Chapter 3

For the remaining days, Melissa moved in.

Her pregnancy preparations in my previous life had made me so angry I was hospitalized. I even developed anxiety disorder and nearly went insane.

Because the pregnancy Melissa was preparing for was Sebastian's child.

Melissa said she had her own beliefs. Since the Whitmore family adopted her, she had to repay them.

Sebastian had already married me, and I hadn't had children for three years. She couldn't bear to see the Whitmore family line end, so she was willing to sacrifice herself to bear an heir for the Whitmore family.

She proposed IVF with Sebastian.

It sounded nice calling it IVF, but behind the scenes, they had clearly had sex many times.

Melissa sent me those photos and videos one by one. I was so stimulated I vomited blood.

I was disheveled, sallow-faced, and utterly wretched when I found Sebastian at his company.

He was in an international conference at the time. I burst right in, ruining his project, crawling on the floor and hugging his legs, begging him to love me, begging him to have a child with me.

I even said: "I guarantee the child I give birth to will be smarter and more blessed than Melissa's."

My outburst damaged Sebastian's image.

He had someone lock me up. Unable to stand my tantrums, he sent me to a psychiatric hospital. Only after I was tortured into submission did he bring me back.

Even now, thinking about it makes my heart ache.

Why did I debase myself like that?

As for Melissa, she didn't know that the reason Sebastian and I hadn't had children in three years was because my parents had investigated.

The Whitmore family carried genetic disease genes. Any children born would either be disabled or have cerebral palsy.

So, to get back the Sterling family's three seals, I was more nervous about Melissa's belly than a maternity nurse would be.

At eight in the morning, I had the kitchen prepare soup and sent it to Melissa.

Melissa took a sip and threw it on me.

"What garbage is this? Be careful or I'll tell Sebastian."

I endured it.

At noon during her rest, I found professionals to apply body oil to her skin to help keep it refined.

Melissa specifically demanded I do it myself.

"Charlotte, are your precious hands okay with serving me?"

I endured again.

At ten at night, Sebastian came home and entered the bedroom with Melissa.

Sebastian pretended to be troubled.

"Charlotte, this is all for me. You love me so much, you'll understand, right?"

I stood by the door, listening to the sounds of lovemaking inside, when I received a call from my parents.

"Charlotte, your mother and I received the seals."

"Are you planning to come home?"

One more left. Once I took the last one, all the projects under Whitmore Enterprises would come to a complete halt.

Because over these three years, all the projects were stamped with my Sterling family seal. All the partners only recognized the Sterling family.

I stood at the door, peeking through the crack at the two people pressed together inside, and smiled.

"Mom, Dad, remember to pick me up in a week."

During the two weeks of caring for Melissa, I barely slept or ate.

I lost a significant amount of weight. Sebastian's evaluation of me, however, kept getting better.

He often stared at me in a daze, occasionally spitting out a few decent words from his dog mouth.

"Charlotte, if you were always this obedient and didn't make a fuss, how nice that would be."

I pressed my lips together and smiled without speaking.

I won't make a fuss anymore. I just don't know if he'll make a fuss when Whitmore goes bankrupt.

Sebastian placed the last seal in my hand.

Afraid he would regret it, I put the divorce papers on the table again and reminded him.

"Remember to sign tonight when you come back."

Sebastian's eyes filled with more mockery.

"What, now that Melissa's pregnant, you're going to pull that live suicide stunt again?"

"Charlotte, if you die, I'll collect your corpse."

I lowered my head without speaking, knowing he meant what he said.

So I won't be as foolish as in my previous life.

I originally wanted to pack some things to take with me, but realized there was nothing worth packing.

Sebastian left through the front door, and I got in my car through the back.

I turned off my phone, threw away the SIM card. From now on, mountains high and roads far.

Sebastian, I'll be waiting in New York to watch you fall.