Chapter 2

The moment Edward heard the voice on the phone, shock flashed across his face.

In the very next second, he strode forward, snatched my phone out of my hand, and ended the call before I could even react.

"Audrey," he said mockingly, waving the phone in front of me. "You've really come a long way, haven't you? Your tricks are getting more convincing by the day. Did you actually pay people to stage this whole act? Now you've even figured out how to fake phone calls, spinning some fairy tale about a rich husband."

He smirked, making no effort whatsoever to hide his contempt. "Do you really think fooling yourself like this is getting you anywhere?"

I was so furious at his shameless confidence that I actually laughed.

"Edward Harrington, are you really this delusional? Do you honestly believe you're important enough for me to waste time hiring actors and staging a show just for you?"

I looked at him coldly.

"I, Audrey Calloway, don't have the spare time to fight over a pile of trash."

Edward's expression darkened on the spot. The veins in his temples throbbed, standing out sharply against his skin.

Lily said through her sobs, "Audrey, I know you've always hated me. Back then, I was young and stupid. I let greed get the better of me and copied your jewelry design ideas…"

Then she made a show as though she was about to lower herself to her knees before me.

Edward panicked immediately.

"Lily! What are you doing? You're pregnant!"

Lily pushed his hand away.

"It was me. I took your jewelry designs and passed them off as my own in the competition. That gold award should have been yours. And because of me, you lost your job… For all these years, the guilt has been eating away at me…"

She sniffed hard, as though she had just made the most heroic sacrifice of her life. "I'll tell everyone the gold award was yours. I'll clear your name and apologize to you publicly."

She paused, then pleaded humbly, "I don't want my reputation or career. None of it matters anymore. All I'm asking is that you walk away from Edward. Let my baby have a complete family."

She made another attempt to kneel, but Edward reacted first, pulling her tightly into his arms.

A surge of anguish and rage exploded from within him.

"Did you hear that? Lily already apologized to you. What else do you want? How far are you trying to push her? Have you completely lost your conscience?"

He grabbed my wrist hard enough to hurt.

"Audrey, that's enough!"

He stepped closer and pointed a finger directly at my face.

"Stop putting on this pathetic act already! If you keep causing trouble like this, even the last bit of feelings I have for you will disappear completely! Don't push me!"

I violently shook his hand off and immediately wiped my wrist in disgust.

I honestly wanted to ask him where all that confidence and audacity came from.

Just as I was about to speak, my phone rang again.

This time, it was the custom ringtone for our family doctor, Dr. Drake Hilton.

Edward didn't even glance at the screen. He just reached for my phone, ready to kill the call again.

"Don't touch my phone!" I snapped, lunging forward.

We grappled for the phone, and in the chaos, I accidentally switched on the speakerphone.

"Mrs. Miller, this is Dr. Hilton."

Dr. Hilton's delighted voice came over the line.

"Your blood test results are out. Congratulations, you're pregnant. I've already shared the good news with Mr. Miller."

After that, the rest of his words blurred into nothing. I couldn't hear a thing.

I didn't even notice when Edward reached over and ended the call again.

My mind had already gone completely blank, overwhelmed by joy and disbelief.

Scott and I had been married for more than two years, and all this time, we had hoped for a child of our own.

Now, our wish had finally come true.

I instinctively placed a hand over my lower abdomen.

Edward stood frozen in place, unable to process what he had just heard.

Lily, on the other hand, looked positively delighted when she realized I was carrying another man's child.

I lifted my gaze and swept it coldly across them. All I felt now was disgust.

Even looking at them felt like bad luck, and I wasn't about to let their filth come anywhere near the child I had waited and prayed for all these years.

I snatched my phone back and dialed a number.