Chapter 2

I woke up the next day and took out the gold bangle from my bedside table. It was exactly the one that I remembered it to be, and it gleamed brightly under the light.

It was a hefty bangle, too, and it certainly seemed like it was 3.22 troy ounces.

I brought the bangle with me to the hospital first thing in the morning. I then requested for a prenatal checkup and also a thorough examination of my body and health.

The doctors and nurses couldn't help chuckling at that. "You're very healthy, Ms. Owens. Your baby is also very healthy and growing well. You don't have to worry that much about it."

I heaved a sigh of relief. Fortunately, my baby was still healthy inside me, and its nutrients hadn't been sucked away by the baby in Irene's belly yet.

After that, I went to a jewelry store and had a replica of the gold bangle made in-store, with gold of the same purity and weight. Then, I put it into my bag before hurrying straight home.

Irene and Pierre were home for once, which was odd. Usually, at this time of the day, they would have already been out drinking and partying at the bar.

When Irene saw my bare wrist, she was clearly very displeased. However, she couldn't show it plainly on her face, so she spoke aggrievedly, saying, "It was Mom's death anniversary last night. I dreamed about her.

"But all she did was scold me, saying she regretted ever having me as her daughter. She also said that she would never leave anything of her own for me. Did you also dream about Mom last night, Ingrid?"

There was a hint of impatience in her eyes. I met her expectant gaze and nodded.

"I dreamed of Mom yesterday, too. She said that she left a gold bangle for me."

"Why aren't you wearing it, then? You can't possibly let Mom down!"

Irene grabbed my hand urgently, her face contorted with rage.

I retrieved the bangle from my bag and began putting it on for her. "I know that Mom didn't mean what she said about you. You know that you've always been her favorite child growing up. You deserve all the nice things. I'll just give the bangle to you."

Irene got a fright and stumbled backward, frantically waving her hands. "No way! Mom left that especially for you! I can't possibly take it away from you!"

While speaking, she suddenly grabbed my hand forcefully, snatched the bangle away with her other hand, and forced it over my knuckles and onto my wrist. She didn't stop even though her nails dug so deeply into my flesh that the skin broke, causing blood to trickle out.

She only heaved a sigh of relief after seeing the bangle firmly around my wrist.

"This is Mom's gift to you, so you must cherish it and wear it properly! Who knows, maybe it will even bring health and blessings for your baby too!"

Her tone was sarcastic as she spoke. Then, she turned around coldly and grabbed a bottle of whiskey before returning to her room.

I waited until the sounds of Irene and Pierre's loud and lewd lovemaking could be heard from their room before going out and knocking on the neighbor's door.

I then slid the cursed bangle around the ferociously barking and snarling rabid dog at the door before returning to my room to continue with my aerobic exercises.

Paul and Rose came back in the evening.

At the dinner table, Rose's face was solemn as she asked Irene, "What's with both of you being so rowdy with each other every day like this? Are you not planning to give birth to my grandchild anymore?"

Irene exchanged a glance with Pierre before both of them turned their calculating eyes toward me.

"Don't worry about it, Mom. Our baby will definitely be a very healthy boy," Irene replied. "Why don't you tell Ingrid to stop doing those useless exercises instead? Look at how small her tummy is. I bet hers is going to be a stillborn."

She was already brazenly cursing me like this.

Paul's face darkened. He instinctively wanted to defend me and yell at them, but all of a sudden, Irene clutched at her stomach and screamed that she was in great pain.

Rose immediately got someone to rush her to the hospital. On the way there, Rose even blamed Pierre for not taking good care of Irene while she was pregnant.

Irene was in such great pain that she was completely covered in cold sweat. However, she wouldn't stop glaring intently at my wrist, where the gleaming gold bangle lay.

A hint of confusion appeared in her eyes.

"Aren't you feeling any discomfort at all, Ingrid?"