Chapter 8

The slap came out of nowhere. Remi’s head snapped to the side, and for a moment, she could not even process what had just happened.

Across from her, Sydney had rolled up her sleeves, her expression twisted with fury.

“Where did you crawl out from, you shameless woman? How dare you get plastic surgery to look like me? Are you trying to scheme your way into replacing me because James’s been favoring me lately?” She sneered. “Let me tell you something. That will never happen. I will be the only Mrs. Hudson. Today, I’ll show you what happens when you try to seduce James.”

Only then did Remi connect the dots. This must be the substitute James had chosen, and clearly, he had never told Sydney about her existence. That was why Sydney thought she was just another woman trying to steal the position of Mrs. Hudson.

Remi took a deep breath and was just about to explain. However, before she could speak, Sydney suddenly kicked the back of her knee. A sharp pain shot through her leg, and she collapsed to her knees instantly. When she tried to push herself up, Sydney’s friends rushed forward and pinned her down tightly, making it impossible for her to move.

“There I was, wondering why James would head out every night,” Sydney spat. “As it turns out, it’s because of you, you filthy woman! You know he’s crazy about me, don’t you? And that’s why you used a face like mine to get his attention!”

The accusations were so ridiculous that Remi laughed. However, seeing that Sydney was also being deceived, she forced down her anger and said as calmly as she could, “You should leave now. If James comes back and sees this, he won’t let you off.”

What was meant to be a warning made Sydney burst into laughter. “He won’t let me off? That’s hilarious. Who do you think you are to threaten me with James? Do you know how much he loves me? Do you know I’m carrying his child?”

She placed a hand over her belly, her eyes gleaming with arrogance. “Even if I killed you today, he would only dote on me and help clean up the mess. Instead of worrying about me, you should worry about yourself.”

A chill ran down Remi’s spine.

“What are you trying to do?” she asked.

Sydney grabbed her hair and forced her head up, studying her face carefully. Then, she smiled—sweet on the surface but filled with malice.

“You did a pretty good job on this face. For a second, even I could not tell us apart. But soon, it won’t be yours anymore.”

As she spoke, her sharp nails dug viciously into Remi’s cheek.

“Ah!”

Remi felt like her flesh was being torn apart, piece by piece. The agonizing pain was crushing her until she could barely breathe. She struggled desperately, but with several people holding her down, she could only endure as Sydney’s nails dragged across her skin. Blood began to stream down along those crimson lines.

Sydney’s friends swarmed in next, kicking and punching her without restraint. The pain was so intense that her entire body started to go numb. Watching her curl up in agony, Sydney smiled in satisfaction.

Finally, Remi shouted hoarsely, “You’ve got it wrong! I’m not some woman seducing James. I’m his wife, the legally married Mrs. Hudson!”

Her words, however, were met with more laughter. Sydney withdrew her hand and held her stomach as she threw her head back, laughing even harder.

“You’re his wife? Then what am I?”

“Yeah, right!”

“We’ve never heard of Mr. Hudson being married.”

Her friends chimed in mockingly.

Sydney wiped away tears of laughter and looked at her with blatant contempt. “If you wish to climb into James’s bed, just say so. Aren’t you afraid he’ll skin you alive for making up lies like this? You say you’re his wife? Quit dreaming.”

Remi looked at them with a heavy heart. Back when she and James got married, she had insisted on keeping things low-key. Outside of their inner circle, almost no one knew she was his wife. Now, that secrecy had become the very proof people used to deny her identity. On top of that, after their recent fight, James had deliberately taken so many intimate photos with Sydney. To outsiders, it was obvious who he intended to marry in the future.

However, how could Sydney not realize? She came from an ordinary family and was mismatched in status with the Hudson family. Out of countless women, why would James choose her, let alone allow her to bear his child?

Remi’s hands slowly tightened into fists as she struggled to rise.

“I really am his wife. If you don’t believe me, call James right now!”

Before she could stand, Sydney stepped down hard on the back of her hand. The pointed heel of Sydney’s heels ground mercilessly against her fingers.

“Are you still trying to lie to us? It seems the lesson I gave you wasn’t enough. Someone, go to the kitchen and bring me a sharp knife. I’d like to see just how long this woman can keep up her act.”