Chapter 2

Julian froze, his face instantly turning cold.

"Are you threatening me with a divorce now?"

He let out a heavy sigh.

"I won't hold what happened with Tommy against you. Stop throwing these childish tantrums."

I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. "I told you, he cut me on purpose with a knife."

Julian looked at me with pure disappointment, clearly unwilling to hear another word.

As he slammed the door on his way out, the boy in his arms turned back and gave me a wicked, mocking smirk.

I got into my car and quietly followed them.

They went to an art gallery. Inside, Chloe was leaning beautifully against Julian, who was still holding Tommy.

They were looking at a painting of a family of three standing by the sea.

"Julian, let me hold Tommy."

"No, you're pregnant. Tommy might accidentally hurt you."

Chloe pouted, looking a bit sad. "Is this new baby going to be raised by Elena, too?"

Julian gently stroked Chloe's cheek.

"Taking care of a child alone is too hard. I can't bear to watch you suffer."

He paused, his voice softening.

"Don't worry. I'll make sure Tommy knows who his real mother is."

I clutched my chest, a stabbing pain piercing my heart. No wonder Tommy had refused to get close to me ever since he was old enough to speak.

Every time he looked at me, his eyes were filled with hostility.

Whenever I told Julian about it, he would just kiss my forehead and tell me I was overthinking.

It turned out Julian was the one whispering poison in his ear all along.

Because of my Butterfly Skin, my slashed wrist was still bleeding profusely.

The winter wind outside was freezing, but I couldn't feel the cold anymore.

Trembling, I walked into the gallery.

Julian's eyes flashed with panic when he saw me.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I stared at the two of them. Julian's first instinct was to shield Chloe behind his back.

"I know everything," I whispered.

Chloe stepped forward, tears streaming down her face. "Elena, let me explain. I..."

Suddenly, she threw herself to the floor, faking a hard fall. Julian's eyes went red. He lunged forward and violently shoved me away.

A heavy painting on the wall crashed down around us.

"Elena! I'm pregnant! Why would you push me?!" Chloe screamed.

The impact of Julian's shove sent me crashing hard against the sharp corner of a wooden table. My fragile skin tore instantly, and blood began to soak through the back of my coat.

Julian saw the blood. His fingers clenched tightly, and he made a move to step toward me.

But Chloe screamed hysterically, "Julian! Save my baby! It hurts!"

Without another look at me, he scooped her up and rushed out toward the hospital.

I watched them disappear, my tears mixing with the blood pooling on the gallery floor.

The other visitors in the gallery gathered around, whispering and pointing at me.

"How ruinous. I came to see an art show and had to witness this drama."

"That woman is evil. How could she push a pregnant woman?"

By the time I woke up, I was lying in a hospital bed.

A kind stranger had called the ambulance for me.

I dragged my battered body out of my room and stumbled down the hallway, only to see Julian and Chloe through the window of a private VIP suite.

Julian was holding her close.

Chloe looked up weakly. "Thank God the baby is fine. Otherwise, I'd never forgive myself."

Julian's voice was thick with suppressed anger. "It's not your fault. Elena is just too pathologically jealous."

"I'm going to make her come here and apologize to you."

He pulled out his phone and dialed.

My ringtone echoed loudly in the quiet hallway. Julian turned and spotted me immediately.

"Get in here and apologize to Chloe!"

He grabbed my arm and dragged me into the room, showing zero concern for why I was in the hospital in the first place.

Bruises were already starting to bloom across my arm where he touched me.

It reminded me of when we first got together.

Back then, because of my condition, I got bruised and cut constantly.

But my family had just gone bankrupt, leaving us with massive debts. I had no choice but to work three jobs a day.

Every night when I came home, Julian would look at my bruised body, his eyes red with tears.

"I'll pay it off for you," he had vowed.

We were just college students then. I thought he was joking.

But two years later, when I went to make a payment on the remaining debt, the bank told me it had already been settled in full.