ManyWriters

On the day I was seven months pregnant, Alaric proposed to his pure love.
That woman took off the ring Alaric had placed on her finger himself and tossed it into the sea.
"Alaric, I heard Miss Langdon used to be a state swim team champion. Why don't you have her jump in and fetch my ring for me?"
Her finger traced Alaric's pecs as she breathed into his ear, "I'll play any game you want tonight."
Alaric's heated gaze roamed over her legs, then he turned to me with a smirk.
I understood his meaning and frantically clutched my belly, pleading, "Alaric, I'm seven months pregnant, and it's winter..."
But Alaric just swallowed hard and scoffed, "You don't actually think I care about that bastard in your belly, do you? It's not like you haven't miscarried before. Why act all precious now? Jump in and find that ring, or you're never coming back up!"
He had someone forcibly lift me and throw me into the sea.
I bobbed up and down in the frigid water, searching back and forth for hours.
Until I felt something draining from my belly, until the azure sea water was stained with a streak of crimson...
I looked up at the scene on the cruise ship, where Alaric was marrying his pure love amid the cheers of the crowd, and my heart finally shattered.
Seven years of marriage, nine miscarriages, this was the last time.

Seven Months Pregnant into the Sea to Retrieve a Ring

On that day, it was Mrs. Everhart's birthday celebration. Unable to drive, they fell to their knees in front of all the guests, desperately begging Alaric to send someone to take me to the hospital. But the response they received was Alaric's cold kick as he washed his hands of the situation.


Now, no matter how much abuse and humiliation falls on my ears, it all turns to ice.


I let out a low laugh, lifting my head to stare blankly at Aria's black and white photograph.


She still looked young and full of life, but I seemed to see a hint of bitterness and heartache in that smile.


If Aria were still alive, she wouldn't want to see me become like this, would she? So...


I gazed at Alaric in a daze, and finally spoke in a hoarse voice—


"If that's how it is, Alaric, let's get a divorce."


Hearing this, Mrs. Everhart fell silent, at a loss for words.


Harlow's eyes flashed with a glimmer of light, turning excitedly towards Alaric.


But Alaric's gaze remained fixed on me. After a moment, he suddenly let out a mocking snort and kicked me, sending me flying.


My body slammed hard against the table behind me, and my already pale and weak face instantly contorted in pain. Just as I was about to get up from the ground, Alaric suddenly gripped my throat again.


His eyes were bloodshot, like an enraged beast, gritting his teeth with hatred and murderous intent: "Vivienne, what gives you the right?"


He pointed at Aria's memorial tablet with his other hand, questioning me hoarsely—


"Look at Aria's photo! Think about the crime you committed. What right do you have to ask me for a divorce?"


After saying this, he leaned in close to my ear, sneering with heavy breath as he declared: "I told you before, from the moment you caused Aria's death, your life no longer belonged to you. Did you think I married you because I loved you?"


Meeting my panicked, trembling gaze, he grinned maliciously, his fingers touching my face—


"It was to torment you better, to make you atone for what you did to Aria!"


Perhaps the matter of divorce had completely provoked Alaric.


That day, his punishment for me was more severe than ever before.


He had someone bring in nine glass jars, containing the flesh and blood of our unborn children.


Some of those children had already taken form, while others were still just small lumps of flesh with indistinguishable limbs.


But even though they were dead, their own father wouldn't leave them be, preserving them in jars of blood. Watching those children, my body began to shake violently as I clutched Alaric's pant leg desperately.


"Alaric, please don't. They're your children too..."


"I'm begging you, let them rest in peace. For the sake of them being your own flesh and blood..."


Alaric let out a cold laugh, gripping my neck tightly as he spoke ominously, "Rest in peace?"


"When my sister died, her eyes weren't even closed. What right do you have to talk about resting in peace?"


He then turned his head and barked an order, "Go, bring me the ashes of those two old fools as well!"


Realizing what he intended to do, I covered my ears and let out a piercing scream, "No, please, I'm begging you, don't..."


But Alaric still dug up my parents' ashes and shattered them to pieces right in front of me.


He forcibly pressed my head down, slamming it again and again into my mom and dad's ashes, making me bow to Aria's memorial tablet.


Chapter 4