"Is that true? And Justin still married her? How generous."

Every word felt like a knife stabbing into my heart.

I turned to look at Justin—his gaze never left Cecilia, filled with a tenderness I had never seen directed at me.

Cecilia smiled sweetly. "Iris, what gift did you bring me?"

Suppressing my nausea, I took out an exquisite jade bracelet.

But the moment I handed it to her, she suddenly let out a sharp cry. The bracelet shattered on the floor, and she stumbled backward.

"Cecilia!" Justin rushed forward and shoved me aside violently.

My knees hit the ground hard, pain shooting through me.

"Miss Hayes…" Cecilia’s voice trembled with tears. "I know you hate me because of what happened back then. But your father really did cause so many deaths… I—I couldn’t lie for you in good conscience…"

She suddenly covered her mouth, as if she had let slip a secret. "Or… are you still upset about Orlando? But his family tradition demands he marry a pure woman… Miss Hayes, you’ve… you’ve already lost several children…"

Gasps erupted around us.

I felt countless phone cameras pointed at me, yet no one reached out to help me up.

When I lifted my head, I saw Justin carefully supporting Cecilia, his gaze so tender it burned my eyes.

This man, who had destroyed my family, was now letting her humiliate me in public.

"Apologize." Justin’s voice was icy as he glared down at me. "Apologize to Cecilia. Now."

Cecilia tugged at his sleeve. "Justin, don’t be like this…"

My tears hit the floor.

Gritting my teeth against the pain, my voice shook. "I’m sorry, Cecilia, for ruining your mood."

Justin frowned slightly at my pale face.

I turned to leave, but a sudden commotion made me pause. Orlando was cradling Cecilia in panic—blood trickled from the corner of her lips.

"Stop!" Justin grabbed my wrist and yanked me back roughly.

Among the guests were several doctors. One of them picked up a shard of the jade bracelet and gasped.

"There’s poison on this!"

Justin seized my hair and slapped me across the face. My vision went black, ears ringing.

"Why… would you poison me?" Cecilia’s weak voice came from Orlando’s arms.

At the hospital, a team of fifty doctors rushed to save her.

I was forced to kneel by bodyguards when Orlando kicked me in the chest. "If anything happens to my wife, I’ll make you pay with your life!"

"Do whatever you want with her." Justin’s voice was merciless.

A nurse ran in frantically. "The patient is hemorrhaging! She needs an emergency blood transfusion—RH negative!"

Before I could react, Justin was already dragging me toward the blood collection room.

The needle pierced my vein, and I flinched from the pain.

"Not enough. Keep drawing." Justin’s voice was cold as he watched the blood bag.

The nurse hesitated, checking the monitor. "Justin, your wife’s blood pressure is dropping. Any more could be dangerous—"

"I said keep going!" He slammed his hand on the table. "This is a Porter hospital! That’s an order!"

After 400cc of blood was taken, my legs gave out. My vision blurred, cold sweat soaking through my clothes.

Justin finally signaled the nurse to stop—but didn’t spare me a single glance before rushing to Cecilia’s room.

Leaning against the wall outside, I watched Justin and Orlando standing on either side of Cecilia’s bed.

One carefully blew on a bowl of porridge to cool it, the other handed her water with gentle words.

Then—warm liquid trickled down my thighs.

I froze. Today shouldn’t have been that time of the month.

Then it hit me—I hadn’t had my period in three months. Ever since that night… my health had deteriorated, and irregular cycles had become the norm.

I looked up at Justin, but Cecilia suddenly shrieked, "Iris! You’re bleeding!"

The world spun. I collapsed.

When I woke again, I caught fragments of a hushed conversation outside the door.

"Justin, your wife is pregnant. The excessive blood draw nearly caused a miscarriage."

My hand instinctively moved to my stomach.

This unexpected life was like a beam of light in the darkness, stirring a fragile ember of hope in my ashen heart.

"Schedule an abortion." Justin’s voice cut through the door like ice. "This child cannot stay."

I clenched my eyes shut, fingers twisting the sheets.

When the room finally fell silent, I mustered all my strength, threw off the covers, and stumbled toward the exit.

The hallway lights burned my eyes. I fell, got up, fell again—my knees scraped raw.

Just as I reached the hospital doors, a sharp pain exploded at the back of my neck.

Darkness swallowed me.

The cold metal of the operating table pressed against my skin. I tried to fight, but hands pinned me down as a needle slid into my arm.

When I opened my eyes again, the sterile stench of disinfectant flooded my senses. Justin sat by the bed, his expression conflicted.

"Iris." His voice was rough. "The baby… had to go."

I stared at him, unblinking.

"Cecilia’s condition…" He swallowed hard. "She might still need your blood. We can try for another child later."

I turned my face away, tears pooling but refusing to fall.

Lies. All of it. He just never wanted this child.

"There won’t be another." My whisper barely left my lips. "Never again…"

"What did you say?" He leaned closer.

His phone rang—Cecilia’s voice chirped through the speaker. "Justin, Orlando isn’t here. Could you take me for a walk downstairs?"

"I’ll be back soon." His coat brushed my arm as he left, trailing cold air behind him.

Alone, I let the tears fall.

On my discharge day, Justin mysteriously promised a "surprise."

The moment we stepped through the front door, blaring music assaulted my ears.

"Cecilia forgave you for the poisoning incident," Justin murmured, arm snug around my waist. "She even threw this party for you."

Cecilia sauntered over in stilettos—just as friends pulled Justin away for drinks.

"Cecilia," I hissed, "I never poisoned you. What do you want?"

Her lips curled. "Iris, did you actually believe you were Mrs. Porter?"

She leaned in, her breath hot against my ear. "That marriage certificate? Fake."

My blood turned to ice.

The day we "married," Justin had held me tight, vowed no one would ever hurt me again. Even that was a lie.

"Still don’t understand your place?" Cecilia’s smile sharpened.

Then—

"Don’t push me!"

She grabbed my wrist and yanked us both into the pool.

Water swallowed me whole. Through the chlorine burn, I saw two figures dive—not for me, but for Cecilia.

I sank, lungs screaming, as the surface glittered further away.