Julian’s idealized love, Sophia, was kidnapped while filming on location and disappeared for three whole days and nights. Two months later, she called him from a rooftop, crying, “Julian, I’m pregnant! The media is hounding me! I don’t want to live anymore!” He rushed to the rooftop and announced to all the media, “The child is mine.” Overnight, I became the laughingstock of New York's elite social circles. That night, Julian knelt before me, his eyes red, his voice trembling, “Ava, Sophia has depression. If I don’t help her, something terrible will happen! Once she safely delivers the baby, I promise I’ll make it up to you, okay?” I loved him so desperately, so devoid of dignity, that I could only bite my lip and nod. But the next day, news spread like wildfire online. The woman in the pixelated photo was clearly me. Shaking, I found Julian. He hugged me, his face contorted in pain. “The news is unstoppable… Ava, you rarely appear in public. We’ll have to ask you to take the fall for this.” He reached out to hold me, but his next words chilled me to the bone, “Why don’t you… get an abortion first? We can always have another child later.” In that instant, my heart turned completely cold. I wiped my tears and dialed a number I hadn’t called in a long, long time. When the call connected, a man’s deep voice, laced with a dangerous amusement, said, “You finally… came to beg me?” 1 “What did you say?” My voice trembled. “Sophia’s kidnapping can’t be exposed. She just signed a major international brand endorsement. If this gets out, her career is ruined.” Julian’s tone was chillingly calm. “But you’re different. You rarely appear in public. If you admit to this, the gossip will die down quickly.” I stared hard at the man I had loved for years. “Julian, do you even hear yourself?” “Before, you asked me to claim Sophia’s child as mine, and I agreed.” “Now, you want me to take the blame for her being kidnapped, for her being violated?!” His voice was low. “Ava, I’m begging you.” “Begging me?” I laughed, but tears streamed down my face. “For her, you want me to destroy my own reputation?” “Sophia can’t handle this kind of blow. She already has depression,” he said urgently. “But you’re different. You’ve always been strong.” “So I deserve to be sacrificed?” I practically spat the words out. “It’s not a sacrifice, just a temporary measure.” He paused, his tone softening. “Ava, could you… could you get an abortion first?” My world shattered. “Julian,” my voice was hoarse, “this is your child too!!!” “I know!” His voice suddenly turned agitated. “But Sophia can’t handle any more stress right now!” My breath hitched. I laughed, tears flowing freely. “Fine, I’ll do it.” He was about to say more when his phone rang. Sobs came from the other end. “Boohoo! Julian, I had a nightmare! I’m so scared! What if they tell everyone about what happened to me?” Sophia’s frail voice whispered. Julian’s tone instantly changed, becoming gentle and soothing. “Don’t be afraid, Sophia. I won’t let anyone hurt you.” He hung up and, without a moment’s hesitation, turned and left. I went to the hospital. The nurse handed me a form, her eyes filled with sympathy. “Mrs. Hayes, are you sure you want to go through with the procedure?” I looked down at the paper. Julian’s name was already signed on it. So, he had arranged everything in advance. I nodded numbly. “Yes.” The doctor adjusted his glasses, his tone neutral. “Your physical condition is unique. This abortion could lead to permanent infertility. Are you sure you want to take this risk?” I looked up sharply. “Permanent infertility?” “Yes, your uterine wall is thin. If we proceed with the abortion, it might be very difficult for you to conceive again…” My fingers trembled slightly. Julian, you knew this, and you still wanted me to abort this child! All for Sophia. I bit my lip hard, until I tasted blood. Suddenly, I felt a strange flutter in my abdomen, like a tiny butterfly gently flapping its wings. I grabbed the doctor’s wrist. “Stop! I’m not doing it!” The doctor frowned. “Mrs. Hayes, your husband specifically instructed…” “I said I’m not doing it!” I shouted, sitting up on the operating table and tearing off the surgical gown. “I’m keeping this baby!” Stepping out of the hospital, the sunlight was blinding. I opened my phone. The top trending news was: #JulianHayesAndSophiaRossSpottedAtLuxuryBabyBoutique# In the accompanying photo, my husband was carefully supporting Sophia’s lower back as she gently caressed her swollen belly. The comment section was full of praise: “Now that’s a power couple! A stunning celebrity and a New York tycoon, a perfect match!” “Sophia’s already showing. How can Julian’s wife still shamelessly cling to her position?” “Heard that woman got pregnant with someone else’s kid after disappearing for a few days. Julian’s too kind for not divorcing her on the spot!” “Who knows if she really disappeared or just snuck off to meet some other guy!” My nails dug deep into my palms, but I felt no pain. “Don’t be scared, little one,” I whispered, stroking my belly. “Mommy will protect you.” I went straight to a law firm and had divorce papers drawn up. 2 Returning to our townhouse, the front door was ajar. Pushing it open, I saw Sophia lounging on the sofa, Julian’s hand resting on her prominent belly. “Julian, the baby kicked me again!” she giggled, pressing his hand against her stomach. A tenderness I had never seen before appeared on Julian’s face. “It really is moving.” I stood in the entryway, my fists clenched. Julian saw me, and his expression changed slightly. He walked over quickly, lowering his voice. “Ava, Sophia tried to kill herself again today. The doctor said she has prenatal depression. Could you… just give us some space for now?” I sneered, “This is my home.” “She grew up with me. I can’t just abandon her,” his tone softened. “After she has the baby, I’ll find a way to send her and the child away, maybe help her build a career in Hollywood.” I said nothing more and went upstairs. In the bedroom, I could still hear their laughter. “Oh, the baby kicked me!” Sophia’s voice was sickeningly sweet. I curled up on the bed, tears soaking my pillow. Late at night, Julian tiptoed into bed and hugged me from behind. “Ava, I’m sorry,” his voice was hoarse. “We’ll have other children.” I stiffened. He still didn’t know I hadn’t aborted our child. “Ahhh—” A shrill scream suddenly came from the next room. “Don’t touch me! Get away!” “Don’t touch me! Don’t film me!” Julian shot up, not even bothering with slippers, and rushed out. All night, the hallway echoed with his gentle reassurances. Morning. Dragging my exhausted body downstairs, the aroma of frying eggs wafted from the kitchen. Julian stood at the stove. Sophia tiptoed up behind him, wrapped her arms around his waist, and pressed her cheek against his back, smiling sweetly. Seeing me, she immediately let go, her voice timid. “Sis, my head hurts a little. Could you ask Julian to get my hat for me?” Without a word, Julian turned and went upstairs. The apology on Sophia’s face vanished instantly. She leaned closer to me, her red lips curving into a smirk. “Julian said that bastard in your belly should never have been kept.” I jerked my head up, my fingertips trembling uncontrollably. She gave a disdainful smile, lowering her voice. “Know the Sterlings? The Sterling family is backing me.” She paused deliberately, enjoying my sudden change in expression. “The Sterlings just have to lift a finger, and this whole city shakes. What do you have to fight me with?” I clenched my fists tightly. The Sterlings were true old money, a dynasty that controlled a significant portion of the nation's economy. Forget the Hayes family; even all the influential figures in New York combined were like ants before the Sterlings. Suddenly, she stumbled backward, fell to the floor, and screamed, “Ava! I know you hate me for stealing Julian! I’ll just go kill myself!” “Ava Benton!” Julian stormed down the stairs and shoved me hard. I stumbled and hit the coffee table, a sharp pain shooting through my lower back. He pulled Sophia into his arms, his eyes icy and piercing. “What did you do to her? Can you stop being so unreasonable!” “I didn’t do anything!” My voice shook. “You’d better not have!” He held Sophia tighter and walked out without looking back. “Sophia, let’s go.” I stood in the living room, my hand unconsciously drifting to my belly. 3 Julian hadn’t been home for two days. I stood in the living room, taking down our wedding photos one by one. The frames landed in the trash can with a dull thud. My phone vibrated, the screen lighting up. “Ava, I’m having someone pick something up. Can you get it for them?” In the walk-in closet, the ten-million-dollar jewelry set lay quietly in a drawer. I remembered when he’d bought it, he’d said, "This is for the most important person in my life." I stared at the jewelry for a long time, then suddenly smiled. Expressionless, I took out the jewelry, handed it to the driver, then pulled out a set of divorce papers, my voice calm. “Wait, give me a ride. I’ll deliver it myself.” The driver hesitated but let me in the car. The car stopped outside a luxurious estate, brightly lit, with orchestral music drifting out. “Happy birthday, Miss Ross!” Waves of well wishes could be heard. I walked in, and all eyes immediately fell on me. “Isn’t that Julian Hayes’s wife? Why is she dressed like that? So tacky!” “I heard she’s desperately clinging to Julian. So shameless.” “Julian should have dumped her ages ago. Sophia’s pregnant now, why is she still hanging around?” “I heard she deliberately pushed Sophia to keep Julian. What a vicious woman…” I ignored them, walking step by step towards them. Julian saw me, his brow furrowing. “Ava, what are you doing here?” I smiled. “It’s Miss Ross’s birthday. How could I not come?” With that, I handed over the jewelry box. “What you asked for.” Sophia’s eyes lit up. She took it and deliberately opened it in front of me. “Julian, is this for me?” Julian didn’t speak, looking at me with a complicated expression. Sophia cooed, “Will you put it on for me?” He was silent for two seconds, then picked up the necklace, his fingers looping it around her neck. Sophia suddenly stood on her toes, wrapped her arms around his neck, and planted a heavy kiss on his cheek, looking at me provocatively. I said nothing. Suddenly, she stumbled. “Ah!” Julian darted forward to steady her, then turned to glare at me. “What are you trying to do now?” I silently handed over the file folder. “Sign it.” He was about to speak when Sophia clutched her stomach. “Ah! Julian, my stomach hurts!” Julian immediately panicked, signed his name without even looking, and then swept Sophia into his arms. “I’ll take you to the hospital!” I collected the papers and turned to leave, but someone tripped me hard. I fell heavily, my forehead hitting a metal object on the floor. Warm blood trickled down my cheek. Julian whipped around, instinctively wanting to help me up. “Julian! My stomach hurts so much! Take me to the hospital, quickly!” Sophia clung to him tightly, her voice trembling. He hesitated for a moment, then carried her away without looking back. I lay on the floor, blood blurring my vision. All around me were scornful eyes; no one offered a hand. I gritted my teeth and pushed myself up from the ground, only to find my wedding ring missing from my ring finger. It had been loose for a while; I just hadn’t noticed. Ignoring everyone’s stares, I limped out and hailed a cab. “To the hospital.” The driver was startled. “Miss, your head is bleeding!” I wiped my face, my hand covered in red, but I smiled. “It’s fine. I won’t die.” 4 As the doctor bandaged my wound, he frowned. “Mrs. Hayes, you’re still pregnant. How can you treat yourself like this?” Suddenly, a news bulletin interrupted the TV program. “Breaking News! CEO Julian Hayes’s wife faked kidnapping, confirmed affair! Allegedly went to hospital for secret abortion after getting pregnant by another man!” My vision went black. Before I could recover, the door was violently kicked open. Julian’s mother, Mrs. Hayes, rushed in and slapped me across the face. “You tramp! You’ve disgraced the Hayes family!” I stumbled back and, before I could regain my footing, was grabbed by several men in black suits and dragged into what looked like a rarely used, sweltering sunroom at the back of the estate. “Kneel!” Mrs. Hayes shrieked. I struggled, but my knees slammed onto the cold, hard tiles. Mrs. Hayes dialed a number, her voice shrill. “Julian! Look what your wife has done! The whole city is laughing at us!” On the other end, Julian was clearly flustered. “Mom, weren’t you and Dad vacationing in Australia? How did you suddenly…” “What? We can’t come back?” Mrs. Hayes sneered. “Look at the wonderful wife you married!” “You’re just too soft-hearted, letting a woman walk all over you! She cuckolded you, and you still can’t bring yourself to deal with her?” I looked up at the screen, screaming, “Julian! Say something! It was clearly you…” “Ava.” He was silent for a few seconds, his voice low and hoarse. “Just bear with it for now. I’ll make it up to you later.” The sunroom in midsummer felt like a steamer. I knelt on the scorching floor, sweat mixing with the blood from my forehead, trickling down. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my lower abdomen, and warm liquid flowed down my inner thighs. “The baby… my baby!” I rushed to the door, pounding on it frantically. “Let me out! Save my baby!” Mrs. Hayes’s cold voice came from outside. “Didn’t you say you aborted it? What, the bastard wasn’t completely flushed out?” My nails dug into the doorframe, scratching bloody marks onto the wood. “This is Julian’s child! It’s his! It’s his!” The only answer was the sound of footsteps fading away. I lay in a pool of blood all night. At dawn, the sunroom door finally opened. A man in a black suit looked at me expressão. “Ma’am, we’ll take you to the hospital.” On the operating table, I lay with my eyes open, feeling the life within me slowly ebbing away. My phone vibrated. A message from Julian: “Ava, I’m sorry. You’ve been wronged. I’ll explain everything to Mom later.” My fingers trembled, and a single tear rolled down my cheek. The day I got the divorce certificate, I dialed a number that had been dormant for five years. When the call connected, a man’s deep voice, laced with amusement, said, “Finally decided to call me?” A week later, Sophia, heavily pregnant, made a high-profile appearance at a press conference for her new drama. She clung to Julian’s arm, smiling sweetly at the cameras. “Thank you all for your blessings. After the baby is born, I’ll be heading to Hollywood to pursue my career…” Under the blinding flashes of angoisse, I slowly walked into the venue. The previously bustling scene fell instantly silent. Julian’s face changed रंग. “Ava? What are you doing here?” I calmly walked up to him and placed the divorce certificate in his hand. His pupils contracted. He grabbed my wrist, hissing, “Ava, stop messing around! Didn’t I say I’d make it up to you after all this blows over!” Just then, the main doors burst open. A Rolls-Royce pulled up. The man who stepped out caused an uproar. “It’s James Sterling! The head of Sterling Industries!” Sophia’s eyes lit up. She quickly pushed me aside and hurried to greet him. “Uncle! What are you doing here?” I stood my ground, unmoving, until James Sterling’s gaze fell on me. He extended his hand towards me, and I naturally took his arm. Julian rushed over, his voice trembling. “Ava! Are you crazy? He’s Sophia’s uncle…” James Sterling glanced at Julian and sneered, “This piece of trash is worthy of making my daughter suffer?” The entire room buzzed with whispers. I looked at Julian and said softly, “I forgot to introduce you. This is my father.”
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