Chapter 2

Serena walked inside like she was the lady of the house, and the housekeepers around her couldn't help but lower their heads in her presence.

Evan led her to me and introduced us. "This is an old friend of mine, Serena Harroway. She'll be staying with us for a few days."

"An old friend of yours?" I chuckled. "Why have you never mentioned her?"

He froze for a second. Before he could respond, Serena's expression darkened. Lifting her chin arrogantly, she said, "It looks like I'm not welcome here, Mrs. Blackwell. In that case, I won't impose. There are plenty of places in Amarille that would be happy to take me in."

Right after saying that, she turned to leave. Instinctively, he grasped her arm.

Then, he looked at me with a frown. "Why are you asking so many questions today, Selena? I was just introducing her. I don't need your approval."

My heart, which had been calm a moment ago, suddenly felt as though someone had driven a blade straight through it. I had only asked a simple, ordinary question. Yet, he turned around and reprimanded me just because Serena was displeased.

Evan had never raised his voice at me in the three years we had been married. I tried my best to compose myself, but my voice was still shaky. "Don't get the wrong idea, Ms. Harroway. My husband is the owner of this estate, so you can stay as long as you like."

Serena's lips curled into a triumphant smile before she brushed past me and strutted toward the dining room. Evan watched her with a helpless smile before following right after her.

The housekeepers' eyes were all on me, filled with mockery and disbelief.

The couple chatted animatedly at the dining table. Evan asked about her years studying abroad. Their conversation didn't cross any lines, but the glint in his eyes was impossible for me to miss.

"Why aren't you eating, Mrs. Blackwell? Is my presence ruining your appetite?" Serena picked up a piece of crab and placed it on my plate.

Before I could respond, Evan took it and placed it on his plate. "She's allergic to crab."

"Oh? Is that so?" Serena stiffened before letting out a soft chuckle. "You're still as attentive as ever, Evan. Don't tell me you've made another little notebook listing all her likes and habits. I still have the one you wrote for me back then.

"You're so lucky, Mrs. Blackwell. I'm sure that, after three years of marriage, that notebook must be filled by now."

Without saying a word, I lowered my head because Evan had kept a notebook about me.

The atmosphere became painfully awkward. I couldn't take it anymore, so I set my cutlery down and said coldly, "Please carry on without me. I don't feel so well."

Evan nodded. "I'll have our family physician check on you later."

Serena sneered, "She'll probably spring back to life once I'm gone. I can't believe she's so petty. I'm only staying a few days."

"That's enough, Serena," Evan cut her off. "After all this time, you still talk without a filter."

He then turned to me. "Don't mind her, Selena. She's always been this blunt."

I wanted to answer him, but a wave of dizziness washed over me. I merely nodded and turned to leave, steadying myself against the wall.

However, I didn't get far. After taking a couple of steps, I collapsed, clutching my neck and gasping for air, my face turning a frightening shade of purple.

"Selena!" Evan immediately rushed over.

The family physician surrounded me with his staff. "Mrs. Blackwell is having a severe allergic reaction, Mr. Blackwell. She needs to be rushed to the hospital right away, or she may suffocate."

"But she didn't eat any crab!" Evan bellowed.

The chef hurried over and explained, "I'm so sorry, Mr. Blackwell! You specifically mentioned that the guest liked crab, so I used crab oil to season some of the other dishes…"

Evan was furious, yet he didn't have time to punish the chef. He scooped me into his arms and bolted out.

Serena sighed. "It looks like I'll be spending my first night back in the country on my own. I wonder who promised he'd stay with me tonight and listen to everything I've been through in the car earlier."

After hearing that, Evan stopped dead in his tracks.

"Don't worry about me. Go ahead. She's your wife, after all. I have plenty of friends in Amarille anyway." With that, she picked up her bag and turned to leave. However, as she walked past Evan, he grasped her tightly.

He placed me into Gale's arms. "Get her to the hospital. I'll come over later."

Through my hazy consciousness, I saw Evan snatch Serena's bag and walk upstairs with her. My body burned with an unbearable itchiness, yet it was nothing compared to the pain in my chest.

Gale couldn't help but sigh on the way to the hospital. "Poor Mrs. Blackwell… Mr. Blackwell loves Ms. Harroway even more than I imagined."

…

When we arrived at the hospital, I was rushed to the emergency room.

The doctor said I would've been in grave danger if I had been brought in any later. "How could you have been so careless? I can't believe you'd let a pregnant woman near something she's allergic to. You almost caused her to lose her baby!"

Gale and I shot up in disbelief.

"I'm pregnant?"

"She's pregnant?"

"Yep, you're about a month along. Didn't you know?"

I had no idea.

At that moment, my emotions were all over the place. It felt as though the universe was toying with me. Why did this have to happen now, right when I'd made up my mind to leave Evan?

"This is wonderful news. Mr. Blackwell will be thrilled!" Gale immediately pulled out his phone.

I snatched it from him. "Don't tell him."

He seemed puzzled. "Why not? Mr. Blackwell will be overjoyed. After all, he was previously injured, and the doctors said it would be difficult for him to have children.

"The baby you're carrying is a miracle. If you tell him, he will give you anything you want! Even if you want him to leave Ms. Harroway—" His voice stopped cold as he realized what he'd just said.

I merely lowered my head and smiled. "I'll tell him. If any of you tell him before I do, I won't let you off the hook!"

After he left, I rested my hand on my stomach and got lost in thought.

All of a sudden, I remembered the day I'd first met Evan. I had been in a foul mood because my father had forced me into an arranged marriage, and I had assumed that anyone with such a fortune would be a graying businessman twice my age.

However, the moment I had looked up, I had frozen in place. He had been young and handsome, sitting on a black leather couch with a cigarette between his fingers, looking at me coldly.

"Come here." He had curled his fingers at me. At that moment, for some reason unbeknownst to me, I had walked up to him as if I'd been tugged by a chain.

He had pulled me onto his lap, his fingers brushing through my hair as he murmured against my ear, "Has anyone ever told you you're beautiful?"

Before I could answer, he had cupped my face and kissed me. It had been my first kiss with a man I had just met. Yet, that kiss had somehow been the most breathtaking moment of my life.

I felt a pang in my chest as I thought about all that. I couldn't help but lift my hand to touch my dry, chapped lips.

Those three sweet years were gone in the blink of an eye. I wasn't beautiful; I just happened to look like her.

After what felt like forever, I let out a shaky breath and called the doctor. "I'd like to book an abortion."