Chapter 4

Maya's POV

I stood outside the gynecology office with the test results, completely stunned.

I was pregnant. One month along.

Counting back, it must have been the night before Ethan left for abroad.

Ethan used to be very clingy with me, especially when it came to sex.

That night he said he'd be away on business for at least half a month, so he kept taking me again and again. Several condoms broke and I didn't even notice.

I leaned against the wall to steady myself. I didn't know why fate kept playing such cruel jokes on me.

I had already decided to divorce Ethan. What was I supposed to do about this child?

I walked out of the hospital in a daze. Later I learned that Autumn's assistant had come to visit Autumn and happened to overhear the doctor talking to me.

That assistant rushed to tip off Autumn.

The next day, Ethan brought Autumn home to move in.

Ethan supported Autumn with one hand and carried her luggage with the other. As soon as they entered, he spoke coldly to me. "The master bedroom is bigger. Move out and give it to Autumn."

I felt nothing inside hearing this. I didn't respond, just went upstairs, simply packed my things, and moved into the guest room.

I'd already given up on Ethan. I wanted to stay as far from him as possible, so moving to the guest room suited me fine.

Seeing me so cooperative, not making a fuss, he seemed to expect me to cry and argue like before. Watching my silence, a flash of surprise crossed his eyes.

I didn't come down for dinner that night either. Being pregnant had actually made my appetite smaller, so I only came down late at night planning to grab something light.

But as soon as I reached the stairs, I ran into Autumn who was just heading up.

Autumn glanced at my stomach, jealousy and hatred flashing in her eyes.

She slowly approached me, saying in a low voice, "Ethan letting you stay in the house is his mercy, but you'd better know your place and get lost. Otherwise I'll make sure Ethan doesn't help you find a heart, and let her die in the hospital!"

The mention of my mother made me grit my teeth, nausea rising in my stomach.

Looking at that arrogant face before me reminded me of my mother lying helpless on the operating table. I couldn't take it anymore and slapped Autumn across the face.

The crisp slap stunned Autumn.

"You dare hit me!"

"I hit you alright. If you dare disrespect my mother again, next time it won't just be a slap."

I threw out those words and stepped down the stairs.

Autumn couldn't take it and suddenly rushed forward to push me.

Fortunately I grabbed the railing and didn't fall.

Autumn tried to attack again but lost her balance and tumbled down the stairs herself.

Her wails echoed through the living room. I frowned. Just then Ethan came out of his room and immediately changed expression at the scene.

He rushed downstairs to help Autumn up. Her ankle was twisted, and she curled up against him crying pitifully. " Maya pushed me... It hurts so much!"

Ethan's face darkened. He strode upstairs and gripped my arm tightly, demanding, "How can you be so vicious? First you curse Autumn with a doll, now you dare push her!"

"I've lived my life with integrity. I don't do such things. But what goes around comes around."

The hatred in my words flowed out without reservation. Ethan narrowed his eyes and looked at me coldly, seeming very displeased with my hateful attitude.

Ethan gripped my arm forcefully and said coldly, "Autumn has no quarrel with you. She wouldn't falsely accuse you. Since you hurt her, you should experience the same."

With that, Ethan pushed me down the stairs.

The world spun as excruciating pain crushed every inch of my body.

Finally my head slammed hard into the floor, blood streaming down my face.

Ethan looked down at me collapsed like garbage on the ground, without a trace of pity in his eyes. He went downstairs, picked up Autumn, and returned to the room, completely ignoring me.

After a while, I managed to drag myself up through sheer willpower.

But as soon as I stood up, I discovered with horror that blood was flowing down the inside of my leg.