The day Henry decided to marry my best friend, I turned into a joke in everyone’s eyes.

He lifted my chin and stared into my eyes bewitchingly.

“If you admit your fault, I can overlook your mistakes and start over again with you.”

I obeyed and uttered the words, “I was wrong.”

And yet, with mocking eyes, he sneered, “I can’t believe you’re this cheap, Julia.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the room erupted with laughter.

"I wasn't aware Ms. Sachs was the type to admit her mistakes. Henry was head over heels for you back then, but you still slept with his best friend. You didn't think you were wrong back then, did you?"

"Are you sure you aren't just going back to Henry because he's rich now? I can't believe you're that cheap!"

A chill ran down my spine at that moment.

Under the flickering lights, I looked at Henry directly. I could see the sarcasm and mockery on his face.

I lowered my gaze and smiled bitterly. "Yes, I'm that cheap. Are you satisfied now, Henry?"

Henry stared at me coldly.

Nina walked over in an attempt to break the tension.

She tugged Henry's sleeve and urged softly, "That's enough, Henry. Stop making things difficult for Julia."

Henry took her hand and squeezed it gently.

He turned to me and said, "We've run out of rubbers and lube at home, go buy me a couple of boxes. While you're at it, fill the tub with hot water. Nina wants to take a hot bath when she reaches home."

Just as he was about to leave, he remembered something.

"Oh, and you're not allowed to sleep before we come back. Await your orders like a good little housekeeper," he said coldly.

It sounded like a warning.

I left the room and strolled down the street in a daze.

Our memories from the past flooded my mind.

Henry and I had been in love for three years. He had promised to marry me after graduating from university. However, before graduation, I broke up with him for his best friend, who came from a wealthy family.

It was raining heavily that day. Henry stood in the rain in front of our mansion, begging to see me.

He pleaded for me not to give up on him and promised he would work hard to give me the lifestyle that I wanted.

Like a loyal puppy, he had waited outside patiently for a long time.

However, I did not give in. With an indifferent tone, I had told him that I was just playing with him.

I watched as the color drained from his face, and he started to tremble before the security guard shoved him onto the road.

That night, Henry got a high fever and almost lost his life.

Even in his last moments, he called me repeatedly, begging to see me one last time.

I hung up every time he called, and at one point, I blocked his number.

After we graduated, I moved abroad with his best friend.

On the day we left, despite his sickness, Henry chased after me for a long time, but not once did I look back.

Later on, he grew into a successful businessman, while I was so desperate that I worked as a server in a nightclub.

He caught wind that my mother was diagnosed with brain cancer, which I couldn't afford to treat.

I accepted his offer and became his attendant, helping him even when he slept with other women.

It hurt in the beginning, but the numbness gradually took over.

That was until he brought Nina, my best friend, home. As usual, he threw a wad of cash at me.

"Nina likes taking hot baths. Go buy some fresh rose petals and fill the tub with warm water. Take good care of her for me," he instructed.

I looked at Nina in disbelief.

She shyly looked away while biting her lip.

Henry wrapped his arms around her and roared at me, "Didn't you hear what I said? Go!"

My vision was blurry. I kept asking myself why it had to be Nina.

He lifted my chin and pulled me closer. Through gritted teeth, I heard him whisper, "Didn't you do the same thing with my friend?"

At that moment, I realized how much he truly hated me.

I was woken up by a strange noise.

When I opened my eyes, I stared at the two figures before me.

I could hear a lady trying to suppress her moans, but she couldn't help herself due to her partner's movement.

Henry gently kissed Nina's eyebrow and said in a passionate tone, "You look so beautiful, Nina."

In the next moment, as if he could sense my gaze, Henry snickered, "I didn't know you were into voyeurism, Julia. I'd have kept you around whenever we were making love if I had known."

Nina shrieked and hid herself in Henry's arms. She said frantically, "Julia, why didn't you make a sound after waking up?! Tell her to go back inside, Henry!"

Henry stroked her head smilingly. Seeing that I wasn't responding, he nudged me impatiently.

"Nina told you to go back inside. Are you deaf? Or maybe you've broken a leg?"

Turns out, it wasn't a dream at all.

After I came back from shopping, I had sat on the sofa and waited for Henry to return, but it seems that I had fallen asleep unknowingly.

Enduring the numbness in my legs, I stood up and walked into the bedroom.

Every now and then, I could hear the moans coming from the living room.

After some time had passed, someone opened my bedroom door—it was Henry. He was naked from the waist up, and his voice sounded hoarse.

"Go help Nina clean up," he said.

This time, I didn't move.

Henry frowned and snapped, "Don't make me repeat myself, Julia Sachs."

I took a deep breath and looked straight into his eyes.

"Please let me go, Henry.

"You're going to marry Nina, aren't you? You should enjoy your life with her."

Henry's expression darkened in an instant. He snorted coldly, "Let you go? Did you let me go back then? What, can't stand it when the tables have turned?

"Nina and I are going to get married, and when we have children, you will serve as our nanny. What will you do then?"

My vision was blurred, but Henry forcefully wiped the tears from my eyes.

"What's the use of crying? Julia, it was you who trampled on my feelings. Back then, I would have even given up my life for you.

"This is just the beginning, yet you can't bear it already? If you want to save your mother, do as you're told, and don't anger me."

In the bathroom, I silently rubbed Nina's back.

Neither of us spoke.

It wasn't until the end that Nina broke the silence.

"Julia, will you blame me for this?"

Her question caught me by surprise. I was stunned for a moment before I shook my head.

She smiled upon seeing my reaction. She then said, "Then promise me you'll never tell Henry, okay? I'm pregnant, and I'd like to give my baby a home."

I stared at her belly in a daze.

When Henry and I broke up, Nina was the only person who knew everything.

Back then, my family had gone bankrupt, and my father had leapt off a building. My mother never mentally recovered from this incident.

From the moment I saw the threats on my father's phone, I knew that our bankruptcy wasn't a coincidence, but a deliberate attack by someone.

To find out the truth, I had spoken to the police.

However, when I came out of the police station, I was almost hit by a car.

At that point, I realized that I had become a target, too.

Soon, I began receiving death threats. They didn't spare Henry either.

That was why I had broken up with him.

On the day Henry fell dangerously ill, I was the one who had sent him to the hospital, where I looked after him the entire night.

I called Nina and asked her to help me take care of him and to hide the truth from him.

Nina was now pregnant, and Henry was going to marry her.

Everything seemed like a perfect ending.

I hadn't said anything before, so there was even more of a reason to stay silent now.

I nodded.

My throat felt dry, but I replied, "Alright, I will keep it a secret."

A smile appeared on Nina's face instantly.

She gave me a big hug and said, "I knew you were the best! Then… can you do me one last favor, please? Can you make Henry give up on you?"

In that instant, the smile on her face turned vicious.

Before I could react, she pulled my arm and pushed my head into the water.

In the next moment, the bathroom was filled with panicked screaming. When Henry rushed in, he saw me pushing Nina into the water.

"You've lost your mind, Julia!"

With a dark expression, he pulled Nina out of the water and carried her in his arms.

She clutched her stomach and groaned in pain.

"Please don't blame her, Henry. She didn't mean it."

Henry glared at me coldly before he stormed off with Nina in his arms.

Still in a state of shock, I collapsed to the floor.

In the middle of the night, Henry angrily kicked open my door and dragged me out of bed.

"Julia Sachs! Do you know that you almost killed my child?! I didn't think you'd be this cruel!"

He began strangling me, and I could see the hatred in his eyes.

It seemed that he really was going to kill me tonight.

My face flushed red, and I struggled to breathe.

Right before I suffocated, Henry loosened his grip.

He stared down as I coughed my lungs out on the floor.

"Nina's pregnant, so we will be getting married soon. I have set our wedding date on the first day of next month," he said indifferently.

"Since you're her best friend, you will be responsible for our wedding. Also, she has asked for you to be her bridesmaid."

I lowered my head in defeat. I dug my nails into my palm, but I no longer felt any pain.

Without waiting for an answer, Henry clenched his fist by his side and said, "If you have anything you'd like to say…"

"I don't."

I cut him off immediately.

Henry nodded repeatedly while gritting his teeth.

"Okay, if that's the case, put away that look on your face. I want you to make sure our wedding goes smoothly."

He then turned and left without looking back.

I trembled as he slammed the door on his way out.

When I looked up, I realized my face was already wet with tears.

"Ring!"

It was the sound of my phone ringing.

I looked down and realized it was Henry's best friend, Grant Sawyer.

"Julia, I heard Henry's marrying Nina? Do you need my help this time?"

The moment I decided to break up with Henry, I had never considered the possibility of going back to him.

I knew how much he loved me, and he would never give up on me unless I killed his last ray of hope.

When I was in trouble, it was Grant who had come up with the idea that we would act out an affair.

He told me, "Only after Henry is betrayed by his best friend and girlfriend will he lose his rationality and stop thinking about you."

He was right. What we did had hurt Henry deeply at first.

When I eventually returned home, Grant remained abroad.

I did not tell him what happened over the past year.

For him to call me out of the blue, he must have heard news that Henry was going to get married.

I took a deep breath and replied, "Yes, thank you."

I sent my mother's hospital records to Grant and asked him to take her away on the day of their wedding.

Henry would be preoccupied with his wedding ceremony, which meant it would be easier to bring my mother away.

I decided I would leave on that day.

Nina was hospitalized for two days, and Henry stayed by her side the entire time.

I was tasked with delivering her meals.

After dinner, Henry dotingly wiped her mouth.

Nina patted his hand shyly.

"But Julia's still here."

Henry withdrew his hand indifferently and started attending to his business.

I began cleaning up after Nina. She smiled at me and said, "Thank you for your hard work, Julia.

"I'm sorry you have to take care of me while preparing for our wedding. To be honest, Henry's being too anxious. We could host the wedding later, but he insists on having it now."

Henry smiled and joked, "It's only been more than a month. When that bump in your belly grows larger, you'll be the one to start worrying."

Ever since I had reconnected with Henry, I had rarely seen him smiling.

He must be really happy now. After all, he loved children.

I remember when we were dating, he especially liked talking about having kids. He told me he wanted a boy and a girl.

He said that children were the fruit of our love. Like tenderly raising flowers, he promised he would take good care of our children.