Chapter 2

At the mention of calling the police, Wendy's composure vanished. She hurried to explain, "Emily, you misunderstood.

"I just wanted to thank Henry for helping me out, so I asked him for a key so I could come over and tidy up. I wanted you two to have a nice, clean home for your wedding."

I glanced at the open snack bags on the coffee table.

A mocking smirk appeared on my lips. "Oh, really?"

Wendy's face turned red, and she was so nervous that she was about to cry. She was panicking, not knowing what to do, when suddenly the door swung open.

Her eyes sparkled with joy. "Henry."

Her expression instantly shifted, and she looked like she was about to burst into tears again.

"Henry, please help me explain to Emily. I swear I was only here to clean up. She said she's going to call the police and have me arrested for trespassing." Wendy started sobbing dramatically.

Henry looked surprised when he saw Wendy.

But after hearing her story, he immediately turned to me, his tone full of reproach. "Emily, Wendy was just trying to help out. I'm the one who gave her the key.

"She kept saying she wanted to repay me and do whatever she could around here, so I let her. She really looks up to you, and you want to call the police? Don't you think you're overreacting?"

That was when I realized I was truly done with all this.

I let out a cold laugh and pointed at the snack bags on the coffee table. "Cleaning, huh? Tell me, did you like my snacks? Want me to get you some more?"

Henry's expression stiffened for a moment, then he quickly turned to Wendy and shot her a discreet look. "Wendy, there's nothing for you to do here anymore. Go home and get some rest. And don't drop by unless you are needed."

Wendy nodded meekly.

Just as she was about to leave, she shot me a look over her shoulder. Not a hint of that pitiful act left in her eyes. All that was left was pure provocation and smug satisfaction.

It was as if she was saying, "See? Even when you call me out, he still takes my side."

I stood my ground, face blank, not saying a word.

After Wendy left, Henry put on that soft, affectionate look and came over, trying to pull me into his arms, but I dodged him.

"Alright, we're getting married next month. You're supposed to be generous to a little girl. Don't stoop to her level," he said.

I looked him up and down, and then nodded with a smirk. "Sure, gotta keep her safe in every way. Since she's the one having your baby, right?"

Henry suddenly stopped dead in his tracks.

His arm, reaching out to hug me, just froze in midair.

"Emily, what are you saying? I don't get it," Henry said.

Seeing that look of denial on his face, I was utterly disgusted.

I gave a short, cold laugh. "Don't get it? Fine, I'll repeat exactly what you said, so listen up, and listen well."

I took a step forward, my gaze sharp as a blade.

"She's useless. She should've just died in that lake. If my company weren't in such a mess and I still needed the Sinclair family, I would've kicked her out.

"Once the company pulls through and the kid's born, I'll make sure she gets out of my life for good. Wendy's young, pure, and healthy. She'll give me a son. It's a win-win, totally fair," I finished, my voice icy.

With every word I repeated, Henry's face grew paler and paler.

By the end, he just looked totally mortified, caught with his guard down and all his dirty secrets exposed.

After the embarrassment, a wave of shame and anger washed over him.

Henry's face flushed red as he snapped at me. "You... You were spying on me? Emily, after all these years together, you seriously don't trust me at all?"

I didn't bother explaining that I only came to find him because I could finally get pregnant.

I just answered, my voice flat and indifferent, "Honestly, catching you in the act was the smartest thing I've ever done. Otherwise, how else would I have seen your true colors?"

My calmness only made him even more furious.

With his mask torn off and all his ugly secrets out in the open, he totally lost it, rage and humiliation written all over his face.

He pointed right at my face, words spilling out without any filter. "Yeah, I said it. So what? Am I wrong?

"You're nothing but a barren hen, a total failure. You should be grateful I even bothered to marry you. What more could you possibly want?

"Now you came here to expose me. What good does that do you? Do you really think any other man would ever want you?"

I said nothing, just staring Henry down with a cold, unwavering gaze, and took in the twisted, ungrateful look on his face.

He seemed to have forgotten why I would be infertile.

Of course he did. Time erased everything for him, even the debt he owed me for saving his life.

Regret gnawed at me for saving that ungrateful bastard.

Seeing me keep quiet, Henry looked like he thought he'd finally intimidated me, or maybe he believed he'd found my Achilles' heel. His eyes gleamed with self-assurance, and his voice turned all gentle.

He said, "Emily, as long as you marry me, be a good Mrs. Goodman, and treat Wendy and her baby nicely, we can just forget about today.

"Her child will be yours, too. Isn't that wonderful? Just try to see it as a blessing. Just think about it.

"If people hear that you're infertile and your fiancé dumped you, everyone will blame you. You'll ruin your reputation and your family's honor. Is that really what you want?"

"Are you done?" I looked up at him, my eyes cold as ice. "Good. Then let's go home and tell our parents we're calling off the wedding."

Henry, who thought he had the upper hand, suddenly had his face darken, all his smugness wiped away.

"You..." was all he could get out, completely at a loss for words.

I didn't waste another second on him. I spun on my heel and headed for the door, leaving everything behind without a second thought.

This was already the second time I'd witnessed just how shameless Henry could be.

Damn, I must've been blind to ever fall for him.

I knew exactly what kind of person I was. When I made a decision, nothing in the world could change it.

Just like back then, when I dove into that icy lake to save him without a second thought.

Now that I'd made up my mind to leave, there's nothing and no one that could stop me.

"Fine, Emily. I can't wait to see who'd ever want you now that you're leaving me," Henry screamed, his voice cracking with rage, but I didn't even bother to look back. I just kept walking, tuning him out completely.