When my fiance's childhood sweetheart, Jenna Gray, gets assigned to a rural work program, he, Austin Bell, volunteers to go with her for three years.

Before leaving, he holds my hand and tells me a promise. "Save up while I'm gone and build our wedding fund. We'll get married as soon as I come back."

Save up my ass.

The moment he leaves, I start living my best life.

A year later, Austin, who's supposed to be miles away in some rural village, shows up at our door with Jenna in tow. They're here to ask for money.

What he sees when he walks through the door is me, eight months pregnant, lounging on the couch and watching TV.

His hands tremble as he points at my pregnant belly. "I've been away for a year… How are you pregnant?"

"You're early. If you'd stuck to the plan and come back by then, the kid would already be old enough to run errands."

Rage had Austin Bell gasping and wheezing for air. "You had an affair and got yourself knocked up by that cheating bastard! Now, you even have the nerve to talk back!

"Tell me! Who's the father of that monster inside you?"

Annoyed, I frowned. "Watch your manners."

"I was gone for a year and came back to find you carrying another man's child!" Veins bulged on his forehead as he stormed closer.

I took a step back. He swept his arm across the table, scattering the potato chips I'd been snacking on across the floor.

"And you have the audacity to live under my roof! Have you no shame?" he added.

I let out a cold laugh at his outburst and retorted, "Why wouldn't I live here? I'm counting on your mom to attend to my needs and take care of me during my pregnancy.

"As for you, look at you coming back broke and desperate. What do you want this time?"

Austin's hand slapped me across the face before I could even finish. My cheeks burned instantly as I stared at him in shock.

His eyes were bloodshot as he gripped my wrists. "I own this house, you whore! Get the hell out, now!"

He shoved me hard against the table, and a sharp discomfort shot through my abdomen.

I forced down my anger, ready to tell them I'd married Eric Bell when Austin's childhood sweetheart, Jenna Gray, let out a startled cry. "Austin, she must be here for Eric's money!

"Everyone knows he struck it rich after college, so she must've told him the baby's yours. That's the only reason he let her stay here! Why else would she be allowed to stay here comfortably?"

Frowning, I turned to her. "Have you lost your mind? Did it never cross your mind that this baby is Eric's?"

The two of them burst out laughing at my words.

"You shameless slut! Everyone knows Eric's completely devoted to his studies and doesn't even go on the dates people set up for him," Jenna said with a smirk.

"You probably didn't know he has someone he loves, you whore. When he heard she got engaged, he almost swore he'd never get married for life!" Austin chimed in.

Stepping forward, he gripped my chin. "You bitch. You live off my family, sleep around behind my back, and now you're trying to drag my brother into your filth. I should just beat you to death right now."

"If you dare lay a hand on me, Eric will—"

I didn't get to finish. His fist smashed into my face, and the pain caused my stomach to cramp in protest. I broke into a cold sweat, gritting my teeth.

He glared at me with pure malice. "Even if Eric's back, he'll want you dead, too.

"I'm going to show everyone what a shameless whore you are."

He dragged me by my collar toward the door, but I was too weak and in too much pain to fight back. As he threw me onto the floor, I caught myself on my hands just in time to spare my belly from the impact.

I curled up on the floor, protecting the baby with everything I had.

"Bitch!" he barked, kicking me in the side. "You had the guts to cheat, and now you're too cowardly to admit it?"

He yanked my hair, forcing my head up.

The commotion drew neighbors out of their houses and gathered them around.

"What the hell are you doing, Austin? Rachel's pregnant!" one of them shouted and stepped forward to stop him.

But Jenna's shrill voice cut them off. "She's nothing but a shameless whore who cheated while Austin was away. And she had the nerve to live under the Bell family's roof and trick Eric into supporting her pregnancy.

"The Bell family has no room for someone who disgraces or shames them, so Austin is beating her up today to make things right."

Jenna's words had barely landed when Austin drove a kick into my side again.

"I've been out there suffering, and yet you're here living your best life with Eric's money!"

I clenched my jaw against the pain and tried to speak, but another slap came crashing across my face. My already swollen face burned even hotter.

As the cramp in my lower abdomen grew sharper, I managed to voice a weak plea. "Stop… please."

But instead of stopping him, my trembling voice seemed to fuel his rage. His hand rose and fell faster, striking me again and again until I curled up on the floor in agony.

The neighbors could no longer stand by and watch as they rushed forward to intervene. "Stop, Austin! Wait until Eric comes back before you settle this."

He exploded. "A whore like her will only humiliate the Bells! She's embarrassed me and has been lying to Eric all along.

"I won't wait for him because I'll beat her to death myself."

Jenna quickly added, "Rachel cheated right under Eric's nose before getting him and Mrs. Bell to provide for her pregnancy. If Austin hadn't caught her today, who knows how long she would've continued to lie?"

The crowd fell silent in shock, now convinced that I'd been lying to Eric. One by one, they turned against me.

"How could you be so ungrateful, Rachel? Eric is hardworking and provides for you, while Sandra cooks you the most nutritious meals for the baby. How could you do this to them?"

"Bitches like Rachel are always around to ruin families," Jenna remarked as she stomped hard on my hand and ground her heel into it.

As I trembled in agony, she leaned down, her face twisted in malice. "You'd better tell us who that cheating bastard is and hand over every single dollar you've gotten from the Bells. Otherwise, I'll make sure you regret it."

With Austin pressing down on my stomach, I could barely breathe through the pain. I whispered Eric's name weakly.

Hearing that, Austin went feral. His hand clamped around my throat. "Let me warn you, Eric's ruthless when crossed. If he finds out you've deceived him, he'll want you dead.

"With his power now, he won't just come after you and that thing in your belly, but he'll make sure that cheating bastard and your parents pay, too!"

Jenna chimed in, "Exactly. Eric's been silently in love with someone for years and respectfully stayed away from disrupting her life. That's how proud and principled he is.

"Imagine his humiliation if he finds out that he's been played by a bitch like you."

Smiling triumphantly, she walked up to Austin and said, "If we teach her a lesson for Eric, he'll certainly thank us when he comes back. And when it comes to the money we've been wanting to borrow, things will go a lot smoother."

Austin's eyes lit up at that. "Catching this bitch red-handed means we've done Eric a favor.

"I was worried he wouldn't help us out, but now that we've exposed Rachel's lies and dealt with her, he'll be so grateful!"

I spat a mouthful of blood at Austin before clenching my jaw and hissing, "Grateful your ass!

"Let me tell you right now, I'm the woman Eric—"

Before I could finish, Austin slammed his fist into my stomach, and the pain was so suffocating I had to bite down on my teeth.

"Still spouting nonsense? I'll show you exactly what happens when someone dares to disgrace the Bells!"

As he raised his fist to strike my belly again, I desperately pleaded, "Please… don't hurt my baby."

Austin was startled before his expression twisted into angry, gleeful cruelty. "Well, I could refrain from killing that monster in your stomach."

He strode into the room and returned with a piece of hot iron which glowed red from the fire. "A whore like you should be marked so everyone knows you've cheated."

My head snapped up in horror, only to see Austin glaring at me. "That's what you get for cheating on me. Do it, or I'll beat that thing in your belly out of you right now!"

He raised his fist. Some neighbors could no longer stand idly by and stepped in to talk him out of it.

"Austin, you can't do this to Rachel. She's pregnant, and it'll kill her!"

"Let's wait for Eric to come back and deal with it. He's the head of the house when you're away."

"You know how he gets when he's mad…"

"Eric's my younger brother, and he'll do as I say! Why would he get upset when I'm cleaning up this mess for him?" Austin roared.

Then, he turned around and locked his glare on me. "Rachel, it seems you really don't care about this bastard child you're carrying, huh?"

As he swung his fist toward me, I cried out, "I'll do it! I'll do as you say!"

My trembling hands took over the burning hot iron and I pressed it hard against my skin. A searing pain shot through my body as I could no longer hold back from screaming.

A series of violent cramps was triggered in my stomach as I curled up on the ground, drenched in cold sweat.

A sudden splash of cold water was dumped all over my body, and my wounds hissed and sizzled.

Jenna sneered at the sight of me crumpled on the ground, but she clearly wasn't satisfied. "Look at her, Austin. Don't you think she looks just like a sow? Toss her in the pen where she belongs."

Ignoring the searing pain and coldness spreading across my limbs, I shook my head. "Please… Don't throw me in there."

I was terrified the pigs would trample on me or bite me.

"Do you think you have a choice?" Austin said. The moment Jenna opened the gate, he shoved me inside.

I tried to stand and get away from the pigs, but the pain wouldn't let me. That was when a massive pig turned toward me and charged.

Gritting my teeth, I desperately dragged myself toward the far corner, but I was too slow, and it slammed into me.

Laughter rang out from Austin and Jenna.

"She's clumsier than a pig!" Jenna cackled.

"This lying bitch thought she was clever and tricked the Bells into raising another man's child. Look at her now!"

"Run, Rachel! Or are you waiting for that pig to mount you?"

"Slut! I bet she'd probably enjoy it!"

A gasp broke out from the crowd. "Goodness, she's bleeding!"

All eyes fell on my stomach. "She's probably going into labor. Austin, get her out of there now, or you'll kill her and the baby!"

Austin sneered. "That's exactly what she deserves."

Just as his words died away, a voice cut through the chaos, cold and seething with fury. "And just who are you going to kill?"

I forced my head up, and through the crowd, I saw Eric walking toward us.