Chapter 3

Chloe answered the phone, putting it on speaker.

She pretended to be nervous, but a flicker of triumph was in her eyes.

She whined pitifully into the phone.

"Honey, please come to the luxury maternity retreat! Someone is insisting I'm not your wife, claiming *she* is."

"She's also saying that the luxury maternity retreat gave *her* maternity package to me, and that they're negligent."

Chloe's voice grew more and more aggrieved, even cracking with a sob.

Liam's angry voice boomed from the other end of the phone.

"What's she doing now, going to the luxury maternity retreat to bully you?!"

"Don't be scared, I'll be right there!"

"Going crazy." With that one phrase, Liam sealed my fate.

It made everyone even more convinced that I was truly making a scene.

Their gazes were laced with mockery, as if I were a clown.

At the same time, some people went to comfort Chloe, telling her not to bother with a "lunatic" like me.

Chloe lowered her eyes, biting her lip as she whispered.

"My husband will be here any minute. He spoils me rotten, otherwise he wouldn't have booked this $120,000 luxury maternity retreat without a second thought."

"You should really leave. Otherwise, it'll get messy, and you'll be upset."

Her words sounded incredibly thoughtful, but they were pure provocation.

My teeth were practically grinding into dust. Those two vile traitors!

Liam arrived quickly.

He rushed into the luxury maternity retreat, immediately shoving me aside.

He embraced Chloe, soothing her gently.

"Don't be scared, honey, your husband is here. I won't let you suffer any injustice."

I, with my heavily pregnant belly, nearly fell to the floor.

Fortunately, at the last moment, I grabbed onto the front desk counter. Otherwise, the consequences would have been unthinkable.

Rage filled my chest.

Chloe wrapped her arms around Liam's waist, giving him a passionate kiss.

"Honey, you're the best. You tell her, I can't get through to her."

Liam finally spared me a glance.

There wasn't even a hint of guilt on his face. He simply released Chloe and stepped forward, slapping me hard across the face.

"Chloe Miller, have some dignity! I only gave you extra attention at work because you're pregnant, just like my wife!"

"And you actually came to the luxury maternity retreat to bully my wife!"

I clutched my stinging cheek, feeling as though the Liam before me was a complete stranger.

Before I came to the luxury maternity retreat, he could at least pretend to patiently comfort me.

Now, he'd actually laid a hand on me!

Even though I was his pregnant wife.

Right. Ever since I became pregnant, Liam seemed to grow more and more impatient.

He always claimed he was working overtime, asking me to be understanding and not to make a fuss.

Chloe's name also came up frequently in his conversations.

It all made sense now.

How could I have been so blind to his rotten, foolish nature?

I miraculously calmed down, asking.

"Liam, say those words again."

"Who am I? And who is she?"

A flicker of panic finally appeared in Liam's eyes, but he still spoke with righteous indignation.

"Are you deaf? She's my wife, Aurora Davis. You're just a colleague of mine, Chloe Miller."

"Listen, ma'am, just because *you* couldn't marry well doesn't mean you get to obsess over me like a madwoman just because I treat my wife well, does it?"

Everyone started murmuring.

"So she really is crazy. It's tragic how her trash husband drove her to this."

"But what did Mr. Liam do wrong? Being harassed by someone like this is disgusting."

It seemed he was determined to protect Chloe.

But did he really think a few words could prove anything?

I pulled out my ID and flung it forward.

"I say I'm Aurora Davis. I have an ID, does she?"