Chapter 2

Andrew's favorite weapon was the silent treatment.

The next morning, when I woke up, Andrew had already made breakfast.

On the table were golden, crispy doughnuts, sizzling fried eggs, and a bowl of pasta swimming in thick, red sauce.

They were all the food I used to love before I got pregnant, but now I couldn't stand the smell of them.

The heavy, greasy smell felt like an invisible hand choking me. I covered my mouth, my face turning pale, and rushed to the bathroom again.

Behind me, I could hear the slow, deliberate crunch of Andrew's chewing, as if I didn't exist.

I got through the whole day with nothing but warm water. He pretended I wasn't there.

When he got home from work, he didn't hug me or ask how the baby was doing like he used to. Instead, he immediately grabbed his phone and started a video call with Lily.

"Did you eat your food like a good girl today, Lily?

"Do you miss Daddy? I got you a new Lego set.

"Be good for Mommy, okay? Daddy will come see you soon."

His voice was so tender that it could melt anyone's heart, and the affection in his eyes for her was something I'd never seen before.

It was like the real family he cared about was on the other side of that screen.

And me? I was only an outsider, an eyesore living under this roof.

At night, after another bout of vicious sickness, I felt completely wiped out, my lips cracked and my body weak.

I leaned back on the couch, barely able to speak. "Andrew, could you get me some warm water?"

He was holding his phone, with Lily's laughter bubbling from the screen and filling the room.

He didn't glance at me, with his eyes locked on the screen and tone filled with impatience. "Can't you see I'm busy? Lily's refusing to eat again. I need to deal with her."

I watched the way he fawned over Lily, and my heart kept getting colder, bit by bit.

I didn't ask him again. I held onto the wall and slowly made my way to the kitchen.

Maybe it was because I was so dehydrated that my vision suddenly went black, my foot slipped, and I pitched forward, totally out of control.

With a loud thud, my arm banged hard against the corner of the wall, which made me suck in a sharp breath from the pain.

Andrew finally heard the commotion, but only glanced over at me from his phone, looking completely annoyed. "Come on, you're a grown woman and you still can't walk straight?"

His tone made it sound like I was some bothersome child causing trouble.

At that moment, my heart went completely cold. That last bit of hope I had was crushed by his words.

I didn't cry or make a scene. Instead, I quietly walked to the water dispenser, poured myself a glass, and went back to my room, closing the door behind me.

I pulled out my phone and texted my best friend, Rachel Morgan, who was also a top-notch lawyer.

[Rachel, can you check something for me? If someone keeps sending money to their ex while they're still married, does that count as transferring assets during a divorce?]

Rachel called me right away, her voice full of shock and worry. "Sophie, what's going on? Is this about Andrew?"

"It's nothing," I cut her off, my voice eerily calm. "I just want to make some preparations for myself and the baby."

When Andrew realized the silent treatment wasn't working on me, he switched tactics. This time, he started playing the family card.

The next afternoon, I got a call from Mrs. Bennett, Andrew's mother.

As soon as I picked up, before I could say hello, her sharp, biting voice came crashing down on me.

"Sophie, I can't believe how childish you are! How could you be so mean?

"Lily is Andrew's own flesh and blood, the Bennett family's kid. She's sick and misses her dad, so what if she stays there for a few days?

"We don't expect you to love her like your own child, but you can't be so cold to her, can you?

"You're hurting Andrew's feelings by doing that."

Her words sliced right through me, each one cutting deeper than the last.

My hands and feet turned icy, and the baby inside me seemed to sense the chill, shifting softly in my belly.

I forced myself to stay calm, doing everything I could to keep my voice steady. "Do you know I'm pregnant?"

There was a brief pause on the other end, and it was obvious that Andrew hadn't told her.

But after just a second, she exploded with more "righteous" fury.

"So, what if you're pregnant? It's not like you're the first woman to go through this. Honestly, you're only being way too sensitive.

"Now you think you're some big deal and can't tolerate a child? How are you ever going to be a real mom? Andrew married you with the hope that you could be a good wife and mother, not like a queen.

"Let me tell you, Sophie. Lily must be coming back. If you dare make trouble again, don't expect me to accept you as Andrew's wife anymore."

I didn't say another word but pressed the save button on the call recording.

Then, I hung up calmly, and added her to my block list.

Right after, I retrieved all of Andrew's recent call logs and his chat history with Emily, took screenshots of everything, and backed them up to the cloud.

Once I was done, I looked out at the dull gray sky, my heart completely numb and empty.

Andrew, Mrs. Bennett, Emily—they were the real family.

And me? I was always a tool, an outsider that only gave birth to babies and offered a free place to live.

If that was how it was, then didn't blame me if I stopped caring.