Chapter 2

A crowd of people surrounded them, egging them on to kiss passionately.

I pushed open the door with police officers in tow, and immediately saw Nathan's face covered in lipstick marks, completely lost in the moment.

When Nathan caught sight of the police, his expression darkened, his tone dripping with hostility.

"What's the meaning of this? We're having a good time, and you bring people to cause trouble? Are you deliberately trying to ruin my happiness?"

"Are you sick or something? Can't stand to see me happy, so you pick this exact moment to mess with me?"

An officer stepped forward, his tone serious.

"Someone has reported you for marriage fraud. We're here to verify the situation."

Winnie pulled the blanket tightly around herself, her voice sickeningly sweet, her eyes full of provocation.

"How could you file a false police report? You're a lunatic with severe depression and mental instability. Who would believe anything you say? Have you ever told the truth in your entire life?"

"I bet you're just jealous that Nathan and I are getting married, aren't you? Driven mad with envy."

Nathan expertly took Winnie's hand, slipping a card into it discreetly, his face plastered with a fake smile.

"Officers, don't listen to her nonsense. This woman is a stalker who's been following me around. She saw I was getting married and deliberately came to make trouble. You can't believe a word she says."

He patted the officer's arm.

"Sorry you had to come all the way out here in the middle of the night. There's money on this card—use it however you want. Consider it a token of my appreciation."

I clutched the marriage certificate and our wedding photo in my pocket, about to pull them out to expose their lies.

Suddenly, Nathan's grandmother struck me hard on the back with her cane, making me stumble forward.

"You've ruined such a good day! You're nothing but bad luck. You can't give the Cooper family children, so why can't we let someone else?"

"You occupy the position of Mrs. Cooper but can't even produce a child, and you still have the nerve to make a scene here."

Nathan's grandmother pointed her finger at my nose, her tone full of disgust.

"You're being completely selfish. I watched Winnie grow up—she's sensible and sweet, much more suitable for the Cooper family than you. You two should divorce immediately. Don't hold Nathan back, and don't prevent the Cooper family from continuing the bloodline."

I turned to look at Nathan.

He stood behind his grandmother, head lowered, not saying a word the entire time.

He had no intention of defending me whatsoever.

Nathan's grandmother left holding Winnie's hand.

As Winnie passed by me, the provocation in her eyes overflowed.

After they left, Nathan slowly walked over, putting on a guilty expression as he took my hand.

"Zoe, I know it was wrong of me not to be by your side when our child died. I shouldn't have left you to face all this alone. Please don't be angry with me."

He pressed a black card into my palm; the warmth from his fingertips made me sick.

"Take this card. Find a nice place to lay our child to rest. Buy whatever you want on my card. Don't make things hard on yourself."

He reached out to wipe the tears from my eyes, but I dodged sharply.

The guilt on his face froze for a moment before he quickly covered it up.

"Grandma wants us to divorce, but I won't do it. I love you."

"Don't overthink it. Winnie and I are just fake married. I couldn't just watch a young girl get left at the altar and have people gossip about her, could I? Be the bigger person. Don't stoop to her level, and don't make me lose face in front of everyone, okay?"

I gripped the black card, then touched the photo in my pocket, feeling nothing but disgust and mockery.

His professed love, his guilt—it was all just to keep me in line, to prevent me from making this public.