Chapter 2

"Get up already," Victoria, my mother-in-law, frowned, looking at me as if I were a piece of garbage. "The gala isn't over yet. Do you have to make us the laughingstock of high society?"

I opened my mouth, but only a raspy whisper escaped my throat.

"Ethan..."

"I'm... I'm pregnant..."

The grand hall fell dead silent for a second.

My brother, Leo, was the first to burst out laughing.

"Chloe, you really know how to pick your timing," he sneered. "Just because you couldn't steal the pendant from a kid, now you're lying about being pregnant? Do you honestly think Ethan will crawl back to you just because of a fake baby?"

My father’s face turned completely black.

"Chloe, haven't you embarrassed this family enough?"

Eleanor gently patted Lily’s back and mocked,

"Your sister came here today to celebrate Ethan becoming her son's godfather, not to steal your husband. Your little stunt is humiliating. How is she supposed to face anyone after this?"

Lily's eyes grew redder.

"Chloe, please don't be like this. If my presence makes you uncomfortable, I'll just take my baby and leave."

She made a show of walking away, but her body swayed weakly, and she collapsed right into Ethan's arms.

Ethan immediately held her tight, his voice softening.

"You're not going anywhere. You stay right here."

I stared at them, realizing I was nothing but a complete joke.

Ethan turned back to me, his voice freezing cold.

"Today, you will accept this godfather arrangement, whether you like it or not..."

Under his threatening gaze, the surrounding guests gradually fell quiet.

*Smack!*

Before Ethan could finish his sentence, I whipped the pregnancy test out of my pocket and threw it right at his feet.

Two distinct red lines were staring back at everyone.

"Oh my god! Ethan... Chloe is actually pregnant!"

Lily picked up the pregnancy test, her face pale with horror.

Looking at the test, Victoria's voice trembled, her eyes filled with disgust and disbelief.

"That's impossible. You two have been living apart for three years!"

I looked straight into Ethan's eyes.

"Ethan, did you forget what you did that night?"

That night, he was the one who pinned me down on the bed, his eyes bloodshot as he kissed me over and over.

*“Chloe, you will always be the only Mrs. Carter.”*

I had endured this hollow marriage, waiting for him for three long years. I thought my patience had finally paid off.

Over those three years, in order to expand the Carter Group's empire, he had personally moved to Europe to oversee operations. I stayed behind in this empty mansion, counting the days, looking forward to the day he would return.

But today, he not only wiped out the warmth of that night, but he also wanted to become the godfather of Lily's son.

For a moment, Ethan was stunned, a flicker of guilt crossing his eyes.

Seeing the change in Ethan's expression, Lily's eyes brimmed with tears.

"Ethan, don't blame Chloe..." Lily leaned into his chest, looking at me timidly. "Maybe... maybe Chloe just made a mistake. Even if we don't know whose baby it is, please don't get angry..."

The slight guilt in Ethan's eyes vanished instantly upon hearing Lily's "thoughtful" excuse.

"It was just a drunken mistake. One night doesn't change anything."

*A drunken mistake.* *One night doesn't change anything.* These words effortlessly turned my three years of devotion into a hilarious, pathetic joke.

Ethan looked down at me like a king looking at a peasant.

"Lily has had a hard time raising her child alone. You need to be more understanding. As for that bastard in your womb, don't even think about pinning it on the Carter family."

The moment Ethan finished speaking, Victoria covered her nose in disgust and barked:

"Security!"

"Drag her out of here! Don't let her filthy presence ruin the joy of our gala!"

Hearing Victoria's command, I looked desperately toward my father and brother in the crowd, begging for help. But my father turned his face away in disgust, and Leo just sneered and looked away.

"Don't worry, sweetie, we won't let her ruin this. Let's sit over there," Ethan comforted Lily gently, and she followed him toward the center of the hall.

"Excuse us, Mrs. Carter."

Two burly security guards rushed over, grabbed my arms roughly, and dragged me toward the exit.

"Let go of me! Don't touch me!" I struggled with all my might.

"The gala continues!" Victoria raised her champagne glass to the guests, and everyone raised theirs in return, pretending nothing had happened.

The guards threw me violently onto the cold stone steps outside. My stomach slammed against the concrete. In the tearing pain, warm blood began to wash away in the pouring rain. The cheerful laughter from inside the hall completely crushed my last shred of hope.

The very last second before I lost consciousness, a deep, cold male voice echoed above me: "Quick, get her to the hospital!"