Chapter 4

Rent was due, and I needed to eat.

No matter how angry I was, I had to survive first.

Eventually, I took a job as a waitress at a local restaurant.

One night, the shift manager asked me to bring hot tea to one of the private dining booths.

The moment I pushed the door open, I froze.

My parents, Liam, Chloe, and a few of our relatives were all sitting inside.

They were laughing and talking, looking like a perfect, happy family.

And there I was, wearing a cheap apron, holding a teapot.

The booth fell into dead silence.

My mom's face twisted instantly.

Liam looked up and froze when he saw me.

Only Chloe, after a brief shock, gently rested her hand on her stomach.

I gripped the tray tightly, my knuckles turning white, but I forced myself to say nothing.

I walked in with my head down, pouring tea cup by cup.

My mom hissed in a low voice, "How could you work in a place like this?"

A relative whispered nearby, "She has a college degree. How did she end up like this?"

"Didn't she use to have a nice office job?"

I stood by the table. The teapot was boiling hot, but their words burned much worse.

As I turned to leave, Chloe spoke up in her sweet, gentle voice.

"Elena, have you been under too much stress lately? Why don't you sit down and eat with us?"

"Don't be mad at us anymore."

I finally looked up at her.

She sat there, her baby bump slightly showing, pretending to care so much about me.

I felt a chill run down my spine.

Some people will rob you of everything, and then turn around and look at you with pity.

As if your miserable state is entirely your own fault.

"I'm working," I said coldly.

My mom immediately cut in.

"How long are you going to keep throwing this tantrum? You'd rather serve tables than come home!"

I looked at her.

"I'm working to feed myself. And you call that a tantrum?"

My dad's face darkened.

"Look at yourself. You look pathetic. Stop this nonsense and come home. Stop embarrassing us out here."

I suddenly let out a laugh.

"I'm the one embarrassing you?"

"When you gave my boyfriend to Chloe, did you think about how embarrassing that was?"

The room fell dead silent.

My mom looked furious.

"Do you have to be so hostile?"

"Hostile?" I asked. "I'm standing here pouring your tea. How much politer do you want me to be?"

Liam hadn't said a word since I walked in.

But now, he finally spoke, his voice low.

"Elena."

I glared at him.

"Don't call my name."

His lips parted, but he closed them, saying nothing.

Chloe slowly stood up, still looking weak and delicate.

"Elena, no one wanted to humiliate you. We're truly worried about you being out here on your own. Since we ran into each other today, why don't we sit down and talk things through?"

I stared at her.

"Talk what through? Talk about how you got everything you wanted?"

Her eyes immediately filled with tears, and she cupped her stomach.

"Please don't be like this."

"Then how should I be?"

I took a step toward her. "Aren't you the perfect actress? Come on, tell everyone again how you married Liam 'for my own good'!"

The relatives lowered their heads.

No one dared to speak.

Panicked, my mom reached out and grabbed my arm.

"Enough! Haven't you made enough of a scene?"

I shoved her hand off.

"I'm the one making a scene?"

"Since the day of that wedding, did any of you ever care about my dignity?"

I turned to walk out.

But the moment I spun around, a sharp gasp echoed behind me.

Chloe clutched her stomach, her knees buckling as she collapsed backward.

She knocked over the cups on the table, spilling tea everywhere.

The next second, a splash of red began to seep through her light-colored dress.

The booth erupted into chaos.

"Chloe!"

My mom screamed and rushed over.

My dad panicked.

Liam bolted forward, immediately scooping Chloe into his arms.

Chloe huddled in his chest, her face pale as paper, tears streaming down her face.

"I don't blame her... I really don't blame her..."

The moment she said that, everyone's eyes locked onto me with pure rage.

Because a second ago, I was the one standing closest to her.

I stood there, my body freezing.

"I didn't even touch her."

But nobody listened.

My mom rushed over and slapped me hard across the face.

"Are you trying to kill her and the baby to be satisfied?!"

The slap knocked my head to the side. My ears buzzed.

The relatives started shouting at me.

"How could she do that to a pregnant woman?"

"What if something happens to the baby?"

"She's completely heartless!"