Chapter 3

Was Curtis's true nature finally showing, or was it because I had cancer and he felt he could do whatever he wanted?

Seeing that smug look on his face, I really wanted to tell him that it wasn't me but him who had cancer.

But the words caught in my throat.

I had gone to so much trouble thinking about him, and what had he done to me in return?

Then I thought of Cara.

This morning's incident had happened so suddenly, but I hadn't missed the way she had casually stroked her belly.

Could it be she was pregnant?

"You want me to move out. So who are you planning to share the master bedroom with now?" I asked.

A sweet, playful voice giggled from behind me, "With me, silly!"

I turned around and saw Cara twirling the key around her finger after unlocking the door.

"You're not going to kick me out, are you, Aurora? That won't do. Curtis promised me, right?" Cara said, shooting Curtis a playful wink.

"Yeah, I agreed to it," Curtis said.

"Curtis, what do you take me for? You bring your mistress right into my house in front of me and even give her a key? I'm still alive, and you can't even wait?" I snapped.

I stared at the key in her hand, my eyes burning with rage.

How dare he give the key to the house Dad left me to his mistress?

"You're not dead yet, but you will be soon, right?" Curtis said, totally unfazed. "At least do something useful for this family before you kick the bucket.

"Maybe you'll rack up some good deeds for the afterlife. You're practically on your deathbed, and you're still worrying about all this pointless stuff.

"You think you can take this house with you when you're gone? It's going to be mine anyway, so why shouldn't I start calling the shots now?

"We've been married for over a year, and you haven't given me a single kid. You're dying, so of course I need to find someone who can give me a son. Isn't that just common sense?"

"Would you really let the Bernard family end with you after you're gone?" he added.

He said it all so self-righteously, like I was some kind of monster for not letting him have his precious heir.

I thought I was mentally prepared, but his shameless words still made rage surge through me.

Anyone could see how furious I was, but Cara seemed thrilled.

As she walked past, she deliberately stepped on my white dress—just one step left a dirty mark.

Cara said, "Oops, I'm so sorry, Aurora. I totally didn't mean to step on your dress. Let me clean it for you right away.

"Please don't be mad. I was just so worried about Curtis—he's been tidying up the bedroom since he got home and hasn't even taken a break."

She faked a flustered look and bent down to pick up my dress, but Curtis grabbed her hand and gently said, "Don't trouble yourself with chores like this. It's just a dress, no big deal."

He turned to me with an annoyed glare. "It's just a dress—do you have to act like it's the end of the world? You're so damn jealous. Hurry up and apologize to Cara."

I just stood there, silent as she walked by, and yet somehow, I was the one getting called out for it.

"Apologize to her? For what? Give me one good reason," I shot back, refusing to back down.

"Reason? I've let you have your way for a year, and now you think you can push me around? What you need is a lesson. Women only learn to be good when they're put in their place," Curtis snapped.

His face twisted with rage as he stormed over, pinned my arms, and slapped me twice across the face—not holding back at all.

Each slap hit with brutal force.

He said, "You wanna know why? Because I'm the owner of this house.

"You dare question me? You think you can still boss me around like before?"

I hit the floor from the force of his blows.

My ears rang from the impact.

I had never felt so wronged in my entire life—no one had ever slapped me like that, let alone twice in a row.

At least this had finally let me see his true colors. That alone made it worth it.

Watching that smug look on his face, a thought suddenly popped into my head.

If he were going to be ruthless, then I wouldn't hold back either.

I stood off to the side, watching with icy indifference as the movers hauled Cara's luggage into the master bedroom.

Curtis was eyeing my house, and I wasn't even dead yet.

But I couldn't go head-to-head with him just yet.

Still, this house was mine, and no one's taking it from me—ever.

I got up and started gathering up the messy clothes scattered all over the floor.

He probably thought he had finally broken me, that I was just another woman who'd do whatever he wanted.

After I finished cleaning up, I stretched and rubbed my sore back.

But I didn't feel sorry for myself.

Only those who could swallow the hardest pain get to be the last ones standing.

Just then, the door swung open from outside.

Hadley, Curtis's mother, walked in, holding two fat hens, her smile so wide it deepened the crow's feet at her eyes.

She strode right over to me.