Chapter 1

When I was nine months pregnant, my husband told me to go see Ava for a check-up.

After I lay down, Ava started making all kinds of strange requests.

When I objected, she claimed she was going to give me a full examination.

I hesitated, then went along with it—only to suddenly realize she was live-streaming on her phone.

"To prove what I'm capable of, I'll give you all a live demonstration."

"The woman behind me is pregnant, but because of her promiscuous lifestyle, she's probably caught a dirty disease!"

I hurriedly pulled my clothes down, stood up in a fury, and reached out to knock the phone over.

"Ava Finch, you streamed me without my consent, and now you're slandering my reputation."

She stayed just as arrogant, refusing to admit any fault.

In my anger, I called the police and had her arrested.

I never expected that in under three hours, my husband would hire a top lawyer to bail her out.

Ava lashed out at me viciously: "Eugenia, what right do you have to call the police on me? I was only telling the truth."

I slapped her right there.

The next second, to vent her anger for her, my husband countersued me for assault, and I was hauled in to be taught a lesson.

By the time I got out, three days had passed, and a swarm of reporters mobbed me.

"Mrs. Gilbert, is your private life really that loose—have you caught a dirty disease?"

……

1

Facing dozens of cameras, the glaring lights made me instinctively shut my eyes.

Three days without washing up left me looking rather bedraggled.

A priceless Rolls-Royce pulled up behind the reporters, and a group of bodyguards rushed over and shoved them aside.

Once a path had been cleared, Egbert finally stepped out of the car.

My disheveled state next to his clean, refined bearing made it look like I was the one who'd married up.

The reporters didn't dare take any more pictures. One by one they lowered their cameras, unwilling to provoke this living devil.

When Egbert walked up to me, his handsome face still carried a chill.

"You spent three days in there. Have you learned to behave now?"

I said nothing, just stared at him coldly.

Looking at this face I'd loved for four years, I wondered what exactly it was I'd fallen for.

But in the end, I realized I didn't seem to love him that much anymore.

It was probably what he'd done to me that had turned me against him.

"What, have you gone mute?"

"Egbert, I'm your wife, and the child in my belly is yours."

"And yet you locked me and our baby up for Ava's sake."

"Who told you not to behave, daring to hit someone? Do you think you're some kind of mob boss?"

I couldn't help but sneer. "And what about her? She streamed me without my permission. She's a woman too—doesn't she know how important reputation is?"

"Eugenia, she's still an intern. What's wrong with asking you to be examined as required? She did it so others could see her hard work and her ability."

"Just stop making a scene, all right?"

He leaned in close, keeping his voice low so the reporters behind him wouldn't hear.

But I didn't care about any of that. I raised my hand, pushed him aside, and walked off.

"Eugenia, stop right there!"

A bright red sports car came screeching to a halt in front of me.

I opened the door and got in, ignoring the furious Egbert behind me.

Inside, the air conditioning was blasting, but it was nowhere near as cold as my heart.

"Bring Ava Finch to me."

"Yes!"

Three hours later, Ava was brought before me.

The moment she saw me, her temper flared.

"Eugenia, what right do you have to grab me?"

"Aren't you afraid Egbert will find out and throw you back in?"

"I really don't know whether to call you stupid, or just faking it."

"You know perfectly well that if he had to choose between you and me, he'd only choose me."

"If I lose so much as a single hair, you'll never hear the end of it."