At the dinner on the third day after our wedding, my husband Ryan Lawson's adopted sister, Zelda Lawson, shoved a baby into my arms along with a legal document.

"Victoria Sullivan, I know you can't have children, so I had one for Ryan. This baby is my wedding gift to you. Sign this custody agreement, and we can all still be one family."

I did not take it. Instead, I turned to look at Ryan standing beside me.

He stepped in front of Zelda protectively and said coldly, "Just sign it, Victoria. I can't let the family line end with me."

As I looked at his matter-of-fact expression, I suddenly laughed. Since that was the case, this marriage was no longer worth keeping.

Being suddenly shoved a baby into my arms left me completely stunned. When I finally processed what was happening, disbelief washed over me.

What did it even mean that Zelda Lawson gave birth to a child for Ryan Lawson?

Even though they were not blood-related, they were still adoptive siblings in name, and more importantly, I was his legal wife.

How could they do something so morally twisted?

Dressing up an affair with such a bizarre justification really showed they thought I was an idiot.

The smile on my face slowly turned cold. I shoved the baby back into Zelda's arms, then ripped that so-called "custody agreement" into tiny pieces. With a flick of my hand, I scattered the shredded paper all over her face.

I said, "I'm not taking the fall for this, especially not for second-hand trash."

Zelda's face instantly flushed red, and her hands trembled as she clutched the baby. Meanwhile, Ryan's expression darkened as he stepped forward and barked at me angrily.

"Victoria Sullivan, what's with that tone?! Zelda was only thinking of what's best for us!"

I felt like I just heard the joke of the century. "Best for us? What's best for us is having her show up at our post-wedding dinner with your bastard child to disgust me?"

He argued, "We're all family here. Can't you be the bigger person?"

Be the bigger person.

It was those exact words again.

Ever since Ryan and I started dating, it was chanted in my ear like a daily mantra, a spell I could not break.

When Zelda said she liked my limited-edition handbag, I had to be the bigger person and give it to her.

When Zelda mentioned she wanted to move into our marital home, I had to be considerate and worry about her safety living alone. So, I became the bigger person and let her move in.

Even when I was pregnant for the first time, Zelda dragged me onto a drop tower ride despite knowing I was terrified of heights. As a result, I was so scared that I started hemorrhaging badly.

My first child with Ryan was just gone like that.

Because of that traumatic experience and the miscarriage, the doctor said I damaged my body fundamentally and would have a hard time conceiving again.

Yet, what did Ryan say back then?

He said, "Victoria, Zelda didn't mean it. She's scared, too. Be the bigger person and don't blame her."

I was being the bigger person, but what did I get in return?

And now, as a reward, she walked right into the room, holding their illegitimate child, while I was still expected to just “be the bigger person” and accept it all.

It was utterly ridiculous.

My voice trembled with rage as I shouted, "Ryan, I was already being the bigger person when I forgave the person who killed my baby. Now you want me to tolerate your mistress and her bastard child moving in? You're absolutely ridiculous!"

Ryan's mother, Margaret Potter, who was silent until now, suddenly snapped and rushed at me.

She jabbed her finger at my nose as she screamed, "Victoria, you barren woman! How dare you even say a word! The Lawson family has only had one son per generation for three generations. If the line ends because of you, you'll be the one who doomed this family. Zelda was kind enough to bear your child. Instead of being grateful, you'd let a Lawson bloodline be cast out into the world?"

She got more and more vicious with her words, her spittle nearly hitting my face.

"I think you're just jealous of Zelda because you can't have children yourself. You are always out drinking and socializing with other men, so maybe your body has already been ruined, which is why you cannot have children!"

Zelda held the baby and wiped her tears beside her, pretending to be pitiful while fanning the flames.

She whimpered, "Victoria, I know you're upset, but how could you cheat on Ryan? I-I even gave Ryan my first time."

She cried as if she suffered the greatest injustice in the world. I was shaking with anger as I stared at the man I loved for three years.

"Ryan, is that what you think too?"

He avoided my gaze, and his voice was completely cold. "If I cared, I would not have married you. Victoria, stop making a scene, sign the agreement, and do not blow this up, because it will not look good for anyone."

My heart gradually turned cold. I hissed, "Without me going out to negotiate and entertain clients, where would your company's deals come from, and why do you think I can't have children? It was because I ruined my health while helping you build your business, and because your precious sister scared me into a miscarriage!"

I almost shouted the words.

For the first time, impatience and disdain finally appeared on Ryan's face. "Well, whose fault is it that you don't have the charm to make Timothy care? If you'd just softened up a little and asked, he might have slipped a few resources your way. Then you wouldn't be struggling like this."

So that was it. From the very beginning, the only thing he wanted from marrying me was access to my brother, Timothy Sullivan's, resources.

Timothy was a business prodigy who took control of the massive Sullivan family empire at a young age. Back then, he did not think much of Ryan, a broke nobody.

I was blind and insisted on marrying him anyway.

Timothy could not change my mind, so he proposed testing Ryan for three years.

During those three years, Ryan claimed he did not want help. Yet, behind my back, he repeatedly hinted that I should ask Timothy for resources.

I always believed he was just proud. Finally, I understood that he was nothing but a complete hypocrite, a man who wanted to climb through connections and live off my family.

I took a deep breath and pushed down all my emotions as I called out, "Edward."

The elderly butler, Edward Rogers, who stood by, immediately stepped forward. "Ms. Sullivan, what can I do for you?"

"Throw this whole family out. This is the Sullivan residence, and we don't welcome trash."

Edward's expression turned serious as he waved to the security guards behind him. "Escort them out!"

Ryan's face turned ashen as he shoved away the approaching guards. "Victoria, how dare you?!"

He glared at me as if he wanted to tear me apart.

I met his gaze coldly. "This is my family's territory, not a place for the Lawson family's playground. The dinner is canceled. Our family doesn't welcome outsiders either."

My words hit him like a slap across the face. He probably never imagined that I, who always obeyed him, would be this firm.

Zelda's eyes darted around before she suddenly dropped to her knees with a thud. Clutching the baby, she crawled toward me on her knees, tears streaming down her face.

"Victoria, this is all my fault! Don't blame Ryan. It's all on me! I'm just too dependent on Ryan. I never thought you'd misunderstand. Victoria, don't say things in anger. You and Ryan just got married!"

As she spoke, she knocked her forehead repeatedly against the floor until it quickly turned red.

There it was again, playing the poor, innocent damsel.

Ryan immediately felt sorry for her and rushed forward to help her up, pulling her into his arms. "Zelda, you did nothing wrong! Get up!"

He turned to glare at me, disgust practically pouring from his eyes. "Victoria, just look at what kind of person you've become! Zelda got on her knees for you. What more do you want? No one can stand your spoiled, willful attitude. Apologize to Zelda right now, or this marriage is over, and we're getting divorced!"

He was still so arrogant, as if he were certain I would never dare to divorce him.

I only found it laughable.

"Fine, let's divorce then. We can go right now. The courthouse hasn't closed yet."

Ryan froze completely, reaching out to grab me as if wanting to say something to calm me down.

At that moment, the baby that Zelda was holding suddenly started crying.

I instinctively looked over and found that the teacup on the table beside me somehow tipped over, and the tea spilled right onto the child in Zelda's arms.

"Victoria, how could you hurt the baby?!"

The child let out a piercing, heartbreaking cry.

Everything happened so fast that no one had time to react.

Without even asking what happened, Ryan spun around and shoved me hard to the ground.

He hissed, "Victoria! You vicious woman!"

My lower back slammed into the edge of the table, and the pain exploded so violently that my vision went black. The way he looked at me was like he was staring at a sworn enemy.

"We're divorcing right now! I must have been blind to marry you! I'd like to see who'd want a barren piece of damaged goods like you once Timothy stops protecting you!"

I was in too much pain to speak, my head buzzing. However, when I heard his last sentence, I froze.

What did he mean by "once Timothy stops protecting me"?

"Ryan, what did you just say? What do you mean by once Timothy stops protecting me?"

A flash of panic crossed his face, but it was quickly replaced by venom. Just then, the doors burst open again.

Timothy's executive assistant, Isaac Holden, came stumbling in, his face deathly pale. He stammered, "M-Ms. Sullivan! Something terrible happened! Mr. Sullivan's plane crashed! Emergency rescue is underway, but we haven't- haven't received any news yet."

My mind went completely blank.

It was not until Mom collapsed beside me that I snapped back to reality. "Mom!"

Mom's face was terrifyingly pale, her body rigid. I panicked as she had a severe heart condition.

"Ambulance! Call an ambulance quickly!" I screamed frantically, my body shaking uncontrollably.

I remembered Timothy once gave me an encrypted satellite phone number. He said that no matter what happened, as long as I dialed that number, his people could find him. Yet when I called, there was only a cold, busy signal.

I called three times, and each "beep" felt like a sledgehammer pounding on my heart.

'Timothy, please be okay!' I silently prayed.

Soon, the wail of an ambulance siren grew from distant to near. The paramedics rushed in, pushing a stretcher.

"Doctor! Please save my mom!" I cried out as I rushed toward them.

However, a hand shoved me hard out of the way.

Ryan, holding the scalded baby, blocked the paramedics' path. He insisted, "Treat my child first! My child was burned by boiling water!"

He forcibly placed the still-crying baby onto the stretcher. But upon closer inspection, the child only had a red patch on its arm.

Before the ambulance arrived, the patient was treated with cold water. Even the doctor could see Mom's condition was more serious and wanted to give her emergency treatment first.

However, Ryan grabbed him and spoke harshly. "Can't you see my child is burned? Where are you running off to? Get in the ambulance now! If my child is scarred because of your delay, I'll file a complaint against you!"

The doctor was forcibly dragged onto the vehicle, and I panicked.

I rushed forward and blocked the closing door, shouting urgently, "No! My mom has heart disease! She's dying!"

Ryan turned back, his eyes full of mockery and disdain. "Heart disease? Victoria, stop acting! She faked her heart condition. She pulls it out for sympathy every time something happens! She looks perfectly fine to me! If anything happens to my son, I'll make your whole family pay!"

Seeing the contempt in his eyes, I broke down again. In his eyes, Mom's life or death was nothing but a performance.

I wanted to say more, but Margaret already rushed to my side, clawing and hitting me.

"Get out of the way! You jinx! You killed your own child, you killed Timothy, and now you want to curse my grandson, too. Why don't you just die!"

Her fingernails left several bloody scratches on my face, burning with pain.

Zelda also took advantage of the chaos to rush over and kick me hard in the abdomen with her stiletto heel.

She bent down and whispered viciously in my ear. "Victoria, you deserve to lose everything! From now on, just keep watch over Mrs. Sullivan's and Timothy's graveyards, living like an unloved stray for the rest of your life!"