Chapter 2 The Family They Built Without Me

Nolan pulled me into his arms and laughed softly. He had the gall to act as though I was just throwing a childish tantrum.

"Come on," he coaxed. "You went through so much just to marry me. You're not really going to divorce me over something this minor, are you?"

"Something minor?" I shoved him away so hard he stumbled back, then I ran out the door without looking back.

People pointed at me and whispered behind my back as I trudged through the neighborhood.

I heard every word clearly.

They said I got pregnant before marriage, dumped my child on Irene, and ran off to marry a rich man.

I could afford to ride in luxury cars now. Yet, I still refused to take responsibility for my own son and only knew how to burden my poor sister.

…

My sleeves were soaked with tears by the time my legs crumpled upon a bench in the park.

I thought, 'Guess that answers why Nolan, who never willingly came back with me, suddenly insisted on coming this time.

'This never was a family dinner; it was a setup—a trap made just for me. And I was the fool who had walked into it with a smile on my face.'

My phone kept vibrating with messages from Nolan.

"Stop making a scene. If you keep this up, it's going to get ugly. Irene didn't do anything wrong. Wasn't it always your dream to have a real family together?'

Just then, my mother posted a new video on her social media. Her caption said, "A happy family of five, safe, healthy, and blessed."

Nolan held Irene and Kayden close under the glittering fireworks, as if they were his true family. As I looked at the picture, the fact that the three fetuses I had lost and that I had never been his family finally settled under my skin.

I wiped away my tears and began collecting evidence of Nolan's affair.

I had trusted him too much before. I had never even checked our shared accounts.

Now that I finally had the mind to go through the accounts, I discovered he transferred 100,000 each month to an unfamiliar account. I knew right then it was Irene's account.

Nolan had been right. I had suffered a great deal just to marry him.

After his parents' accident, his father died, his mother became paralyzed, and his family went bankrupt under massive debt.

Back then, we squeezed into a 160-square-foot rental apartment, barely bigger than a storage room. We drank tap water and survived on dollar-store bread rolls.

I went to the hospital to care for his mother every morning. I fed her, cleaned her body, and changed her clothes. I did all of it myself.

As night fell, I would accompany him to business dinners and drink on his behalf until my stomach cramped so severely that I almost vomited blood on the sidewalk.

I continued to live frugally even after Nolan reestablished his company and achieved success again because I understood how difficult things had been for him. I endured the ridicule from his wealthy friends and never dared to spend money recklessly.

He always said I was so understanding that it hurt his heart.

However, he never bought me a single meaningful gift, as all his money went to Irene. She received designer gowns, diamond bracelets, limited-edition bags, and even a private beach villa worth millions.

My phone slipped from my hand and shattered against the pavement.

The cracked screen reflected my pale face.

I used every ounce of strength just to stop my hands from shaking long enough to save screenshots of every transaction.

...

The next morning, I went home to pack my things.

What I saw was Nolan walking out of Irene's bedroom shirtless.

When he saw me, he narrowed his eyes lazily, clearly in a good mood. "Babe, you're back?"

Irene wrapped her arms around his neck smugly. Her skin was covered in marks that made it obvious what they had been doing.

Nonetheless, I had already shed all my tears yesterday. Now, my heart felt completely numb.

I laughed bitterly. "You're sleeping together openly now, and you still won't agree to a divorce?"

Nolan walked over and hugged me from behind, resting his chin on my shoulder.

I could still smell Irene's perfume on him.

"Babe, we did this for you," he drawled shamelessly. "Weren't you scared that Irene and I still had feelings for each other?"

He chuckled softly. "Well, we've tested it. Turns out there's nothing left between us. The only person I love now is you."

Irene rolled her eyes dramatically.

"Honestly, Nolan, why are you still using the same moves I taught you years ago?" she teased. "Compared to the guys I've been seeing lately, you're seriously disappointing."

Then, she walked toward me with a smirk. She tilted her head mockingly. "So? How does it feel using a man I trained for you?"

Her smile widened. "Oh, and on your wedding night? I was the one coaching him then."

I raised my hand and hit her across the face as hard as I could.