Chapter 2

Vivian finally looked up, her face streaked with tears.

"Mia, I know Ethan is your husband. I know this was wrong. But Ethan helped me so much, and I had nothing to repay him with.

He said he just wanted to experience something pure once. I was already an adult then, and in a moment of weakness I..."

I seemed to have gone numb to the pain in my heart. I simply threw the underwear on the floor.

"Pack your things and get out of my house. I never want to see you again."

Vivian froze, murmured an apology, then suddenly rushed to the side.

A dull thud — her abdomen slammed hard into the solid wood coffee table.

After a piercing scream, Vivian collapsed on the floor clutching her stomach, breaking out in cold sweat.

Dark red blood gradually seeped through the hem of her dress.

"Vivian!"

Terrified, I rushed over to help her.

"Mia, I'm sorry. This baby... it's Ethan's. It shouldn't exist..."

She spoke weakly, tears still falling.

Behind me came the sound of breaking glass.

I turned in shock to see my mother's face, pale with horror.

My heart sank — my mother had a heart condition. She couldn't handle shocks like this.

But she'd heard everything...

The next second, my mother clutched her chest, her breathing growing more labored.

Before I could say anything, her eyes rolled back and she collapsed.

"Mom!" I screamed, rushing to her.

In the chaos, I dialed 911.

The ambulance sirens wailed as they took Vivian and my mother to the hospital.

Sitting in the emergency vehicle, I felt like I was falling into a bottomless abyss.

At the hospital, after emergency treatment, the doctor informed me that my mother had suffered an acute myocardial infarction and needed to be hospitalized for observation.

Vivian had a threatened miscarriage and needed bed rest.

I'd barely caught my breath when Ethan rushed in.

He didn't even glance at me, heading straight to Vivian's bedside. "Vivian, how are you? Are you okay?"

Vivian opened her eyes. Seeing him, tears fell again.

"Ethan, I'm fine. Don't blame Mia. This is all my fault."

Ethan turned to look at me, his eyes frighteningly cold. "This has nothing to do with her. If anyone's to blame, it's certain people for being so petty."

I couldn't hold back anymore. "Ethan, can you be reasonable? She ran into the coffee table herself. It has nothing to do with me."

He laughed coldly. "If you hadn't come home and mocked her, would she be like this? Mia, I never thought you were such a vicious woman. You can't even tolerate your own sister."

"I didn't!"

I protested loudly, but my voice sounded so weak and powerless.

Nurses and patients around us turned to look curiously.

Those stares pierced me like needles, making me wish I could disappear.

Ethan stepped forward and grabbed my wrist. "I don't care whether you did or not. Right now, you need to apologize."

I struggled to shake off his hand.

"Why should I apologize?"

This was absurd — he was the one sleeping with Vivian behind my back.

Yet I was supposed to apologize to Vivian because their child got hurt.

Vivian's tears fell again as she begged us to stop.

Seeing Ethan and I continue to argue, she suddenly grabbed a fruit knife from the table and slashed it toward her wrist without hesitation.