Chapter 3

I didn’t know how long I cried for, but it wasn’t until a dull pain started throbbing in my stomach that I finally snapped out of it.

I gently placed my hand over my belly and forced myself to stand.

“I’m sorry, baby,” I whispered. “I used to be so excited to meet you, but your father doesn’t love us anymore. He doesn’t deserve to be your dad… and I can’t bring you into a world so full of cruelty.

“I’m sorry.”

Once I calmed myself down, I threw out everything Sam and Lily had brought into this place. Then, I opened the storage room, only to see everything I held dear had been tossed carelessly onto the floor.

The pain in my heart tightened. I knelt down and quietly began picking up the pieces, tears falling as I moved.

Three out of five small flower pots were shattered, and the plants inside were nearly dead, barely holding on. My mom’s pure white Persian rug, the one I’d taken such good care of, was now covered in muddy footprints, like someone had stomped on it on purpose.

The leather couch cover had been torn in several places with deep, jagged slashes that couldn’t be repaired. Everything I’d spent years maintaining had been destroyed, just like my relationship with Sam; it was broken beyond recognition.

I cleaned until past midnight before finally collapsing onto the bed.

The next morning, I was jolted awake by loud banging on the front door. Still groggy, I stumbled over and opened it, only to be slapped across the face.

Sam’s mother, Mary Johnson, stood on the other side, her expression cold.

“I always knew you were worthless,” she snapped. “But I didn’t think you’d cheat on Sam to be someone’s mistress? Are we not giving you enough money, that you needed a sugar daddy for kicks?

“You’re a disgrace! No wonder your family went bankrupt. You’re filthy, through and through. You’re not good enough for my son! Sam knows what kind of trash you are now, and he’s done with you. I’m here to tell you: pack your bags and leave this city. Stay away from my son, forever.”

The sting on my cheek burned hot, and I could taste blood in my mouth. However, I held back my tears and looked her in the eye, calm and steady.

“You don’t have to worry. I’ll stay away from your son,” I said. “But you’d better keep him away from me too.”

She sneered. “You think you’re some precious gem? You’re trash. Crawl back to wherever you came from.”

“Mom! What are you saying? I’m not calling off the wedding! Amy is pregnant with my child. She’s going to be my wife!”

Suddenly, Sam’s voice cut through the air as he ran over.

Mary froze, her face going pale. “What did you just say? She’s pregnant? Even if she is, it’s not your child. That illegitimate kid has nothing to do with our family!”

She gave me a filthy look before turning back to Sam, her voice rising with anger. “You told me yesterday that Lily’s pregnant with your child, so you have to marry Lily—now! If she stays unmarried, her reputation will be ruined."

“As for this one…” she sneered, eyeing me from head to toe. “I guess her sugar daddy’s got some energy left, huh? To think he even managed to knock her up. Get her out of here, Sam. Do you want her dragging our family name through the dirt?”

Sam looked conflicted. His lips parted, then closed again, eyes flickering with hesitation.

For a moment, I hoped maybe he would speak up to defend me and our child. However, he didn’t. He said nothing as his mother humiliated me.

Instead, he said, “I love Amy more than anything, so I care about none of those. I’ll raise this baby like it’s my own.”

He then pulled me aside and whispered, pleading with his eyes. “Lily’s pregnant, and the doctor said her uterine wall is too thin. If she gets an abortion, she might never be able to have children again.

“You know she’s about to graduate, so she can’t risk the scandal of being an unwed mother. Even though I’ll marry her, it’s just temporary. As soon as her child is born, I’ll divorce her and marry you instead.

“We’ll be a family—just you, me, and the baby. Everything will go back to the way it was.”

I stared at him, completely numb. It felt like my blood had frozen over, and my heart was hollow, like someone had carved it out.

To protect Lily, he let his mother shame me and insult my child. He’d rather have her call it an illegitimate kid than say a word.

Right then, all the love I had for this man vanished. I was done.