“Solomon!”

Sylvie knelt on the floor, her trembling hands clutching the child tightly, tears streaming down her face as she desperately wiped at the scrape on his forehead.

“Don’t scare me, Solomon, open your eyes and look at me…”

At that moment, Brynn rushed in, his eyes landing on Sylvie, crying as she held Solomon.

“What happened?!”

“Brother, I saw it with my own eyes! Sister-in-law pushed Solomon down the stairs!!”

Sylvie finally gathered the courage to speak, her voice breaking like a pear blossom drenched in rain.

“She doesn’t like Solomon, fine, but why would she hurt him?”

Brynn suddenly scooped Solomon up, his face painted with concern.

In his arms, Solomon weakly tugged at his sleeve and whispered pitifully, “Daddy, I’m fine. Auntie didn’t mean to. I fell by accident.”

Hearing that, Brynn’s eyes shot daggers at me, a strange chill creeping into his gaze.

“Natalie, when did you become so vicious?! You’d better pray nothing happens to the child.”

He stood before me, his voice low and dangerous:

“I’ve spoiled you too much. If anything happens to Solomon, don’t ever show your face in front of me again.”

That sentence hit me like a hammer.

I stayed silent; not a word escaped my lips in my defense.

Brynn hadn’t seen what really happened, yet he so easily believed the words of that woman and her child.

A chill slowly crept through my limbs, creeping from the soles of my feet all the way to the top of my head.

The man I had believed loved me for seven years now saw me as a villain, convinced that I had intentionally harmed someone.

As the car carried me home, my mind was a whirlwind.

Finally, I reached for my phone and dialed my father’s number.

The call connected quickly, and I could hear the lively chatter of a dinner party in the background.

“Hello? Baby? What made you think of calling Daddy?”

“Did something upset you recently? Or do you miss me? Want to come home and stay with me for a few days?”

But now, it was clear I was wrong. I should’ve listened to him from the beginning. My throat was dry.

“Dad, that marriage alliance you mentioned before, does it still stand?”

There was a clear pause on the other end, followed by a hearty laugh.

“Of course it does! Why the sudden interest? I just so happen to be having dinner with the old man from that family. His son’s been single for seven years, and the old man’s about to lose his mind!”

Just as my father’s voice faded, I heard a familiar male voice from the phone, laughing lightly.

“Uncle, you can’t just expose me like that.”

But I didn’t recognize who it was, or perhaps I just didn’t care anymore.

I closed my eyes, my voice hoarse yet firm as I spoke, “Go ahead and make the arrangements as soon as possible. I’ll sign without hesitation. I’ll cooperate.”

There was a brief pause on the other end, and then my father’s voice grew more cautious as he moved to a quieter spot.

“Baby, something’s happened between you and Brynn? You’re not joking, are you? Haven’t you two been married for seven years? Are you getting a divorce?”

I didn’t even know how to respond to his questions.

How could I explain that we were never even married in the first place, so where would a divorce come from?

“I was never married to him.”

I cut him off before he could say more and sent him everything the private investigator had found.

“Dad, go ahead with the marriage arrangement. This time, I’ll do whatever you say.”

With that, I hung up. The screen dimmed, reflecting the pale, hollow look on my face.

The next day, Solomon moved into our home.

Brynn personally prepared a room for him, handling every detail with care.

I remained silent, packing my things bit by bit, sending them back to my original home while also scheduling an abortion appointment for three days later.

I hadn’t even figured out what excuse to use for suggesting separate bedrooms, but Brynn had already, without hesitation, settled into Solomon’s room.

Watching him act like such a devoted father, my heart turned cold from the sting of it.

In my mind, this was the man Brynn would become once I had a child. But now, the love he was giving wasn’t for my child; it was for someone else’s.

That night, Solomon suddenly cried. His sharp wails echoed in my ears, one after another.

I had already been sleeping lightly because of the pregnancy. Hearing Solomon’s cries for his mom, I couldn’t help but wonder if Sylvie would be moving in soon.

Sure enough, within days, Sylvie appeared.

She stood at the living room entrance, two suitcases in hand, her voice soft.

“Sister, brother, I’ve been looking for a job in the city. Can I stay here for a while?”

Brynn frowned, a hint of irritation crossing his face, but he still replied, “You’re so hopeless. Can’t even figure out how to rent a place. Ask your sister; if she agrees, I won’t object.”

I replied with an empty look, my voice flat: “Do as you wish. Stay as long as you like.”

After all, once my surgery was over, I’d be gone.

Brynn noticed something was wrong with me and, with concern, wrapped his arm around me. He asked softly, “Honey, what’s wrong? Why do you look so pale? If you don’t want her here, I’ll ask her to leave.”

I replied in a low voice, “After all, she’s the real lady of the house.”

“What?” Brynn didn’t catch that.

I shook my head.

He was about to speak again, but then Sylvie tripped while tidying up.

His face shifted instantly. He let go of me and rushed over to help her, lifting her carefully and placing her on the sofa before scolding her sharply, “How are you still so clumsy? You’re going to be a mother soon!”

Sylvie pouted, tapping her head playfully, “I’m just silly; I can’t do anything without you. Not like a sister; she’s so mature.”

Her eyes flickered in my direction, laced with challenge.

I smiled faintly, turning away and retreating to my room; just the sight of it made me want to gag.

It was clear now that Sylvie was steadily embedding herself into Brynn’s life, using the child as a clever excuse, step by step.

She was pushing me out, and I was letting her.

I wouldn’t fight for a man like some discarded concubine.

The next day, just as my morning sickness had subsided, I sank onto the sofa to rest while Sylvie was in the kitchen.

Suddenly, Solomon came running over, his small hands clutching a transparent box, his eyes sparkling with excitement:

“Auntie, Auntie! Come see my new friend!”

When I opened my eyes and saw the box, my heart seemed to stop.

Inside wriggled a small snake, no longer than a thumb.

I recoiled instinctively, my voice trembling with panic. “Take it away! Take it away!”

Solomon gazed at me with pleading eyes, his voice soft, “It won’t bite; it’s my favorite pet.”

I shook my head, trembling uncontrollably. “Take it away!”

Brynn strolled over, glanced at the box, then looked at me, his tone flat, “Seriously? It’s just a toy snake. It’s captive-bred, non-venomous.”

“I’m afraid of snakes…” I choked, my words heavy.

“You know I was bitten by one as a child. I had a high fever and almost died. I’ve had a trauma ever since.”

He frowned, his patience thinning. “It’s just a little snake. I’ll put it away, okay? Are you this scared? Isn’t that a bit much?”

I froze.

The man who had once shielded me from everything and always asked me if I was afraid now spoke to me with such impatience.

It suddenly struck me as absurd.

“So now I have to learn to accept what I fear most, too, is that it?”

“That’s not what I meant, honey.”

Brynn’s voice carried a hint of panic, his expression stiffening with unease.

“Daddy, it’s okay if Auntie doesn’t like me,” Solomon murmured softly, his lashes trembling, looking like he might burst into tears.

Seeing that, Brynn’s heart seemed to soften.

He glanced at me, his eyes filled with helplessness and a quiet plea.

“Honey, can you try to accept Solomon?”

“I’ve already locked the snake away,” he added. “Just keep him company for a bit, okay?”

I didn’t answer. Instead, I walked over to Solomon and gave him a cursory glance.

“What do you want to play?”

He didn’t respond. Instead, his gaze shifted upward, and a strange smile twisted at the corners of his mouth.

Sensing something was wrong, I instinctively tried to step back, but before I could, he suddenly pulled something from behind his back.

It was a live snake.

Its skin was cold and slick, its tongue flicking out with a hiss. Solomon held it by the tail with two fingers, and without a second thought, he flung it toward me.

“Ah!”

I screamed, my heart hammering in my chest, and I stumbled backward, crashing to the floor. A sharp pain shot through my back, and my head slammed into the edge of the coffee table.

Even worse, a searing pain sliced through my lower abdomen as if a hundred knives were carving through my flesh.

Clutching my stomach, everything went black, and the world around me faded.

“…It hurts… it hurts so much…”

I curled into a ball, the waves of pain crashing over me, cold sweat soaking my back.

“Honey!”

Brynn rushed over, his face drained of color, eyes wide with alarm. “What’s wrong?!”

“I’m pregnant…” I lifted my face toward him, tears spilling down uncontrollably.

He froze for a moment, his face draining of color, turning as white as a sheet. Without a word, he scooped me up and rushed out the door.

Solomon stood there, frozen, his eyes dark with malice no child his age should possess.

Outside the operating room, in my dazed state, I vaguely heard the doctor’s hushed voice.

“The fetus is gone.”

“There’s been excessive bleeding; she’ll need rest and observation.”

I closed my eyes, tears streaming down my face, soaking the pillow beneath me.

Even though I had already decided to end the pregnancy, the sudden loss still crushed my chest, leaving me gasping for air.

Baby, I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve any of this.

When I awoke, I was alone in the hospital room.

The door creaked open, and Brynn stood in the doorway, looking drained, holding a cup of warm water in his hand.

“Honey, why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant?”

That was the first thing he said.

I stared at him, the absurdity of his words washing over me.

“So now you’re blaming me? Blaming me for not telling you sooner that I was pregnant? Your son threw a snake at me, and now I’m at fault?”

He paused, his expression softening for just a moment, before he lowered his voice, almost as if changing his tune.

“That’s not what I meant, honey. You don’t know how terrified I was when I saw you bleeding; I was so afraid of losing you. From now on, let’s just focus on raising Solomon. I don’t want you to go through the pain of pregnancy again.”

I turned my head away, feeling the weight of exhaustion settle over me.

He was still playing the part of the loving man.

“But honey, Solomon didn’t mean it…” Brynn explained softly.

“He said he thought you liked animals; it was just a misunderstanding. Don’t be too hard on him, okay? He’s still a child. He might even be the only child we ever have—”

I bit my lip so hard it nearly bled.

“So that’s it? It’s over? He scared me with a snake. I lost our baby, and that’s how it ends?”

Brynn stood there, speechless, unable to find a response.

The silence was broken by Sylvie entering, carrying a steaming bowl of carrot and chicken soup, her voice soft and gentle.

“Sister-in-law, you’ve just had a miscarriage, and your body is weak. I stewed this for two hours.”

Her mention of the miscarriage brought a brief flicker of relief in her eyes.

I glanced at the bowl, my vision clouded by a familiar sting.

Carrots. The one thing I had hated since childhood.

Brynn didn’t notice. He coaxed gently, “Honey, just drink a little. Don’t be stubborn; you need to nourish your body now.”

I raised my hand and sent the bowl crashing to the floor, the hot soup splattering across the tiles, filling the room with its sweet, meaty scent.

“I said I’m not drinking it.” I gritted my teeth. “Do you not understand what I’m saying?”

“Natalie!” Brynn finally snapped.

“You’re emotionally unstable because of the miscarriage, I get that. But you can’t take it out on Sylvie! She worked hard to make this soup!”

I shut my eyes, not wanting to face either of them.

“Fine. You stay here and calm down.”

Brynn’s voice turned icy as he dragged the pitiful-looking Sylvie out of the hospital room.

In the days that followed, he didn’t come near me.

I saw Sylvie posting pictures of Brynn taking her and Solomon to Disneyland on social media.

I couldn’t lie to myself anymore.

Brynn’s love for me had never been as deep as I had imagined.

All the warmth I thought I saw had been filtered through my own blind affection for him. When my postpartum confinement ended, I returned to that house, no, their house.

I opened the storage room and began slicing my wedding dress, piece by piece, with scissors.

Wedding photos? Gone.

Videotapes? Gone.

All the foolish keepsakes? Thrown to the floor.

Everything that held memories of sweetness between me and Brynn shattered it all.