Chapter 4

Sarah awkwardly glanced up at me, deliberately clearing her throat.

Everyone's eyes swept across my face, intentionally flashing a hint of mocking smiles.

I pretended not to notice, watching helplessly as Mark walked to her side, the two of them leaving me behind as they moved to the center of the stage.

Under the spotlight, they held each other's hands for support.

Anyone who didn't know better would think they were a couple.

"This stock price increase is all thanks to Mark's good fortune. I've decided to give him 10% of the company's shares."

As soon as these words were spoken, gasps of surprise filled the room, with Mark's buddies cheering loudly.

"Ms. Carlisle clearly treats him differently. If I were her husband, I'd probably be furious."

"Yeah, who could tolerate their darling cheating on them?"

My right eyelid twitched uncontrollably, my fingers unconsciously tightening their grip, nearly shattering the wine glass.

Sarah valued the company more than her own life.

The fact that she willingly gave up shares proved just how important Mark was to her.

I, who had given up my career for her, looked utterly foolish in comparison.

As I turned to leave, a dark shadow appeared before me.Mark stood before me, a glimmer of smugness flashing in his eyes. "John, I didn't expect you'd actually show up. Guess that shock from last time wasn't enough for you, huh?"

"Makes sense, I suppose. If your own darling can sleep with another man, what can't you stomach?"

Remembering their naked bodies from before, a surge of inexplicable anger welled up inside me.

This place was too crowded and gossipy. I didn't want to get further entangled with him.

But Mark had no intention of letting me off the hook.

He pulled out a pregnancy test from his pocket, deliberately waving it in front of me.

"Sarah's pregnant. It's my kid. I hope you'll step aside and not cause any trouble here."

Those two red lines became particularly glaring at that moment. I never imagined she'd be carrying Mark's child.

"Mark, you motherfucking bastard!"

I couldn't hold back. I swung hard, my fist connecting with his punchable face.

The pregnancy test clattered to the ground by our feet. For the first time, I felt murderous.

Sarah came screaming from the back of the crowd, shielding him with her body.

"John, what gives you the right to hit him? What did he ever do to you?"

She had the nerve to question me?

I picked up the pregnancy test and hurled it at her feet, my voice cold as I asked, "What's this?""Sarah, you got pregnant behind my back!"

The entire room suddenly fell silent, with everyone watching our drama unfold.

Her pupils involuntarily dilated, her lower lip trembling, reluctant to answer my question.

"John, I know this is hard for you to accept, but you're away from home so often. Do you have any idea how lonely Sarah has been?"

"She just wanted to have a child, what's wrong with that?"

I was so shocked by his words that I couldn't react. I never imagined Mark could be so shameless.

This was clearly infidelity, yet he spoke as if it were perfectly justified.

Sarah, covering her belly, decided to come clean with me.

"That's right, at least Mark understands me. I just wanted to be a mother, what's wrong with that? It's your fault for always being so busy."

"Besides, I'm so wealthy. Isn't it better if I have a child with him and one with you? We'll have two kids to take care of us in the future. Why are you overreacting like this?"

This time, I felt like I barely knew her.

Taking a deep breath to calm my emotions, even my fingertips were trembling.

She actually thought that such an unreasonable proposal was compensation for me.