Chapter 2

Maybe my face looked too stiff, because Blake paused, his tone softening a little.

"Aurora, Chloe was practically family. You helped her get out of that small town. Does it really matter who gave birth?"

He reached for my hand, his voice gentle but unyielding.

"Let's not make this worse than it has to be, Aurora. Look at Lily—she's about to cry because of all this."

I glanced at my daughter beside me. Her little face was red, tears welling in her eyes as she called "Mommy" with a confused, worried frown.

In that moment, a dull, belated ache hit my chest. I fought back the emotions threatening to spill over, yanking my hand away from Blake's grip.

"Don't touch me!"

The dining table went completely silent. His face hardened into a cold mask too.

"Aurora, if you can't pull yourself together, I'll have the driver take you home."

"I'm celebrating New Year's with my family tonight. I won't be going with you."

Family?

I almost laughed through my tears, glaring at everyone around the table.

"None of you have anything to say? Don't forget—if it weren't for me, Aurora Hayes, none of you would be here right now!"

Years ago, Blake was a nobody—dead broke, going nowhere. I went against everything to be with him, using the Hayes family's connections and money to build Harrison Corp. into what it is today!

Just minutes before, when they were pressuring me for another baby, his parents were all smiles—calling me the family's savior, even promising Lily a huge gift!

But now their tune had changed. His mother, holding their new grandson, scolded me.

"Aurora, that's not true! Blake's talent is what made the Harrisons successful. What did you really do?"

"Harrison Corp. is a major company now. We can't just have a female heir."

"Honestly, you should be thanking Chloe. She gave us a healthy baby boy—finally, an heir for the Harrison name!"

They even went further, picking on Lily.

"Lily, sweetie, look at your baby brother! You better be good from now on, or Grandma and Grandpa might only love him and not want you anymore!"

My daughter was only five—still little and sensitive. Her lips trembled, and she buried herself in my arms.

"Waaah… Mommy, I don't want a baby brother. Don't stop loving me."

My heart broke. I held her close, my eyes locked on Blake.

"Blake, you're gonna regret this!"

With that, I turned and walked out, no second thoughts.

On New Year's Eve, my husband of six years kicked me out of our house.

After finally getting my sobbing daughter to sleep, I let my own tears come.

I buried myself in the covers, crying until my chest hurt—heartbroken, silent.

Six years. Six long years.

From the slums where he had nothing to this big house we lived in now.

Yesterday, Blake was inside me, kissing me like crazy, whispering he'd only ever love me.

But why? How could that sincerity have been a lie? How could his love flip so fast?

My chest hurt so bad I could barely breathe. Then my phone rang.

As soon as I answered, I heard Chloe's soft, teary voice.

"Blake... what are you doing? I need to call Aurora and say sorry..."

Wet, muffled sounds of them having sex followed, making my blood run cold. I heard Blake laugh, out of breath.

"Sorry? She's so in love with me she can't function without me. In a couple days, she'll be crawling back, begging. Chloe, be a good girl and open your legs..."

He lowered his voice, every word a knife.

"Who else would want a woman who can't have kids anymore? Is she even still a real woman?"

All the blood in my body turned to ice.