At the banquet, the most wanted bachelor of Rivenport announced that my stepsister was the woman he truly wished to marry.

Without hesitation, I stepped aside and married Simon Barker, who had been pursuing me for years.

Our married life was filled with love and happiness.

That joy lasted until I finally became pregnant, when I discovered he had been slipping contraceptives into the milk he gave me every night.

I also found a custom diamond necklace he kept in his safe that was labelled "For proposal", but the engraving bore my stepsister's initials.

It became clear that I had only ever been an obstacle he needed to remove for the woman he truly loved. All those years, he had pretended to love me, but he was just using me as a stepping stone for my stepsister's bright future.

No matter how blind I had been before, now I was fully awake to the truth.

With a consent form for abortion and a divorce agreement in hand, Simon and I became strangers forever.

"Ms. Irene, you've been longing for a baby all this time. Are you sure you don't want to keep it?"

Rosalind Robinett, who had cared for me since childhood, was distraught. Her eyes were red as she grabbed my hands tightly, trying to stop me from entering the operating room.

"If Mr. Barker finds out, he'll be furious!"

I gave a hollow smile, gently pulling my hands free and stepping forward with firm resolve.

"Actually, he'd be more than happy."

Because he had never wanted a baby.

Throughout my six-year marriage to Simon Barker, I had endured constant torment from my cruel mother-in-law, who blamed me for not bearing children. This baby was the first blessing I received after so long.

Even Rosalind, my maid, understood how precious this child was, how much more so me, the one who carried it in my body.

I lowered my head sadly, my gaze falling on the necklace clenched tightly in my hand.

Among all the gifts Simon had given me, it was the least flashy, but it meant the world to me.

He had gently fastened it around my neck on our wedding night, saying, "Irene, marrying you has been my greatest wish. I promise to protect you for the rest of your life."

Growing up in the waterside town of Jazenville, I had always adored the pure and graceful white lotus, so he chose a necklace shaped like one.

Back then, my heart overflowed with happiness. I believed I had finally found my soulmate.

That illusion shattered the day I went for a prenatal checkup and the doctor told me in disbelief, "Your body shows a high level of contraceptive chemicals, likely from long-term intake."

It hit me like a thunderbolt. I froze, unable to speak.

I recalled those nights when Simon would thoughtfully bring me a warm glass of milk, urging me to drink it to help me sleep.

Only then did I realize it had all been a cruel lie, woven from his false affection. The ugly truth chilled me to the bone.

After the surgery, Rosalind stayed by my side without leaving.

As the anesthesia wore off, sharp cramps began to pulse through my abdomen.

Just then, a sudden knock came at the door.

"What's going on? Why is the door locked?"

Simon's voice was filled with worry and urgency, as if he was about to break in any second.

Wrapping myself tightly in the blanket, I fought the pain and answered calmly, "I'm not feeling well today, and I look awful. I don't want you to see me like this."

He grumbled, "If you're sick, you should see a doctor. Are you throwing a tantrum again because you're scared of shots and medicine?

"Open the door, or I'm coming in!"

Just as the door began to shake under his forceful kick, Simon suddenly froze.

His assistant whispered something in his ear, and the frantic urgency in Simon's voice vanished instantly.

His hand rested on the door, but he no longer tried to push inside.

Simon said with a low voice, "Something urgent came up, and I have to handle it. I'll be back soon."

I breathed a sigh of relief, my weak, sweat-drenched hand resting heavily on the edge of the bed.

Simon was just a figurehead in the family business. What could possibly be so critical?

It had to be the woman he loved calling him again.

The moment he heard Carly Medina wanted to see him, he panicked and rushed out without a second thought.

Of course, he wouldn't spare a single worry for me.

Rosalind held me, tears streaming down her face. "Ms. Irene, you've been through so much. Let's go back to the Medinas."

I forced a small smile. "Okay."

I almost forgot that I was once the brightest socialite in the city, the beloved daughter of the Medinas, who had built a business empire.

Without the title of being Simon's wife, I would only grow stronger on my own.

-

In truth, the drugged milk wasn't enough to make me completely give up on Simon.

Everyone knew how tender and protective he'd been toward me for years. I refused to believe it had all been a sham to win Carly's favor.

But a few days ago, something I found by accident in his study shattered that hope.

It was a jewelry box Simon kept locked away in his safe, with a glaring label reading "For proposal" that was anything but meant for me.

Inside, a custom diamond necklace gleamed coldly, the pendant engraved with Carly's initials.

Every time I thought of it, my heart would drop.

Only one thought grew clearer with each passing moment: I wanted a divorce.

Despite my frail body, I signed the papers decisively.

Memories played relentlessly in my mind. Many doubts I'd once wrestled with suddenly made sense.

The day we married, Simon had thrown a lavish wedding for me. On the very same day, the most wanted bachelor of Rivenport, Ryan Schuman, married Carly.

He lifted my veil with tearful eyes and whispered, "Irene, you're finally mine."

I had thought those were tears of happiness. Now I know they carried the weight of his torment.

At Ryan's birthday party last year, Carly and I had been startled by a kitten that darted out unexpectedly, and we both fell into the pool.

Simon knew I was afraid of water, yet without hesitation, he jumped in, only to pull Carly out first.

Later, holding my hand, he explained, "Carly is Ryan's wife. Saving her was a favor to the Schumans to secure our family's position."

But the way he looked at Carly was filled with a love he couldn't hide.

I caught a chill in that cold water, and the illness took root inside me. It took six months of care before I began to heal.

Now, looking back, all the signs were there.

I was too naive to see the truth until I was drowning in it.

Thankfully, it wasn't too late to wake up.

Teresa Barker's birthday was coming up in a month. She was Simon's grandmother, and she had always been kind to me. I planned to celebrate with her one last time before I officially left the Barkers.

-

Simon didn't come home until late, smelling of alcohol.

When he walked into the room, I was reviewing my asset list.

Rubbing his temples, he looked puzzled. "Why are you looking at all this stuff?"

I glanced at the lipstick stain on his collar.

"No reason. I was bored, so I thought I'd check."

He let out a quiet sigh of relief and came over to hold me like usual. "I've been crazy busy at work lately. I'm sorry I haven't had time for you. I hope you're not mad at me."

His eyes were gentle, filled with a familiar tenderness.

For a brief moment, I almost believed he really loved me.

A dull ache in my abdomen jolted me fully awake. I quietly slipped out of his embrace, careful not to show my discomfort. "You forgot. I can't stand strong smells."

He reeked of the perfume Carly always wore. I hated it.

Simon's smile froze awkwardly. He quickly shrugged off his jacket. "One of the business partners brought a date to our dinner. Her perfume must've accidentally rubbed off on me. I'll change right now."

I let out a soft sigh, feeling utterly drained, and turned to lie down on the bed.

Simon waited in the walk-in closet for a long time, but I didn't go in to help him pick out clothes like I usually did. His figure looked a little lonely.

"What's wrong with you today? Always scowling," he complained with a frown. "It's just some perfume. Why are you making such a big deal out of it? You're really starting to act like a nagging housewife!"

Frustrated, he turned on his heel and stormed toward the entrance. He stopped at the door when he saw Rosalind holding a pair of bloodstained pajamas, ready to clean them.

Simon's eyes narrowed sharply before he grabbed Rosalind's arm. "Those are Irene's. Why is there so much blood?"

Rosalind froze, unsure how to answer. He snatched the pants from her and headed for the bedroom to confront me.

Luckily, just then, his phone rang with a special ringtone. I knew it was Carly.

His face changed the moment he answered.

"Irene, something urgent just came up. I have to go now!"

He tossed the pajamas onto the couch, grabbed his jacket, and disappeared into the night.

It was so late at night, yet one call was enough to make him drop everything and run to another woman without hesitation.

Rosalind looked at me with deep concern. I calmly told her to turn off the lights and prepared to sleep.

The whole night passed, and no one was by my side.

-

The next morning, Natalie Schuman sent word for me to go to the Schumans' residence.

Entering the living room, I immediately saw Simon standing stiffly, with Carly beside him, tears streaming down her face.

Simon hadn't noticed me. With his back facing me, he spoke to the matriarch, "When Ryan first pursued Carly, he swore he'd give her happiness. But now that she's pregnant, she's being tormented by his mistress. How could he allow this?"

His voice was cold as he pulled Carly closer. "If that's the way he treats Carly, I'll risk everything the Barkers have to take her away!"

I froze completely.

The servants all wisely lowered their heads, but a few braver ones glanced at me with mocking smiles.

Though I'd expected something like this, seeing it with my own eyes still sent a sharp sting through my heart.

Natalie, furious at Simon, noticed me and raised her voice. "You're so protective of Ryan's wife; have you forgotten you have a family, too?

"I heard it took a lot of effort for you to marry Irene. Aren't you supposed to be the perfect couple everyone envies? Don't you have any feelings for her?"

I stood rooted to the spot, eyes fixed hard on Simon's back.

He still wasn't aware of my presence. Instead, he held Carly tighter and said, "Hah, have you forgotten? You said that if Ryan broke off the engagement, the Medinas wouldn't let Carly into the company. So, to clear the way for Carly, I pretended to care for Irene.

"That was the only reason I married her!"

He spoke freely, but when he turned and saw me standing there, his face drained of color.

"Irene…" Simon's lips trembled, and he couldn't find the words to speak.