"Yes, Zachary is definitely a good man."

Good enough to split his love in half and give it to two different women.

Good enough to let another woman bear his child.

His parents rushed over to our place the moment they heard the news.

As soon as she walked in, my mother-in-law grabbed my hands.

"Ella, you're truly our family's hero. Don't worry, once you give birth to our first grandson, my husband and I will hand over the company to you two."

As she spoke, she kept shooting meaningful glances at her husband.

"That's right, Ella, she is absolutely right."

I smiled faintly and pulled my hands away.

I wonder if they pampered that other woman's child the same way.

First grandson? Please. What era are we living in with this son preference nonsense? It's just a recently public company, not some royal dynasty.

Anyone listening would think the Williams family had a throne to inherit.

"Mom, boy or girl, as long as it's Ella's and my child, it's our family's treasure," Zachary quickly stepped in, sensing my annoyance.

He's always been considerate of my feelings.

Before, and now...

"Oh... yes, of course, of course," my mother-in-law agreed with a fake smile.

She probably never expected me to get pregnant.

After all, just a month ago, she was practically threatening to kill herself trying to force Zachary to divorce me.

During dinner, Zachary's phone rang. He glanced at it casually but didn't answer.

While he was serving more food, his phone buzzed again.

I glanced over. It was a message:

"Bella has a fever. What should I do?"

Those few words stabbed at my heart like knives.

Because of my pregnancy, Zachary hadn't been working for several days. The timing of this message made the sender's intentions crystal clear.

Sure enough, Zachary put down his cutleries.

"Ella, I asked a friend to get you some supplements from abroad. They're supposed to arrive today, so I'll go pick them up."

His voice was so natural and gentle, without a hint of deception.

I suddenly realized—he knew I trusted him. So these past few years, he must have come up with countless similar excuses.

"How thoughtful," I pretended to be touched.

Zachary stroked my cheek, looking completely sincere.

"Of course. You're my precious. I want to give you the whole world."

But Zachary, from beginning to end, all I ever wanted was you and your love.

I sat by the window, lost in thought, fingering the receipts I'd found in Zachary's pocket.

Toys for a two or three-year-old child—three full pages of items.

Clearly, Zachary was a great father.

Just not to my child.

My phone rang. It was Zachary.

"Ella, I'll be home late tonight. Go to bed without me."

"Zach, dinner's ready."

Before I could reply, an intimate female voice came through the phone.

"Oh, Ella, that's Matthew Leedon's girlfriend. They just got back from overseas and insisted I stay for dinner."

Zachary's voice had a noticeable trace of panic.

"Hmm," I responded softly and hung up.

My memory isn't that bad. Matthew got married a year ago.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you, that girlfriend... they didn't end up together. He's dating someone new recently."

Zachary lied without hesitation, and I finally gave up hope.

I knew the truth all along, didn't I?

After some convincing, Zachary finally went back to work instead of hovering around me all day.

I was afraid if I kept watching him wear that mask in front of me, I'd end up tearing it off his face.

I already wanted to leave—I just needed a clear reason to make a clean break.

Maybe it was my mother-in-law's cooking that didn't agree with me, but my morning sickness was brutal.

Day and night, I spent most of my time throwing up in the bathroom.

"Ella, dinner's ready!"

I'd barely sat down when another wave of nausea hit.

After finally recovering in the bathroom, I overheard Zachary scolding his mother.

"Mom, can't you try making different dishes? Ella doesn't like these."

It was true—her cooking really didn't sit well with me.

I guess after all these years, I'd gotten used to Zachary's cooking.

Throughout our marriage, no matter how busy he was at work, he always cooked for me.

Things I liked, things I didn't—he remembered every detail.

How ironic that such a "perfect" husband would keep another woman and have a child with her.

"You ungrateful boy, don't push your luck. If it weren't for my future grandson, I wouldn't be waiting on her hand and foot."

Hah, of course.

"Mom, Ella's pregnant. How can you still hold a grudge against her?"

"Hmph! If she hadn't clung to you so desperately, would my granddaughter be raised outside the family?”

Granddaughter?

Hearing those words made my heart clench.

My entire body deflated like a punctured balloon, and I slumped to the floor.

So they all knew. They were all keeping it from me.

No wonder...

No wonder she kept calling my baby her "first grandson."

So that's it—she wanted me to give birth to a boy?

Clever plan!

I got up to leave, but my clothes accidentally knocked over a water glass.

Zachary quickly signaled his mother to be quiet. Seeing my red-rimmed eyes, he panicked.

"Ella, what did you just hear?"

His voice seemed calm, but his hands wouldn't stop shaking.