Chapter 2

I already had what I wanted. I didn't need to force myself anymore.

Even drunk, his grip was strong. Before I could push him off, his hand slid under my skirt.

Physical resistance wasn't working, so I blurted out, "Stop! I’m pregnant. You're going to hurt the baby."

I had debated telling him, but I had to say it to make him stop.

Kyle froze. A sudden, overwhelming joy flashed across his eyes—a kind of pure happiness I had never seen on his face during all our years together.

Flushed with alcohol and excitement, he gasped, "You mean... I'm going to be a dad?"

I said nothing.

He let go instantly, his touch turning unbelievably gentle. "Right, right, we can't hurt the baby. Don't worry, Chloe. I won't touch you like that until the baby is born."

The alcohol seemed to vanish from his system. He paced around the bedroom like an excited puppy, muttering, "I'm going to be a dad..."

My joy was nothing like his. To me, this baby's arrival meant one thing: the end of us.

Back at the party, the music was blaring, but a sudden wave of morning sickness hit me. I rushed to the bathroom to throw up, and Gina followed me in.

She stood behind me. In the mirror, I saw her voluminous waves, her bright red lipstick, and her brazen, triumphant smirk.

"Don't think getting knocked up will keep Kyle tied to you forever," she said, leaning against the vanity.

I didn't answer. I kept dry-heaving into the sink.

She sneered, "Men don't care about kids just because their DNA is in them. A man only loves a child if he loves the mother."

I grabbed a paper towel, rinsed my mouth, dried my hands, and turned around to look her straight in the eye.

"Don't worry. I'm not using this baby to trap him," I said calmly. "In fact, I hope he hates the kid. That way, it'll be easier for me to set you two free."

"What do you mean by that?" Her smirk dropped, replaced by confusion.

I didn't bother explaining. She would find out soon enough once the baby was born.

Still, the disgust she triggered inside me was real. I turned that disgust into real tears, marched right out of the restroom, and walked up to Kyle.

"Kyle... did you tell Gina to ask me to get an abortion?"

The party instantly fell dead silent.

"What did you just say?" Kyle slammed his glass onto the table and walked toward me. "Gina told you to get an abortion?"

I dabbed my eyes with a tissue, my voice trembling. "Yeah. She said you never wanted this baby anyway."

I hadn't seen him that furious in years. His face flushed red, and the veins on his neck bulged.

When Gina stepped back into the living room, Kyle snarled at her, "Gina, I never knew you could be this cruel! How dare you tell Chloe to abort my child?!"

Gina froze, completely caught off guard. All her smugness vanished, leaving only a desperate, high-pitched defense: "I didn't say that!"

Her words meant nothing to Kyle right now.

"I've let you get away with whatever you wanted," Kyle said, his voice cold and menacing. "But if you ever try to hurt Chloe or the baby inside her, I swear I'll make you pay."

He sat back down and downed the rest of his whiskey in one gulp.

The atmosphere turned instantly hostile. The friends who had been cheering them on minutes ago began scolding Gina:

"Gina, how could you tell her to terminate? She's his wife!"

"Look, we know you have feelings for Kyle, but going after an unborn baby is crossing the line."

"Yeah, Gina, that's messed up."

My tears and distress looked completely genuine—mostly because the misery was real, I had just repurposed it. Everyone believed me. It worked like a charm, and I was deeply satisfied.

Drowned in the crowd's harsh whispers, Gina couldn't get another word out. She glared at me, her eyes burning with pure hatred.

It was a total contrast to her arrogant sneer in the bathroom. And honestly, watching her crumble made me feel revitalized.