James clearly didn’t expect me to agree and sneered, “Who do you think you are? You’re threatening me? Do you honestly think anyone would want you after divorcing me? That bastard child of yours is unwanted trash!

“You worthless woman! You’re as stupid as a pig! I only put up with you because you were pregnant, but now you dare to push your luck?

“Where are you right now? Do you actually think I’m scared to divorce you just because you’re pregnant? Fine, divorce it is!”

I replied calmly, “Alright. I’ll send you the papers immediately. Don’t forget to sign them.”

Before he could say another word, I hung up.

His stream of insults reminded me once again that this man no longer loved me. The slap he’d planted on my face earlier still stung, not just my skin but my very soul.

The other patients in my hospital room were still chatting, oblivious to my pain.

“Hey, did you see the news? The CEO of that multinational corporation used a helicopter to rush his lover to the best private hospital. Isn’t that just the most romantic thing ever? I heard he even organized those city-wide fireworks displays just for her! So enviable.”

“You haven’t seen the latest update? Apparently, Mr. Fletcher had crates of fresh, nutrient-packed ingredients delivered just so he could cook for his beloved wife and help her recover faster!”

“They’re just so sweet! No wonder everyone’s talking about them. And they’ve been through so much together, both in love and at work. What an inspiring couple!”

…

I glanced down at my now-flat stomach. A dull, relentless pain throbbed in my abdomen.

When their conversation finally ended, I sighed in relief, glad to no longer hear the nauseating tales of James and his mistress.

It was then that the hospital director, the one who had donated blood to save me, came to check on me. He expressed his condolences for my miscarriage and urged me to stay strong.

Surprisingly, I felt a sense of relief at the loss of my child. At least this way, they wouldn’t have to suffer in the future and wouldn’t have to learn that their parents had never truly loved each other.

After the doctor left, I picked up my phone and checked the latest developments online. The hate against me had grown terrifying, fueled by the army of trolls James had paid to escalate things. They painted me as a venomous and spiteful woman, accusing me of harming Lisa out of jealousy.

Lisa even posted a video, tearfully pleading with netizens to stop harassing me. But every word she spoke subtly fanned the flames, escalating the hatred against me. Her carefully crafted performance turned me into public enemy number one, drawing more people into the fray to condemn me.

Any posts I made trying to explain myself were dismissed as lies, further fueling the outrage.

Over the following days, I could feel the hostile stares from those around me. Some even took to loudly insulting me in public, instantly garnering support from bystanders. Every day, I received hateful and threatening private messages from strangers across the internet.

I no longer had the strength to defend myself.

The day before I was discharged, I sent James a message, “Let’s go to the lawyer’s office tomorrow and finalize the divorce.”

He called back immediately.

“How dare you show your face again? I gave you a chance, but you refused to apologize to Lisa! Everything that’s happening now is your own fault!

“If it weren’t for Lisa’s kindness, begging me to show mercy, I would’ve reported you to the police by now! Fine, let’s get divorced. Afterward, your child will be nothing but an unwanted bastard!”

Before I could respond, he hung up.

Silently, I opened the home surveillance app on my phone and saved the footage from that day—the recording of Lisa showing up at my door with a knife. Then I contacted the property management office and retrieved the stairwell security footage, which showed her pushing me down the stairs.

The next day, after I was discharged, I went straight to the lawyer’s office with my documents in hand.

However, the one standing at the entrance was Lisa.

“Well, what a pleasant surprise. Isn’t this the great Mrs. Fletcher? Are you in such a rush to beg James not to divorce you?” Lisa’s lips curled into a mocking smile as she looked at me.

“You really are shameless, clinging to him like a parasite. What can a housewife like you possibly compete with me for? You’re nothing more than a stray dog that nobody wants. Your husband already does whatever I say.”

Her gaze dropped to my stomach, and her grin widened.

“What’s wrong? Couldn’t even protect your bastard child? How pitiful. Then again, even if you’d given birth, it wouldn’t have survived long. Who knows when it would’ve dropped dead…”

I had no interest in her taunts. Ignoring her, I tried to push past and enter the lawyer’s office.

But before I even touched her, Lisa threw herself to the ground, clutching her face as tears streamed down her cheeks.

“Lisa!”

James came rushing out of his car. From his perspective, it looked as though I had deliberately pushed her in a fit of rage.

Without hesitation, he stormed over and slapped me hard across the face. The force sent me tumbling to the ground, my cheek stinging as blood trickled down my face. He immediately pulled Lisa into his arms, gently soothing her as she sobbed.

He turned back to berate me but froze when his eyes landed on my flat stomach. His face went pale, and his voice trembled as he spoke.

“Where’s my child?!”

I struggled to get up, half of my face swollen and blood dripping from the corner of my mouth.

Shielding my abdomen, I spoke coldly, “What child? How could someone like me, a ‘vicious woman,’ possibly have the honor of carrying the great CEO’s child?

“Amazing, really. You’re such a loyal and devoted husband. Truly touching. But you don’t have to worry about the child anymore. It’s gone.”

I turned to Lisa with a sharp smile. “Oh, and congratulations, Lisa. You’ve finally picked up the trash I threw away. Enjoy these last few days of bliss because, soon enough, all your comforts will be enjoyed behind bars.”

James furrowed his brows, his tone harsh. “Answer me! Where’s my child? I’m the child’s father! Once we divorce, I’ll fight for custody no matter what!”

Looking at him now, everything became clear. I had thrown away my family's carefully selected match, all for this man I'd worshipped with such naive devotion. How foolish it all seemed.

Noticing James’ focus on me, Lisa cried out pitifully, clutching her side as if in pain.

“Lisa, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell? I’ll take you to the hospital right now!” James exclaimed in panic.

“I’m fine, James,” she whimpered through her tears. “Don’t upset her anymore. It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have shown up at her door that day. This is all on me.”

She cried, delicate and trembling like petals in a storm, and James gently brushed her tears away before placing a tender kiss on her cheek.

Their display of affection made my stomach churn.

Suppressing the urge to vomit, I sneered, “Enough with the kissing. If it doesn’t disgust you, it certainly disgusts me. Let’s go and finalize the divorce. Afterward, that ‘CEO’s wife’ title can go to whoever you please.”

My words lit a fire in James’ eyes. “Kailey, you really are the most vile woman! After everything you’ve done to Lisa, you still have the audacity not to apologize? You’d better get on your knees and apologize to her right now!”

I stared at them coldly as Lisa nestled deeper into James’ arms, her lips curling into a victorious smirk.

“Who’s hurting whom, exactly?” I scoffed. “You slapped me for no reason, didn’t bother apologizing, and now you’re accusing me of crimes I didn’t commit?

“You cheated on me while I was pregnant—doing all those revolting things with your secretary—and you have the nerve to call yourself the child’s father?”

James’ face twisted in fury as he jabbed a finger at me, hurling insults.

"I thought you might have reflected on your actions during this time, but it turns out you’re still as shameless and unrepentant as ever!" James shouted, his face twisted with rage.

"You vicious woman! You must have deliberately killed my child! You were jealous of Lisa's success and couldn’t stand me caring about her injuries, so you cruelly murdered my baby!

"I’m going to take you to court! I’ll expose all of your evil deeds to the world!"

His shouting quickly drew the attention of onlookers. Some recognized him and Lisa as the famous CEO couple who had recently gone viral online. They stopped to watch, their murmurs swelling as the crowd grew.

Lisa, noticing the attention, immediately put on a more pitiful act. With teary eyes, she exposed my identity.

"Mrs. Fletcher, I know you hate me, but you can’t take it out on your own child! I don’t blame you for coming at me with a knife, but please, don’t hurt James anymore, okay?"

The crowd quickly connected the dots, realizing who I was, and the murmurs turned into heated discussions.

"Isn’t she that woman from the internet? The one who attacked someone out of jealousy? What a toxic person!"

"How cruel do you have to be to harm your own baby? She’s absolutely wicked!"

"Why hasn’t anyone called the police yet? Someone like her deserves to be locked up or worse!"

The insults rained down on me, relentless and unforgiving.

James didn’t spare me so much as a glance. All his attention was on Lisa, his voice soft and full of concern.

"Lisa, are you still in pain? Did she hurt you anywhere?"

Lisa bit her lip, pretending to hold back tears as she replied, "I’m fine, James. She pushed me because she lost her temper. It’s nothing, really."