"Are you done?" Gwyneth asked again.

Liana paused, unsure what she was up to, but still itching to provoke her. "I'm not leaving him. If you guys head abroad, I'll be going, too. I'm sticking with Asher—he loves me. You won't have a happy marriage with me around!"

Gwyneth set the plates down and narrowed her eyes. "You done? Now, it's my turn. Here's a little advice. If you're going to be a mistress, act like it and stop blabbing."

She slapped Liana hard, and her face jerked to the side.

Liana twisted her ankle and knocked the soup bowl off the table. The scalding liquid splashed on her, and she yelped, "Ouch! That's burning!"

The noise caught Asher's attention, and he hurried into the kitchen. "What happened, Lia?"

Liana looked up, her right cheek red from the slap and her left hand swollen and burned. She pointed angrily at Gwyneth, who remained cold and distant. "Honey, she slapped me and spilled soup on me!"

Honey? Gwyneth pushed down the disgust rising in her. Liana acted like Asher was her husband, even though he was actually Gwyneth's.

Asher lifted Liana off the floor, his heart aching for her. He faced Gwyneth with a stern look. "Apologize to Lia."

Gwyneth frowned. The hot soup had gotten on her, too.

"You don't even care to ask what happened?" she asked, feeling hopeless.

Asher's face showed sympathy as he looked at Liana, who was a mess. "She's a great woman who's been with me for years and never asked for any title. What bad things could she have done? How could she possibly provoke you?"

Gwyneth gazed at him, her chest tight with sorrow.

Back in school, a jealous classmate had falsely accused her of stealing money. The homeroom teacher had questioned her about it.

But Asher rushed to the office to defend her. "Ms. Johnson, Gwyneth's a great person. She keeps quiet even when she's wronged. What bad things could she have done? How could she have stolen money?"

And now, Asher was saying the same stuff, but instead of defending Gwyneth, he was backing up Liana.

"I'll apologize, but she's not coming with us," Gwyneth said.

Liana shot her a glare as she gritted her teeth. "Who are you to make that decision? It's not up to you."

Asher's expression darkened. "Don't get me mad."

Gwyneth's eyes welled up, and she glanced up, trying to hold back the tears. "Don't make me bring in a lawyer and make this whole thing about you and Liana go public."

Asher's face grew stormy. He took a moment before pursing his lips. "Fine. I'll let it slide this time, but it had better not happen again."

He carried Liana to the couch in the living room and got some burn cream for her.

As Gwyneth left the kitchen, she spotted them together, looking all lovey-dovey. She headed upstairs to the master bedroom.

Since Asher wasn't around, she seized the chance and grabbed his phone. She pulled up the transaction app, entered an amount, and typed in the PIN.

The screen flashed a message, "Transfer Successful".

Gwyneth paused. After clearing everything off, she returned his phone to its spot. It was ironic that Liana ended up being the one to tell her Asher's transaction PIN.

Asher was downstairs, pressing a warm towel to Liana's right cheek before putting burn cream on her hand.

Liana's eyes welled up, her voice breaking with emotion. "She slapped me and acted like nothing was wrong. How could she be so nasty? Honey, you didn't even stand up for me. You should've slapped her back."

Asher looked annoyed but patiently tried to calm her down. "What if she gets angry and decides not to let you go abroad? What do we do, then? I'm doing all this for you, aren't I?"

Liana dropped her gaze and said, "Fine. But tonight's my birthday. You have to spend it with me."

"Anything for you, princess." Asher lowered his head and kissed her softly on the lips.

They didn't realize Gwyneth was upstairs, watching them condescendingly as they did all that flirtatious stuff.

A little while later, Asher came into the master bedroom. He seemed bothered and told Gwyneth that Liana's burns were severe and that she had to be taken to the hospital immediately.

Gwyneth didn't call him out.

Once Asher was gone, she went through her chat history with him. He always claimed something came up at work every year on this day.

Before going to bed, Gwyneth erased "seven" from the whiteboard and put "six" in its place.

"Six days," she murmured.

…

When Gwyneth woke up the next morning, Asher was already home. He had dark circles under his eyes, clearly from a night of too much fun.

Gwyneth ate her breakfast.

Asher looked at the whiteboard and frowned. "What's with the six?"

Gwyneth kept a straight face. "Six more days until we leave for abroad."

Six more days until she could finally end this 12-year relationship and walk away from him.

Asher couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, but his phone rang before he could dwell on it.

After he left, Gwyneth started packing her things. Asher wasn't planning on selling the house once they moved abroad.

Gwyneth sorted her things, packed them, and sent them to the Payne residence. As for the gifts Asher had given her, she left them all behind. Once she was done, it was already afternoon.

There was a noise from the doorway. She turned to see Liana standing behind Asher, looking smug with a suitcase in hand.

Gwyneth could already tell what Asher and Liana were up to. She gave a slight frown but didn't seem mad.

"The bedroom next to the master is bigger. Let her stay there," she said calmly.

She'd already sent all her things off, so this place wasn't home to her anymore.

Asher didn't expect Gwyneth to be so easy to talk to. He sensed something was off when Liana tugged at his sleeve and gave him a sweet smile. "Honey, take me upstairs."

After taking care of Liana, Asher entered the master bedroom to find the place nearly empty. All of Gwyneth's stuff was gone.

He frowned, feeling a little off. "Where's all your stuff?"

Gwyneth sat on the edge of the bed, not even bothering to look his way. "I had them shipped abroad. I won't need to buy clothes when I get there."

Asher noticed the jewelry box on the table. It held every gift he'd given her over the years. "What about the gifts I gave you? Why didn't you ship them?"

Gwyneth scratched her head, realizing she'd forgotten to throw them out. "I forgot about that. I'll ship them tomorrow."

Asher's frown deepened, and he snapped, "Don't come asking for gifts later if you didn't ship them! I'm not wasting my time or money on you."

Gwyneth pursed her lips and said nothing.

After dinner, Asher pulled out two sets of car keys. He gave Gwyneth the Mercedes keys first. "I got this car a month ago. Once you're over there, you can drive the Mercedes."

Gwyneth took the keys without a hint of excitement.

"What about me, honey?" Liana pouted.

Asher pulled the McLaren keys from his pocket and gently grazed her cheek. "You know I wouldn't leave you out. I know how much you love this sports car."

Liana grabbed the keys and gave Gwyneth a smug smile.

Gwyneth's expression soured. Asher got her a Mercedes worth half a million dollars, but he dropped two million dollars on a McLaren for Liana. It was obvious he'd planned everything a month ago.

"The Mercedes is nice, too. Wyn, why do you look so down? I actually love driving the Mercedes." Liana smiled, pretending to be jealous. "The McLaren's too flashy. I'd rather have something more low-key."

Gwyneth frowned and handed the Mercedes keys to Liana. "If you want it, it's yours."

After all, her share was already clearly stated in the divorce agreement.

Asher observed with a sense of satisfaction as Gwyneth generously handed over the keys to the Mercedes. Normally, she would've caused a scene, smashed things, and yelled at him for being unfaithful.

Now, her ability to let it go showed she'd come to terms with it. This was exactly how he had always hoped she'd act.

…

Three days later, Gwyneth got a phone call.

"Ms. Payne, the custom birthday gift you ordered three months ago is ready. When would you like to pick it up?"

Gwyneth frowned. It was the high-end custom watch she'd prepared for Asher's birthday. She'd spent extra to have it ready for his birthday in two days, but now, it was all for nothing.

"Just give it to charity," she said.

"Pardon?" The staff sounded puzzled.

"I'm getting a divorce. Just give it to charity for me. Thank you," Gwyneth said calmly.

The staff paused for a few seconds before apologizing again and again.

Gwyneth hung up and took a cab to the hospital. The attending physician at the gynecology clinic was her close friend, Yvette Jennings.

Yvette looked behind Gwyneth but didn't find Asher. "Asher always came with you to the hospital no matter how busy he was. He's been less busy with work these last two years. Why doesn't he accompany you anymore?"

Gwyneth sat and gave a wry smile. She touched her belly, not wanting to part with the little one growing inside her. "Yvi, help me get ready for the abortion."

"Are you nuts?" Yvette's eyes went wide, assuming Gwyneth was just throwing a fit. "I get that you're angry, but it hasn't been easy for you to get pregnant after trying for three years. You finally got pregnant, and the baby's healthy—why end it?"

Gwyneth looked at Yvette and decided to be straight with her. Her voice caught as she spoke, "I'm getting a divorce. This marriage is draining me."

Yvette could almost tell what happened. She quickly got the abortion consent form ready and went with Gwyneth into the operating room.

Gwyneth was home two hours later.

Asher was in the living room, smiling fondly as he caressed Liana's belly. "Lia, you're my lucky charm. Gwyneth couldn't get pregnant after three years, but it only took you a month to make me a dad."

Liana flashed her most charming smile, clearly feeling pleased with herself. "Looks like it's not you, but some woman who's been the problem all along."

Gwyneth was changing into her slippers when those words made her stop. She quietly walked through the living room and up the stairs, looking pale.

Asher followed behind, giving her a brief look without catching how pale she seemed. He said coldly, "Lia's pregnant, so you can stop putting yourself under pressure to get pregnant. I promised her I'd give this baby all the love and care it deserves, and I won't hold back on any expenses."

After a pause, his eyes landed on Gwyneth's belly. "If anyone's to blame, it's your stubborn womb."

Gwyneth sat at the edge of the bed, her lips colorless as she looked up at him. "If both Liana and I were expecting, would you favor her kid?"

Asher looked puzzled, wondering why Gwyneth was asking that. He was pretty sure she couldn't get pregnant, so he figured it was time to stop lying to her.

"To be real, I only care about Lia having the baby. If you both end up pregnant, I'd definitely favor hers."

Gwyneth's face went pale at his words. She lowered her gaze and touched her belly. All her guilt faded away.

"Oh, and my birthday's in two days. I want to celebrate with my friends and let them know about Lia's pregnancy before I leave the country. You should come, too." Asher leaned against the doorframe, watching Gwyneth with a cold expression.

Gwyneth knew this was coming, but it still hurt to hear him say it. "If that's the case, why should I even be there?"

Asher frowned. "If you don't show up, people will think Lia's being calculative. I don't want her getting misunderstood."

Gwyneth's expression shifted through a range of emotions—bitterness, sorrow, disappointment, and emptiness. "I'm not going. No wife in her right mind would ever back up a mistress."

Asher's face stiffened. After a beat, he said slowly, "If you come, I'll grant you one request, no conditions."

Gwyneth lowered her gaze. "Fine. Just sign something for me when the time comes."

She didn't say it was for the divorce agreement.

…

Asher celebrated his birthday two days later with his friends and business partners. He took Liana's hand and led her to the center of the crowd.

He cleared his throat, and everyone hushed up at once. "I've got some good news I want to share with you all on my birthday—Lia's pregnant. I'm going to be a dad. I'm so grateful to her for making my dream of starting a family come true."

Those who knew Gwyneth quickly turned their heads to where she was sitting in the corner. She kept her head down and stayed quiet, but the tears in her eyes showed how she felt.

After Asher finally got his business off the ground three years ago, he wanted to throw her a belated wedding celebration. She preferred to keep it low-key, but he was set on having it.

"Babe, I don't want you to get jealous of other women. You've been through so much with me over the years. Now that things are finally looking up, I want to give you what you deserve," Asher said.

On their wedding day, he couldn't stop smiling at Gwyneth as they stood on stage. "Babe, it's just the two of us now. I can't wait for the day when we can have a baby and live happily as a family of three."

So, Gwyneth stayed home to take care of her health after the wedding and worked on getting pregnant. And now, Asher happily announced to everyone that he had a child, but it wasn't with her.

Everyone there knew Gwyneth was his wife. Still, many of them were sharp and wasted no time in offering their congratulations.

"Congrats on the baby!"

"Ms. Quayle is lucky to have met Mr. Crowe. She really found a great guy to settle down with."

Some of the guys sneered, clearly disapproving of what Asher had done.

"Gwyneth begged me for ages to help Asher get that partnership. She even tagged along to a ton of drinking sessions."

"Yeah, especially that time when Gwyneth went through seven rounds in one day. My wife still talks about how impressive that was."

The atmosphere lightened up again. A few were singing, while others were gathered around playing cards.

Gwyneth sat quietly in the corner, her head down as she tapped away on her phone.

Liana looked around and finally spotted Gwyneth sitting in the corner. She held her belly and slowly walked toward Gwyneth. "Gwyneth, get me a glass of water. My baby needs a drink."

Gwyneth glanced up at Liana, noticing her smug expression. She couldn't care less. "I'm busy."

Liana saw her playing a game on her phone. She moved in closer, a wicked plan forming in her head. "What if you can't get pregnant by Asher but end up pregnant by someone else? Do you think he'd divorce you and marry me instead?"

Gwyneth was in the middle of her game when she paused and narrowed her eyes. "Go ahead and try me. I'll kick you in the belly until you lose the baby."

Liana stuck her tongue out and gave a smirk. "I was just joking. Why are you so worked up?"

Gwyneth glared at her with no interest in engaging. She did what she promised Asher. She got up and left the private room.

She had no idea that Liana was already texting on her phone the moment she turned. "She's leaving. Make your move."

Gwyneth stepped out of the private room, planning to hit the restroom before catching a cab. She'd barely taken a few steps when a door to a private room swung open.

A man grabbed her and yanked her into the room, sending her crashing to the floor.

"Who are you people?" Gwyneth yelled.

A second man quickly cranked up the music to drown out her cries for help.

Gwyneth looked up, her heart racing in fear. Inside the room were six men, all eyeing her with creepy, unsettling looks.

"A pretty young wife. Now that's a rare gem!"

"I heard she's married to some big shot. We're definitely hitting the jackpot today."

"Let's do this!"

Several of the men quickly grabbed for Gwyneth. She recoiled in fear, but their hands were already all over her.

Suddenly, Liana's words came rushing back to her.