Chapter 3

I ignored the bickering couple and walked into the operating room. The doctor regretfully told me, "I'm so sorry, your body is too fragile, and your emotions are unstable. We couldn't save the baby."

I gave a bitter laugh. "It's fine."

The doctor looked startled. "You're still young, you'll have other chances…"

Would I really have other chances? This wasn't my first miscarriage. The first time was when I was 20. Back then, we were both dirt poor, squeezed into a basement apartment, unable to afford a warm coat in winter. I collapsed from the cold on my way to deliver food to Julian. When I woke up, the baby was gone. And my body was damaged. I was young then, and with proper care, I could have recovered. But we were too poor. Busy making money, busy surviving. By the time our business finally showed some promise, I was busy catching him cheating, busy fighting off mistresses. In and out, it dragged on until now.

In the beginning, Julian had nothing. He knelt by my bed and said, "Aurora, I will definitely make something of myself and make up for all your suffering."

Later, Julian became successful. He held his mistress, looking at me. "Aurora, I know everything you've done for me."

"I promise you, I won't let any woman take your place, and I won't let them have a child before you do."

"Everything I have will only be for our flesh and blood."

Now… I looked out the window at the two of them, tightly embracing. I shook my head, a bitter smile on my face. "Forget it. I'm leaving soon, and a child would be inconvenient."

"Besides, Julian smokes, drinks, and has a chaotic private life. How could a child born in such circumstances be healthy?"

My father also built his empire with my mother's help. After he became successful, he had a string of mistresses. Because of this, I yearned for a genuine connection even more. But the first time I caught him cheating, Julian showed no remorse. Instead, he righteously told me, "Aurora, what's your problem?"

"Your dad has more than one lover; what's wrong with me occasionally having some fun outside?"

"Think about what your mother did!"

"You grew up around them, immersed in that world, how have you still not learned how to be a socialite?"

He used my most private pain as a weapon to hurt me. At that moment, I knew. Our love had reached its end. But because of that ten-year pact, I couldn't leave Julian. I could only watch him shamelessly insult my dignity and trample my feelings. The wedding I had fought so hard for became a cage. The love that once ran so deep became Julian's weapon against me.

I had eaten enough of the bitter fruit of family and love. Looking at the city gradually being swallowed by darkness, I couldn't help but wonder. Julian and I, why did we end up like this? Was it because of Chelsea? Or was it… that incident?