Stephen's voice had the air of a prominent lawyer, reminiscent of a character fresh off a TV drama: formal, authoritative, with a hint of aloofness.I assumed that Wendy must have briefed him beforehand. Lawyers like him value their time and prefer to get straight to the point. After all, elites in society generally despise wasting time, and top lawyers bill their consultation fees by the minute.Without hesitation, I eagerly replied, "I'm available now, Mr. York."Almost immediately, Stephen called.I answered and politely introduced myself, "Hello, Mr. York, I'm Jen Middleton, and I-""Miss Middleton, I am well aware of your situation," Stephen interrupted before I could finish, asking, "What are your divorce demands?"Getting straight to the point, I said, "I want Max to leave with nothing."Stephen promptly dashed my hopes, "Miss Middleton, there is no such thing as leaving with nothing."I stood my ground, "But he cannot have a penny of the inheritance my parents left me."
I am determined to prosecute them for killing my baby," I declared. "Mr. York, please wait for my news," I added."Alright," Stephen replied in his usual professional tone. "Do you have any other questions?"Since he was being direct, I decided not to waste time. "Mr. York, may I ask about your commission? How should I pay you? Do we need to sign a contract?""You can decide on the commission, and my assistant will contact you to arrange the contract signing," Stephen explained calmly."Decide on the commission?" I repeated, surprised."Yes, Miss Middleton. I am here on behalf of someone else, so you can pay me according to the market rate," Stephen replied.With that, Stephen abruptly ended the call.Holding the phone, I felt bewildered. It wasn't that I was being petty, but I couldn't shake the feeling that Stephen wasn't enthusiastic about taking my case. He seemed indifferent to the commission I offered. It felt as though he was fulfilling a friend's request, something he co
Early the next morning, Max prepared breakfast for me and called me into the room. My head felt a bit heavy, likely because I had slept with the air conditioning on all night.Max gently touched my forehead and then brought me a cup of hot milk, placing it on the bedside table for me to drink. In that moment, I caught a fleeting glimpse of malice in his eyes.Suddenly, Steven's warning came rushing back to me: I should be wary of casually accepting anything from Max, particularly nutritional supplements or medications.As I stared at the milk in Max's hand, my mind couldn't help but think of how villains in soap operas often tamper with protagonists' drinks, using poison or drugs, especially in milk or juice.Although I didn't believe Max would actually try to poison me, I couldn't entirely dismiss the possibility of him adding something else. After all, cunning and ruthless criminals are often more intelligent.Putting on a coquettish act, I said, "I'm not hungry at the moment, a
Afterwards, Max arranged for me to register at that hospital and insisted that I should give birth there as well. He even planned for a top surgeon to perform the delivery ahead of schedule to make the whole pregnancy less taxing on me. The entire process costs hundreds of thousands.It was only after the four-dimensional ultrasound that Annie's attitude towards me completely changed.The real reason behind this sudden shift was because they had discovered that I was carrying a baby girl.Did Max and his mother, who didn't want a girl, put my unborn child in harm's way?So today, I brought along the discharge summary from the private hospital where I gave birth, the infant death report, and the data from my prenatal check-ups at the same private hospital, and went to consult an expert at the Johnsonville Health Hospital where I had my first prenatal exams. I paid 500 dollars for the expert consultation.Unsurprisingly, the specialist's conclusion aligned with what I had suspected.
At that moment, I stood at the nurse's station in the ultrasound waiting area. Max's question filled me with unease.How did he know I was at the hospital? Was he following me?I told myself to stay calm and avoid panicking. So, I casually replied, "Yes, honey. How did you find out?""When you answered the phone, I overheard an announcement for number 39 going to consultation room 4.""You have good ears. I didn't even notice," I said, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders.For a fleeting moment, I suspected Max of following me or having someone spy on me at the hospital. But it was just my paranoia.Max sounded concerned, "What did the doctor say? Did they prescribe any medication?"Suppressing my anger and resentment, I responded calmly, "Nothing serious, just a minor cold.""That's good," Max said. "Which hospital are you at? Do you want me to pick you up? I have a meeting, but it should be over in about an hour."I couldn't bring myself to respond to Max's false conce
Steven reassured me, saying, "Take a deep breath. I'll investigate Lucy Lansworth's identity, her possible connections to Cindy or Max, and find out where she is currently. You've paid us, so let us handle the investigation while you focus on keeping yourself safe."I felt grateful for Steven's understanding and reassurance."By the way, Max has a finance background, so why did he start a construction materials company? It seems unrelated to his field. Is there any particular reason?" Steven asked.As I left the hospital, I answered his question. "About a year ago, shortly after we got married, Max was working as an investor at a venture capital firm, specializing in the new consumer sector. At a notable forum, he happened to meet an old friend from his hometown, Eric Portman.""We had a few encounters with Eric. He was involved in the construction materials business and was handling a project in the Seaside Ville District. He was seeking investors at the forum due to some cash flo
Max had been hospitalized for almost two weeks due to a stomach hemorrhage. I felt immense sympathy for him and advised him not to jeopardize his health. The market conditions were challenging, and investors were exercising extreme caution. Even if he drowned himself in alcohol, it was highly unlikely that he would find the right partner. So, I reached out to a fund manager and withdrew five million to give to Max.Max was deeply touched and held me with teary eyes, saying, "Don't worry, honey. I will work hard and not disappoint my angel investor."I let out a bitter laugh and said, "Steven, looking back now, he didn't see me as an angel. He saw me as a fool."Instead of mocking me, Steven comforted me by saying that women are generally kinder than men. Although he himself was a man, he believed that men could be very cruel. Women are often more emotional and willing to sacrifice everything for love, whereas men rarely do so. If they do, they are as rare as endangered species.Cur
"You must be careful, Max might try to drug you again in other ways."After hanging up the phone, I realized my tears had wet the screen. I felt utterly useless, still feeling heartbroken and hurt at this point—I was truly pathetic.But wasn't today's outcome my own doing? I had ignored my parents' opposition and stubbornly insisted on marrying Max.It was my foolishness, my blindness, that made me fall for a venomous snake who would devour me whole.How could someone be so cruel and scheming?Wiping away my tears, I wandered aimlessly down the street. In that moment, I felt very lonely and desolate.A coldness seeped from my heart, spreading outward, and I couldn't help but shiver, feeling an all-consuming, bone-chilling frost encase me."Miss Middleton… Miss Middleton?”Then, I lost consciousness.When I woke up, I was in an unfamiliar room. It looked like a guest room in someone's house. The decor was cool and elegant, with a black, white, and gray color scheme that