Chapter 2

Austyn pulled me into his car, wanting to drive me home.

But the second I opened the door, I froze. The car was packed with Valda's personal stuff.

Every seat had thick cushions strapped to the back, proof of how much Austyn cared about her baby.

Valda brushed past me and plopped herself down in the passenger seat like she owned it. She said, "Austyn set all this up himself.

"He didn't want me feeling uncomfortable. Took him forever to get it right. Don't be shy, go ahead and get in."

Austyn shot her a cold warning.

But Valda wasn't afraid at all. She leaned toward him, her voice sickly sweet. "Don't be mean to me, Austyn. You'll scare our baby."

Valda's acting was terrible, but Austyn still believed her. He instantly reached for her stomach and softened his tone.

'It's only three months along. What can possibly scare the baby?' I just stood there in silence, watching them, then quietly shut the car door.

That moment, the baby I'd once longed for with everything inside me—suddenly I wished I didn't have it anymore.

Not long after I got home, Austyn came rushing back with a deep frown. He tried to explain, "Rayne, you know what Valda's family is like.

"I can't just leave her hanging. You understand, don't you?"

That same day, Valda showed up at his office crying. She threw herself into his arms, shaking like a leaf.

Austyn carried her inside, set her on the couch, and spoke to her with a tenderness that cut me open.

Before he could calm her down, Valda's parents, Emily and Eugene stormed in after her.

"Tell us," Eugene demanded. "Whose child are you carrying?"

Valda shrank into Austyn's chest, hiding like she wanted to disappear.

The Slater family came from a family of scholars, and they had always held Valda to strict standards.

However, Valda had never even had a boyfriend before, and now she was pregnant.

Panicked, Valda blurted out that the baby was Austyn's. And he—soft-hearted as ever—actually agreed to it.

Austyn's face twisted in pain as if he wanted me to understand how hard all of this was for him.

Pain wrapped tight around my chest. Finally, I asked the only question left. "Why didn't you make her get rid of it?"

Austyn's eyes dropped, his voice breaking. "Valda… she wants to keep the baby. If I have a child of my own, she's scared hers will be labeled illegitimate."

I laughed through my tears, the sound hollow. "So for her, our baby has to carry the name of a bastard? That's what you're saying?"

Austyn swallowed his pain. Finally, he closed his eyes. "I'm sorry. But Valda begged me. I couldn't just stand by."

I wiped my face with trembling hands and sucked in a long breath. "Then let's end this. I'll get rid of mine."

"No." Austyn's eyes flashed with anger, his voice like ice. "I won't give up either of them. Not yours, not hers."

Before I could say another word, Austyn fled, too torn apart to face me.

The next morning, ten bodyguards showed up around the house. Austyn didn't let me leave. He took my phone and cut off every line to the outside world.

I couldn't understand. 'He's already claimed Valda's baby is his own. Why is he so desperate to keep mine too?'

Trapped inside that house, I endured the three long months until my pregnancy stabilized.

One day, the doorbell rang. Valda arrived with her parents and movers.

The second Emily saw me, she sneered. "Some people really have no shame. Carrying a bastard and still clinging to the title of Mrs. Sellers. Disgraceful.

"My poor daughter. Do you know what she's suffered just for Austyn?"

Eugene coughed lightly, his eyes filled with contempt as he looked at me.

He said to Emily, "That's enough. Don't dirty your eyes with her. Let's get Valda's things upstairs."

The movers marched right in, hauling boxes up the stairs.

When the living room finally emptied, Valda smirked at me. "So what if Austyn married you? So what if my baby isn't his blood? In his heart, you'll never be my equal."

Seeing that smug grin on Valda's face, I swung my arm. I struck her hard, again and again, until I was on top of her, hitting her with everything I had.

Valda screamed on the floor, but I didn't stop. Finally, Austyn burst back in and dragged me off her.

Valda had picked the wrong person to provoke.