CHAPTER 2

CATHERINE ...

I stumbled upon my feet, looking back at Regina. "What are you doing? Let go of my hand!" I jerked her hand away. No time to waste on her, I need to find my husband!

However, Regina once again pulled me back by my arm. It was forceful and I winced in pain.

"Stop pestering Edward! Don't you understand this simple phase?" Her furious eyes caged me with a warning.

This is the real her... Regina Frost, who pretends to be a well-wisher to Edward whilst trying to subdue me. But, she is a vixen who acted for years to be good. The worst part was her eye-catching status both in business and family. Though she got it high because I stooped low, I am more focused on my Husband and he is not interested in her.

I might be in pain, but not distressed yet. Jerking my hand from her grip, I glared at her. "He is my husband and you're no one to order me."

I was about to leave when,

"Is that why he filed a divorce?"

I paused, frozen. How did she know? I turned to her again only to find her golden eyes on me. Mocking at me with a faint smile. She knew she won right there.

"What happened?" She tilted forward, closing the distance with a proud face, "Unbelievable right?" Her brow arched, and a smirk curved her lips, "Come on Catherine, stop pretending to be naive. He is always with me, every day." She leaned to my ear, "Even on some nights too."

Her words sliced my heart once again and I lost count of how many times it happened. Still, there was a faint belief in me that did not fade away. I know my husband and this woman too. She's nothing but a barking dog.

I decline to accept defeat. Holding her gaze, I sneered, "Perhaps you forgot, Regina. I am still his wife, no matter how long he is with you, he returns to me in the end."

I sound like a desperate woman, which I am for my husband and now, for the sake of my baby. I also know she is lying. Trying to provoke me.

And I was right when her eyes burned in fury.

"The wife he wanted to get rid of." She hissed like a serpent. "Don't forget the divorce agreement." Her tone turned harsher.

Chuckling, I hold her gaze, "Not yet. I won't let this happen."

"Oh?" She smiled at me, but her gaze couldn't hide her jealousy. "Aren't you too confident, Catherine? Just think about it, I knew his mind before you did. So..."

Yes, it hurts. Still, she is his business associate and knows his moves as his childhood friend. She was simply Trying to take advantage of the situation which I wouldn't allow.

I shrugged, "Who knows, you might eavesdrop?" I arched a brow at her which startled her a little, 50% confirming my thoughts. She masked her emotion again.

"Catherine, you're too delusional, aren't you?" She again leaned toward me, "Which part of it you don't understand that he is always surrounded by me? He would choose me today or tomorrow. Don't forget, if you hadn't meddled two years ago, I would have been in your place."

My fists clenched tightly on my dress and I threw her a disdained smirk, "Me or not, this wouldn't happen either way and if you try for another twenty years, Edward will never look at you the way he did to me."

Her expression gave me peace. Perhaps, it's bad to be happy seeing others miserable, in her case I don't fucking care what's wrong. This time I leaned toward her, "You're the third wheel at the moment, Regina. I am legally married to him. I really wonder if you know what they call a woman like you..." I arched a brow.

Cold fury snapped in her eyes, breaking her discreet mask. "You...!" She tried to push me away but I dodged it holding the railing and hurting my abdomen in the process.

A sharp pain blurred my eyes and knocked out a lung full of air. My baby! Immediately, my hand clutched my belly possessively. At the same time, the air pierced with an ached shriek, following some footsteps.

I was baffled at the moment. But soon realised when looked down. Regina fell off the stairs! Her assistants and Servants gathered there. And to make it worse, I saw my husband rush in from the backyard.

"What happ... Regina!" He immediately bends beside her. "Regina, what happened?" He patted her cheeks and I watched him panicking from the stairs. "How did this happen?" He asked angrily as his eyes fell on her assistant.

Nora cried, stretching her hand up to me, "S-she pushed her."

What!? My eyes widened and soon my heart sunk into nervousness when Edward's eyes landed on me with a blaming gaze. The disbelief in his bronze-gold eyes sent chills to my bones as I quickly stepped forward but paused with a gasp, feeling my abdominal pain again.

"E-Edward, I did not..." My words fumbled under his blaming glare.

"This does not end here, we'll talk about it later." Throwing those words coldly at me, he picked up Regina and rushed out of the mansion while others followed him behind. Everyone was panicked for her and I was left alone once again.

Weak on my knees, I slid against the staircase.

I was so tired of this pretentious game of a good wife. Every time I ended up being blamed for no reason. Today was the worst of all. It was an accident but eventually, I would be blamed for this. God forbid if something happens to Regina, I am doomed. Edward wanted to divorce me and after this, he would hate me!

Honestly, I don't really care about me now but my unborn infant.

Slowly dragging myself up, I went to our bedroom, shaking under my knees and Feeling dizzy. I entered the bathroom. Standing before the wash basin, I splashed water on my face.

In the mirror, a drear reflection of an exhausted woman reminded me of a desperate and timid woman I hated all my life. 'Love' she used to blame all her sufferings on that one word and I could see the same image in me.

I couldn't find the true me who once left everything just to stand against all the powers and determine her happiness. What happened to her? How could she walk on the same road that her mother chose years ago?

Am I being the same mother I hated my entire life?

My hand raised to touch the mirror reflection only to pause, slowly bringing my hand back to me I stared at the faded tattoo on my wrist, engraved 'R.R' that I kept hidden for years under all the makeup. Something I hated yet never got rid of because it reminded me not to be like her. No, I can't be like her.

I can't do this to my child. I can't pass the same fate to my child.

Standing straight, I harshly wiped my tears, asking myself one question, 'Is it worth my situation?' And the answer echoed in my head unhesitatingly... 'NO, IT'S NOT.'