Chapter 2

There was a loud rumble of thunder outside, and Ian’s voice sounded exceptionally low under the sudden thunderclap.

Looking at his red eyes, I felt bitterness in my heart. Just as I was about to speak, a rapid knock on the door interrupted me.

"Ahh! Ahh! Ian, save me!"

Ian's expression changed slightly, and he immediately released me to open the door.

Ruby weakly threw herself into his arms, her palm-sized face full of panic. "My thoughts drifted back to that night again. Please keep me company. I'm so scared..."

"Of course I'll accompany you." Ian gently patted her back with his palm and turned around to look at me apologetically. "Kiera, there was a thunderstorm going on that night. Thunder makes Ruby recall her trauma. I have to accompany her tonight."

Before I could speak, he turned around and left with Ruby in his arms.

I slowly lay back on the bed, closing my eyes and hiding the sad tears in my eyes. I thought, 'Ian, I'm afraid of thunder too! You once said that you would accompany me on every stormy night, but you forgot your promise now that Ruby's around!'

I slowly caressed my belly, and the tears I had been holding back finally fell from the corners of my eyes. 'I'm sorry, baby. I was so looking forward to your birth, but your father had a change of heart. He's unworthy of being your father. I hope you can be born into a happy family.'

The next morning, Ian made sure Ruby and I had breakfast before going to work.

Not long after he left, Ian's mother, Karen Shaw, came home. Karen slapped me across the face as soon as she walked through the door. I was caught off guard, and my face swelled and burned.

Karen looked at me with disgust in her eyes. "I thought you were just petty, but I didn't expect you to fool around like this! The Shaw family can't afford to have a daughter-in-law like you. Divorce Ian tomorrow, and abort that child you're carrying! Even if it's born, the Shaw family will not recognize it!"

I swallowed the blood in my mouth and looked at Karen calmly. "It just so happens that I don't want to give birth to Ian's baby. I'll go to the hospital to abort the baby now!"

"Kiera, what nonsense are you talking about? I won't divorce you, and you're not allowed to abort the baby!" Ian had rushed back and was sweating profusely. His expression changed when he heard what I said.

"Who knows whose child she's carrying? What kind of spell has she put you under that you can't leave this wench?" Karen scolded.

Ian hugged me and slowly relaxed when he saw that I was fine. Facing Karen's interrogation, his eyes seemed to struggle as his mouth opened and closed several times.

I looked at his torn look, and a faint hope rose in my heart. It would be great if he spoke up to clarify the situation now.

Ian replied, "I love Kiera to the bone, so I don't care about that. I will raise the baby she's carrying as if it’s my own."

Hearing his words, I froze in place. The blood in my body froze to ice, and my heart felt like a huge hole had been punched into it. My husband had personally nailed me to the pillar of shame for Ruby’s sake. At that moment, I completely gave up. All the love I had for the man next to me was gone.

"Not only does your mother not want this child, but I also don't want it," I said.

After Karen left angrily, I coldly pushed Ian's arm away.

Ian asked, "Kiera, do you hate me so much that you're not even willing to keep the fruit of our love?"

"Yes, I hate you. You're unworthy of having a child to call your own!” I retorted as I stared into his eyes.

Looking at my resoluteness, anger flashed in Ian's eyes. His voice was as cold as ice. "You must give birth to this baby! You’ll stay in the villa for the time being!" He hurriedly left after saying that. He was afraid of seeing my hateful eyes.

Ian imprisoned me from that day onward. He took away my phone and sent someone to guard me. I did not understand why he was unwilling to let me go when he had clearly stopped loving me.

After living in the villa for a few days, Ruby's mother, Margot Jackson, burst in with some people. As soon as she entered, she taunted me, "How shameless! I wonder how you have the nerve to remain the mistress of the Shaw family."