Chapter Two

Crystal parked her car in the long driveway of the Blake mansion, her heart pounding with anxiety and rage. The sprawling estate loomed before her, but tonight it felt more like a fortress, shielding the people who had caused her so much pain.

As she stepped inside, the sound of voices carried from the living room. she paused in the grand foyer, her eyes narrowing as she spotted Olivia Blake, Christian’s mother, seated on the cream leather couch. Beside her was Christian’s younger sister, Danielle, and a few other family friends. Their laughter filled the space, but it didn’t reach Crystal’s heart.

Her first thought was that perhaps they had called a meeting to address Christian’s public humiliation of her. Maybe, for once, they would stand on her side and hold him accountable. But the mocking smiles on their faces quickly shattered that illusion.

Crystal took a deep breath and walked toward the group. As she approached, the laughter died down, replaced by cold, scrutinizing stares. Olivia turned her sharp eyes on Crystal, her lips curling into a faint smirk.

"Ah, there she is," Olivia said, her voice dripping with disdain. "The lady of the house, gracing us with her presence."

Crystal clenched her fists at her sides. "I need to talk to you," she said, her voice firm but shaking slightly. "About Christian."

Olivia arched a brow, feigning surprise. "Oh, darling, what about him? Is he working too hard again? You know how stressful his job is."

Crystal’s resolve wavered, but the image of Christian and Ilda leaving the hotel reignited her fury. "I’m talking about the photos, Olivia," she said sharply. "Your son humiliated me today. In front of the whole world."

Olivia leaned back in her chair, a mockingly thoughtful expression on her face. "Humiliated you? Or was it the world simply seeing the truth? A woman who can’t even bear a child for her husband after three years—what did you expect?"

Crystal’s breath hitched. She glanced at Danielle, hoping for some support, but Christian’s sister only chuckled under her breath.

"You don’t belong in this family," Danielle added with a smirk. "You never did."

The guests exchanged glances, their whispers barely concealed as they nodded in agreement. Crystal’s stomach churned as Olivia stood and approached her, her gaze cold and unyielding.

"My son deserves better," Olivia said, her voice rising. "A real wife, someone who can give him an heir. Not a barren, useless woman who’s only here because Christian made a mistake."

Crystal’s heart shattered at the words, but she refused to let the tears fall. "You don’t know anything about me," she said, her voice trembling with emotion. "I’ve given everything to this family. I’ve endured your insults, your judgment—everything—for Christian. And now he..." Her voice broke. "Now he betrays me like this?"

Olivia sneered. "If you had any dignity, you would leave on your own. But since you seem so determined to cling to a life that isn’t yours, maybe Christian will finally put you in your place."

Before Crystal could respond, the sound of the front door opening interrupted the murmurs, and every head turned toward the entrance. Heavy footsteps echoed through the grand foyer, and Christian appeared, holding Ilda’s hand tightly. The sight sent a sharp pang through Crystal’s chest.

Crystal’s breath caught in her throat as he approached. She searched his face for a hint of remorse, an explanation, anything—but all she saw was cold detachment.

"Well, it’s about time," Olivia said, rising from her seat. She greeted her son with an approving smile and turned to Crystal with a sneer. "Let’s get this over with."

Christian didn’t even glance at Crystal as he walked into the room, pulling Ilda along. The atmosphere was suffocating, the tension so thick it was almost tangible. Crystal’s eyes darted to Ilda’s hand resting possessively on Christian’s arm. Her heart ached as the reality sank in—he had moved on, completely and cruelly.

"I think it’s best we make things official," Christian said coldly, reaching into his briefcase. He pulled out a crisp stack of papers and placed them on the glass coffee table in front of her.

Crystal stared at the document in disbelief. Divorce papers. The words ‘Dissolution of Marriage’ stared back at her in bold black print, mocking everything she had tried to build with him.

Tears welled up in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks, but she didn’t wipe them away. She refused to give them the satisfaction of seeing her crumble completely.

"Sign it," Christian said, his tone void of any emotion. "Let’s not make this more difficult than it needs to be."

Ilda smirked, her hand resting on her stomach as if emphasizing her role in this charade. "This is what you should have done a long time ago," she said sweetly, her words laced with venom.

Crystal’s gaze darted around the room. Olivia was seated regally, her expression one of triumph. Danielle and the other guests exchanged amused glances, as though watching a particularly entertaining drama unfold.

"Do you even hear yourself?" Crystal’s voice broke as she looked up at Christian. "After everything we’ve been through, this is how you end it? Public humiliation, bringing her here, and shoving this in my face?"

"Enough of this," Olivia interjected, her tone sharp. "You’ve embarrassed this family for too long, Crystal. Christian has finally found someone who can give him what you couldn’t. Stop clinging to something that was never yours to begin with."

Crystal’s eyes burned with unshed tears. "I may not have been able to give him a child before, but that doesn’t make me less of a woman. I’ve loved him, sacrificed for him—"

"Spare us the sob story," Danielle cut in with a mocking laugh. "We’re all tired of it."

Ilda stepped forward, her smile widening. "Just sign the papers, Crystal. Christian and I are ready to move on. We’re going to be a family—something you never could be for him."

The room erupted in soft chuckles, and Crystal felt her world crumbling around her. Her knees weakened, and she gripped the edge of the table for support.

She turned her gaze to Christian, searching for any hint of the man she once loved. "How could you do this to me?" she whispered, her voice breaking. "We were supposed to be partners, Christian. We were supposed to face everything together."

Christian’s face remained impassive. "This is for the best."

She glanced at the divorce papers again, the words blurring through her tears. Her trembling fingers hovered over the pen, but she couldn’t bring herself to pick it up.

"You don’t have a choice," Olivia said sharply. "Sign it, or we’ll make sure you leave this family with nothing."

Crystal looked up, her gaze locking onto Olivia’s. "I already have nothing," she said softly, her voice filled with anguish. "Nothing except the hope that one day, Christian will realize what he’s lost and by then it would be too late."

Christian scoffed, his patience clearly wearing thin. "Ilda is carrying my child," he said bluntly. "The heir this family has been waiting for. It’s time to stop pretending this marriage ever worked."

His words were like a dagger to her heart. Her hand instinctively went to her stomach, where a life had just begun—a life Christian didn’t even know about. She wanted to scream, to tell him about the baby, but the humiliation in the room was suffocating.

Ilda placed a hand on Christian’s chest, leaning into him as though to stake her claim. "Let’s not waste any more time here," she said with a smile.

Finally, she steadied herself, her voice shaking but filled with resolve. "If I sign these papers, it won’t be because you forced me. It’ll be because I deserve better than this. Crystal spoke calmly."

Christian raised a brow, his lips curving into a smirk. "Do what you want, but this is happening."

Crystal’s hand hovered over the pen once more, her mind racing. This wasn’t just about her anymore. It was about her child—a child Christian had already cast aside without even knowing.

Crystal’s fingers trembled as she signed her signature on the divorce papers, her vision blurred by tears. A wave of cold satisfaction swept across Olivia’s face. Without hesitation, Olivia and Danielle vanished upstairs, only to return moments later, dragging Crystal’s suitcases and tossing them unceremoniously onto the front lawn.

“You should’ve left a long time ago,” Olivia sneered, her voice icy.

Laughter rippled through the room, each mocking sound cutting deeper than the last. Ilda leaned in close, her smile razor-sharp. “Don’t worry, Crystal. You’re finally free to find a life more suited to... someone like you.”

As Crystal stood frozen, the Blake family’s laughter echoing around her, Christian’s voice rang out, sealing her humiliation.

“Take your things and go,” Christian said coldly. “You don’t belong here anymore.”