Chapter 1

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.

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1

When I regained consciousness, I found myself in the hospital.

I felt my now-flat and empty stomach, staring blankly at the stark white ceiling of the hospital room.

My mind was still echoing with the scene of being engulfed by waves of icy seawater.

Just then, Alaric's impatient voice reached my ears—

"Awake now? Stop playing dead. It's just a miscarriage, what's there to be so delicate about?"

I shifted my trembling gaze towards the sound, only to see Alaric still holding Harlow's waist tightly, their bodies pressed close together. On Harlow's finger gleamed the family heirloom diamond ring, symbolizing her status as the young mistress of the Everhart family.

This was the very ring I had risked my life to retrieve from the sea for her, time and time again.

I bitterly tugged at the corner of my lips. This was already my ninth miscarriage.

During my previous pregnancy, the doctor had warned me that due to my earlier miscarriages, my uterus had already suffered severe damage.

So this time, I was especially careful. Every day, I diligently followed the doctor's orders, doing prenatal exercises without fail and drinking bitter medicine to regulate my body. Even though the hospital had already classified me as a high-risk pregnancy, I was determined to give birth to this last child with Alaric.

But now, because of Harlow's careless words, this child is gone.

To this day, I still remember when they pulled me out of the ocean for the last time with the cable. I was clutching the family heirloom diamond ring tightly, my stomach in such pain it felt like a thousand knives were twisting inside me. The seawater around me gradually spread with the salty, fishy color of blood.

"Alaric, I found it, look..."

"Please, save me, save our child..."

There were doctors on board the cruise ship. If only they had called for help, maybe my child would have had a glimmer of hope.

But all I saw was Alaric's impatient face.

He clicked his tongue in annoyance, snatched the family heirloom diamond ring from my hand, and put it on Harlow's finger instead.

"Can't you see I'm busy? Today is my wedding with Harlow, who has time to care about you?"

Alaric and I are legally married spouses.

His marriage certificate and the Everhart family register both have my name printed on them.

But everyone knows that this 'Mrs. Everhart' is just a pathetic joke.

So, after Harlow returned from abroad, Alaric bought her millions of roses in front of everyone, creating a romantic sea of flowers, proposing to her on a cruise ship, and holding a fake but delightful wedding to make her happy.

Before this, he had people bring me onto the cruise ship to witness their happiest moment firsthand.

Staring at the ring on Harlow's finger, my eyes stung, barely holding back tears.

The cries of those unborn children seemed to still echo in my ears.

Each wail bitterly and resentfully accusing me, their useless mother.

I clenched my jaw tightly until the taste of blood spread between my lips and teeth.

At this moment, Harlow fiddled with the ring, speaking softly, "Alaric, I've heard this ring is only meant to be worn by the young mistress of the Everhart family."

"Miss Langdon is your lawfully wedded wife, after all. Isn't it a bit inappropriate for you to give it to me like this?"

Alaric intertwined his fingers with hers, holding her hand, and placed a gentle kiss on the ring—

"This ring was always meant for you. As for her..."