As he looked at her reddened eyes,Tom furrowed his brow slightly and continued,"Rest assured,the position of Mrs.Wellington has always been yours.But since Stacy came to me without name or status,I must ultimately provide her and the child with some security.”

“When we established the company,I gave you a twenty percent stake.Now,transfer those shares to Stacy and her child.”

"Don't worry.This is just a form of security for them.I’ll allocate your share of the company’s annual dividends from my own portion.Besides,we’re family—there’s no need to be so strict about money matters.”

Julie did not know whether she should cry or laugh hearing his words.He had promised she would be Mrs.Wellington for life,yet…he reserved his love and money for Stacy and her child.

People always said that where a man’s love was,his money followed.But she had neither.

She had bet everything on love—and lost completely.

Then to everyone's surprise,Julie agreed once more.

“Fine.Where's the contract?I'll sign it.”

They didn't know she'd already arranged to withdraw her investments.In a month,Wellington Group would face bankruptcy.Whoever held the company shares would bear the heaviest losses.

Since they were divorced anyway,she would consider this her parting gift to Tom.

Seeing Julie being too agreeable today,Tom felt he was losing control and he did not like this feeling.

"Stacy is pregnant.I can't rest easy with her staying elsewhere.She'll be moving in here."

Julie agreed nonchalantly."Whatever."

Once,he had promised that if she ever carried his child,he would dote on her like a princess.

Julie gently touched her slightly rounded belly and murmured,“Baby,just wait a little longer.Once we have the divorce papers,Mommy will take you away.”

That night,Julie did not sleep well.She dreamt of countless memories with Tom.

When he pursued her,he was just a penniless young man.He had to skip meals to save money to buy her a single rose.

The first time she received a rose from him,Julie didn't think much of it.She'd smiled and told him,"Take care of your own life first.”

The second time,Tom worked extra jobs over the weekend to earn fifty dollars.He spent forty-nine dollars on a bouquet of roses,his eyes brimming with sincerity.“I'm living well,but I also want to pursue my true love.”

Julie smiled and found him interesting,but he did not take his seriously.

But Tom never gave up.Rain or shine,the roses arrived every day,more punctual than meals.

Having grown accustomed to the filth and chaos of high society—where marriages were often arranged for profit—Tom resembled a ray of light in the darkness,reigniting her belief in love.

Later,she betrayed her family to be with him,believing she had won all of a man’s love.

But she did not know when the love between them changed.

Julie did not know whether the love had changed or if Tom had simply worn his mask too well.But she was tired and didn't want to dig into it.

Since she couldn't solve the problem,she might as well deal with the person.

The next morning,Julie was roused by the commotion of the servant moving her things.

The love letters Tom had once written her were tossed into the trash.

The dried roses he’d arranged were crushed and trampled underfoot.

Everything in the house connected to them was being systematically erased,bit by bit....

Julie sat up abruptly and snapped,“Who gave you permission to touch my things?"

The servants exchanged bewildered glances.Stacy emerged from behind them with a smug smile on her face.

"Ma'am.Tom said that since I'm pregnant,I need a larger room.I thought yours would be perfect,so I had the staff help you pack.”

Julie did not mince her words."Are you packing or throwing them away?"

Stacy sneered,placing a hand on her hip as she stepped forward,taunting,“So what if I'm throwing your things away?If I want to,I could throw you out too!”

Before the words even finished,Julie raised her hand and slapped her hard.

“Stacy,the only reason I haven’t dealt with you is that you’re not worth it.But if you dare act like this in front of me again,I’ll slap you every time I see you!”

“This villa is registered under my name.Not even Tom has the right to kick me out,let alone you.”

"If you have any brain,behave yourself.If you don't want a peaceful life,I have plenty of ways to deal with you.”

“Don't think being linked to Tom gives you the right to strut around in front of me.Half of his success today is thanks to me.A mistress who's climbed her way up and still acts so arrogant—I really don't know what he sees in you.”

The words had barely left her mouth when a cold,thin male voice echoed from behind her.“Julie,do you know why I fell for Stacy?Well,it's because I absolutely detest this haughty attitude of yours.”

Julie stiffened slightly,but she sneered mockingly.

Back when Tom pursued her,he claimed to adore her personality...because she was different from other girls who were so soft and fragile.

Turned out people could change.

After so many years,what he once cherished had become the very thing he despised.

A chill slowly seeped into her body,but the cold could match the coldness in her heart.

When she met Stacy's triumphant smile,Julie knew she had been framed.Stacy deliberately made her angry.

Stacy burrowed in Tom's embrace and said with grievance,"Tom,I only came to help your wife move things,but she was so mean!Not only did she scold me,she even hit me.”

Over the years,Tom had risen to become one of the capital's new elite,so he often encountered such flirtatious women.

Before,Tom would always take her side and say,“If I hit you,I hit you.Do I need to pick a day for it?”

But this time,he stood opposite her.His expression was frighteningly cold.

“Apologize!”

Julie clenched her lowered fist and said,“I’m not wrong.I won’t apologize.”

“She brought it on herself with that vile mouth.She deserved it.”

Given all the harm Stacy had inflicted upon her,a slap was the least she deserved.

After saying that,Julie turned to leave,only was stopped by servants who forced her to her knees.

Julie raised her head and looked at Tom,with shock in her eyes."What are you doing?"

Tom looked down from above,eyes cold.“Since you hit someone,you should be prepared to be hit.”

Julie was stunned,her mind buzzing.

For Stacy's sake,he had to crush all her dignity under his feet and now he even wanted to physically teach her a lesson?

She struggled frantically but couldn’t budge an inch.Tears welled in her eyes as her voice trembled.

"Tom,she provoked me first.You...”

Before she could finish,Tom grabbed Stacy’s hand and slapped it across Julie’s face.

Julie's head jerked to the side.A trickle of blood trickled down from the corner of her mouth.She looked utterly shattered with a mix of hatred,regret and despair in her eyes.“Tom,you once promised me that with you,you will never let me suffer a trace of grievances,you are now...”

Smack!

Before she finished speaking,another slap landed on her face.

Tom looked impatiently at her."You started the bullying.A few slaps are just a lesson.You deserve it."

Tears streamed down Julie's face.

She was the bully?

Obviously,Stacy was a mistress,but she moved into the legitimate wife's house and forced her to leave.Who was bullying whom?

Tom…oh Tom.Are you truly blind or pretending?

He waved his hand and asked the servant to let her go,ready to take Stacy away.

At this moment,the woman,who was kneeling on the ground with bloodshot eyes,suddenly got up to fight back.

She gathered every ounce of strength,but before her palm could land on Stacy's face,Tom kicked her.

Julie was kicked to the ground,she clutched her stomach tightly and the excruciating pain made her unable to say a word.

But Tom never looked at her at all.Instead,his eyes were fixed anxiously on Stacy.

Stacy had merely been pushed lightly,yet he was beside himself with worry.But Julie,biting her lip until it bled from the pain,couldn’t even earn a single glance from him.

Stacy pretended to be weak."Tom,my stomach hurts so much.What if I lost the baby when she pushed me?I’m so scared…”

Hearing this,Tom panicked instantly.He picked her up and prepared to leave.

Seeing the blood had stained the floor beneath her,Julie grabbed the man's trousers in panic and bowed her head for the first time to beg him.

"Tom,please.Take me to the hospital.”

The man glanced back,but his gaze held not a shred of warmth—only bone-chilling coldness.

"Julie,you're the one who caused all this trouble.Now you're playing the victim?Do you think you can trick me into believing you're pregnant too?Like a single fall could nearly kill you?”

"Julie,you'd better pray Stacy's baby is unharmed.Otherwise,for every ounce of pain she endures,I'll make you suffer tenfold!”

After he said that,Tom kicked her aside once more,indifferent to her fate.He carried Stacy out of the villa.

Watching his heartless back,Julie cried until she could barely breathe.

She crawled along the wall,inch by inch,leaving a trail of blood across the floor.

But when she reached the main gate,it was locked.She pounded on it,sobbing and screaming for help,yet no one answered.

Julie collapsed in a pool of blood,repeating over and over,“Please,save me.Save my child...”

“Save my baby…”