For five years, Talia Stewart has poured everything into her marriage without a single complaint or regret.

She raises their child, devotedly serves her in-laws, and gives her husband, Christian Lane, all the personal space he wants.

But her selfless dedication is rewarded with betrayal when Christian starts keeping a mistress. He buys Nancy York cars, gives her an apartment, gets her a job, kisses and embraces her, and even carries her on his back.

To win back her straying husband's heart, Talia decides to try for a second child—a boy this time.

Initially, she thinks that if Christian is willing to have a second child with her, it means that he still recognizes her as his wife. But the truth is, Christian only wants Talia to bear his children because he fears Nancy might face risks from childbirth.

Talia thinks that even if she loses Christian, she'll still have her daughter for company. But the daughter she raises with such care becomes someone else's precious little girl instead.

Finally, Talia's heart breaks completely. She terminates the pregnancy and resolves to get a divorce. She wants nothing more to do with either her husband or her daughter.

But during the mandatory waiting period before their divorce can be finalized, Christian, who refuses to come home, suddenly corners her in the living room. "Didn't we agree to have a second child?"

It was 10:00 pm by the time Talia Stewart returned to Elmwood Estate. That day was the 15th of the month—her ovulation day.

Her first child with Christian Lane had been a girl, and her in-laws kept pressuring them to have another. If it were anyone else, she would have sarcastically asked them whether the family had a throne to inherit.

But the Lane family was indeed the wealthiest in Jarrowind, and there truly were billions in assets waiting for a boy to inherit.

When Talia entered the bedroom, Christian had already finished washing up. Not a word of concern was exchanged between them as they went straight to business.

Three minutes later, Christian went to the bathroom to clean up while Talia pressed her legs against the wall, positioning her body at a 90-degree angle to maximize their chances. Not a single drop could be wasted to achieve their goal.

Soon, Christian emerged from the bathroom. While getting dressed with his back to Talia, he said, "Keep tracking your cycle. Call me when you get a positive pregnancy test."

In their five years of marriage, he had always been this sparing with his words toward her. Their marriage existed in name only.

Christian kept a woman on the side. Talia had searched through all of Christian's social media accounts for clues, eventually managing to track down the woman's profile.

Since then, she had been secretly monitoring the woman online. Her husband's whereabouts could only be glimpsed through the posts of the woman who was destroying her marriage.

That woman documented everything frequently, from her three daily meals to holidays and birthdays. Talia barely saw Christian before their plan to have a second child. But now, they would meet once a month.

Knowing how eager Christian was to leave, Talia quickly got up and said to his retreating figure, "Can we talk?"

Christian turned back to look at her, his expression completely blank as he asked, "About what?"

Talia lowered her voice, her tone almost pleading as she said, "I want us to work things out."

Despite knowing that this marriage no longer had any reason to continue, Talia still wanted to try to keep it going. What if it worked?

She had finally married the man of her dreams and given birth to their daughter. She didn't want her marriage to end in failure.

But her words seemed to fall on deaf ears. She couldn't tell whether Christian truly hadn't heard her or was pretending not to. He finished getting dressed, put on his watch, and headed for the door.

Talia stepped off the bed in two quick strides, but she didn't rush to embrace him or beg him to stay and keep her company as she once had.

A second before Christian was about to step out and leave, Talia suddenly broke down and confronted him.

"Christian, you only come to Elmwood Estate once a month. You never even call me, and we haven't shared a single meal together. What kind of marriage is this with us being so distant from one another?"

Christian's steps paused. After a long moment, he turned back to look at Talia. He ignored her tears and her grievances, and simply said to her, "Once you're pregnant with a son, I'll return to live at Elmwood Estate."

He left immediately after saying that. Talia stood where she was, no longer chasing after him.

After eight years of loving him and five years of marriage, she had given him everything. Even when she gave birth to their daughter, she suffered an amniotic fluid embolism, and the doctor placed her on the critical list three times.

But even so, Talia was still willing to risk another brush with death to try for a second child—a boy. Yet, at that moment, she suddenly felt confused. She wondered if it was even worth it anymore.

After finishing her shower and emerging from the bathroom, Talia habitually picked up her phone and launched the Instagram app. She tapped into the same profile she obsessively checked every night—"Naners", with her sweet-looking profile picture.

Clicking on her story, Talia saw a new post from two minutes ago. It was just a photo of two shadows under a streetlight, but she could see interlocked fingers in the corner, both wearing matching couple bracelets.

The caption read, "There are two shadows under the streetlight. Both of them belong to me."

Talia felt her chest tighten when she saw the post. However, it barely fazed her now compared to the devastation she had felt when she first discovered his affair. Perhaps she had grown used to it.

Every time they met, Christian was rushing to get back to another woman. But if Talia set her feelings aside, her position as Mrs. Lane would at least be secure, so long as she could give him a male heir to inherit the family business.

It was just that this bitter pill of a marriage was something Talia had to swallow by herself.

…

A month later, it was 7:00 pm when Talia clutched the pregnancy test results and rushed back to Elmwood Estate in delight.

Just as she was about to step into the living room, Talia suddenly heard her mother-in-law, Margaret Johnson's voice saying, "Christian, you're 32 years old now. You've been married for five years.

"It's fine that your first child is a girl, but you're being so half-hearted about the second child. Once a month? How is Talia supposed to get pregnant that way?

"Look—if it's not going to work, just have that other woman of yours give you a son. As long as he's a boy and carries the Lane blood, I'll accept him."

Christian almost immediately rejected Margaret's suggestion. "How is that the same?"

Margaret felt frustrated. "How is it not?"

Talia retreated to the side, and her heart fluttered slightly because Christian had spoken up for her. No matter what he did outside, she remained his only wife.

Soon, Christian's voice sounded again. "Mom, did you forget about Talia's amniotic fluid embolism when she gave birth to Yvonne?"

Margaret became even angrier at his words. "You have the nerve to bring that up! She has been nothing but trouble since marrying into this family.

"Other women can bear four or five children without issue, but Talia has to be so high-maintenance. One birth, and she had the Lane family in the news for three days. It's so embarrassing!"

Christian didn't listen to a single word of Margaret's complaints about Talia. He only explained, "Childbirth carries great risks. Talia has already been through it once, so she has the resilience for it.

"But Nancy is still young, and I don't dare to let her take on that kind of risk."

Talia felt thunderstruck when she heard these words from outside the door. She stood frozen, too shocked even to cry.

Even knowing that Christian didn't love her, had betrayed her, and that their marriage was over, Talia had still foolishly believed a child might win back his heart.

She had thought that no matter how much Christian played around, at least the title of Mrs. Lane would always be hers. But the truth was more cruel than she had imagined.

She was apparently nothing more than a baby machine to Christian.

He had forgotten that she had suffered from depression and developed a fear of blood after giving birth to their daughter, Yvonne Lane. She was someone who had been rescued from the brink of death by doctors.

Christian feared that his mistress, Nancy York, might face complications, but he had forgotten that Talia's health was at greater risk. At this point, Talia couldn't make out what else Christian and Margaret were saying in the room.

Talia had risked her life to give the Lanes an heir, only to spend her nights alone while her husband cheated on her. She clutched the pregnancy test results tightly, thinking that it was time for everything to end.

That day was supposed to be their monthly attempt at conceiving a second child, but at that moment, Talia felt like it had no meaning whatsoever. She realized that this was what heartbreak really felt like. It really could happen in an instant.

The child in her belly probably didn't need to be kept either. She figured that if others didn't care about her life or death, she should at least care about herself.

Just as she was about to turn and leave, the housekeeper, Jane Lewis, spotted her. "Mrs. Lane! You're home!"

Talia smiled at Jane, thinking that perhaps that day would be perfect for discussing the divorce.

Talia hid the pregnancy test results and stepped into the living room, where Margaret and Christian's conversation fell silent. Unlike what she usually did, Talia didn't even greet anyone.

In the past, she had always naively thought that if she served her in-laws well and became an understanding, considerate wife, there would come a day when Christian would finally notice her. But reality had slapped her hard in the face.

Even if she carved out her heart and presented it to the Lane family, they might not even spare it a glance. She realized that it was time to take back these five years of one-sided devotion.

Christian knew why he'd come home that day, so he glanced at Jane and instructed, "Jane, escort Ms. Margaret out."

From beginning to end, Talia stood silently to the side, but her eyes seemed to have gained a new layer of coldness.

Christian managed the Lane family business and ran the company exceptionally well. His character was excellent, too. He was respectful to his elders, loyal to his friends, fair with his subordinates, and generous with his employees.

Everyone who met him offered unanimous praise. Many friends remarked that Talia must have done something incredible in a past life to marry Christian.

But Talia was the one person who never received Christian's kindness. After five years of marriage, she was clear about their marriage. This hollow shell of a marriage was something Talia no longer wanted.

As Margaret passed by Talia, she suddenly stopped. She said with reproach in her voice, "If you still can't conceive a male heir, I don't know how you'll be able to face the Lane family."

In the past, Talia would have swallowed the insult quietly. But now, she saw no reason to keep taking it.

Looking at Margaret, Talia's eyes no longer held a trace of flattery or submission. She sharply retorted, "Margaret, we're both women. Is conceiving a boy or a girl solely my responsibility?"

Margaret remembered Talia as someone who never fought back. She had grown used to her compliant daughter-in-law, so Talia's sudden defiant attitude caught her off guard.

But Margaret wasn't about to indulge her either. She raised her hand and slapped her across the face. "How dare you speak to me like that! Kneel and apologize to me."

She looked furious, ready to tear someone apart. She was also utterly confident that Talia would be intimidated by her presence.

Margaret knew precisely how much Talia loved Christian. So she was certain that Talia could give up her dignity and pride, and was even willing to be treated as a maid by the Lane family for his sake.

But now, Talia no longer wanted to compromise. Since none of them valued her sacrifices or her life, she was no longer willing to please anyone.

Talia's eyes darkened as she looked at Margaret. She stepped forward wordlessly to strike back. But before her hand could land on Margaret's face, it was caught mid-air by a large hand.

At the same time, a low, reproachful roar rang in her ears. "Talia, haven't you caused enough trouble?"

Talia looked up to see Christian's handsome face. His cold, piercing eyes fell on her.

This face used to drive Talia crazy, but looking at it closely now, she felt a trace of disgust. She couldn't fathom how a person could be so cruel.

She could accept the lack of love, the cheating, the emotional abuse, but she couldn't understand how he could be so heartless as to treat her like a baby machine.

Moreover, he demanded that she give him a second child despite the amniotic fluid embolism she had suffered during her first pregnancy. Wasn't he simply asking for her life?

Thinking about all this, Talia couldn't help but feel nauseous.

Just as she was about to say something, Christian suddenly threw her hand away forcefully and said in a deep voice, "I'm not in the mood today. We'll discuss trying for a second child next month."

After saying that, he helped Margaret up and walked toward the door. Margaret turned back, her expression triumphant, as if to say, "The son I gave birth to naturally takes my side. You're just an outsider. Don't you know your place?"

If it had been before, Talia would have been sad and cried over Christian not protecting her, but now, she seemed to have gotten used to it. She didn't feel even a trace of disappointment.

Just as Christian was about to leave the living room, Talia quickly called out to him, "Christian."

Talia was someone who kept her word. Since she had decided to divorce, she would definitely follow through with it.

Just as when she had fallen in love with Christian, she was willing to dive headfirst into that mess despite her family's opposition. After loving Christian for eight years, she was exhausted.

He was blind to her efforts and had never thought about building a proper marriage with her. His willingness to marry her was only because she had gotten pregnant before marriage, and he felt responsible.

Their marriage was a tomb, but it only trapped Talia. She should have woken up from it long ago.

Christian stopped at the door. Talia thought that he had heard her, so after letting out a breath, she said, "I don't want to be with you anymore. Let's get divorced."

Once those words left her mouth, Talia felt an unprecedented sense of relief. But at that moment, Christian suddenly put his phone to his ear.

She couldn't hear what the person on the other end said, but she heard his anxious voice respond, "Okay. I'll be right there."

After hanging up, Christian left with Margaret and headed toward the exit of Elmwood Estate. The words she had just spoken, thinking they would set her free, weren't taken to heart by anyone.

It wasn't until Christian's figure completely disappeared from the doorway that Talia finally let out a bitter laugh.

Jane returned after seeing the guests out and saw Talia still standing in the living room, looking lost. She called out in surprise, "Mrs. Lane?"

Talia snapped back to reality, walked over to sit on the couch, and instructed Jane, "Jane, please prepare dinner for me."

In the past, she had done everything herself, hoping to win Christian's affection. Even though they only saw each other a few times a year, she was never tired of it. But in reality, Christian had never paid any attention to her efforts.

Now she was tired, and she remembered that she had once been someone who never lifted a finger, cherished and loved by her parents and brother.

After dinner, Talia went upstairs to the study to prepare a divorce agreement. The Stewart family wasn't from a small household, and Talia was a soon-to-be pediatric surgeon. She wasn't short of money and could provide Yvonne with a good future.

But these five years of not fighting or making a fuss had earned her nothing but her husband's coldness and ruthlessness. So she wrote clearly in the divorce agreement that Christian would have to give her half of his post-marriage income and pay an additional 200 thousand dollars in monthly child support for Yvonne.

But as she thought of Yvonne, Talia didn't know who she would want to stay with. Halfway through the divorce agreement, she thought she should ask for Yvonne's wishes, so she left Elmwood Estate with the unfinished document.

After Yvonne was born, Christian bought her a villa. Talia had been a full-time mother for four years before she returned to work at a hospital.

With her job changes, Talia's time with Yvonne had gradually decreased. Just in the past six months, she had been doing a fellowship at a hospital in a neighboring state.

These two recent meetings with Christian were because her lovesick brain had acted up, thinking she could use a second child to tie down her absent husband's heart.

Despite having no time, she had forcibly switched shifts with colleagues, working three consecutive overnight shifts to get a day or two free.

Yet she had never considered that having a second child was not something she could accomplish on her own. If she didn't have time, Christian could have come to see her. It was just that most of his time was given to Nancy.

She took a cab to Jubilee Manor. It was just past 9:00 pm. As soon as she got out of the car, her phone buzzed with a notification.

"Naners" had posted a new story.

Talia didn't want to look at "Naners" post, but she clicked on it out of habit. The post showed only one image of Christian crouched in front of Nancy.

The caption read, "Had a few drinks and caught a chill. One phone call and you came right over. Having you here with me feels so good."

Seeing this, Talia felt a pang of heartache. Since the woman and Christian loved each other so much, shouldn't she be more generous and let them be together?

If she divorced, she would only want Yvonne and her fair share of the assets. Apart from that, she wanted nothing else. She put her phone away and stepped into the living room.

The housekeeper, Emma Wright, saw her and was stunned for a moment before calling out, "Mrs. Lane?"

"Where is Yvonne?"

"Ms. Yvonne is upstairs playing with her dolls."

As soon as Emma finished speaking, Yvonne's surprised voice suddenly came from upstairs. "Mommy?"

Not having seen Yvonne for so long, Talia felt a pang of sorrow. So, she hurried upstairs to hug her. She crouched in front of Yvonne, cupped her face, and showered her with kisses.

After kissing Yvonne, she was about to speak when Talia saw Yvonne lift her hand and keep wiping her face until her skin turned red before finally stopping. Talia's heart sank, and she swallowed the words she had been about to say.

She looked at her daughter with teary eyes, her heart filled with mixed emotions.

But before Talia could say anything, Yvonne quickly said, "Mommy, you came back at the perfect time. I was just about to call you. I'm starting kindergarten soon, and I want to go to Sunshine Kindergarten on East Street."

When talking about Sunshine Kindergarten, Yvonne's eyes lit up.

Talia was a little confused, but since her daughter insisted on going there, she didn't want to refuse her request. Besides, it was just kindergarten. She figured that they could always switch if it didn't work out.

So, she agreed, "Then let's go with Sunshine Kindergarten."

Hearing this, Yvonne jumped up with joy. "Thank you, Mommy! You're the best!"

Seeing her daughter happy, Talia couldn't bring herself to bring up certain topics. She unconsciously touched her belly, and when she looked up again, she asked Yvonne in a serious tone, "Yvonne, would you like to have a younger brother or sister?"

Yvonne seemed eager to return to her room, but she still thought seriously for a moment before she answered, "I want a younger brother."

Talia felt a sharp stab of pain. With tears in her eyes, she asked, "But what if I'm scared?"

Although the risks from her amniotic fluid embolism had long passed, she had never gotten over the trauma.

Yvonne looked at Talia and replied very seriously, "Then you shouldn't be so selfish. Didn't you have me, too?"

The words hit Talia like a bolt from the blue, leaving her frozen in place. Her face was as pale as a sheet, and she was unable to move.

After a long while, she opened her mouth and stammered for a long time before finally managing to ask, "Aren't you afraid of losing me?"

Since Yvonne's birth, Talia had cared for her day and night—feeding her, coaxing her to sleep—and had barely slept through a whole night in the past four years.

At this moment, she just wanted to ask her daughter if she still loved her. But Talia clearly saw Yvonne furrow her brow. "Come on, Mommy. I need to go to bed now."

After saying that, Yvonne ran back to her bedroom and closed the door. Talia stood frozen at the top of the stairs, a chill running through her entire body.

Soon, Yvonne's cheerful voice came from the bedroom. "Nancy, I can go to the kindergarten on East Street! You can come pick me up directly after work now, so it'll be easier for you.

"And Nancy, please don't have a baby brother or sister with Daddy. I heard Mommy say that having babies is very dangerous. There's a lot of blood, and it can even be life-threatening.

"Let Mommy do the baby-making. She already had me, so she won't be scared.

"I miss you so much, Nancy. I want to hear you tell stories and cuddle with you..."

Standing outside the door, Talia thought about how her daughter had recoiled when she kissed her just now. Her heart felt like it was shattering into pieces.

She had thought that even if she and Christian divorced, her daughter would still be hers. But she never expected that her daughter would follow Christian's lead in choosing outsiders over her own mother.

It turned out that in her marriage with Christian, her sacrifices and devotion were nothing but a joke. No one cared about what she had done in the past.

After a long while, Talia finally dragged her exhausted body down the stairs. Emma saw her dazed state and approached to ask something, but Talia waved her away.

As soon as she left Jubilee Manor, Talia called Christian. She dialed his number several times with no answer, but she didn't give up and continued to try to reach him.

Normally, if she called once or twice and he didn't answer, she wouldn't call again. But that night, she persistently called his number as though she were possessed.

Finally, Christian picked up. "I'm busy. What do you—"

Before Christian could finish speaking, Talia interrupted. "I need to see you. Right now."

Talia was shouting and roaring at Christian like a madwoman through the phone line. Her unrestrained screaming made Christian furrow his brow.

After Talia calmed down slightly, Christian said, "Whatever it is, we'll talk about it when we meet next month."

After saying that, he hung up on the call without ceremony. Listening to the dial tone, Talia found she couldn't even cry anymore.

This was just like Christian, leaving her with no outlet for her anger. The past five years had drained Talia completely. This marriage was something she had to end, no matter what.

Still, she had to fight for her daughter's custody. Even if Yvonne was closer to Nancy now, Talia knew she had to try her best.

After all, she had given birth to Yvonne and raised her through countless sleepless nights. She would never give her up so easily.

Just as she made this resolution, Christian's Rolls-Royce came to a stop in front of Jubilee Manor. Talia looked toward the sound and, through the windshield, saw Christian in the driver's seat with Nancy in the passenger seat, holding a bouquet.

Christian spotted her, too. They stared at each other in tense silence. In the past, Talia wouldn't have dared cause a scene about Nancy's presence, but now, she couldn't even be bothered to care.

After a long stretch of silence, Christian finally got out of the car. Pretending as though he hadn't seen Talia, he went around to open the passenger door for Nancy.

But Talia still called out to stop him. "Christian, let's talk."

Christian ignored her and continued reaching to open Nancy's car door, but Talia rushed over in a few steps.

She slapped his hand away angrily. "Christian, you can be with anyone you want, but Yvonne is my daughter. What right do you have to let an outsider interfere between me and my child?"

Finally, Christian looked at Talia. He looked down at her with contempt and said in a low, heavy voice, "Nancy is more suitable to be a mother than you are."

After saying that, Christian pushed her aside and opened the car door. Talia stood there in shock. It took her a long time to process the deeper meaning in his words.

She wondered if he was planning to replace her with Nancy as Yvonne's mother.