Chapter 3

Ian didn't let go. "Megan isn't in good health. Don't pick on her."

"Just because she's weak, she gets to steal my husband and my children, huh?" I shot back.

"Kids aren't property."

"Then what gives you the right to decide who gets them?"

Megan wiped her face and said, "Ian and I are married, and the Lawrence family recognizes me. Eleanor, once you give birth, you can still find someone else to marry. Stop acting like you're the victim here."

Marilyn finally couldn't hold back. "Ms. Dawson, please. Mrs. Lawrence is pregnant. You can't be so harsh."

Megan glared at her. "Since when does the maid get to tell me what to do? When I move in, you'll be fired."

Marilyn's face went pale.

Ian glanced at her. "Marilyn, go to the kitchen."

Marilyn lowered her head and left. Before she walked out, she glanced at me, like she wanted to say something, but held back.

I pulled my hand away. "Ian, I want a divorce."

Megan laughed out loud. "Eleanor, you were never married. How are you supposed to get a divorce?"

Ian said sharply, "Megan, stop."

Megan stopped laughing and leaned close to him. "Did I say anything wrong?"

I picked up my fake marriage certificate. "Since it's fake, I'm leaving. I don't need your permission."

Ian's face darkened. "You can't leave."

"Why?"

He glanced at my belly, speaking each word slowly. "The children stay with the Lawrence family."

I ripped the fake marriage certificate in half.

The pieces fell to the floor, and Ian bent down to pick them up.

I said, "Don't bother. It's fake. What's the point of keeping it?"

Megan clapped her hands. "Eleanor, you finally get it. Ian, see? She admits she was never your wife."

Ian turned and snapped, "Shut up."

Megan flinched, and her purse slipped onto the couch.

It was the first time I'd ever seen Ian lose his temper with her.

It wasn't to protect me. She had simply revealed the truth before he was ready.

I walked toward the bedroom.

Ian came after me. "Where are you going?"

"Packing up."

"You can't leave."

"Ian, I'm not your prisoner."

He blocked the doorway. "Eleanor, I know I messed up, but you're about to give birth. Can we please deal with this later?"

"Messed up?" I stared at him. "You married her, threw her a wedding, and promised to give her my children. Is that what you call 'messing up'?"

Ian impatiently unbuttoned his cuffs. "Do you have to put it like that?"

"Oh, I can make it a lot worse. Want me to keep going?" I shot back.

Megan followed in, rubbing the corner of her eye. "Ian, let her be. Where could a pregnant woman possibly go? Once she runs out of money and has nowhere to stay, she'll come back."

I shot her a look. "How do you know I'll run out of money?"

She smirked. "Eleanor, drop the act. Ian looked into your background. You grew up in an orphanage, dropped out of college, and moved in with him. You haven't worked in years.

"If you leave the Lawrence family, you won't be able to afford your medical bills"

Ian looked uneasy. "Megan."

"I'm telling the truth," Megan said, walking over to my closet and picking out a loose dress. "Ian bought all these clothes, didn't he? And this house belongs to the Lawrence family.

"You wear what he buys, live in his house, and carry his children. What exactly makes you think you're better than me?"

I turned to Ian. "Did you investigate me?"

"I only wanted to know what your life had been like."

"And you found out I never graduated from college."

"Eleanor, I—"

"Did you ever find out why I never finished college?"

Ian stayed silent.

Megan jumped in, "What other reason could there be? You were broke back then, and Ian felt sorry for you. Don't tell me you actually thought this was some Cinderella story."

Marilyn's voice came from outside the door. "Mr. Lawrence, Mrs. Kayla Lawrence is here."

Kayla walked in, carrying a bag, dressed in a dark red dress, her face full of impatience.

The moment she noticed the broken glass on the floor and Megan's soaked clothes, she frowned. "Eleanor, just because you're pregnant doesn't mean you can do whatever you want."

I ignored her.

Every time I greeted her with a smile, she'd shut me down. To her, I came from the wrong background, had no decent family, and wasn't worthy of her son.

Back then, Ian always stood up for me, saying he couldn't live without me.

It turned out those promises didn't survive the moment Megan showed up.

Kayla pulled Megan over. "Sit down. You don't want to get cold."

Megan leaned in, looking all pitiful. "Mrs. Kayla Lawrence, I'm here to see how Eleanor is doing, but it seems she doesn't like me."

Kayla glared at me. "You're in no position to judge her. Megan is Ian's lawful wife. You were only a girl he brought home on a whim."

I asked, "And what about the babies I'm carrying?"

Kayla's eyes lit up. "They're part of the Lawrence family. Once they're born, we'll make sure you're well taken care of."

"How exactly?"

Kayla pulled a document out of her bag and tossed it onto the bed. "Sign it. Once you give birth, you'll get an apartment and 300 thousand dollars. After that, you stay away from the kid and never bother Ian again."

I fixed my gaze on the document.

Ian reached for it. "Mom, this isn't how we should handle this."

Kayla sneered. "You've been shielding her for six years. How much longer do you plan to keep it up? Megan is your wife. She's pregnant now. It's the Lawrence family's heir."

Megan gently touched her belly. "Mrs. Kayla Lawrence, please, stop."

It was only a small gesture, but I noticed, and so did Ian.

His face went pale in an instant.

I asked, "Megan, are you pregnant?"

Megan stayed quiet and leaned toward Kayla.

Kayla smirked. "Megan just found out. Eleanor, you'd better know your place. Keep dragging this, and that 300 thousand will be gone."

I sat on the edge of the bed, listening as Kayla finished naming her price.

A tiny apartment and 300 thousand dollars. That was all they were offering for my two children and the six years I wasted on this fake marriage.

I turned to Ian. "Did you know she's pregnant?"

Ian looked at Megan. "When did you find out?"

Megan lowered her head. "Yesterday."

Kayla patted her hand. "Megan didn't dare tell you, afraid you'd get manipulated by Eleanor."

I let out a laugh. "How considerate."

Ian didn't look at me.

I pressed on. "If she's already pregnant, why do you still want my children?"

Kayla's face tightened.

Megan jumped in, "Twins are rare. Mrs. Kayla Lawrence says the Lawrence family deserves as many heirs as possible."

I stared her down. "Are you really pregnant?"

Megan clutched her purse tighter. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Show me the report," I demanded.

Kayla snapped, "Who do you think you are? You have no right to question Megan."

Ian stepped in front of Megan. "Eleanor, stop."