Chapter 2

I detest the smell of smoke on him;

I detest how he doesn’t squeeze toothpaste from the bottom up;

I detest his constant wearing of suits;

I detest his paternalistic lectures…

I can’t even bear to listen to him speak another word.

After leaving the hospital, I went to a law firm to prepare divorce papers.

But as I stepped out, I ran into Freddie Taylor and Zelene Mackenzie.

Zelene Mackenzie was clinging to his arm, smiling coquettishly.

He looked down at her with a smile.

Noticing me by chance, both froze.

Freddie Taylor instinctively pulled away from Zelene Mackenzie’s grip.

But she wouldn’t let go, holding on tightly.

She pouted, “Brother, didn’t you say you’d spend the day with me?”

I touched my chest in conTaylorsion.

What a relief.

My heart isn’t aching at all.

Freddie Taylor affectionately scraped her nose.

“Don’t worry, I’ll keep my promise to you.”

I clenched the divorce papers in my hand: Freddie Taylor, you’ve been breaking promises to me all along.

Freddie Taylor looked at me, flustered.

I knew what he was about to say.

Before he could speak, I said, “Let’s divorce.”

Freddie Taylor stared at me in shock.

“What did you say?”

“Divorce.”

Freddie Taylor suddenly flew into a rage, grabbing my wrist.

“Stop throwing tantrums! If you don’t want me seeing Zelene Mackenzie, just say it! Don’t pretend to be magnanimous only to harbor resentment!”

His grip was so tight it hurt.

I looked at him as if he were a stranger.

Then, I forceTaylorlly shook off his hand and handed him the divorce papers.

“Take a look. If you agree, sign them as soon as possible. Let’s part amicably.”

The prominent words “Divorce Agreement” made Freddie Taylor catch his breath.

But quickly, his heartache was replaced by anger.

“How can you treat marriage so frivolously? Just say divorce and it’s done?”

“What qualifies you to say that?” I sneered.

Zelene Mackenzie chimed in from the side.

“Sister, how can you speak of Brother like that?”

“Silence!” I snapped at Zelene Mackenzie.

Seeing me being harsh with Zelene Mackenzie, Freddie Taylor became displeased.

He rubbed his temples irritably.

“Enough. You’re just upset because Zelene Mackenzie and I are having dinner. Fine, I’ll be home early tonight.”

I was reluctant to let it go, but he cut me off again.

“Forget it. Don’t make a scene. It’s embarrassing.”

I sighed.

Forget it, I’ll talk to him again tonight when he comes home.

“Do as you wish,” I said, turning to leave.

Zelene Mackenzie, however, was not pleased.

She deliberately provoked me, unhappy that she hadn’t seen me break down.

“Sister, are you upset again?”

As I was about to respond, my phone received a text from an unknown number.

“Sister, your miscarriage wasn’t an accident.”

My face tensed.

I had once been pregnant.

But while taking out the trash, I was knocked down by a reckless child and lost the baby.

Since then, my body has been weakened, making it difficult for me to conceive again.

Two years have passed, and the child remains my unspeakable pain.

But if it wasn’t an accident, what could it mean?

Could someone have ordered the child to knock me down?

My hands trembled uncontrollably, and my heart was wrung with pain.

Then another message arrived, a video this time.

In it, Freddie Taylor was fiercely choking Zelene Mackenzie, his teeth gritted.

“I’ve told you, she’s my wife, and I love her. How dare you harm our child?”

Zelene Mackenzie showed no fear.

A tear slid from her eye, yet she still smiled.

“But I love you. I can’t accept another woman bearing your child.”

They held each other in a stalemate for over a minute.

Eventually, Freddie Taylor released his grip on her neck.

He turned away.

The surveillance footage only captured his back as he smoked.

After a while, he made a phone call.

“Clean it up. Don’t let the wife find out.”

My mind went blank, my heart wracked with pain.

So, my child was taken this way.

Hatred consumed me, almost incinerating my being.

Freddie Taylor was oblivious to what had transpired.

Seeing my pale,painTaylorl face, he became anxious, shaking Zelene Mackenzie’s hand off.

Zelene Mackenzie stumbled to the ground.

But he paid her no mind, rushing to me instead.

His voice betrayed a panic and concern even he couldn’t detect.

“How are you? You’ve always been healthy. Why are you so pale?”

At the sound of his voice, I snapped back to reality.

I glared at him, wishing I could stab him with a knife.

He was the father of the child too.

How could he cover for the one who harmed our baby?

Meeting my gaze filled with venomous hatred, Freddie Taylor froze.

He couldn’t comprehend why I suddenly harbored such animosity.

I shoved him forceTaylorlly, then with all my might, slapped him.

Zelene Mackenzie screamed, attempting to intervene, but I kicked her down the stairs, where she tumbled several times.

Bystanders were stunned.

“Heavens! Call the police!”

Freddie Taylor quickly attended to Zelene Mackenzie, helping her up.

“Are you alright?”

Then he looked at me, intending to reprimand, but the hatred in my eyes silenced him.

Why was I so Taylorrious?

Hadn’t I grown accustomed to Zelene Mackenzie’s existence over the years?

Before he could question me, I turned and ran.

I had but one thought:

I would make Zelene Mackenzie and Freddie Taylor pay.

I went to the police station.

...

When I returned home from the police station, I was shocked to see how pale my face had become. I turned my head and saw the wedding photos on the wall. My eyes were empty and numb. Then, like a madwoman, I began smashing everything in the house. The wedding photos were not spared either. When Freddie Taylor came home, this was the scene that greeted him: the floor was littered with broken items, and most prominently, the wedding photos were under my feet. Freddie Taylor’s mind went blank for a moment. Seeing my hysterical sTaylor, he actually forgot why he had come home to demand justice for Zelene Mackenzie.

“You… what’s gotten into you?” he asked.

He vaguely guessed what had happened but dared not think Taylorrther. He knew that if I found out the truth, our relationship would be utterly destroyed. Although he no longer loved me, he still didn’t want to let go.

He noticed the glass shards embedded in my feet.

“I’ll take you to the hospital,” he said.

As he approached, I slapped him again.

At that moment, Zelene Mackenzie’s distinctive ringtone sounded.

Unexpectedly, he didn’t answer.

Zelene Mackenzie was persistent, calling repeatedly.

In the end, he grew so annoyed that he powered off his phone.

Then I spoke.

My voice was hoarse.

“You’re a beast! Even a tiger doesn’t eat its own cub, yet you can forgive the murderer of your own child!”