Ivy was admitted to the hospital as well to rest and protect her pregnancy, placed in the room right next to Clara's.

With her barely noticeable baby bump, she knocked on Clara's door.

"Hello. My pregnancy isn't stable either. My husband was worried, so he had me admitted early."

There was a smug look on her face as she deliberately pushed her belly forward, the gesture reeking of provocation.

As Clara studied Ivy's features, a strange sense of familiarity washed over her, making her pause.

Ivy resembled Clara in her younger years, especially when she smiled. Only Clara had long forgotten how to smile after years spent walking through blood and gunfire.

She had no interest in engaging, merely casting Ivy a brief glance before turning to look out the window.

She did not blame Ivy at all. The only one she blamed was the man who had betrayed their bond.

Ivy slipped, barely managing to steady herself against the cabinet, and shot a pleading look toward Ethan nearby.

Ethan's gaze skimmed over Ivy briefly before he remained seated by the bed, tending to Clara instead.

Ivy clenched her teeth in fury.

She despised the slum apartment. It was rundown and unbearable.

What she really wanted was to live in Ethan's grand mansion.

But the thought that it was the place Clara had long cherished filled her with a twisted sense of satisfaction.

She had stayed by Ethan's side for so long—not for the title of a mistress, but for far more than that.

She wanted to be the mother of Ethan's only child. The real Mrs. Grayson.

"Ma'am, I heard you were hospitalized the moment you got pregnant. Sounds like this baby won't be easy to keep. Sometimes people just need to accept their fate, or else—"

"Shut up!" Ethan snapped in fury, his eyes blazing as he glared at Ivy.

"Who do you think you're cursing? Say one more word and I'll make sure you don't leave this hospital in one piece."

Clara watched Ethan's performance of playing the devoted protector with a blank face, her lips curling into a mocking smile.

Watching him now, who would have guessed they had been tangled together in passion not long ago?

She could no longer stand their act and turned her face away, closing her eyes.

All she wanted now was to love herself and take care of her body.

As for Ethan, they would be strangers from now on.

There was no need for her to care about what happened between him and other women.

But before she left, the two of them would have to pay for their deception.

Late at night, Clara had a nightmare.

She dreamed of the time she was pregnant with her first child, when Ethan, reckless and young, had angered a Harborcliff gang leader and been kidnapped. The man had vowed to kill him.

Everyone under him had been terrified, none daring to step forward to save him.

Only Clara, five months pregnant, had walked into the gang leader's stronghold alone, guns in hand.

She had been shot six times along the way. The child was lost, and as pain dragged her into darkness, she hadn't even thought about saving Ethan, only that dying together as a family might not be so bad.

Gunfire echoed in her ears. Clara gasped for breath, snapping awake as she forced herself upright.

Deep fear flickered in her eyes.

If the Harborcliff leader hadn't been the man who had abandoned her and her mother years ago, she would have long since...

After a long while, her emotions finally settled, a sardonic smile tugging at her lips.

Ethan was truly laughable. Did he really think controlling the underworld of Asterfall meant he could stand against Harborcliff?

Without her holding things in place, how could Harborcliff have remained so quiet all these years?

She took a deep breath, forced herself to calm down, closed her eyes, and tried to fall back asleep.

Instead, she heard a man's ragged breathing and a woman's breathless moans coming from the room next door.

She had heard those familiar voices during a voice call not long ago.

Enduring the pain in her lower abdomen, she forced herself up and limped toward the neighboring room.

The door was not fully closed. Inside, the man and woman were tangled together like beasts, their eyes filled with raw desire.

"Honey, you scared me this afternoon. I don't want to talk to you."

Ivy deliberately dodged Ethan's kiss, pressing a hand against his lips in protest.

"If you care so much about that old woman, why did you force me to be with you? If I'd known, I would've rather died than given in."

Ethan panted heavily, urgency flashing in his eyes as desire consumed his gaze, leaving only the woman before him.

"If I didn't care about you, why would I have saved the special medicine for you? I just didn't want you exposing our affair to Clara. She's been with me for so many years. Even if she hasn't done much, she's suffered plenty. If this got out, who knows what my people would say about me?"

Satisfied at last, Ivy leaned in and kissed Ethan.

"You're with her every day. I just get jealous and can't help saying a few extra things."

Ivy straightened up and straddled Ethan's waist, savoring the way his gaze burned with obsession.

"If you treat me like this again, I'll ignore you completely and leave you suffering."

Outside the door, Clara's chest rose and fell with rage.

Agonizing pain tore through her lower body, blood flowing freely, yet she seemed unaware of it.

Perhaps it was better this way. The child was gone.

She collapsed onto the floor, her face drained of all color.

A nurse's startled cry rang out, "Quick, save her!"

Numb and detached, Clara was rushed back into the emergency room by the doctors and nurses.

Behind her, the sounds of bodies colliding and mingled moans grew louder, hammering against Clara's ears.

Though she had long prepared herself for this, witnessing Ethan lost in another woman still made her heart ache.

After more than a decade, she still couldn't bring herself to let it all go.

In the emergency room, Clara finally steadied herself and said softly, "Terminate the pregnancy."

Ivy had said one thing right. Clara should never have tried to cling to something that was never hers.

This child should have been gone long ago.

The doctors looked stunned. They all knew how much Clara had suffered to keep this child alive.

Even if it had cost her life, she would never have harmed this child.

So how had she ended up deciding to terminate the pregnancy?

Clara tugged at the corner of her lips, her voice cold. "You're all his people, aren't you? Keep this quiet for now. Don't tell Ethan."

"Yes." The doctor answered respectfully, his movements growing even gentler.

It was not until the next morning that Clara was sent back to her hospital room after the surgery.

Ethan only stopped by for a brief look before saying something urgent had come up at the company and leaving in haste.

He did not notice her now-flat belly, nor the complete lack of color in her face.

With a blank expression, Clara handled the discharge procedures herself and returned to the slum apartment.

After more than ten years away, everything felt both unfamiliar and achingly familiar.

She could almost hear her mother calling to her from the kitchen, telling her dinner was ready.

But in the blink of an eye, her mother's face vanished.

She knelt before her mother's memorial photo, tears streaming down her face in no time.

"Mom, Ethan failed your trust. He betrayed me. I'm going to find that man now. I hope you won't blame me."

She took her mother's memorial photo and ashes with her, then went to an agent and sold the apartment.

This place had already been tainted. There was no reason to stay.

She had not expected to run into Ethan shortly after leaving the agency.

Ethan looked anxious as he grabbed her arm without hesitation.

"Honey, your health isn't good right now. Why are you running around like this? What if something happened? You scared me half to death. Your phone was turned off. I had to use everyone I had just to find you."

His whole body trembled as he pulled Clara into his arms, finally relaxing only after holding her.

But Clara's mind was filled with images of him entangled with Ivy, leaving her overwhelmed with nausea.

She used all her strength to shove Ethan away, unable to suppress the disgust in her eyes.

"I just wanted to go home and see my mom. I didn't want to bother you. Haven't you been busy lately?"

The distance and sharpness in her eyes were unmistakable, leaving Ethan momentarily stunned.

Clara was known to be cold and ruthless to the world, but with him, she had always been tender and affectionate.

She had never been like this before. What was wrong with her?

Ethan took a deep breath and asked patiently, "Are you upset because you're missing your mom again? She'd be heartbroken to see you this sad from up there. You're already well into your pregnancy. You'll need the stronger medication for it to improve. Let's get back to the hospital."

Clara's clothes were loose that day, and he failed to notice the child was already gone.

Or perhaps he simply did not care.

"Our wedding anniversary is coming up in a few days. Honey, how should we celebrate this time? How about I give you that ring you've always wanted? You're my one and only true love."

The moment she heard that, the wave of nausea surged through Clara's entire body.

Hadn't that so-called ring of true love already been given to Ivy as a pledge of devotion?

Unable to endure it any longer, Clara flung his hand away, stopped, and looked up at Ethan as he tried to placate her with barely restrained anger.

"Ethan, if our child couldn't be saved, if the special medicine didn't work, and I died trying to protect the baby, what would you do?"

Ethan froze. Panic flashed through his eyes before he quickly suppressed it.

Startled, he rushed forward to hold her, but Clara dodged him, leaving him gripping only her wrist.

He promised, "The medicine has already been tested. It will work. You'll be fine. The child will be fine too. To me, you're more important than anything. If I had to choose, I'd give up the child."

What touching words.

So many men would choose the child without hesitation in such a choice.

But Clara knew better. From beginning to end, this man had despised both her child and her.

He called her dirty, even though he was the one who was rotten to the core.

Not wanting to stir up more trouble, Clara found an excuse and returned to the Grayson family mansion with Ethan.

Ethan had been worried about the child, but when Clara said everything was fine, he finally relaxed.

He was likely thinking that this meant Clara no longer needed the special medicine, giving him a perfectly valid reason to give it to Ivy instead.

Seeing the easy smile at the corner of Ethan's mouth, Clara let out a mocking laugh.

Sometimes, knowing a man too well was not a good thing.

Clara turned her phone back on. Ivy had added her as a contact, and once the request was approved, photos immediately came through.

There were photos of her and Ethan traveling abroad, embracing sweetly.

There were also photos of the two of them tangled together in bed.

"Clara, you can tell these photos were taken while you were lying in bed trying to protect your pregnancy."

"Ethan and I have been together for five months now. He relentlessly pursued me, leaving me no choice but to be with him. In the end, it's your fault for not being able to keep your own man."

"He loves me, and he loves the child I'm carrying. In a relationship, the one who isn't loved is the real intruder. I've never seen myself as the other woman who destroyed a relationship."

"Ethan got tired of you a long time ago. You're older than him, and you're already dirty. He said every time he slept with you, he had to rely on medication just to get through it."

"But the moment he sees me, his eyes are full of desire. I'm the only one he loves. For me, he was willing to break his principles, the first woman he ever truly wanted."

"Whatever I want, he gives me, including your mother's old house. You must've known about us for a long time, didn't you? I never thought you'd be this shameless, still clinging to him after all this."

Message after message of provocation filled the screen, Clara's body trembling with rage.

How could someone be so utterly shameless?

Clara forced herself to calm down. Ivy wanted her to lose control, to bleed out in anger and end up dead along with the baby.

She would never let Ivy have what she wanted.

"You don't actually think he still cares about you, do you? Believe it or not, all it takes is one word from me, and he'll drop you without hesitation and come running to me."

The moment the message was sent, a call came through on Ethan's end.

"There's a fight in the west side? Useless idiots. You can't handle anything without me. I'm on my way."

He rushed over right after that, panic written all over his face.

"Honey, something serious is going down on the west side again. That place is always a mess. If I don't step in, it'll turn ugly fast. I'll go handle it and come back. Wait for me."

Without waiting for Clara's response, he hurried off.

A message from Ivy arrived almost immediately.

"Clara, it's time you faced reality. Between you and me, he'll always choose me. He's the underworld king now. Who in the whole city would dare cause trouble under his watch? He's just using it as an excuse to see me. I sent him one half-naked photo, and he couldn't wait."

Clara wiped away her tears, leaving nothing but coldness in her eyes.

Hours passed, and Ethan still hadn't returned.

Her phone kept vibrating as Ivy sent her photo after photo of the two of them in bed.

Clara let out a series of cold laughs. Ivy really didn't need to go this far.

A ruined man like that was no longer worth keeping.

"Clara, take a good look. See what you've driven him to. He really has it hard just trying to get some satisfaction."

Clara packed her things and burned everything she couldn't take with her, leaving nothing behind.

Standing at the door with her suitcase, she dialed one of her father's men.

"Send Ethan a very special gift for me."

This time, she would make Ethan understand what real pain meant.

After fooling around with Ivy all night, Ethan finally fell asleep.

Near dawn, he jolted awake, checked the time, and widened his eyes.

It was already six in the morning.

Throughout their years of marriage, he had always been by Clara's side by ten every night without fail.

If he was even a minute late, Clara would call.

But tonight, Clara hadn't called even once.

That was how it ended with him spending the entire night fooling around with Ivy, and even staying over at her place.

Unease surged through Ethan as he sat up in a panic, reaching for his phone to call Clara.

At that moment, a pair of arms wrapped around his neck, hot breath brushing against his ear.

"Stay with me a little longer. You wore me out last night. You have to spend more time with me today."

She teasingly extended her index finger and traced slow circles across Ethan's chest.

"Not today. It's my wedding anniversary with Clara. I need to be with her."

Ivy curled her lips in faint displeasure, said nothing, let out a soft laugh, and slipped under the covers.

Ethan's breathing grew heavier, his eyes reddened and filled with raw desire.

He seized Ivy by the hair with one hand and bit down hard on his lower lip.

After a long while, he finally released, gasping for breath.

Ivy licked the corner of her lips, slipped a finger into her mouth, her eyes brimming with provocation.

"Are you sure you want to push me away?"

The smile at the corner of Ethan's mouth deepened as he picked up his phone and sent Clara a perfunctory message.

"I'm preparing a wedding anniversary surprise for you. I'll come see you later."

With a sharp, impatient movement, he caged her beneath his body and drove into her.

On the cabinet by the bed sat the anniversary gift he had prepared for Clara, knocked into the trash by his rough movements.

He frowned briefly, casting a fleeting glance at the gift box before sinking back into the stimulation Ivy gave him, pushing everything else from his mind.

Clara was always so understanding. She wouldn't mind him arriving late.

What he hadn't expected was how violently his desire surged this time, stripping him of reason, making him want to lose himself completely in Ivy.

He completely forgot about Clara.

Ivy nestled against him, breathing in a deliberately seductive rhythm.

Today, she had to keep Ethan here.

She had got involved with him while still so young, wasting her best years. Why should she only ever be a mistress?

She refused to be just one of the many women around Asterfall's underworld king.

She wanted to be his only one.

She wanted Ethan to openly keep her by his side, respected by everyone under him, just like Clara once was.

She refused to lose to an old woman.

While Ethan was immersed in the stimulation Ivy gave him, the unease in his chest only grew heavier.

After another four or five hours, noon was fast approaching.

He had to go home to see Clara.

He snapped back to his senses and pulled away. "Get some rest. I'm leaving."

Ivy grabbed his hand in dissatisfaction. "I just want you to stay with me today. I'm begging you."

She pouted, her eyes red-rimmed, but received not a shred of sympathy from Ethan.

Ethan shook her off irritably. "You need to know your place. No one is allowed to interfere with my wedding anniversary with Clara today."

He did not spare Ivy a single glance as he walked away.

All that remained was Ivy hurling a cup from the table, smashing it against the hospital room door in fury.

The next second, she couldn't help but laugh.

"Everything is settled now. Clara won't want you anymore. You can only be mine."

She walked over and took out the hidden pinhole camera.

She wanted to see just how much Clara could endure, whether she could still remain Mrs. Grayson after seeing all this.