Since Raymond was so fond of Victoria, I might as well let them have each other. I had to divorce him! I had to! This life was simply unbearable!

I touched my still-flat stomach, feeling a pang of sorrow. I said to my unborn child, "Sweetheart, I'm sorry, but I can't let you come into this world to suffer."

My stomach was painfully empty and cramping in waves. After searching every corner, I found nothing to eat.

Feeling the three dollars left in my pocket, I gritted my teeth and went out. I walked unsteadily to the supermarket and bought discounted, nearly expired food.

Taking a fierce bite, the flavors spread through my mouth, yet the food tasted incredibly bitter to me. Though my family in the countryside was not wealthy, we could at least afford meat daily. How had life with Raymond become worse than living through a famine?

With the little food in my stomach, I finally had some strength. I touched my still-flat belly again, feeling a twinge of pain.

Nevertheless, I walked with determination to the hospital. When I told the doctor I wanted an abortion, his eyes flashed with hesitation behind his glasses. "Are you sure? Does the father agree?"

Not getting a reaction from me, the doctor paused, his expression growing sympathetic. Perhaps feeling sorry for me, he softened his tone as he asked, "Have you thought this through? This is a life, after all."

I nodded numbly.

Had I thought it through? What was there to consider?

In my previous life, when had Raymond ever cared about this child?

Even at seven months pregnant, I had still been starving every other meal. My belly had been as small as a deflated ball while Victoria from next door had been pampered until her face seemed to glow.

When my mother traveled from afar to visit, she broke down in tears when she saw my gaunt complexion. "Oh, Minnie, I should never have let you marry so far from home! You're living worse than an animal!" she wailed.

Indeed, even pet animals received extra food when pregnant. However, Raymond only knew how to save my rations to give to Victoria.

He even stole the formula I bought when I was weak after childbirth and our baby was crying desperately from hunger.

Remembering my son's emaciated body from my previous life, my heart felt like it was being sliced open.

"Come to the hospital tomorrow at 8:00 am. Don't eat beforehand."

The doctor handed me a form, which I accepted without hesitation.

When I returned home, smoke rose from all the neighbors' chimneys, and the air was filled with the aroma of food being cooked—except for my house, where the stove was cold and deathly still.

The unit next door was lively with activity. I knew from Victoria's coquettish laughter that it was due to Raymond's attentive care.

The sounds pierced my heart painfully like sharp thorns. I began packing my things—just some simple clothes, a few books I treasured, and the money my mother had secretly given me.

This was all that I owned.

I packed these items into a worn canvas bag. Then, I walked to the bedside table and picked up a yellowed photograph. In the photo, Raymond and I were wearing new clothes, our faces radiating happiness.

This was our wedding photo. Back then, I genuinely wanted to build a good life with him.

I stared at the photo for a long while, then finally tore it to pieces and threw it in the trash.

The old Minnie was dead—along with her son—at the bottom of that cold well.

Raymond returned just as I finished packing. Seeing me, the smile on his face faded slightly, and he casually asked, "Have you eaten?"

I could not even be bothered to look up as I turned back to the bedroom. He had the nerve to ask if I had eaten after taking all our food.

He followed me in, holding a canvas bag while presenting it proudly. "Didn't you say you liked Vicky's bag last time? I bought one for you. Don't be angry anymore."

I glanced at the bag with a dirty stain in one corner and felt disgusted.

What nonsense about buying it for me! Clearly, it was something Victoria had tossed out!

Raymond bought Victoria a designer bag but gave me an ordinary canvas one. I was foolish before, blind to his clumsy lies. Now, I saw clearly that everything was disgustingly perfunctory.

I said nothing, and he assumed I had calmed down.

In the past, I would have rushed to question him about why he was so good to Victoria.

"You gave Vicky attitude earlier, but she's a kind woman and didn't get angry," he said. After a pause, he added, "You should go do her laundry soon. Her pregnancy has been unstable these past few days, and she got some blood on her pants."

Indeed, his 'kindness' always came with an agenda. How could he say such revolting things with a straight face?

I coldly refused, "No."

He froze, apparently surprised by my refusal. No matter how unwilling I was before, I would eventually obey him.

"Minnie, what do you mean?" His tone grew harder.

"Exactly what I said. Raymond, let's get a divorce."

Raymond was stunned, then he looked at me as if I were insane. "Have you lost your mind? We have a perfectly good life together, and you want a divorce over this small matter?"

I could not help but mock him, "Raymond, what kind of life do you think I live in your eyes? You take my money to support your mistress while you let me starve and freeze. Is this what you call a perfectly good life?"

"I... I just feel sorry for Vicky, don't you? It's not easy for a woman to be pregnant alone..."

"Not easy? If it's not easy for her, has it been easy for me? I've been married to you for two years, and I've never had enough to eat."

His eyes shifted, but he refused to admit his wrongdoing.

I did not bother arguing further and said directly, "Let's get a divorce. If you like Victoria, go be with her."

He gritted his teeth and glared at me fiercely. "Don't regret this, Minnie!"

"The only thing I regret is marrying you!"

Raymond's face instantly turned ashen. He raised his hand and slapped me hard, using all his strength.

I saw stars, and my head had even slammed against the cabinet. A sharp pain shot through me. My vision blurred, and I could smell blood in the air.

Victoria stood at the door, covering her mouth in horror.

Raymond did not come to help me first. Instead, he rushed to Victoria's side, anxiously covering her eyes.

"Don't be afraid. You're pregnant. You shouldn't see this."

He then turned his head toward me and said impatiently, "Get up quickly and wipe off the blood. I'll take you to the hospital. Don't frighten Vicky."

I held onto the cabinet, staggering as I tried to stand up to curse at him. However, I felt the world spinning, and everything went black as I completely lost consciousness.

…

When I woke again, I heard a doctor's stern reprimand.

"How could you not provide proper nutrition for a pregnant woman in such poor condition, even letting her lose so much blood? If something serious had happened, you would've deeply regretted it!"

I heard Raymond saying, "Yes, you're right. And I'll definitely make sure she gets the nutrients she needs."

I struggled to open my eyes and saw a doctor in a white coat lecturing Raymond. When Raymond noticed I was awake, he immediately put on a gentle expression. He held my hand, his voice full of concern as he asked, "Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant? I nearly..."

I yanked my hand away and turned my face in disgust. After the doctor left, Raymond attentively peeled an apple for me.

"If I had known you were pregnant, I definitely wouldn't have pushed you! Poor Vicky was so frightened that she almost miscarried."

I coldly glanced at him. "So, you're blaming me for scaring your precious Victoria?"

He was immediately at a loss for words. He laughed awkwardly, sighed, and said, "Minnie, how can you say that? You're my wife. Of course, I want to treat you well."

I closed my eyes, pretending not to hear. When I heard the door open, I knew he had left.

I propped myself up even though my head was still spinning, determined to find the doctor from yesterday for the abortion.

When passing by another hospital ward, I glimpsed at Raymond through the partially open door. He was carefully feeding Victoria expensive truffle soup one spoonful at a time.

"Ray, I was just startled. Really, I'm fine," she said softly. "You should save this for Minnie to help her recover."

"She's perfectly healthy. She doesn't need anything special," Raymond replied dismissively as if he had not just promised the doctor he would work on my nutrition.

In my previous life, such incidents were commonplace. I had grown numb to them.

His favoritism would have left me heartbroken once, and his intimacy with Victoria would have made me hysterical. Now, I only felt nauseated. I turned away and headed to the doctor's office but learned he was in surgery.

I then returned to my ward, somewhat disappointed.

The sterile space contained only a bowl of cold corn soup that sat forgotten on the nightstand.

Meanwhile, Raymond had vanished again. Whatever. It did not matter anymore.

I picked up the spoon and sipped the cold soup slowly. The chill slid down my throat into my stomach, sending shivers through my body.

Suddenly, the door burst open. Victoria strutted in wearing the pink dress I had spotted in Raymond's bag days earlier. I thought it was my birthday gift. When I tried it on, Raymond sneered, saying that ugly people should not try to look pretty.

She feigned surprise while covering her mouth but could not hide the smugness in her eyes. "Oh my, is this all you're eating? How pitiful."

I ignored her and continued to have my soup.

"Ray's making homemade chicken noodle soup for me right now. I could share a bowl with you later if you'd like," she said.

"No thanks." I stood up and replied coolly, "I don't care for chicken noodle soup, especially when it's someone else's leftovers."

Victoria's expression hardened, and her smile froze. She glanced contemptuously at the bland soup before me. "And I don't like you clinging to my man."

Before I could process her words, a powerful shove sent me backward. My abdomen slammed against the corner of the bed, sending a searing pain through me.

Warm liquid ran down my inner thighs. Looking down, I watched bright red blood rapidly staining my hospital gown.

Victoria leaned in, her words dripping with venom as she snarled. "Ray can only care for my baby. Don't think you can have one too to compete for his attention. Of course, even if you tell him, Ray won't believe you anyway."

I shoved her away with all my strength and screamed, "Doctor! Doctor!"

Pain crashed over me in waves as blood flowed more heavily beneath me. It soaked through the sheets, spreading to the edge of the bed.

Droplets fell to the floor, blooming into horrifying crimson patterns.

Several nurses rushed in, and one exclaimed, "Gosh, she's hemorrhaging! This isn't a normal miscarriage!"

The pain made my consciousness fade. Before being wheeled into the operating room, I heard Raymond's panicked voice.

"What's happening to my wife? Doctor, save our baby!"

As blood drained from my body, I grew increasingly cold. I heard the doctor shouting, "Quickly! Get the family to sign the critical condition notice!"

Then came the nurse's hurried footsteps, leaving and returning.

"We can't find any family members! That man from earlier is gone!"

My supposedly concerned husband had returned to Victoria's side.

The nurse's voice carried clear frustration as she said, "I looked everywhere but couldn't find him."

The doctor growled, "What kind of husband disappears when his wife is in this state?"

My heart turned to ice, despair washing over me like a tide. I was given a second chance at life. Was I truly destined to die this way again?