I didn't argue with her, but just treated her as if she didn't exist.

She lifted the quilt, pressed her soft body against me, took my hand and put it on her slightly protruding belly.

"Jay, you and the child are the most important people to me in this world. The three of us will never be separated, okay?

"Since the day we got married, there is only you in my heart."

My tense body relaxed.

We had been together for so many years. With a child, it was not easy to break up.

With Ariel's repeated assurances, we reconciled.

But I didn't expect to meet Ryan so soon.

After Ariel got pregnant, I was afraid that something unexpected would happen to her, so I switched to working online and had plenty of time.

I was so free that I went to the mall to buy some baby clothes and stuff.

What a coincidence, I saw the "family" that I shouldn't have seen.

Ariel was holding the child, and Ryan followed them with a gentle face.

This happy scene hurt my eyes.

The child was amused by her and laughed heartily.

The shopping bag slipped from my hand, and the child's clothes scattered all over the floor.

The air stood still between the three of us.

"Jay..."

"Auntie, why don't you walk?"

Ryan took the child from her arms and walked away.

"I'm sorry, really sorry, Jayden, I just come back and I'm not familiar with anything, so I have to ask Ariel to accompany me and buy something for the child."

He quickly picked up everything on the ground and put it in my hands.

His face always had such a proper smile, making it impossible to find any fault.

"Do you have a baby?"

After seeing what was in the bag, the perfect expression on his face cracked a little.

Ariel pushed him aside and ran to me.

"Jay, why didn't you tell me? I've been wanting to buy clothes for the baby with you."

"Is this the important client you mentioned?"

I said unceremoniously, and Ariel's face was full of embarrassment.

"I'm sorry, Jay, I shouldn't have lied to you, but I'm really just afraid you'll think too much."

Ariel held my hand, pitifully.

Seeing that the situation was not right, Ryan hurriedly spoke.

"You really misunderstood, Jayden. Blame me. I'm sorry, please don't blame Ariel.

"If you fight because of me, I will feel very guilty."

He said something that sounded almost perfect, but the artificial tone made me uncomfortable.

The child broke free from his embrace and climbed onto Ariel's leg.

"Auntie, hug..."

The childish voice made it impossible to refuse.

Ryan did not pull the child away, as if waiting for Ariel to make a choice.

She completely ignored the child and held my hand.

"Is there anything else you want to buy? I'll accompany you."

Ryan then reacted and pulled the child over.

"Luke, be obedient."

Then he looked at us with a hurt expression.

"You guys go ahead and take care of your business, I'll be fine alone."

But the next second, the child sat on the ground and started crying loudly.

Ariel tightened her grip on my hand.

"If you want to go, then go."

I discreetly pulled my hand out.

She grabbed me and turned around, as if she had made a big decision.

"Let's go."

On the way, she was absent-minded, as if she had lost her soul.

Not long after we got home, her phone rang.

"Ally and her husband have some problems, I have to go and accompany her now."

She had time to accompany Ryan and his son, but problems arose when I was with her.

It was so clear, but it took me so long to deceive myself.

What Ryan wanted, he would never easily give up.

I heard that his wife, who abused him, came back and caused a big scene.

He was once a high and mighty male god, but now fell to such a state. It was inevitable that people sigh.

Ariel was coming back later and later.

Just like she said, she wouldn't hide or deceive me anymore.

She hired the best lawyer for Ryan and fought for custody of the child with his ex-wife.

"Just to repay his mother's favor back then."

From the moment she said this, I knew that she would never be able to repay it in the future.

Favors are always the hardest to repay.

But Ariel was too straightforward and too eager to prove it to me.

As long as she was with Ryan, she would make video call to me.

So even though things were complicated, life could be considered peaceful.

One day, Ryan came to the door late at night.

The bruises all over his body told the story of his tragic experience.

As soon as Ariel opened the door, he hugged her tightly.

"Ariel..."

With red eyes, Ariel held him tightly, not even hearing what I said.

She sat on the bed in the secondary bedroom, holding Ryan gently and patting him, with gentle and loving movements.

But as soon as she left, Ryan grabbed her clothes and buried his head in her arms.

"Please, don't leave me, Ariel, I beg you, don't leave, I can't be without you..."

Even I was moved, let alone Ariel.

The expression on her face was angry, but when she looked at him, it became gentle.

"Are you planning to keep holding onto him like this?"

Ryan cautiously glanced at me, then tucked his head into Ariel's arms.

Ariel looked exhausted.

"Jay, he's already like this, why are you still so aggressive? Let's talk about it tomorrow, okay?"

I never expected that one day I would hear the word "aggressive" coming from her mouth.

Ryan started pretending again.

"Ariel, don't leave. I regret it. Please don't leave me."

Ariel whispered to him.

"Ryan, I won't leave. I'll stay here with you."

I didn't miss the satisfaction in Ryan's eyes.

It was intentional.

He might self-direct today's performance.

"Ariel, do you remember what you promised?"

She was stunned for a moment, but only for a moment.

"Jay, you've changed. Let's talk about our matters tomorrow. You should leave first. He doesn't want to see you now... Neither do I."

I turned around, not wanting to shed tears in front of her.

The night passed until dawn.

Ariel, just like before, lifted the blanket and leaned in.

"Don't come over."

I didn't move, softly uttering a few words.

She stuck to my back.

"I'm sorry, I was just afraid that he would do something extreme."

I closed my eyes and didn't look at her.

"Let's get a divorce."

She held me tightly, and there was still Ryan's smell on her body, which was very pungent.

I wanted to push her away, but I was afraid of hurting the baby, so I didn't dare to use force.

"Let go of me, I feel nauseous."

She cried, tears falling on my shoulder.

I stopped moving.

"Jay, without you, I really don't know how to live on. You can do whatever you want, just don't leave me, okay?"

This was the first time she had cried since we met.

But I could no longer tell if she was crying because she pitied Ryan or if she was really afraid of divorcing me.

I didn't say anything, and she hugged me tighter.

"Jay, for the sake of our baby, can you forgive me this time? Once his lawsuit is over, I will immediately cut ties with him. Our child cannot be without a father."

But Ariel, when you hold him, have you ever thought about the child for a moment?

I didn't say anything, but I didn't continue my actions either. In the end, I compromised.

After Ryan woke up, he shouted Ariel's name loudly in the room.

She held my hand and went out, and I could clearly feel Ryan's gaze on our hands.

"Ariel..."

He rushed up and hugged my wife tightly, bumping us away without a trace.

"I'm so scared of not seeing you again, really scared..."

She glanced at me, her arm paused in the air, neither hugging nor not hugging.

"You said you would never leave me, does it still count now?" Ryan stared at her affectionately, persistently asking.

Left aside by him, I didn't say anything. I just quietly watched Ariel.

"Our story is long gone. You should wake up, and I will let the lawyer continue to find a solution. You let go of me first."

She just gave a gentle push, and Ryan immediately fell to the ground, like he could break at any moment with his previous injuries.

"Is it because of him? Ariel, you clearly said..."

Ryan, sitting on the ground, was incoherent and in a bad state.

"Jay, I'll send him back first, I'll be back soon."

Ariel hugged me for a while, which was comforting.

When leaving, Ryan gave me a last glance, full of satisfaction.

An hour after they left, Ariel's phone and messages were both unreachable.

I waited for a long time until a anonymous number sent me a few photos.

In the photos, Ariel was topless, leaning on Ryan's chest, looking dependent.

There were no any words, but everything was already said.

I trembled and dialed the number, but no one answered.

That day, Ariel didn't come back.

After being unreachable for a whole day, she came back and then knelt on the floor of the living room.

"Sorry, Jay..."

She moved to me with her knees.

I squatted down and unbuttoned her buttons one by one.

Her fair skin was covered with dense red marks.

"Don't look, don't look, Jay, please don't look..."

She covered my eyes tightly and held her clothes together, but one shoulder strap had already been torn apart, loose and ridiculous.

During the waiting time, I kept comforting myself that the photos were edited with Photoshop, but now it seemed to be self-deception.

"Jay, can you listen to me?"

Without waiting for my answer, she suddenly started slapping herself, rubbing her skin hard on her chest. She rubbed it red, even peeling it off.

The more intense her actions were, the more painful my heart was.

But I still dodged when she wanted to touch me.

"Dirty..."

A word separated the distance between us.

The air was silent for a long time. The things on the coffee table fell to the ground, making a crisp sound, which brought us back.

Her lips moved, pale without any blood, and her face was even more pale.