to the death. But not anymore. I looked at Maya. She was softly sobbing behind Justin, but her eyes, when she looked at me, were full of provocation. I understood then: Maya had never intended to leave the country, never intended to leave at all. She was just playing a game of retreating to advance. The whole "kidnapping and humiliation" was her own well-staged act. Only Justin fell for it. Maya cautiously tugged at Justin’s sleeve. “Justin, please don’t argue with Ms. Jiang. I’m fine. It’s all my fault for getting too close to you, that’s why Ms. Jiang is angry. Don’t worry, I’ll definitely leave.” Justin, however, loudly stopped Maya. “Maya, don’t be afraid! I won’t let you leave! Going abroad alone, unfamiliar with the place, who knows what could happen.” After comforting Maya, Justin turned to me. “Carrie, I’ll arrange for Maya to work at a branch company. She won’t appear before us. This is compensation for you hurting her this time. Put away your petty thoughts. I told you, you will always be Mrs. Thorne.” At this point, his voice softened. “This time, I won’t pursue it. I know you care about me, and you’re just confused because you care. The partnership between Thorne Inc. and Jiang Corp. will continue. I’ll hold a press conference to stabilize the situation. We’re about to become parents, let’s be good and stop fighting, okay?” I only found it comical. He didn’t know the baby was already gone. The moment he chose Maya again. I didn’t want to argue with Justin anymore. Since he had no shame, I didn’t need to show any mercy. I gave Justin a deep look, then smiled and nodded. This time, I was going to give Justin a grand gift.
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