When Liam Sterling first cheated, he dragged his mistress before me, eyes blazing, and declared I could do as I pleased with her. Back then, I loved him fiercely, so I forgave him this supposed "accidental lapse." The second time he strayed, I sent the woman overseas, forbidding her to ever return. But on the night of our engagement party, Liam grabbed my throat, pressing a blade cold against my stomach, his eyes bloodshot as he demanded: "Where's Chloe? She's pregnant, do you know that?" "It's my fault I couldn't control myself. Take your anger out on me. Chloe's just a young girl, she shouldn't suffer for this. Please, I'm begging you, once the baby is born safely, I'll never see her again." "You're afraid of the pain of childbirth, aren't you? What if we just have this one child, the one in Chloe's belly? I promise, the child will only recognize you as their mother; that's my vow to you." The blade pierced my skin, and blood welled around the cut. I looked at him, smiling faintly, and told him Chloe's whereabouts. After he slammed the door and left, I fumbled for my phone, my hands trembling, and dialed a familiar number: "You were right this time. Can you still help me?" A string of curses came from the other end, the man's voice laced with exasperation: "Why didn't you say something sooner? I'm already out of the country, how can I help you now?" "Aubrey Hayes, I'm telling you, how can someone as smart as you fall for the same guy twice? Did you use all your emotional intelligence just to throw yourself at him?" I pressed hard against the wound on my abdomen, my voice growing increasingly bitter: "I'm sorry. I owe you this one. Next collaboration project, thirty percent off. Is that enough?" The man on the other end instantly perked up, his tone brightening with excitement: "Send me the time and location. I'll be there, no doubt." "Next time you have a 'collaboration' like this, remember to call me! Absolutely fair and square." I sent the complete wedding plan to Jax. He quickly responded with an 'OK' emoji. The wedding suite, once meticulously prepared, was now a wreck, vandalized by Liam, much like my own shattered heart. After tending to my wound alone, I stumbled out of the villa. As soon as I checked into a hotel, Liam's call came through. Despite the loud hum of the airplane engines, I still acutely picked up the suppressed fury in his voice: "Aubrey, I'm on a flight out of the country right now. I can't be with you tonight, so get some rest. I was just too emotional earlier, I never meant to hurt you." "Is the injury serious? Should I send my private doctor over to check on you—" "No need," I cut him off coldly. Liam's tone immediately dropped, growing sharper: "Aubrey, didn't I tell you? Chloe and I were just an accident. Someone drugged me, and I mistook her for you. It's happened, are you going to let a Sterling child be born overseas?" "You forgave me once before, didn't you? Why are you being so unreasonable this time? The wedding is in a week. Just calm down tonight." I stared at my chat history with Jax, and said coldly: "No need. I won't marry you." "Liam Sterling, I told you, I don't tolerate infidelity." I was about to hang up when he suddenly erupted: "Not marry me? What kind of joke is that? The engagement party's done. The whole world knows the Sterlings and the Hayes are uniting. You're saying this now? Using our alliance to threaten me?" "Aubrey, we grew up together. I know you better than anyone. Unless I was set up, I would never betray you!" "They say the third time's the charm, and I've only made two mistakes. Once the child is born, I promise Chloe will never appear before you again. Isn't that enough?" Tears suddenly welled up, and a bitter smile touched my lips: "So, what? You want me to look at the child you had with another woman every day, to remind myself of your mistakes every day?" "Liam Sterling, I can't do it. I'm sorry." The moment the words left my mouth, his enraged roar came from the other end: "Fine, remember what you said! Don't you dare regret it!" "Which man of my status doesn't have a mistress? I handed Chloe over to you to deal with; I've done all I can. If you can accept it, marry me. If you can't, get out, and do whatever you want!" The call ended, and the glass of the floor-to-ceiling window mirrored my disheveled appearance. Suite 13520. It used to be his favorite meeting spot. He said it was filled with memories of our love. Valentine's Day, birthdays, anniversaries... This room had practically become ours. But now, only I remembered those things. Liam broke the news of the broken engagement to my parents, and they immediately called to question me. "Aubrey, what happened? Liam said you want to call off the wedding?" "This isn't a game, you can't be so reckless." I buried myself deep under the covers, my voice catching in my throat: "His mistress is pregnant." "Which man doesn't make mistakes? Just have it taken care of—" "I'm not calling off the wedding. I'm just changing grooms. You know him too, Jax Carter." My father's attempts to persuade me caught in his throat, and my mother gasped in astonishment: "Jax Carter? Aren't you two sworn enemies? Have you forgotten when he almost set your hair on fire when you were kids?" I smiled, trying to keep my voice light: "Exactly. So I want to marry him. To torment him for a lifetime." 2 Tossing and turning, the wound on my abdomen kept me awake all night. When morning broke, I contacted a real estate agent to sell the wedding villa. Returning to pack my things, I saw Liam's private jet still parked on the lawn. Pushing open the door, my eyes fell on walls covered in warm photos. Only, the figures in the pictures weren't me; they were Chloe Adams. The Arctic glaciers, the Eiffel Tower, the burnt-out Notre Dame. All the places we had once visited together, he had taken Chloe to see them all again. He used to say he hated taking pictures. Being in his position, who knew what reporters or rivals would do with his photos. No matter how much I begged or promised, we never had a single photo together. But now, Chloe was his exception. They stood together beneath the photo wall, Chloe caressing her barely noticeable bump, her smile bright. "Liam, when the baby's born, let's take them to these places, okay?" "They'll love it, I'm sure! Feel, they're kicking me already!" The sound of the door opening drew their attention. They turned and saw me. Chloe immediately dropped to her knees in front of me, embracing my waist, begging and apologizing. "Aubrey, it's my fault. I didn't keep my promise to stay overseas. Please don't be mad at me, okay?" "I just love Liam too much... I swear, I'll leave once the baby is born. I won't be in your way..." Before I could speak, Liam scoffed. "No need to apologize to her. You were drugged too, and met me by accident. If anything, I'm the one who owes you." He lifted his eyes and looked at me. "Aubrey, I've found out who drugged us. That company will be shut down within a month." "Chloe is innocent, forced into a mistake. You shouldn't blame her. I can overlook this incident; just apologize, and we can move past it." I looked back at him, my gaze devoid of any emotion. It was just laughable. "Me apologize? Liam Sterling, have you lost your mind?" The next second, the hand on my waist tightened sharply, hitting my wound. I gasped in pain, cold sweat drenching me. I quickly pushed her away. I hadn't used much force, but Chloe stumbled back and fell against a cabinet. "What do you think you're doing!" Liam abruptly shoved me, and my forehead hit the doorframe hard. Blood immediately trickled out. "I think you're the one who's lost your mind!" "Chloe has already bowed to you, and I've explained everything. What more do you want?" "Apologize, or you can try me!" I clenched my jaw, swallowing a wave of humiliation, and enunciated each word: "No. Way." "Apologize to your mistress? Liam Sterling, you must be dreaming!" "Unbelievable!" Liam's eyes turned red with anger. He quickly scooped Chloe into his arms and carried her to the bedroom to rest. As he came out, he called all the villa staff. "Get the restraints. My fiancée is clearly delirious. Make her kneel on the grounds until she calms down! She's not to get up without my permission!" 3 My eyes instantly turned bloodshot. I looked at him, disbelief flooding me. "Liam Sterling, you're insane! She's just a mistress, and you dare to treat me like this?" "This is my house!" "But I'm the man of the house." Liam gave me a cold glance and said nothing more. The staff quickly dragged me outside. A long trail of blood stained the ground. The moment the villa gates closed, a sudden clap of thunder echoed in the clear sky. Then, the heavens opened, and a torrential downpour began. I was quickly soaked to the bone. Kneeling in the rain, the cuts on my forehead and abdomen began to burn. My consciousness slowly blurred. I looked at the supervising staff member, my voice weak to the extreme: "Let me go... please, call Liam over, please..." The staff member, observing me with a look of amusement, stood under the eaves, a mocking smile on their face. "Save it. I've seen enough of your pity parties." "Mr. Sterling just called the private doctor. He's busy tending to Ms. Adams's injuries right now." I strained my eyes upwards. Figures were faintly visible on the second-floor balcony. The next second, my vision went black, and I collapsed completely onto the ground. In my unconscious state, I heard the staff's urgent shouts: "Oh no, Ms. Hayes has fainted!" "There's blood on the ground! Quick, get the doctor to come here!" Familiar footsteps approached, and an umbrella was held over my head. Liam's voice was unusually cold. "Had enough of acting?" "Anyone would think you were the pregnant one." "Aubrey, it's time you learned to control your temper. I'm doing this for your own good." Footsteps receded. He and Chloe stood embracing under the eaves, looking in my direction. Chloe weakly nestled into his arms, her voice aggrieved: "Liam, Aubrey doesn't seem to be faking. Are we being too harsh on her?" "After all, she's your fiancée. If the Hayes family found out..." Liam's face hardened. "I've worked my way up for years. I don't need to be dictated by the Hayes family." "She was being unreasonable first. Chloe, you still have eight months until the baby's born. You can't let her bully you constantly. Her temper needs to be reined in." A flicker of triumph crossed Chloe's eyes, quickly replaced by an innocent expression. "I heard that arranged marriages in elite families often lack emotion. Is it the same for you and Aubrey?" The relentless downpour mercilessly battered my pale face. For a moment, I felt as if my heart had stopped. The next second, Liam's emotionless voice sounded beside my ear. "Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown. Born into the Sterling family, a marriage alliance is my inescapable destiny. Since I have no choice, I can only accept it." "Aubrey is beautiful, and innocent. Compared to other domineering heiresses, she was the best choice." Tears streamed from the corners of my eyes, mixing with the mud. Liam looked at Chloe with doting affection, his eyes finally showing genuine emotion. "I thought I would live my entire life that way. Your appearance, Chloe, is a gift from above." "Thank you, Chloe." Each biting word pierced my heart. I couldn't tell which hurt more, my body or my soul. The memories of our childhood together grew hazy. What I thought was innocent young love, what I believed was deeply rooted affection, turned out to be nothing but lies. How ridiculous that my only wish for twenty years of my life was to marry him. To help his career flourish and soar to great heights. The boy who, under the willow tree, broke off a branch to make me a crown, had truly faded into memory. My taut nerves suddenly snapped, and fresh blood began to gush from my abdomen. Liam finally noticed something was wrong and roared at the staff nearby: "What are you waiting for? Go check on her!" "If anything happens to Ms. Hayes, none of you will have a job!" 4 In my haze, my body was repeatedly shaken. Then, I was enveloped in a warm embrace. The familiar scent of pine wood seemed to take me back to when it was just the two of us. But when I opened my eyes, I had been moved into a guest room. Liam sat by the bed. His face was full of anger and coldness. "Why didn't you tell me you were injured?" "Aubrey, are you really that stubborn? When will you ever change your temper?" Ignoring his emotions, I turned my head to survey the room. It was shabby and disorganized, worse than the staff's quarters. And who was staying in my original master bedroom was clear without a doubt. A cold smile touched my lips. I didn't even glance at him. "My temper has nothing to do with you." "The person you should be most concerned about right now is Chloe." I propped myself up and tore off the gauze bandage from my abdomen. "Also, a reminder: this is my house. Please have your mistress move out as soon as possible." Liam was completely enraged by my indifferent attitude. He immediately stood up and roared furiously: "Enough! Are you really that intolerant?" "I had Chloe move in because I wanted you two to look after each other, not for you to act so irrational!" "Forget it. Chloe still has eight months until the baby is due. You can use that time to calm down. When the child is born, I don't want their mother to be a lunatic!" He threw down these words and left without looking back. I lifted the duvet; the wound on my knee had already been treated by the doctor. I couldn't help but let out a cold laugh. Everything I had suffered was thanks to him, and now he was trying to act like a good person? The laughter from downstairs continued. I took out my phone and lowered the villa's asking price again. I didn't want to see this painful place for another moment. That evening, the staff prepared a table full of food. Most of it was seafood, which Liam was allergic to. I stood on the second floor and watched for a moment, recalling how Liam used to order in restaurants, unwilling to compromise for me. It turned out love and not loving were so obvious. Returning to what was once the master bedroom, my original luggage had already been thrown out. That saved me some trouble, at least. After ordering a cab on my phone, I turned to leave. Chloe appeared in front of me, carrying a tray of food. She smiled sweetly. "Aubrey? What, are you here to see your room? Oh, sorry, Liam said the pregnant woman gets priority, so this room is mine now." "If you're looking for any trash, you might want to check the garbage bin. There's nothing here, sorry." What she called trash were the gifts Liam had once given me. A cold smile played on my lips as I looked at her. "Chloe, what you value as treasure isn't necessarily treasure to me." "I can let you have the house, and I can let you have the man. But remember, what's taken by force will be taken by force. You weren't his first woman, and you won't be his last." Chloe's face hardened, and she deliberately smashed the food tray in her hands. "Who are you trying to fool? A worn-out plaything like you, only tough talk!" "I don't need you to 'let' me have him. Liam will only choose me. Don't believe it? Just watch!" With that, she suddenly shrieked, ran her hands through her long hair, and dashed towards the terrace, stumbling back and falling off the terrace. Only one arm was supporting her weight as the cold night wind whipped around her. Chloe cried more and more miserably. "Aubrey, why are you doing this to me?" Before I could react, Liam kicked the door open. He rushed forward in three strides, pulling Chloe up from outside and holding her tightly in his embrace. Turning back to me, he furiously slapped my face. "Aubrey, are you never going to stop?" Chloe hid in his arms, both hands clutching her stomach, her voice weak. "Aubrey, I've already apologized to you. Why can't you just leave me alone?" "The baby is innocent. When the baby is born, I'm willing to atone with my life. Please, spare the Sterling family's bloodline..." I frowned, about to speak. Liam said coldly: "Aubrey, kneel!" I looked at him in disbelief. "You suspect me?" Placing Chloe on the bed, Liam turned and walked towards me, his eyes full of ruthlessness. "Why shouldn't I suspect you? First, you sent Chloe overseas, then you deliberately pushed her. This is the third time!" "Aubrey, how am I supposed to trust you?" The love I once held for him vanished in that moment. Without giving me a chance to explain, Liam carried Chloe and quickly left the villa. I tore down and burned the photos on the walls, one by one. At midnight, the real estate agent sent me a message. "Ms. Hayes, someone is willing to buy the house at full price, no discount needed. When are you available to sign the contract?" "Tomorrow." I dismissed all the villa staff. For a whole week, Liam never showed up. Photos of him, secretly taken by passersby, occasionally surfaced from the hospital. He was either registering at the obstetrics and gynecology department or picking up medication for Chloe on the first floor. On the morning of the wedding, Liam drove the wedding car to the villa to pick me up. He opened the door and was met with a stranger's face. His brow instantly furrowed. "Where's Aubrey? Who are you?" His assistant rushed up behind him, breathless. "Mr. Sterling, you've made a mistake! Ms. Hayes already sold this house!" "Ms. Hayes is marrying into the Carters today!"
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