Chapter 1

While I was with my best friend, Avril, trying on wedding dresses, she suddenly said,

“You know, your husband Blake is pretty great in bed.”

I froze for a moment, not really processing it yet.

She pointed to a hickey on her chest:

“He bit me there last night, in the car. Tell him to be a little gentler next time.”

My throat tightened, my fingertips trembling.

“Have you no shame?”

Her smile didn't falter. She took my hand and placed it on her lower abdomen.

“I can’t help it, I'm pregnant with Blake's baby.”

My body went rigid, my mind exploding.

“He really loves you, but he honestly thinks you're dirty.”

“I gave him my first time, and I've never had an abortion for anyone else, so he promised me a wedding.”

I stumbled backward, a pair of warm hands reached out to steady me.

Without thinking, I slapped him.

Blake stopped, his voice casual.

“You know everything?”

My body trembled, a terrible cold washing over me.

Blake looked at me, pushing his tongue against his cheek.

“You and Avril have been best friends for ages. Why can’t you be even half as sweet as her?”

His tone was no different from before, every word a sharp knife piercing my heart.

“Aren't you disgusted?” I choked out.

He paused, then smiled, uncaring.

“Who told you to be so dirty?”

“Every time I see your body, I can't help but imagine you beneath other men.”

He said, a flicker of disgust in his eyes.

“There’s no way I’d let my child be born from such a dirty body.”

I froze, my ears ringing.

I stared at him, unable to believe it.

Just yesterday, he’d held me close, whispering "I love you" over and over into my ear.

He’d sworn he wouldn't care about my past, no matter what it was.

“Do you know what you’re saying?”

My voice trembled violently, tears spilling out uncontrollably.

He lifted a hand, gently wiping away my tears, and sighed.

“I know.”

“It’s not that I don’t love you, but I really wanted to know what it felt like to be with a virgin. Why did you lie to me first?”

He took Avril’s hand.

“Avril is your best friend, she won't fight you for me. She even promised that our child can call you Mom.”

“You should thank her.”

I watched their fingers intertwine, my vision blurring.

Yesterday, I found out I was pregnant.

I’d invited them to dinner, wanting to share the good news with the two most important people in my life.

But as soon as they met, they ignored me and started bickering with each other.

Avril accused Blake of not spending enough time with me. Blake thought she was meddling.

I was already used to their dynamic, and I pushed my own pregnancy news to the back of my mind.

When dinner ended, they were still arguing about who he’d spend the weekend with.

But now, they stood together, telling me they were having a baby.

Seeing me gasp for breath in pain, Blake stepped forward anxiously, trying to take my hand.

“As long as you don’t make a fuss, we can go back to how things were.”

“Yesterday, after Avril and I argued, I told you I had an emergency at work. Actually, we were having sex in the car.”

“She was wearing a red lingerie set, I just couldn't resist.”

My heart felt like a huge hole had been torn through it, through which freezing winds howled.

My teeth chattered. “Avril is my best friend!”

Then, I looked at Avril. “Why?”

Avril took a step closer, grasping my hand.

“Precisely because we’re friends, I won't threaten your position.”

“Blake and I were just enjoying some excitement for a bit.”

“In our hearts, you'll always be the most important one.”

My fingertips trembled, my chest heavy with a bitter ache.

Blake casually kissed my cheek.

“Cheer up. Weren’t you most excited to see Avril in her wedding dress?”

“Pick out a bridesmaid dress for yourself while you’re at it.”

The diamonds on the wedding dress reflected a blinding light, stinging my eyes. Tears blurred my vision.

I raised my hand again, slapping him across the face.

“You’re both so dirty, so disgusting!”

The words had barely left my mouth when I was violently shoved, crashing into the corner of a table. A sharp pain shot through me.

Avril’s crying voice reached my ears.

“We're dirty?”

“Lester, you went out of your way to seduce Johnny and slept with him. What right do you have to call me dirty?”

Blake looked at me coldly.

“Calm down, Lester.”