Within thirty seconds after I posted the update, my phone blew up.

Aside from texts from friends that were filled with shock and gossip, most of the harsh messages came from Tiffany’s family group chat.

[@Harry_Fullard, are you insane? How could you post all that nonsense on social media?! Delete it right now and apologize to Tiff!]

[Exactly! Tiff is pregnant! She can’t handle the stress right now. If you upset her and something happens, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life!]

Taylor had somehow gotten into the group chat at some point. He launched into a furious tirade against me.

[@Harry_Fullard, you trash! Are you seriously slandering your pregnant wife? What kind of a man are you?

[If you have the guts, come fight me one-on-one! I’ll break your leg!]

I ignored all the other comments. But when I saw that Taylor dared to provoke me like that, I replied immediately.

[Taylor, you should be thankful that we live in a society governed by law. Otherwise, I would’ve skinned you alive and dumped you in some sewer by now. You wouldn’t get the chance to run your mouth at me!]

I used to let Taylor get away with things because I did not want to upset Tiffany. This made him believe that I was a pushover.

He had not expected me to actually fight back. He flew into a rage and sent me dozens of long voice messages. I did not have to listen to them to know that he was cursing me viciously.

Tiffany then stepped in personally to back Taylor up.

[@Harry_Fullard, don’t even think for a moment that just because you’re my husband, you get to mistreat Taylor. Only women have the right to decide about having children, and I choose to bear Taylor’s child. And one isn’t enough. I’m having three more!

[However many I have, you’re still paying me child support. The Fullard family’s assets will all go to my kids anyway!

[If you know what’s good for you, apologize to Taylor right now! Otherwise, when you’re old and bedridden, my kids won’t take care of you! You’ll just lie there and rot!]

I thought I was already aware of how foolish and ignorant Tiffany was, but I did not expect her to push it even further.

I did not reply. I left the group chat and blocked her.

Two more months passed. Tiffany refused to back down and refused to sign the divorce papers.

I did not want to waste any more time on her, so I simply stopped engaging with her.

After all, as long as I endured the one-year separation period, the court could grant the divorce even if she did not agree to it.

Then, late one night, Tiffany’s mother, Jane Yarwood, called me. She had not contacted me in a long time.

“Harry, Tiff fell at home, and there’s a lot of bleeding. She keeps calling your name. Please come back and see her!”

She was still my wife in name. I hesitated for a moment, then drove to the Yarwood family’s house.

Unexpectedly, when I entered the house, I saw Tiffany lounging comfortably on the couch. She leaned against Taylor’s shoulder and ate the fruits that he fed her.

When she saw that I had come, Tiffany smiled and chuckled proudly.

“I told you! Deep down, you still love me. You’re not really heartless enough to leave me hanging.

“I recently found this lakeview villa that I really like. It’s perfect for relaxing during pregnancy. Pay for it by tonight!”

Jane came out of the kitchen carrying a bowl of soup. She scolded me just like she always did.

“Harry, I’m not trying to nag you, but what kind of husband would completely ignore his wife when she’s pregnant? You’re doing a terrible job!

“Tiff has been staying here with us this whole time. Everything costs money! How can you not chip in? You need to give us at least $1.4 million to cover what we’ve spent!”

Tiffany’s father, Peter Yarwood, stopped reading the newspaper. He glanced at me over his glasses and snorted coldly.

“Honestly, Harry, as a son-in-law, you’re probably up to no good. I bet you found another woman while Tiff’s pregnant.

“Otherwise, why isn’t that golf course you promised me six months ago even laid with sod yet? Your mind is clearly elsewhere!”

When Tiffany’s younger brother, Toby Yarwood, heard this, he put down his cards. He looked at me and said arrogantly, “Fullard, don’t forget about my supercar. You promised me during New Year’s Eve that you’d get it for my birthday!”

I felt nothing but absurdity and utter ridicule as I watched them acting as if nothing had happened. They continued to demand things from me.

I did not want to bother with them, so I turned to leave. But Tiffany chased after me and blocked my way.

“Are you deaf? My family’s talking to you.

“We still haven’t forgotten what you said to Taylor in the group chat! You aren’t going anywhere today unless you apologize to him.”

She reached to grab my sleeve. I flung her off with a swift motion.

“Don’t touch me!”

Tiffany stumbled and fell delicately into Taylor’s arms. She looked at me with a mix of shock and resentment.

“Harry, you never raised your voice at me before. How could you push me like that?”

I looked at her indifferently.

“The Tiffany I loved died the moment you and Taylor betrayed me.

“Now, just being in the same room as you makes me sick to my stomach!”

Tiffany’s eyes widened as she stared at me in disbelief.

Just as I turned to leave again, Toby grabbed a vase from a nearby antique display shelf and hurled it at the back of my head.

“Fullard, how dare you talk to Tiff like that?! I’ll beat you to death!”

Caught off guard, I collapsed to the floor. Blood seeped from the back of my head.

Tiffany let out a startled cry. She stayed hidden behind Taylor while sneaking glances at me. When she saw I was not dead, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The next moment, her expression turned hostile.

“Harry, this all happened because you’re so stubborn! You made Toby lose his temper to teach you a lesson!

“Apologize to Taylor and me right now! Then, buy gifts for my whole family to make it up to us. Do that, and I’ll forgive you.”

I was in so much pain that I collapsed to the floor as I bled profusely. Yet she, as my wife, could not even be bothered to pretend to care about me. Instead, she demanded money from me.

In that moment, I realized I had not just loved the wrong person; I had loved a monster hiding in plain sight.

“Tiff, don’t waste your breath on him!”

Toby looked at me with a sinister expression and smirked coldly.

“Why don’t we drag him down to the basement and rough him up a little? Then, we’ll see if he still dares to refuse us!

“Anyway, this guy already burned bridges with his parents for you. If he dies now, nobody’s even going to care.”

“But…”

Tiffany looked hesitant.

Peter and Jane urged her. Taylor, meanwhile, stroked her belly and let out a deep, emotional sigh.

“Tiff, I know you’re the sentimental type. But look at Harry’s attitude now. There’s no way he’s ever going to accept our child.

“Even if it’s for the kid’s sake, you can’t just let him walk away like this.”

Tiffany was clearly swayed.

She was silent for a moment, then gritted her teeth and nodded.

“Fine! Drag him to the basement. If he doesn’t sign the transfer agreement for his assets, he’s not leaving!

“Harry, you’ve left me no choice!”

Just as the Yarwood family closed in on me, a bright beam of light cut through the darkness and shone on me.

“Everyone, stay right where you are! No one touches my son!”