Chapter 4

My ears rang.

Only when I tasted the metallic sweetness at the corner of my mouth did I realize what had happened.

I stared blankly at the man before me.

He was holding Freya's hand, carefully inspecting it.

When he looked at me, his eyes were full of disgust, as if looking at an enemy.

"Do you know how much she cares about you? She spent four hours making that soup for you. Eva Carter, she's your best friend."

I cried and laughed at the same time, pointing at both their faces.

"Cares about me? Cares enough to sleep with my husband? That's a best friend? That's a shameless homewrecker!"

Ethan said coldly, "You've got it backwards. Freya was the one who consummated the marriage with me on our wedding night. Based on the actual order of sexual relations, you're the third party."

My mind went blank.

I thought I'd misheard.

I murmured, "What did you say?"

Ethan continued unhurriedly, "I said Freya and I had sex on our wedding night. Annie was conceived then."

My soul felt stripped away.

My memory returned to that wedding night.

I nervously changed into the nightgown he liked, but he threw a blanket over me.

Coldly saying, "Nathan just died. Don't provoke Freya."

Then he left without looking back.

At dawn, Mrs. Hayes discovered we hadn't consummated the marriage.

Her mental state was extremely unstable from losing her eldest son.

She subjected me to family punishment for failing to continue the Hayes bloodline and not fulfilling my duty as a daughter-in-law.

One hundred lashes fell solidly on my body.

During that time, I called Ethan countless times.

Every call went to a mechanical voicemail.

So on my wedding night, while I was being beaten bloody, he was with my best friend, his Freya.

Making love.

Suddenly, a mouthful of blood spilled from my mouth.

I covered my mouth, staring at the red in my palm.

Somewhat dazed.

Seeing this, Freya quickly pushed Ethan.

"Stop talking!"

Then she rushed forward to check on me.

"Eva, are you okay? I'm sorry. On your wedding night, I missed Nathan so much, I —"

Before she could finish, I pushed her away.

I closed my eyes, steadying myself.

Weakly, I said, "Get out."

Freya tried to say something more.

I screamed, "Get out!"

Ethan put his arm around Freya and left.

At the door, he turned to look at me.

"Freya's pregnant again. From now on, I am Nathan Hayes, her husband who miraculously survived. And your husband, Ethan Hayes, went abroad for advanced medical training due to marital problems."

I trembled all over, watching their retreating backs.

Proud Ethan was actually willing to live his entire life under someone else's name for Freya's sake.

I lowered my eyes.

Tears fell heavily, soaking the blanket.

On my ring finger, I still wore the plain ring he'd made himself.

Our names were engraved on it.

He'd said this ring would witness our lifetime of happiness.

Turns out, it was all an illusion.

Ethan moved quickly.

In just one day, news that Nathan Hayes had returned alive spread across the internet.

And equally viral online was news about me.

A wealthy wife abandoned after four years of failing to produce a child, so thoroughly despised by her husband that he'd rather flee the country than live with me.

I watched Ethan, assuming his brother's identity, appear publicly with Freya.

He even announced he would make it up to Freya by giving her a wedding of the century, earning countless blessings.

I also watched the internet's overwhelming mockery and ridicule, clamoring for me to get lost.

I suddenly smiled.

I dialed an unfamiliar number.

"Nathan, it's time you came home."