Chapter 4

When I was having dinner, I suddenly felt nauseous and rushed to the bathroom to retch. Lexi put on a show of concern, but I caught a flicker of calculation in her eyes that made my skin crawl.

A few days later, at noon, Lexi appeared holding the painting of the Cat Beneath the Blossoms, smiling at me.

She stood on the second floor, looking down from above.

“I heard that this painting is really important to you. I wonder if I were to ask Calvin, do you think he would give it to me?”

My heart tightened. Of course he would. As long as it was Lexi who asked, he would give it to her.

Just like the bags I wanted and the jewelry I liked. They always ended up in her hands.

“If you want this painting, come upstairs with me.”

I had no idea how Lexi got hold of it. I had been searching for days, even secretly asking Calvin’s assistant if he knew where it was.

I followed her up to the rooftop.

“Give it back to me.”

Her gaze turned venomous. “Jump off from here. Do that, and I will give it to you.”

“What is it you really want?”

Lexi tapped her fingers against the railing, tilting her head. “Haven’t you already figured out what I want, Yvette? You keep saying you want a divorce, so why haven’t you left yet? You are just playing hard to get. Deep down, you still want to keep Calvin all to yourself. You cannot bear to let him go, right?”

She pretended to tear the painting. Panicked, I lunged for it and managed to grab hold. As I did, she leaned close and whispered in my ear with contempt, “Showtime.”

Then she suddenly clutched my hand and shoved it against her chest. The moment I pulled back in shock, she collapsed onto the terrace, teetering on the edge.

“Yvette, what are you doing!”

Calvin’s furious shout rang out as he rushed over. Before I could react, he kicked me hard. I stumbled back, crashing my head against a flowerpot.

Pain tore through my stomach and my vision blurred.

Lexi cried, “I saw Yvette trying to take the painting, so I grabbed it back. Who would have thought she would chase me up here and actually try to push me off…”

At her words, Calvin’s face turned monstrous. He yanked me forward, forcing me down in front of her. “Apologize to your sister-in-law!”

I was in so much pain. My jaw was tight as I bit down hard, refusing to speak.

Calvin yanked my loose hair, shouting in my face. “Are you mute? Apologize! Do not make me say it a third time!”

The pain tore at my scalp. I curled in on myself, clenching my teeth as every ounce of agony seemed to sink straight into my stomach.

“Calvin, my stomach hurts. Please, save our baby. He will not make it…”

He let out a cold and sharp sneer. “Why do you always lie? You are nothing but a liar!”

“I’m not…”

He cut me off with an icy cold voice. “Gone is gone. I do not want it anyway.”

He did not want our child.

A loud buzzing filled my head. I stared at him in shock. It felt like my heart stopped beating and the pain and sound fading into nothing.

“Do not go. Do not go…” I mouthed silently, clutching my belly.

After what felt like forever, Calvin stopped in front of me. I forced a bleak smile up at him. “As you wish.”