Lillian explained, "We just thought since you're unable to get pregnant, why not keep the baby instead of adopting in the future?

"As for that woman, we'll give her some money, and she'll leave quietly. Then, you can raise the baby as your own and be his mother."

Mike chimed in with a stern face, "Either way, our family cannot end without an heir!"

My head buzzed, my stomach churned, and I felt on the verge of throwing up.

How had I ended up tied to a family like this?

I looked at Jerome—the man I'd chosen in my youth and defied Dad to be with.

Five years had passed. His looks were as polished as ever, but time had added an air of worldliness or perhaps just cunning.

"Jerome," I asked, "what about you? What do you think?"

Five years ago, when we first got our premarital check-up results, I had asked him a similar question. "If we might not have kids in the future, will you change your mind about marrying me?"

Jerome had answered without hesitation, "I love you. Kids would only get in our way."

I had laughed. "What if your parents want grandkids?"

He had pulled me into his arms and said, "Then I'll just act like their grandkid."

The confidence in his tone back then was strong, and now, he was acting like a kid, quite literally.

Jerome looked at me with guilt in his eyes. "Harley… Mom and Dad are getting older. They only wish for a grandchild Let's… let's go along with it, okay?"

Even now, he was avoiding the truth and hiding behind his parents' wishes, refusing to admit his selfishness and cowardice.

Disgusted by his hypocrisy, I felt the nausea in my chest swell.

My voice rose. "I'm asking what you think!"

"I…"

Jerome hesitated, but I forced him to meet my gaze. When he saw the disappointment and contempt in my eyes, he seemed to falter as though I'd struck a nerve.

His face flushed red, and under my unwavering stare, he stammered before finally breaking. "Harley, don't be like this. Let's go back to how we used to be—"

I cut him off coldly. "You mean when you had a string of mistresses but no illegitimate child?"

My words lit Jerome's fuse. He shot to his feet, waving his arms as though trying to mask his guilt.

"Fine! I admit cheating was my fault. But don't you have any blame for this? What woman can't have children? And now you're dragging me into your mess? Harley, can't you stop being so selfish?"

Even though I'd prepared myself, his words still hit me hard.

So this was how he truly felt.

For five years, he had never yelled at me or lost his composure. Now, for the first time, he had dropped the mask.

"So, this is what you've been thinking all along."

My face must have looked terrible because Lillian rushed in to mediate.

"Jerome! How can you say that to Harley? Harley, this is such a big deal. He wasn't thinking straight when he said that. Don't take it to heart..."

Upon realizing his outburst had crossed the line, Jerome returned to a panic state. He crouched down in front of me and grabbed my hands with trembling fingers.

"Harley, I didn't mean that! If you think about it, the baby is related to you too. Didn't you always say you liked children? Harley, I love you. I really can't live without you."

I felt nothing. My heart was dead.

I uttered emotionlessly, "If that girl agrees, I won't object. After all, your family needs an heir."

The next day, Jerome was to talk to Audrey at the company. Meanwhile, I made an appointment at the hospital for a full check-up.

Early in the morning, Jerome drove me to the hospital first. As always, he opened the car door for me and shielded my head with his hand.

As I was about to step into the hospital, Jerome grabbed my hand.

His voice brimmed with the same tenderness he'd had five years ago. "Harley, why put yourself through this? We did all the tests back then. I don't want you to feel sad all over again."

"Let go!"

The sensation of his hand on mine made my skin crawl. Reflexively, I pulled away and took out a disinfectant wipe.

Jerome didn't seem offended. Instead, he even reached out to take the used wipe from me. "Do you really not want me to stay with you?"

I dodged his hand and tossed the wipe into the trash. "Finish your own business first."

"I'll wait for you at the office then," he said, walking me to the waiting area outside the examination room.

After I sat down, Jerome handed me a bag filled with everyday essentials and turned to leave. Before walking away, he lifted his hand to pat my head.

When I dodged him, he smiled to himself, a self-deprecating twist of his lips.

Five years ago, I thought he was deeply affectionate. Now, I saw it as nothing more than well-practiced theatrics.

I watched his retreating figure and was suddenly reminded of our wedding day when he had walked toward me. The tenderness back then felt like a dream, fleeting and unreal.

I didn't feel sad, only a tinge of regret.

After completing the check-up, I returned to the office.

The moment I walked through the door, Audrey rushed toward me and clutched my arm. She was shaking, and she looked ready to kneel.

"Harley, I was wrong. I don't want money. Please don't take my baby. I'm begging you! I shouldn't have come between your marriage. I'll leave. I'll disappear—"

"Calm down," I said as I helped her stay upright. Over her shoulder, I spotted Jerome stepping out of his office, his face dark as thunder.

Jerome walked up to us, forcing a polite smile that barely held together his composure. Gripping Audrey's arm tightly with one hand, he bellowed, "Don't get greedy!"

Although the employees didn't dare openly watch the spectacle, I could feel their furtive glances darting our way. I frowned and pried Jerome's hand off Audrey.

"Not here. Don't make a scene out here. Let's take this to the office."

Audrey tried to resist, but I patted her arm soothingly. "Be careful—you're pregnant."

Once inside the office, I closed the door and guided Audrey to the couch, forcing her to sit. Before I could say anything, Jerome spoke first.

"Harley, don't worry. I'll take care of everything."

What did that even mean?

I turned to face Jerome and questioned, "And what exactly does 'take care of everything' mean? Are you going to threaten her or bribe her to force her to give up the baby?"

"I—" Jerome faltered. He glanced at Audrey and said sullenly, "I've already offered her a generous sum, but she's being greedy!"

Seemingly petrified by Jerome's outburst, Audrey clutched at my sleeve. "Harley, I don't want the money. I really don't want it!"

I smirked at Jerome, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "See that? She doesn't want money. And you're still thinking of taking her baby?"

"Shut up!" Jerome raised his hand at Audrey.

I caught his wrist mid-air and slapped him across the face.

"You shut up! She's pregnant, and you'd still lay a hand on her? You disgust me, Jerome!"

"Harley, I—"

Jerome held his cheek, stammering as if to explain, but I cut him off.

"Get out. I want to speak with Audrey alone."

Jerome refused to move. His gaze lingered on Audrey's abdomen, and his face was twisted with uncertainty. Realization dawned on me like a bitter slap.

He was afraid I'd harm the baby she was carrying.

The thought was so absurd I laughed.

"Jerome, when you needed money to start a business and begged me to ask my dad for it, you said you trusted me. When the company hit a bottleneck and you asked me to plead with my dad for help, you also said you trusted me.

"We've been married for five years. What kind of person do you think I am?"

"I thought that even if our marriage was over, at the very least, you'd still see me as a decent person."

Jerome opened his mouth but didn't make a sound.

I decided to follow his train of thought and continued, "Even if I were to make her lose the baby right here and now, do you think you could stop me?"

He fell silent, and under Audrey's panicked gaze, he left in disgrace.

I took a moment to collect myself. Then, I made sure the doors and windows were securely closed before turning back to Audrey.

I softened my tone and said, "Audrey, the baby you're carrying… it's not Jerome's, is it?"

Five years ago, Jerome had just graduated from college, broke and struggling. I had to plead with Dad for months before he finally agreed to let me marry him.

But during our premarital health checks, Jerome was diagnosed with azoospermia. He would never be able to have children.

I was fine with not having kids, but Dad was a traditionalist. If he had known, he would have stopped us from getting married. So, I had forged the medical report and told everyone I was the infertile one.

At the time, Jerome hadn't seemed upset. On the contrary, he had immediately promised me a lifetime of devotion and said children didn't matter. Being with me was all he ever wanted.

He'd even somehow persuaded his parents to accept me, ensuring I wasn't treated unfairly. From that point on, Dad had fully embraced him and supported him to rise quickly in his career.

For a while, I secretly felt fortunate to have his unwavering love. Nevertheless, I never expected he had harbored so much resentment all along.

What was he actually thinking when he made that promise back then?

Was he truly indifferent, or was he just glad he could exploit my guilt? And how much of his supposed love was genuine, and how much of it was calculated?

Audrey's face turned ghostly pale at my question. She stammered, "What? No, it's not that..."

I sighed and laid out the truth.

"It's not me who's infertile—it's Jerome. He has azoospermia. He's cheated on me more than once over the years, and frankly, you giving him this kind of humiliation suits me just fine."

Audrey looked as if she might collapse. I quickly steadied her.

"So rest assured, I won't harm you or your baby."

Her frantic expression made me sigh again. "With such a timid nature, how did you dare to tell such a big lie? Did you even think about how you'd deal with it?"

Audrey finally broke down and sobbed uncontrollably. "Harley, I-I don't even know who the father is."

"What do you mean?"

A sense of unease gripped me. I frowned, waiting for her explanation.

Audrey hesitated, glancing at me cautiously before speaking. "My mom accepted 10,000 dollars and married me off to a lame man from the neighboring village. I ran away the day after the wedding.

"I had no money, so when I saw a job posting from your company, I applied. On my first day at work, I met Mr. Maslow. He said he'd throw me a celebration dinner that evening, and then… then he got me drunk."

Audrey clutched at my sleeve and cried. "Harley, it only happened that one time. After that, I avoided Mr. Maslow whenever I could. But he has recorded a video of what he did. I'm terrified of losing this job.

"When he found my pregnancy test, he said he'd take responsibility. I… I wasn't thinking clearly. I just… thought the baby needed a father. Harley, I know it was wrong. I'll leave. I swear I'll leave..."

The revelation was shocking. I instinctively glanced at the office door to ensure it was firmly shut. My thoughts were a chaotic mess.

In the past five years, I'd caught Jerome cheating five times. Every time, he'd clean up the situation quietly, and I pretended not to know to maintain the façade of our marriage.

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine the truth would be this horrific.

After confirming Jerome couldn't possibly overhear us, I turned back to Audrey. Taking in her innocent, delicate face, I hugged her tightly and cursed, "Devil. He's a freaking devil!"

Audrey was only 18. I couldn't fathom how frightened she must have been.

Once Audrey's sobs had subsided, I made up my mind. I patted her back and asked, "Audrey, do you want to keep the baby?"

Audrey tensed up again at my question.

I quickly reassured her. "I don't mean anything by it. I just want you to think carefully. You're still very young, and there are many paths ahead of you."

Audrey paused for a long time before lowering her head.

"I want to keep the baby. When I was little, my dad used to get drunk and beat me. Every time he hit me, I'd think about how I'd have a child of my own someday. I'd give them the best life possible, and they'd be my real family."

"Alright. I respect your decision." I nodded. "I also want you to think carefully. Does your child need a father? And even if they do, do you want their father to be someone like Jerome?"

This time, Audrey answered without hesitation, "I've already made up my mind. I can raise the child on my own. I don't want any ties to Mr. Maslow."

I said, "Okay. One more thing. Do you want Jerome to face justice for what he's done? I'm willing to help you break free from him and make him pay legally. I'll also make sure you don't lose your job or your source of income."

Seeing the hope ignite in Audrey's eyes, I nodded in satisfaction and added, "But whether or not this works depends on what you're willing to do."

"What do you need me to do?" Audrey asked.

"You need to tell Jerome that if he wants the child, he can't leave you. Then..."