Chapter 2

She hurried toward me, her eyes wide with mock surprise.

"Chloe! It really is you!"

"Why are you at the hospital? Are you having pregnancy complications too?"

Before I could answer, Julian rushed over, holding a designer coat. His tone was a mix of panic and deep affection.

"Vivian, I only left for a second to grab your coat. Where did you run off to? The AC in this hospital is freezing. You need to bundle up so you don't catch a cold."

Then, as if finally noticing me standing there, Julian froze.

A flash of guilt crossed his face before he quickly tried to turn the tables.

"Why are you here alone? Where's the housekeeper?"

I didn't answer. I just stared at him in dead silence.

My cold gaze made him squirm. He cleared his throat and offered a defensive, reluctant explanation.

"I promised Vivian I’d bring her for her checkup days ago."

"I didn't tell you because I didn't want you overreacting again. You've thrown tantrums over this kind of stuff before. Besides, we're getting married tomorrow. I wanted to keep things peaceful, so I kept it quiet."

I gave a faint, empty nod.

Thinking the matter was resolved, Julian naturally draped the coat over Vivian’s shoulders. He even took the time to meticulously button it up for her, one by one.

Vivian tilted her head, looking at my pale, ghost-like face with a mix of pity and smug triumph.

She put on a pout and chided him playfully:

"Julian, what are you doing?"

"Chloe is right here. You should offer the coat to her first. Why are you putting it on me?"

Julian didn't even look up.

"She's fine. She has a strong constitution."

"You're the one carrying my—"

He choked on his words, suddenly catching himself.

His face paled, and he shot a panicked look at me before quickly correcting himself.

"I mean... my baby brother. I have to make sure he's safe."

I had zero interest in watching their little show.

Outside, the sky was darkening, and rain was starting to pour.

I offered a dry excuse to leave:

"I have other tests to run. Excuse me."

But as I turned, Julian grabbed my arm.

Pointing at the umbrella peeking out of my bag, he spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"If you're not using that umbrella, let me borrow it."

"It's pouring outside, and I don't want Vivian getting wet when we walk to the car. Summer storms pass quickly anyway. By the time you're done with your tests, the rain will probably have stopped. You won't need it."

My eyes welled with hot tears as I stared at him. My voice was hoarse.

"She's pregnant, so she needs care. What about me?"

"Julian, I'm carrying your child too."

Seeing my tears, Julian’s face hardened into sheer annoyance. He waved his hand dismissively, his voice dripping with impatience.

"Fine, keep your damn umbrella."

"I ask you for one simple favor, and you start crying and nagging. Vivian has always been fragile. Even if you get a little wet, you'll recover in no time. You seemed perfectly fine coming to the hospital alone. Stop being so damn difficult, will you?"

With that, he wrapped his arm around Vivian and walked away.

I could hear his voice drifting back to me.

"Being pregnant has turned her into an absolute psycho."

"I can't stand her anymore."

He spoke loudly, making sure his words cut right through me.

He wanted to hurt me.

But my tears suddenly dried up, leaving my eyes burning and raw.

A wave of suffocating betrayal and hatred squeezed my chest so hard it was physically painful.

My knees buckled. I stumbled over to a waiting bench and sat down, taking deep, shaky breaths.

I pulled out my phone and dialed the private investigator.

"Mark, do you still have backups of those intimate photos of Julian and Vivian?"

"Print fifty thousand copies. I'm buying them all."

"Have your people plaster them all over our new mansion."