Chapter 2

Margaret’s POV

“I don’t want raw steak.”

I kept my voice as steady as I could when I spoke.

Adrian paused for a moment, as if something had just occurred to him. His tone shifted slightly.

“Oh. Right…” he said.

“You probably shouldn’t have it right now. I almost forgot you’re sensitive to that kind of smell.”

There was a trace of regret in his voice, but no urgency.

“I’m sorry, Margaret.”

Elara turned her head and glanced at me. The apology in her red eyes was measured, precise.

“Ever since I got pregnant,” she said lightly,

“I’ve been craving raw beef.”

She shrugged, as if a little embarrassed.

“But if it really makes you uncomfortable, we could always switch to another place.”

Elara said it casually, then looked at Adrian with a quiet, helpless softness.

Adrian’s gaze shifted back and forth between the two of us. He looked visibly conflicted.

“How about this,” he said after a moment of hesitation.

“I’ll stay with Elara and let her eat what she wants first. After that, I’ll take you somewhere you’re comfortable with. Alright?”

I looked at them and said nothing.

Something about his insistence felt wrong.

And Elara’s seemingly considerate compromise only made one thing painfully clear to me—

I had already been pushed to the sidelines.

I stayed silent.

I waited for him to realize that the fact I was still standing there was already my limit.

I waited for him to finally make a choice.

But time passed, second by second, and Adrian said nothing.

His eyes continued to move between Elara and me, his hesitation written plainly on his face.

My patience finally ran out.

I turned around and stopped a cab.

“Forget it,” I said.

“I’ll go home and eat there.”

Adrian’s voice followed from behind me, sharp with irritation rather than concern.

“Margaret, stop making a scene. We’re in public.”

I didn’t respond.

Before getting into the car, I turned back and looked at them one last time.

“Enjoy your meal.”

Then I shut the door, cutting off his voice entirely.

My hands clenched tightly in my lap as the car pulled away. My heart was racing, painfully fast.

Not just from anger.

But from something far harder to face.

Adrian didn’t follow me.

He didn’t even try to stop me.

That alone told me everything I needed to know.

I am his wife.

His pregnant wife.

But ever since he decided to “protect” Elara’s child,both me and the life growing inside my body had been erased from his sight.

This baby had once been my only hope.

But now, for the first time, I realized—

Maybe I never should have brought him into this world in the first place.

If he was destined to be born into a family like this.

A family where a father gave all his attention to another child.

What did it matter that Valemont was the most prestigious vampire family?

He would never be acknowledged by his father.

And all he would have was a weak, powerless human mother.

I shouldn’t let my child come into this world just to suffer.

…...

By the time I returned to the residence, I was already drained and thought I could finally rest.

Instead, I saw Adrian waiting for me.

His brow was deeply furrowed, as if he were bearing some immense moral burden.

The moment he entered, he dropped to his knees in front of me.

“Please, baby, don’t be mad at me,” he said.

He set the paper bag down between us, the kind from bakery I liked, still warm.

He had even remembered the one I always chose.

His expression was earnest this time. I saw grievance there, and a quiet trace of helplessness, as if the absurd things that had happened were somehow my fault instead of his.

“This isn’t what you think.”

According to him, he had been forced into this position as well.

He said he had been handling family affairs when Elara suddenly appeared, crying and begging him for help.

They had grown up together. Their families had always been close.

If Elara’s family discovered she was pregnant with a low-ranking vampire’s baby,the only thing waiting for her would be a forced abortion.

She wanted to keep the baby.

Adrian said he couldn’t stand by and watch that happen.

So he agreed to temporarily claim the child as his own.

And just as expected, once Elara’s family learned of this, they didn’t react with anger. Instead, they completely let their guard down.

After all, who would reject a child destined to inherit the Valemont vampire bloodline?

“I really need you to trust me,” he said.

He paused for a long time before continuing.

“It's like saving a life.”

“If I don’t do this, her child will be killed by her family.”

“So?” I interrupted him.

“So you decided to let my child be a bastard?”

“To let him exist without a father, without recognition?”

Adrian took my hands and pressed them against his lips.

“I’m sorry.”

“Just endure it a little longer.”

“Once Elara gives birth, I’ll bring our child home and officially acknowledge him.”

“I can’t just watch Elara lose her child.”

I took a deep breath.

“Then it seems…”

“My child doesn’t need to be born at all.”

“No!”

Adrian sprang to his feet. His anger finally surfaced, and I caught a glimpse of his pale fangs.

“Why can’t you understand?”

“I’ve already told you—I will acknowledge our child. You just need to wait a few months.”

“Baby you can trust me. You shouldn’t have to make any decision on your own.”

With that, he turned and left.

He didn’t even look back at me as I collapsed weakly onto the sofa.

As if everything had already been arranged according to his will.

…

The next day, security around the estate was noticeably tightened.

Adrian hired more guards and even placed vampire spells at the main gate. In my condition, I couldn’t leave at all.

He took my phone away as well.

Every servant in this house was monitoring me.

Every single day in that week, he stopped by my door, checked on me, and walked away in silence.

Not to comfort me, but to make sure I wouldn’t lose control.

…

A few days later, Elara arrived with her mother.

The moment that woman saw me, she let out a cold laugh.

“How shameless.”

“You’re just a human, carrying someone else’s child, and you still dare to use the Valemont name?”

She wrapped an arm around Elara, her voice filled with false tenderness.

“My poor girl.”

“You must have suffered so much.”

One suitcase after another was carried into the residence.

Elara began directing everything like the lady of the house.

When it was over, she stood in front of me, smiling without the slightest restraint.

“You thought you won by marrying him?”

“Look at what is happening now.”

“Your bed. Your room. Your house.”

“They’ll all be mine soon.”

“Because you’re just a human. You never belonged here.”

“Neither does that filthy child in your womb.”

I couldn’t take it anymore.

I walked toward her, raised my hand, and slapped her with every ounce of strength I had left.

She screamed and fell onto the sofa.

At that exact moment, Adrian appeared at the doorway.

The timing was almost too perfect.

I didn’t have time to think.

All I knew was that as long as I still had strength left in my body, I wanted to hit her again.

After being humiliated like this, I had completely lost control of my anger.