Chapter 3

I woke up with a hangover headache. After a shower, I saw dozens of SnapChat messages from Sophia. I muted the conversation without reading them.

Checking the date, I realized Alexander was due back from his business trip in three days. He hadn't sent me a single message since yesterday. I wasn't sure if he knew about Sophia's pregnancy yet, but either way, I couldn't act rashly. The more calm I remained, the more frantic they would become.

I went to work as usual for the next few days, ignoring all calls and messages.

On the third day, Alexander showed up at my office, saying he wanted to talk.

"Let's go home and talk together," I said, closing my eyes to rest in the passenger seat, not giving him a chance to speak.

At home, Sophia and I sat facing each other at the dining table, with Alexander next to me. "We'll get rid of the baby tomorrow. I'll give you $20,000," he said.

Sophia's tears started falling again as she asked in disbelief, "You don't want our baby?"

"It's an illegitimate child that should never have existed. My children will only be born from my wife," Alexander replied coldly.

I had guessed Alexander wouldn't divorce me at this critical point in his career. At his young age, he was already an associate professor at a prestigious university and on track for a full professorship.

Sophia's face turned ashen. She stood up from her chair, her voice full of resentment. "So if your wife can't have children, you'd never divorce her? You'd stay childless forever?"

Alexander looked at Sophia in surprise, then turned to look at me. I pretended to be flustered and yelled at Sophia, "What nonsense are you spouting?"

"Olivia, you've never shown Alexander your medical reports, have you?" Sophia turned to Alexander. "You two have been married for so long - haven't you wondered why you don't have kids yet?"

Sophia went to her room and came back with a medical report, throwing it on the table. It had my name on it, with a clear diagnosis: Infertile.

Alexander stared at the report for a long time without speaking. Finally, he only said to Sophia, "Don't get rid of the baby for now." Then he went to his study.

Sophia had a victorious look on her face. "Olivia, I didn't want things to turn out this way. But you brought this on yourself by being so stubborn. If you had just gracefully stepped aside, I could have given you some compensation, sister to sister."

Watching Sophia's retreating back, I smiled to myself. Sophia, since you love taking what's mine so much, as your sister I naturally want to indulge you. I just hope you can handle it this time.