Tears slid down without warning and a bitter smile curled at the corners of my lips. "So what? You want me to watch you raise another man's child every day? To be reminded every single day of your betrayal? Lena, I can't do it. I'm sorry."

As soon as the words fell, her furious roar came through the phone. "Fine! Remember what you said. Don’t you dare regret it! Who in my position doesn’t have lovers outside? I already handed Owen over to you to deal with. I've done all I can. If you can accept that, then marry me. If not, then get lost. Do whatever the hell you want."

The call ended.

In the reflection of the floor-to-ceiling window, I saw my own wretched silhouette.

She had already forgotten that car accident. She had already forgotten that the only reason I had a penetrating wound in my abdomen was because I had saved her.

Room 13520, the suite that used to be her favorite spot for our dates.

She once said this place was filled with memories of our love.

Valentine’s Day, birthdays, anniversaries, this room had practically become our exclusive haven.

But now, I was the only one who still remembered.

Lena was the one who told my parents about the canceled engagement. They immediately called, voices full of concern.

"Gavin, what happened? Lena said you're calling off the engagement?"

"This isn’t a joke. You can’t be reckless like this."

Burying myself deep under the covers, my voice choked with emotion. "She’s pregnant. And the child isn’t mine."

"Every woman makes mistakes. Can’t she just get rid of it…?"

"I’m not canceling the wedding," I interrupted. "Just changing the bride. You know her too. Miya."

My father's words of persuasion were swallowed back down. My mother, on the other hand, gasped in shock.

"Miya? Weren’t you two sworn enemies? Have you forgotten how she used to pin you down and beat you up when you were kids?"

I chuckled, trying to keep my tone light. "That’s exactly why I want to marry her, so I can torment her for the rest of her life."

Tossing and turning all night, the pain in my abdomen kept me wide awake.

When morning came, I contacted a real estate agent to start the process of selling the wedding house.

But when I returned to pack my things, I saw Lena’s private jet still parked on the lawn.

I pushed open the door, only to be met with a wall full of warm, intimate photos.

But the figure beside her in every picture wasn’t me. It was Owen.

She had gone again to every place we had once visited together — Arctic glaciers, the Eiffel Tower, the charred remains of Notre-Dame — this time with Owen.

She used to say she hated taking pictures. After all, she was holding a high position. Who knew what the media or her rivals would do with her photos? No matter how much I begged or promised, we never took a single photo together.

But now, Owen had become the exception.

The two of them stood in front of the photo wall.

She gently touched her barely showing belly, smiling sweetly. “Owen, once the baby is born, let’s take him on a trip too, okay? He’ll definitely like these places. Feel this, he’s kicking me already!”

The sound of the door opening caught their attention.

They both turned to see me standing there.

Owen immediately dropped to his knees before me, clutching my waist, begging for forgiveness.

“Gavin, it’s my fault. I didn’t keep my promise to stay abroad. Please don’t blame me, okay? I really like Lena… I swear, once the baby is born, I’ll leave and won’t bother you anymore.”

Before I could say anything, Lena sneered twice.

“No need for you to apologize. You were also drugged and that’s how you met me. In fact, I’m the one who owes you.”

She looked up at me.

“Gavin, I’ve already found out who poisoned us. That company will be shut down within a month. Owen was innocent, forced into making mistakes. You shouldn’t blame him. As for this whole mess, I won’t hold it against you. Just apologize and let it go.”

I looked back coldly, my gaze devoid of any emotion. It all just felt ridiculous to me.

“Apologize? Lena, have you lost your mind?”

The next moment, a hand around my waist suddenly pressed hard, stabbing right into my wound.

Pain shot through me and I gasped sharply, cold sweat soaking my entire body.

I hurriedly pushed the person away.

I didn’t push with much force, but Owen crashed straight into the cabinet.

“What are you doing?”

Lena suddenly shoved me hard, causing my forehead to slam heavily against the door frame.

Blood immediately welled up.

“I think you are the crazy one! Owen has already lowered his head to you and I've explained everything. What more do you want? Apologize to him. Otherwise, you can try me!"

Clenching my teeth and swallowing all my grievances, I said word by word, "No. Way. You want me to apologize to your lover? Lena, you're dreaming!"

"Ungrateful!"

Lena’s eyes turned red with anger. She hurriedly helped Owen into the bedroom to rest.

When she came out, she summoned all the servants in the villa.

"Where are the iron chains? Bring them out."

"Mr. Cross has lost his mind. Make him kneel in the manor and reflect properly!"

"Without my permission, no one is allowed to let him get up!"

My eyes suddenly turned bloodshot as I looked at her in disbelief.

"Lena, you’re insane! He’s just a homewrecker and you dare treat me like this? This is the house I bought!"

"But I’m the lady of the house."

Lena cast me a cold glance and said nothing more.

The servants swiftly dragged me outside.

Blood streaked across the ground, leaving a long, red trail.

The moment the villa's gate shut, a sudden clap of thunder erupted in the once clear sky.

Then came a torrential downpour. It drenched me completely in an instant.

I knelt in the rain, the wounds on my forehead and abdomen beginning to burn.

My consciousness slowly blurred.

Turning to the servant nearby who was keeping watch, I spoke in an almost inaudible voice.

"Let me go... Please go get Lena… I’m begging you..."

The servant gave me a mocking glance, standing under the eaves with a sneer on her face.

"Save it. I’ve seen enough of your ‘pitiful act’ routine."

"Mr. Cross just called for a private doctor. She's busy tending to Mr. Belt’s wounds right now."

I forced my eyes open and looked up. A vague silhouette appeared on the second-floor balcony.

The next second, everything went black and I collapsed completely onto the ground.

In my fading consciousness, I heard the servants shouting anxiously. "Something's wrong! Mr. Cross has fainted! There's blood on the ground. Quick, get the doctor!"

Familiar footsteps approached and an umbrella was opened over my head.

Lena's voice was especially cold. "Had enough of this act? Anyone who didn’t know better would think you’re the one being bullied. Gavin, it’s time you learned some humility. I'm doing this for your own good."

Her footsteps receded. She stood under the eaves, embracing Owen, both looking in my direction.

Owen held her in his arms, his voice tinged with guilt. "Lena, I don’t think Gavin is faking it… Aren’t we being a bit too harsh? After all, he’s your fiancé. If the Cross Family finds out..."

Lena's expression turned cold. "I’ve worked hard for years. I don’t need to answer to the Cross Family. He was the one being unreasonable first. You still have eight months here. I can’t let you get pushed around all the time. His temper has to be corrected."

A glint of smugness flashed in Owen’s eyes before he quickly replaced it with an innocent expression.

“I’ve heard that marriages between wealthy families lack real feelings. Is that how it is between you and Gavin too?”

The torrential rain showed no mercy, pounding down relentlessly, washing over my pale face again and again.

In that instant, it felt as though my heart had stopped.

The next second, Lena's emotionless voice echoed in my ear.

"To wear the crown, one must bear its weight. Born into the Greene Family, a marriage alliance is a duty I can’t escape. Since I never had a choice, I can only accept it. Gavin is handsome and innocent. Compared to the other arrogant second-generation heirs, he’s the best option."

Tears slid from the corners of my eyes, soaking into the dirt.

Lena looked at Owen with tender affection, her eyes finally showing emotion.

"I once thought I’d live my whole life like this. But your appearance is a gift from the heavens. Thank you, Owen."

Every word pierced my heart like a knife.

I couldn’t tell what hurt more, my body or my heart.

The childhood memories we once shared were slowly fading.

What I thought was innocent companionship, what I believed to be a love deeply rooted, turned out to be nothing but lies.

How laughable that in my twenty years of life, my only wish was to marry her, to support her career, to help her rise effortlessly.

The girl who once broke a branch under the willow tree to make a ring for me has now faded into nothing but a memory.

My tightly wound nerves suddenly snapped and blood gushed from the wound on my abdomen.

Lena finally sensed something was wrong and snapped at the servant beside her. "What are you waiting for? Go check on him! If anything happens to Gavin, none of you need to work here anymore!"

In my daze, someone kept shaking me.

Then, I fell into a warm embrace.

The familiar scent of pine seemed to bring me back to those days when it was just the two of us.

But when I opened my eyes, I was already in the guest room.

Lena sat by the bed.

Her face was full of anger and coldness.

"Why didn’t you tell me you were hurt? Gavin, must you be this stubborn? When will you ever change your temper?”

Ignoring her emotions, I turned my head and looked around the room.

It was dilapidated and messy, worse than the servants’ quarters.

And the master bedroom that once belonged to me… well, it was obvious who lived there now.

A cold smile curled at the corners of my lips.

I didn’t spare her a glance.

“My temper has nothing to do with you. The one you should be most concerned about right now is Owen.”

I propped myself up and tore off the bandages around my abdomen.

“And one more thing—just a reminder—this is a house I bought. Kindly ask your lover to move out as soon as possible.”

Lena was completely enraged by my indifference. She stood up and shouted furiously. “Enough! Can’t you be a little more tolerant? I let Owen stay here so you two could take care of each other, not for you to throw tantrums!”

“Forget it. I still have eight months until I give birth. Use that time to calm down. When the child is born, I don’t want their father to be a madman!”

Throwing out those words, Lena turned and left without looking back.

Lifting the covers, I saw the wound on my knee had already been treated by the doctor.

I couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh.

Everything I’d suffered was because of her and now she’s trying to play the good guy?

The sound of laughter from downstairs continued. I pulled out my phone and lowered the selling price of the villa once again.

I didn’t want to see this place, soaked with heartache, for another second.

That night, the servants prepared a full table of food.

Most of it was seafood, exactly what Lena was allergic to.

Standing on the second floor, I glanced down and remembered the way she used to order food at restaurants, never willing to compromise for me.

So this was what love and indifference look like—so stark, so obvious.

Back in what used to be the master bedroom, all my belongings had already been thrown out.

At least it saved me some effort.

After booking a ride on my phone, I turned to leave.