The entire outer secretary area fell silent. All the girls kept their heads down, afraid of provoking Gary.

His words twisted painfully in my chest.

I swallowed the sourness in my throat, tugged at the corner of his sleeve, and took the initiative to break the suffocating atmosphere by saying quietly, "I'm hungry."

With a stern face, he pulled out his phone and ordered a nutritious meal from the hotel to be sent to the room.

The food arrived quickly. The plating was exquisite, and the ingredients were high-end, light, and healthy, completely meeting his requirements.

He did not sit down to accompany me.

"Take your time eating. I have a team gathering. It's just downstairs in the courtyard."

I walked to the balcony facing the courtyard and saw his so-called 'team gathering'.

Beside the long buffet table, his siren-like secretaries surrounded him in their flashy outfits, smiling radiantly. His posture was relaxed, a wine glass perched on one hand. His other hand rested naturally on the back of the chair of the secretary beside him.

He looked like a king holding court, and that secretary was his favorite.

My mind flashed back to several years ago. I had been jealous of his overly attractive secretary team and made a fuss about him replacing them.

He laughed at me for being petty, saying secretaries were the company's image. He told me to be understanding and not make trouble. He cupped my face and swore that in this lifetime, both body and heart, he would have only me.

Over the years, he truly had not been involved in any scandalous rumors. However, at that moment, that secretary in the super short skirt giggled as she picked up a grape and brought it to his lips in the courtyard below.

He did not hesitate and naturally lowered his head to eat it. My chest suddenly felt tight, and I could barely breathe.

Next, the secretary stood up, seemingly wanting to go to the nearby swing. However, she 'accidentally' stumbled and cried out, her entire body falling into Gary's arms.

Gary's hand easily caught her waist as he joked with a smile, "This is what you get for always dieting. Now you can't even walk straight?"

As he spoke, he scooped her up and walked a few steps to the swing, gently placing her on it.

My eyes stung from the scene. I gripped my cold phone tightly and used all my strength to hurl it down toward that glaring scene of laughter and cheer below.

Splash!

The phone hit the center of the heated pool in the courtyard, sending up a huge spray of water.

The playful noise below stopped abruptly. Everyone was startled by the sudden commotion and looked up in alarm.

Gary also looked up, and his gaze found me precisely on the balcony. Across the distance, our eyes met.

I gripped the balcony railing and shouted hoarsely at that blurry figure, "Gary Mitchell! Get up here now!"

Gary came quickly. He pushed open the door, his face ashen.

I grabbed the pillow beside me and threw it hard at him. He did not dodge, and the pillow hit him softly.

His eyes were dark. "What are you making a fuss about now?"

I pointed at the healthy meal on the table in front of me.

"Why do you get to eat barbecue and drink wine while I can only eat this garbage?"

He said coldly, "Carrie, be reasonable. You're pregnant. The doctor said you need a light diet.

"This is all for your own good. Once the baby is born, you can eat whatever you want. Okay?"

The baby again. How much more did I have to sacrifice for this baby?

Besides, I did not even like children. He replaced my birth control pills and got me pregnant.

He walked over, picked up a fork, and lifted a piece of kale to feed to me. His tone softened, like he was coaxing a disobedient child.

"Ahh… Open up!"

I turned my face away sharply, avoiding the vegetable as tears welled up against my will.

"All you see is the baby! Just because I'm pregnant with this baby, I don't even have the freedom to choose what I eat?"

"I'm a living, breathing person, not your breeding machine!"

Gary's face completely darkened, and he put down the fork heavily.

"You're about to become a mother. Can you stop being so willful and unreasonable?"

He sat down beside me and forcefully turned my shoulders toward him.

"Be good, and stop making a fuss. Just hold on for four more months. Once the baby is born, everything will be fine.

"After this baby is born, we won't have any more."

He picked up the bowl again, scooped up a forkful of food, and brought it to my lips. His eyes were stubborn, as if he would not give up until I finished eating.

I could not fight him, so I could only open my mouth and mechanically swallow the tasteless food. He force-fed me bite by bite until I finished the meal.

"Good girl."

He was finally satisfied and raised his hand to pat my head, but I instinctively dodged. His hand froze in mid-air, his eyes darkening.

A cautious knock came from outside the door. The secretary from earlier pushed the door open and leaned in. She was holding a plate of bright red hawthorns in her hands.

"Mrs. Mitchell, these are hawthorns that were just flown in. They're fresh and tart, totally great for your appetite. Would you like to try some?"

Gary stood up and took the plate of hawthorns. "Thank you for your trouble."

He paused, glanced at the secretary, and instructed. "I have a media interview in a bit. Stay here and take care of my wife."

The secretary's smile froze, but she did not dare object. Pouting, she replied, "Yes, Mr. Mitchell."

Gary strode out of the room.

The secretary was clearly impatient, pacing back and forth in the room. She kept glancing toward the door, looking like her heart had already flown to the interview site.

"You don't need to stay here. Go do what you need to do."

I spoke up, wanting to send her away.

"I can't." She immediately refused. "Mr. Mitchell instructed me to stay with you every step of the way. I have to listen to Mr. Mitchell."

I felt suffocated. Rather than being alone with her in this suffocating room, I might as well go out.

"Let's go, then." I stood up. "Let's go watch the interview together."

The secretary's eyes immediately lit up, and she eagerly followed.

The interview was being held in the hotel's largest ballroom. By the time we arrived, it was already packed with media reporters, cameras all trained on the dazzling man on stage.

Gary sat on stage, composed and at ease, answering reporters' questions with wit and humor. His answers drew laughter from the audience from time to time.

A female reporter stood up to ask a question.

"Mr. Mitchell, congratulations on being named Most Popular Entrepreneur again this year. We've noticed that many of your fans are young women, and everyone is very interested in your relationship status.

"May I ask if you're married?"

I instinctively clenched my fists. On stage, Gary faced the camera with a decisive tone. "No."

The secretary beside me let out an extremely soft snicker. "Tsk, so he's not even married. Then what's with the ‘Mrs. Mitchell’ act?"

Right. I was not Mrs. Mitchell, since Gary and I never registered our marriage. We never even had a wedding.

Back then, he told me that as the CEO of a publicly traded company, his marital status had to be disclosed. For my 'safety', to avoid being targeted by his 'competitors', we could not get married for the time being.

I believed him.

The reporter pressed on, "Then may I ask, Mr. Mitchell, are you currently single?"

On stage, Gary's smile remained unchanged. He spoke clearly into the microphone, "Yes."

My head started buzzing.

The secretary beside me could barely hide the wild joy and mockery on her face. All the blood in my body seemed to freeze instantly.

My vision went black. Everything around me started spinning and twisting, becoming blurred. Terrified screams erupted around me.

"Someone's fainted!"

"There's so much blood!"

Before my consciousness sank completely into darkness, I seemed to hear Gary's torn, terrified shout from far away.

"Honey!"