Before I could finish my words, William leaned down and grabbed the shattered tea cup and shoved it into my mouth.

“Denise and I have been wandering like exiles for the past three years, while you’re living your best life here in my home!

“I’m going to teach you a lesson today!”

I choked and could not speak. The sharp ceramic cut my mouth, and blood filled my mouth.

I lifted an arm to shield myself, but Denise stepped on the back of my hand.

I shuddered from the pain, but I could not scream.

After William stuffed the broken shards into my mouth, he spat at me before he clapped his hands and stood up.

Denise shifted her foot from my hand to my tummy.

I was terrified. I held her ankle with both hands to stop her from stepping down.

Gideon was practically infertile. We had gone to many famous doctors over the past three years before we managed to have this child.

Denise smiled mockingly. “Aurelia, you look like a dog trying to protect a puppy. It’s such an ugly sight.”

William stared at my tummy and frowned. “If the news about me getting cheated on spread, I would no longer be able to have my footing in this city. Denise, step on her and kill the child!”

I kept shaking my head as I spat blood and the broken shards out. Then, I said in pain, “The child… belongs to… Gideon…”

William was momentarily stunned after he heard that. Then, he guffawed maniacally.

“Aurelia, you’re such a liar! Everyone in this city knows that my uncle doesn’t like women, and he’s basically infertile.

“I’m the only heir to the marquis title. Otherwise, why do you think my grandfather was so desperate for me to marry you? He wants me to have children soon.”

Denise agreed, “William’s the only heir. In order to force him to inherit the marquis title, grandfather even threatened to take his name off the family tree.

“You’re ridiculous. How dare you slander our uncle after being exposed?”

William had eloped with Denise for three years, and he did not even send a letter home. His grandfather, Peter Taylor, had been extremely disappointed in him, hence he wanted to cut him off.

However, both of them seemed to be delusional. In order not to further agitate them, I did not refute their words.

I repeated again, “I’m not lying. I’m really pregnant with Gideon’s child.

“If you don’t believe me, you can send someone to verify it with Gideon.”

William grabbed my chin and said, “Gideon is infamously unhinged. Everyone is afraid of that ruthless general.

“If he knows that I can’t even settle a simple matter like cheating on my own, he’ll think that I’m useless. Then, the position of the marquis won't be passed to me.

“Aurelia, I bet this is why you wanted me to bother my uncle, right?”

I immediately shook my head. “No, I’m pregnant with…”

Before I could finish talking, Denise stepped on my tummy. “William, why are you wasting time on this promiscuous woman? Let’s just kill the child so we can tell this achievement to our grandfather.”

I felt an excruciating pain in my tummy. I could feel my child twisting and turning, and I felt an indescribable fear that I had never felt before.

I looked at them and begged, “Please, please let my child live…”

Denise said to me, “Get onto your knees and bark like a dog, and say that you’re a promiscuous woman. Then, I’ll let your child live.”

In order to protect my child, I did not hesitate. I turned around and fell onto my knees and barked. Then, I said with a trembling voice, “I’m a promiscuous woman.”

Denise leaned forward and met my eyes. Then, she smiled smugly.

“Aurelia, back then, when I begged you to not marry William, have you ever thought that you’d be begging to me in the future?”

Back then, Denise came to me and told me that she was in love with William. She had asked me to call off the marriage.

However, my marriage with Willian was an arranged marriage. Both of our parents had agreed to it. It represented a strong bond between the two families. If I called off the wedding, my family would be impacted. Hence, I turned her down.

I did not expect her to still hold a grudge after so long.

However, I had no time to discuss the past with her. I looked at them and begged, “Please, please call a doctor for me.”

William stepped on my back forcefully. “Aurelia, how shameless are you? You are willing to do anything for this illegitimate child!”

I collapsed onto the floor. My tummy hit the hard stone floor, and I felt a burning sensation in my tummy.

“You said you’ll let my child live…”

Denise said arrogantly, “I said I’ll let your child live, but William didn’t say so!”

“You’re using your status as my wife to live a good life in my family. Don’t ever think I’ll let you off the hook!”

William kicked my tummy, and I felt an excruciating pain. Blood started to ooze out between my legs.

I felt my child growing still inside me. I felt hopeless, and I stared at them with hatred.

“William, Denise, you’ll regret this!”

Denise stood beside William and stared at me viciously as she said, “William, she’s still not admitting to her mistake. I bet we haven’t taught her a good lesson yet!”

Upon hearing that, William sneered, “I want to see who’s going to regret this!

“Denise, get me a rope.”

Denise immediately got the hint. She immediately took a rope and walked toward me.

I retreated, leaving a trail of blood on the floor. My eyes were filled with fear. “What are you doing?”

However, they were only staring at me in excitement.

My limbs were tied together by the rope. Then, they dragged me out of the house by the rope. The rough floor cut my skin open, and I left a trail of blood behind me.

They dragged me to the pond. William kicked me into the pond. My limbs were all tied up, so I could not move. I hopelessly sank to the bottom of the pond.

The water entered my mouth and nose. The suffocation was agonizing. Just when I thought I would die, William grabbed the rope and dragged me out of the pond. “Aurelia, do you understand what you did wrong? Do you dare to cheat on me in the future?”

I gasped for fresh air, but I felt a tugging pain in my tummy.

I knew that I was about to give birth prematurely due to a possible miscarriage.

Even though I knew that it was very unlikely that my child was still alive, I did not want to give up any last hope.

I begged William again, “I know what I did wrong, I won’t dare to do it again. Please let me and my child go.

“I’m about to give birth. Please, call a doctor. I beg you…”

William spat at me. “What a shameless woman! How dare you still think about your illegitimate child? I bet you’re not regretful in the least!

“I won’t allow this random child to survive!”

After he said that, he wanted to kick me back into the pond.

I shut my eyes hopelessly as a fear of drowning overcame me.

At the same time, someone came through the entrance.

Gideon rushed over frantically and roared, “Stop!”