Chapter 3

I spent the entire night reading Anna's diary. Over the past two years, she'd taken more than 100 flights, and every page of her diary was filled with Billy's name.

By the time dawn broke, I was standing outside Billy's house.

A pair of Anna's high heels sat by the entrance, and lighthearted laughter drifted from the kitchen.

Anna had never cooked for me once. Yet, there she was, wearing an apron and making soup for Billy.

Billy wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. "You should go back and check on Craig. He must be heartbroken being all alone."

Anna's tone was indifferent, as though she were talking about someone who had nothing to do with her. "What does he have to be heartbroken about? I'm pregnant, and he hasn't even taken proper care of me. And now he expects me to comfort him?

"Billy, I don't think I ever loved Craig that much. Not back then, and not now. There's nothing about him that compares to you."

Her words pierced straight through my heart.

We had been together for five years. I'd stood by her side as she built her company from the ground up and took it public, only to hear her say she'd never really loved me that much.

I could no longer hold back. Rage overwhelmed my reason.

By the time I came to my senses, my palm had already struck Anna across the face.

"Anna, we're over. I'll let you two have each other."

Billy immediately stepped forward to stop me. "Craig, don't get the wrong idea. Anna's just—"

I flung the pregnancy report and diary straight at his face. "The baby is yours, isn't it? Have you two no shame? Why bother pretending anymore?"

Anna bent down and picked up the things, her expression eerily calm. "Craig, so what if the baby is Billy's? Our wedding is next week—if we break up now, how are you going to explain it to our families?"

"I'm sorry, Craig. I'll take Anna to get an abortion right away," Billy said guiltily.

Anna immediately clung to his arm and glared coldly at me. "I won't agree to that! Craig, you're the one who can't perform in bed. You've struggled to get me pregnant all these years. Now that I've finally managed to conceive, you should be thanking Billy instead.

"Besides, the fact that I'm still willing to go through with the wedding with you is already more than you deserve. After all, your reputation is so terrible. Who else would want you if not me?"

Billy tried to cover her mouth, but it was already too late.

I froze, feeling as though her words had shot through my heart.

When I was 19 years old, I accidentally got my ex-girlfriend pregnant. She came to me in tears, and knowing the timing was far from ideal, I went with her to get an abortion.

But when I returned to campus, rumors had spread like wildfire.

People said I was promiscuous and had spread a venereal disease. They called me a scumbag and accused me of refusing to take responsibility after getting my girlfriend pregnant.

I posted several lengthy explanations online, but no one believed me. I was ostracized and bullied. Whenever I went, people pointed at me and whispered behind my back.

More than once, I nearly died.

It was Billy who repeatedly pulled me back from the brink of despair.

Later, he even introduced me to Anna.

She had never believed the rumors about me. And whenever she heard someone badmouthing me, she'd rush to my defense and confront them head-on.

The day Anna and I got together, the entire campus was in an uproar.

Everyone said Anna had gone crazy. After all, why would the campus belle choose to date a pathetic loser with a stained reputation?

But she had simply squeezed my hand tightly and said, "Craig is the most wonderful person in the whole world. You have no idea how I wish I could give him everything I have."

And I had believed her.

Yet, now, the very person who had pulled me out of the abyss was the one pushing me back into it with her own hands.

I looked into Anna's eyes. They had once been filled with tenderness, but now, all that remained was cold indifference.

"Anna, you once told me you didn't believe the rumors and that you trusted me. What about now?" I asked.

Anna said nothing, but the look in her eyes had already given me the answer.

Seeing how utterly devastated and hopeless I looked, Billy finally panicked.

"Craig, don't take it to heart. Anna was just saying things out of anger."

He reached out to grab my hand, but I was so furious that I violently shoved him away.

A sharp cry of pain rang out as Billy fell to the floor and struck his head against the corner of the table. Clutching his bleeding forehead, he went deathly pale.

Before I could even react, a tremendous force came crashing toward me.

Anna shoved me hard against the table. A glass shattered on impact, and its fragments pierced my palm. Blood gushed out instantly, yet I didn't feel any pain.

Anna helped Billy to his feet, her eyes red as she screamed at me, "Craig, if anything happens to Billy, I will never forgive you! And you can forget about ever having that wedding!"

Without sparing me another glance, she hurriedly led Billy away.

I remained kneeling amid the shattered glass, blood covering my hands.

Anna still had no idea that even without her, the wedding would go on.