Chapter 3

Adeline clutched her abdomen tightly. A warm sensation trickled between her legs, and the agony was so sharp she almost lost her voice.

"Did you do it on purpose? You intentionally didn't warn me, just so Bianca could get her revenge?"

The man before her paused. His eyes chilled over degree by degree, looking at her as if she were a total stranger.

"You pushed the girl to jump off a building and ruin her leg. Did you expect her not to retaliate?"

In an instant, Adeline felt a bone-deep coldness wash over her.

She gripped his trouser leg with all her might, wanting to say more, but a wave of dizziness struck. She could no longer hold on and spiraled into unconsciousness.

...

When she opened her eyes again, Adeline was jolted awake by pain.

Beside the hospital bed, the butler let out a sigh of relief. "Thank God. A little more and we wouldn't have been able to save the child. I'll call the Master immediately and tell him about the pregnancy."

Despite the pain, Adeline stopped him. "Don't."

The butler was stunned. "Haven't you been taking all that herbal medicine just to have a child with the Master? Now that you've finally conceived, he will surely be overjoyed."

Recalling Dominic's heartless step backward, Adeline touched her belly, her heart sinking to the abyss.

"There’s no need anymore."

Once the one-month cooling-off period passed, they would have nothing to do with each other. He didn't need to know this child existed.

Over the next few days.

Adeline remained in the hospital, while the rumors online about her "mental illness" only grew more virulent.

Dominic allowed the slander to spread unchecked, taking Bianca out on high-profile dates every single day.

At an auction, Bianca appeared in a fairy-like gown, looking ethereal and cold—no longer the timid student with the shifting gaze.

Dominic bid astronomical prices for jewelry for her. He took her to Victoria Harbour to watch fireworks that cost thirty thousand dollars a shot; he chased sunsets with her on the beach; he took her to the Arctic to see the Northern Lights...

He took her to every single place he and Adeline had once promised to visit but never did.

Adeline stared at the tabloid notifications popping up on her phone.

Outside, the snow fell heavily. Her heart, too, remained frozen in this winter.

On the day she was discharged and returned to the villa, Dominic sent her a rare message.

[This place is nice. They have those ugly wooden dolls you like. Next time, for our anniversary, I'll bring you here for a few days.]

Adeline didn't reply. Sitting on the sofa, she instructed the butler to pack up all her jewelry and luxury goods to be donated to the mountain charities.

One by one, she threw the wall full of photos and notes Dominic had collected about her—along with the worthless little trinkets she had handmade for him, which he had cherished like treasures for over a decade—into the fireplace.

The flames crackled and popped.

The sweetness and deep love of the past were incinerated along with the last sparks of the fire. Nothing remained.

Adeline wiped her tears and turned around, only to see Dominic in a black trench coat, walking in with his arm around Bianca.

The man’s probing eyes landed on the fireplace.

"What are you burning?"

Adeline dug her fingernails into her skin, her voice extremely flat. "Just some old medical records."

Dominic gave a brief nod, then looked back at her. "Honey, where is that jade bracelet I gave you? The girl is quite interested in it. Find it and give it to her."

That bracelet was a family heirloom of the powerful clan.

When Dominic gave it to her, he had promised that she would be the only one to ever wear it in this life.

But now, he wanted to give it to Bianca.

Adeline’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears, her fingertips turning white from the pressure of her grip.

Finally, she let go. A faint smile flickered in her reddened eyes. "Alright."

They were divorced. It was only right to return it to its rightful owner.

Seeing her agree so readily, the man leaned down, the corners of his mouth curling as he brushed his cheek against hers. "Good girl. Let her borrow it for a few days, and I'll buy you a better one later."

In their ten years together, he was always like this.

Whenever he made her angry, he would lower his posture and coax her.

Because she loved him, because she couldn't let go, Adeline had softened her heart time and time again.

But not this time.

Adeline turned to go upstairs. Bianca proactively offered to follow her.

The moment they entered the bedroom, Bianca tore off her mask. Her tone was mocking, completely devoid of her previous submissiveness.

"Adeline, you're already divorced. Why are you still shamelessly clinging to the title of Mrs. Dominic?"

Adeline simply handed her the bracelet calmly. "If you want the position of his wife so badly, then take it."

Bianca froze, and then a flash of malice crossed her eyes.

"I don't need you to 'give' it to me! All of this will be mine sooner or later. I will trample you under my feet and become the envied bride, while you will forever be that 'mental patient' people talk about online!"

Adeline’s fingers twitched for a fraction of a second, but her voice grew even softer. "As you wish."

She acted as if she no longer cared about anything.

This only made Bianca more hysterical.

Right then, the sound of Dominic’s footsteps came from outside the door.

Bianca seized the opportunity to hurl the bracelet onto the floor, shattering it, and then delivered a hard slap to her own face.

The moment Dominic stepped into the room, Bianca ran to him piteously, making sure to show off her red, swollen cheek.

"Sister Adeline said I’m not worthy of the family heirloom. She’d rather break it than give it to me... and then she slapped me."

Dominic slowly wiped away Bianca's tears. "Why are you crying? It’s just a slap. I’m your backup now; don't you dare take it back?"

He then looked at Adeline. His smiling eyes rose, but they were three degrees colder than the snow outside.

"Honey, you’re becoming less and less obedient. Was the last lesson not enough? Then this time, I’ll have to trouble my 'dear wife' to pay it back a hundredfold."

Fearing for her baby, Adeline tried her best to steady her emotions.

"The security camera is right there. One look will tell you what’s true and what’s false."

Dominic had shed his usual nonchalance. His scrutinizing eyes remained fixed on her without blinking.

"Why waste the effort? The girl is so proud even in front of me; she wouldn't deign to lie to me."

With that, Dominic sat on the sofa, crossed his legs, and spoke to Bianca with a lazy gaze.

"Go on. Give it back."

A bodyguard stepped forward and pinned Adeline down.

Bianca put on a show of hesitation. "Forget it... I'm scared."

"Scared of what? My wife doesn't eat people."

"If you're really that scared, I'll help you."

As soon as he finished speaking, he grabbed Bianca’s hand and swung it violently at Adeline’s face!

Slap!

Slap!

Slap!

The pain was so intense Adeline’s vision went dark, and her ears began to ring.

She wanted to speak, but under Dominic’s condescending gaze, she gave up the struggle. She sat there in silence, shielding her stomach with everything she had.

It wasn't until the 99th blow that Dominic called a halt—only because he was worried Bianca’s hand was getting sore.

"It's all red. Let me take you to put some medicine on it."

He picked Bianca up in his arms and left without looking back.

As soon as he was gone, the bodyguard released Adeline.

She slumped on the floor, carefully protecting her belly. Her mouth was full of blood, and her face burned with a searing pain.

But in her heart, the pain was thousands of times worse.

Dominic, I regret it.

I regret ever falling in love with you.