Chapter 2

My heart clenched suddenly, as if a hand was squeezing it tight. Pain stiffened my entire body.

Vivian pushed away Ethan as he approached her, shrinking back.

"The doctor said it's only a little over a month. If I abort it now, it's just a clump of cells."

"I'll leave with nothing and give you the signed divorce papers."

"You... should compensate Winona properly."

With that, she rushed out without hesitation.

Ethan's expression changed drastically, and he immediately moved to chase after her.

I instinctively blocked him, wanting an explanation, but he shoved me hard.

"Winona!"

His eyes were full of disgust for me, his tone ice-cold.

"No matter how much you make a scene, this is between the two of us!"

"Ever since you threatened her six years ago, Vivian has suffered from severe depression. When her emotions are triggered, she does extreme things."

"I've worked so hard to help her recover, and you want to destroy her so viciously?"

"If anything happens to her, I won't forgive you."

I lost my balance from his push, my body falling backward uncontrollably. My neck was sliced by broken glass, warm blood gushing out.

Before I lost consciousness, I heard the conversation between Marcus and Ethan.

"Ethan, Winona's bleeding a lot!"

"Call an ambulance and dump her at the hospital. Clean everything up—Vivian's easily frightened!"

When I groggily came to, nurses were whispering in the hospital room.

"Miss Quinn only experienced some mild fetal distress, but her husband immediately put her in a VIP room and stayed with her the whole time, terrified something might happen."

"Look at this one—the glass almost cut her carotid artery. So dangerous! She's been awake for so long and not a single person has come to see her. Really pitiful."

"The gap between people—how can it be so huge?"

After the door closed, I slowly opened my eyes and laughed bitterly at myself.

My hand touched the gauze on my neck. Tears fell, and I wiped them away before going to find a doctor to pay my bills.

Just as I sat up, Ethan aggressively pushed the door open and rushed in. He grabbed my wrist hard, his tone cold.

"Winona, what exactly are you trying to do?"

"Deceiving you was my idea—it has nothing to do with Vivian!"

"If you have a problem, come at me! Why did you deliberately get the media to accuse her of being a mistress online?"

"She just woke up and saw those comments. She got so emotional she almost jumped off the building!"

His grip was painfully strong, making my already pale face look even worse.

I struggled with all my strength to shake off his hand, shouting back in anger.

"Ethan, I never did anything like that!"

He snorted dismissively and shoved his phone in my face.

The screen was filled with comments calling Vivian a mistress.

[Mrs. Cross of Cross Group—Vivian—homewrecker who stole someone's position.]

Besides that, there was a long post about how Ethan faked his death to escape and fabricated lies to deceive his girlfriend for his mistress.

Cross Group's stock had also become volatile because of this.

And the media outlet that published this news was where my best friend used to work.

Ethan's eyes were cold, his tone dripping with mockery.

"Still denying it? Your best friend works there, doesn't she?"

"Whenever anything involves you, she always rushes to the front line without hesitation."

I stood there stunned, explaining helplessly and aggrieved.

"She went abroad three years ago. She doesn't work there anymore..."

"You're still lying!"

Ethan cut me off sharply, his eyes full of disappointment.

"Winona, how did you become so manipulative and scheming?"

"You used to be such a kind person. Now you'd stop at nothing to drive Vivian and her child to death."

He paused, his tone inexplicably softening.

"Have you forgotten how much pain you were in when you lost your child?"

I looked up sharply, locking eyes with him.

My heart felt like it was being cut back and forth with a dull knife, turning the scabbed wound into a mangled mess.

I suddenly remembered—six years ago, the day I found out I was pregnant, I caught Ethan and Vivian together in our wedding house.

At that time, I had just discovered his affair and hadn't confronted him yet when I became so emotionally distraught I ended up in the hospital.

I returned home in a daze, only to hear the ambiguous sounds of a man and woman from inside.

Like a madwoman, I rushed into the kitchen, grabbed a knife, and swung it at them. But he pushed me hard while desperately protecting Vivian, and I crashed into the vanity table.

My abdomen hurt, something sticky flowed down below, and the baby was gone on the spot.

Later came his apology, his threats of suicide, my compromise, and his false remorse.

My tongue tasted bitter. I pulled my lips into a desolate smile, my voice hoarse beyond recognition.

"Ethan, Vivian will never shake off the label of mistress for the rest of her life. Your relationship will always be shameful."

"Also, you have no right to mention my child."

"Winona, shut up!"

Ethan frowned and shouted, his eyes ice-cold without a trace of guilt.

"This is between you and me. It has nothing to do with Vivian."

He lowered his voice, looking down at me, his tone carrying naked threats.

"You've been working so hard to earn money all these years just to get your adoptive mother a heart transplant, right?"

"I heard a donor match has already been found?"