Chapter 1

For ten years of marriage, Liam slept with others in our home 99 times.

And each time, he made me wash the bedsheets after their intimate encounters.

I endured silently, watching him cycle through one mistress after another.

Until the fifth month of my pregnancy, when his 100th bedmate tricked me into going to a bar and had people torture me for a day and a night.

My lower body was bleeding profusely, and I felt worse than death.

For the sake of the child in my womb, I knelt on the ground begging him to take me to the hospital.

He sneered and said:

"Seraphina, stop pretending."

"Even if you died, I wouldn't spare you a glance."

With that, he continued his passionate encounter with his new flame on the bar couch, in full view of everyone.

By the time I was taken to the hospital, the child in my womb had already stopped breathing.

Due to the inhuman torture, I also suffered a uterine prolapse, forever losing the right to have children.

When I woke up, I desperately dialed the phone:

"Cadence, send me the company's financial statements. I'll be back in three days."

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1

Hearing this, Cadence on the other end of the phone immediately became excited.

"You're finally coming back, Ms. Carlisle!"

"We've all missed you so much!"

"Wait, you're not bringing that Liam with you, are you?"

At the mention of Liam's name, I lowered my eyes, my tone somewhat bitter:

"No, just me."

After hanging up the phone, I saw a plump woman standing at the doorway of the hospital room.

She was Liam's mother, Genevieve.

She played no small part in bringing Liam and me to where we are now.

"Already in a rush to find someone to keep you?"

"You shameless tramp!"

Genevieve waddled to the bedside, her acerbic expression making me feel utterly disgusted.

I glanced at her with disdain and said coldly, "What are you doing here?"

Genevieve snorted, stretching out her hand towards me, her whole demeanor haughty:

"It's time for this month's alimony."

I frowned, about to say something when my phone suddenly rang.

It was a video call from Melody.

"Which old man is this now?" Genevieve muttered sarcastically beside me.

Pretending not to hear, I pressed the answer button.A pair of naked figures, a man and a woman, suddenly appeared in the video.

"Oh my goodness! In broad daylight, how scandalous!"

Genevieve barely glanced before covering her eyes and backing away repeatedly, shocked by what she saw.

I remained silent, my gaze fixed intently on the two figures passionately entangled in the video.

Melody's lower abdomen was slightly swollen, and her entire body was covered in love bites.

The man on top of her was none other than Liam, who had completely ignored me just yesterday.

While tracing circles on Liam's chest with her fingers, Melody asked breathlessly:

"Liam, don't you think we're being too cruel to Seraphina?"

Liam let out a scornful laugh, his tone dripping with contempt:

"Cruel?"

"Even if those guys tortured her to death, I wouldn't consider it too cruel."

"This time, I want to see how that slut tries to act all high and mighty!"

Hearing this, Melody giggled like a demon straight from hell.

The video abruptly cut off. I clenched my fists, my nails digging deep into my palms.

I looked up at Genevieve, my eyes cold:

"Did you see that clearly? That's your son!"

"Go ask Liam for child support. I don't have any."I thought Genevieve would feel a twinge of guilt, but to my surprise, she began boasting proudly:

"My son is just amazing! He's such a lady-killer."

"Seraphina, let me tell you something. If a woman can't keep her man's heart, it only shows she's incompetent."

"Liam doesn't make money easily. Hurry up and give me the cash."

With that, she lunged for my phone.

"What are you doing?"

I was shocked and hastily tucked the phone against my chest, but I underestimated Genevieve's strength.

She yanked my arm so hard that she pulled me right off the bed.

"Thud!"

The phone flew several feet away, and I was thrown to the floor.

Blood began seeping through my freshly stitched wound, but I couldn't worry about that now. I struggled to get up and reach for my phone.

Genevieve beat me to it, deftly unlocking it.

"Ten thousand dollars received in PayPal."

Only after the cold robotic voice announced this did she toss the phone back to me, her tone dissatisfied:

"Why is it such a paltry amount?"

Without waiting for an answer, she rushed off to schedule a spa day with her girlfriends.

I slumped on the floor, my heart as cold as ashes.