Chapter 4

For my baby's sake, I swallowed my pride and begged Lucy.

"Mom, please... this is your grandchild! Please spare him..."

It was the first time I'd called her "Mom" since our marriage - and it was to beg for her own grandchild's life.

Lucy sneered, "Don't you dare call me Mom, you adulteress! What did my son ever do wrong to make you cheat and get pregnant with other man's child?"

I shook my head. "I never cheated. That video is fake - it's made with deepfake face swapping technology."

Lucy spat in my face. "Save your lies! I've never heard of this 'face-swapping’ nonsense."

"Besides, my daughter sent me this video. It has to be real!"

I remembered how Troy had thrown his sister and her child out after they deliberately disturbed my nap.

He'd cut all ties with them and even fired his brother-in-law from his company.

"Your daughter's just trying to get revenge. The video is fake-"

Before I could finish, Lucy kicked me again. "You whore! First you cheat on my son, then you dare accuse my daughter?"

She kept kicking and screaming, "Ever since you came into our lives, you've had Troy wrapped around your finger. He turned his back on his own family because of you!"

I curled into a ball, desperately protecting my stomach with my hands, trying to block out her abuse.

Despite being a woman of science, I found myself praying to any god who would listen - just begging someone to save my baby.

But Lucy's next words shattered any hope I had left.

She commanded her friends, "Hold down her arms and legs! Don't let her run!"

Immediately, four women grabbed me, each taking a limb and pulling me with my arms and legs away from my stomach.

Tears streamed down my face as I looked at them pleadingly.

"Please... don't..."

Lucy's mouth twisted into a cruel smile as she stomped on my stomach with all her might.

I screamed in agony.

But the kicks only got harder. Eventually, my body went numb, and I felt something warm trickling down.

Someone shouted.

"Blood! She's bleeding!"

Crimson stained my white dress as I felt my baby slipping away.

Seeing the blood, they finally released me.

I weakly placed my hands on my stomach, sobbing uncontrollably.

Baby, I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you. Please don't blame me.

I glared at them through bloodshot eyes, burning their cruel faces into my memory.

Each word dripping with hatred, I said, "Lucy Patworth, I will make you wish you were dead."

"You should be more worried about explaining your affair and that child to my son."

Lucy waved her phone, showing Troy's name on the screen.

But just as she dialed, a ringtone sounded from outside the door.

Troy walked in with his suitcase, looking travel-worn - he must have rushed back after seeing the pregnancy test photo I'd sent.

Lucy quickly hung up and hurried to greet him.

“Troy! You're finally home!"

As she stepped aside, Troy saw me lying there - my face swollen, my lower body covered in blood.

In an instant, he shoved Lucy aside and rushed to me, stumbling in his haste.