Chapter 3

The moment Austin and Ellie heard me clear my throat, they immediately stopped. When Ellie saw it was me, she wrapped her arms more tightly around Austin and shot me a smug look.

She had already been angry that Austin had changed his ringtone. Now that I'd appeared in person, she found the perfect target for her frustration.

"What are you doing in my home? Have you no shame?"

Her home? Last I checked, this was Austin's CEO office suite, which meant it was our marital property. If anything, it was my home. But I wasn't interested in arguing over that.

"I just came to deliver something."

The moment she heard that, Ellie clearly assumed that this was my latest scheme to fight over Austin. But she wasn't worried. After all, she was carrying his child.

She walked toward me, excitement written all over her face.

"Ms. Parker, there's actually something I wanted to tell you too. I'm pregnant. You should be happy to hear that Austin is going to be a father, right? You know how badly he's always wanted a child!"

My entire body turned stiff as I stared at her in disbelief. By then, Austin had moved to her side and wrapped an arm around her, his face full of happiness.

"Brianna, you can't blame me for this. You can't have children. Sooner or later, I had to find someone who could."

In an instant, I felt the room spin. I thought I might collapse.

Austin and I once had two children.

The first pregnancy came at the wrong time, when we were both penniless and trying to build our careers. He had persuaded me to terminate it, promising that we'd have another chance.

The second pregnancy came after he'd started cheating. At the time, I'd just discovered the affair and rushed to catch him at the hotel. During the spat, Ellie shoved me, and I lost the baby. Doctors later told me that it would be extremely difficult for me to conceive a child again.

I still remembered waking up in the hospital. Austin sat beside my bed, swearing he would make it up to me and never betray me again. He even cut Ellie out of his life. For a while, things really did get better.

But people like Austin would never truly change.

Less than a year later, Ellie was back, and they continued their hotel affairs like before. The only difference was that Ellie never dared fight back when I confronted her. She simply let me vent my anger.

Now, they had a child.

I looked at the two people standing before me. Then, I raised my hand and slapped Ellie across the face. I used all my strength, and the blow sent her to the floor.

Sitting on the floor, she clutched her stomach and cried out in pain.

Austin grabbed my chin and said viciously, "How can you be so cruel? You've been pregnant before. You know better than anyone how fragile pregnant women are. Yet, you still hit her? Does everyone have to lose the chance to be a mother before you're satisfied?"

I couldn't believe just how vicious he was. I couldn't believe that the man I had loved for years was absolute garbage. I wanted nothing more to do with him.

Without saying another word, I threw the documents at him.

"Just sign the papers, and I'll leave right away."

Since yesterday, Austin had been unsettled by how different I'd seemed. But now, seeing what he assumed was yet another fake divorce agreement, he visibly relaxed, thinking I was just throwing another tantrum. Without even glancing at the papers, he signed his name.

"Aren't you tired of pulling this stunt every time? How long do you plan to keep up this act? Honestly, it's getting ridiculous!"

Then, he swept Ellie into his arms and rushed out toward the hospital.

Looking at his signature on the divorce papers, I finally relaxed.

Then, I immediately brought in a crew to clear out the CEO office suite. After all, the divorce agreement clearly stated that every share Austin owned in Cole Group now belonged to me.

The company was now mine.