Chapter 2

That single word stared back at Karina from the screen.

She should’ve been used to it by now.

In seven years of marriage, Mark had never cared about how she felt.

As far as he was concerned, providing for her financially was already more than enough.

Seven years.

Even a dog would’ve earned some affection after seven years.

But not only did her husband not love her, even her own son thought another woman was better.

Karina let out a soft laugh and locked her phone.

People who weren’t worth her time didn’t deserve any more of her energy.

Just then, Mark’s assistant, Ethan Cole, called.

“Mrs. Foster, the family dinner is starting soon. Please don’t be late.”

Karina’s fingertips went cold.

“I know.”

Even something like this had to be relayed to her by his assistant in that distant, businesslike tone.

How ridiculous.

The first time Mark had ever brought their son to her clinic, it hadn’t been to pick her up after work.

It had been to take another woman home.

Fine.

After seven years, she had finally seen things clearly.

She might as well settle everything at tonight’s family dinner.

By the time she stepped out of the clinic, the sky had gone completely dark.

Rain came pouring down.

Karina stood beneath her umbrella and stared at the rideshare app on her phone. There were fifty people ahead of her waiting for a driver.

With no other choice, she started walking toward the main road, hoping she could flag down a cab.

But after walking for what felt like forever, she still hadn’t seen a single empty taxi.

The family dinner was about to start.

Karina had no choice but to call Mark again.

No matter how much he disliked her, he had to take her with him tonight.

The phone rang again and again.

Just when she thought he wasn’t going to answer, the call connected.

Karina pushed down the emotions churning inside her and was about to speak when a woman’s voice came through the phone.

“Karina Jackson, you really are your mother’s daughter. Neither of you has any shame when it comes to stealing someone else’s man.”

Serena’s voice was lazy and smug.

“I thought I made myself perfectly clear earlier, but apparently you’re still shameless enough to cling to him.

“But I’m not as weak as my mother was. If you want to be the other woman, go ahead and try.”

Then she deliberately drew out her voice and called sweetly,

“Honey…”

The word pierced straight through Karina’s heart.

They weren’t even divorced yet, and Mark was already this eager.

Apparently, he didn’t care about the Foster family’s rules at all.

Then again, why would he?

If Mark’s grandmother hadn’t forced him back then, he never would’ve married Karina in the first place.

“My mother was legally married to him. She wasn’t the mistress.”

Karina’s voice turned cold.

“You and your mother are.”

With that, she hung up.

The rain only grew heavier.

Most of her clothes were already soaked through.

A gust of wind cut through her, icy against her skin.

Karina pulled her coat tighter around herself and kept walking, raising a hand whenever a car approached.

She had no idea how long she’d been out there when a car finally pulled over beside her.

The window rolled down.

Behind the wheel was Mark’s younger brother, Ryan Foster.

He gave her a casual glance, his expression distant.

“Get in.”

“Thanks.”

Karina climbed into the back seat without another word.

She knew better than anyone that no one in the Foster family had ever truly accepted her.

The rest of the ride passed in silence.

After a long while, Ryan was the first to speak.

“Stay away from Serena from now on. She’s in poor health and can’t handle being upset.”

Karina stiffened slightly, irritation flashing in her eyes as she stared out the window.

He was already the third person today to warn her about Serena.

Ryan caught her cold expression and let out a mocking laugh.

“The Foster family owes Serena a lot. She and my brother grew up together. They were childhood sweethearts.

“If she hadn’t gotten seriously ill and gone abroad for treatment, you never would’ve had the chance to marry into this family.

“But what’s done is done. There’s no point talking about it now.

“Since you’re already Mark’s wife, know your place, behave yourself, and don’t do anything you shouldn’t.”

Karina pressed her lips together, her expression turning cold.

“So my mother deserved to be lied to and humiliated by a mistress?

“I’m Mark’s legally wedded wife. Your family seems awfully eager to replace me with another woman. Does Grandma know about that?”

That set Ryan off.

His expression darkened, and he slammed on the brakes.

The car came to an abrupt stop in the pouring rain.

Karina lurched forward and hit the back of the front seat.

“Karina Jackson, you really are just as shameless as your mother.

“If your mother hadn’t wrecked Serena’s family back then, Serena never would’ve been traumatized and gotten sick!

“And if you hadn’t taken advantage of my brother, slept with him, and then lied about being pregnant, Grandma never would’ve forced him to marry you!”

Ryan gave her a contemptuous look.

“You really wanted him that badly? Even when he was calling another woman’s name in bed?”

Karina went ice-cold.

That night, she could have pushed Mark away.

But in the middle of it, he’d called out a name that sounded like the childhood nickname only her mother had ever used for her.

She’d thought that meant some part of him cared about her too.

Now she understood.

He hadn’t been calling for her at all.

He’d been calling Serena’s name.

The realization was almost laughable.

More than anything, Karina just felt tired.

She didn’t want to argue anymore.

She opened the door and got out.

Rain immediately pounded against her face, blurring her vision.

Before their wedding, she had asked Mark again and again whether he truly wanted to marry her.

Back then, she’d had selfish reasons of her own.

Her mother had been gravely ill, and her greatest wish was to see Karina settled down before she died.

And Karina had already been in love with Mark for years.

So when he finally said yes, she married him without hesitation.

She’d believed that given enough time, he might eventually fall in love with her too.

She’d thought she could melt that cold heart of his.

Now she realized she’d been fooling herself from the very beginning.

The next second, Ryan stepped on the gas and sped away.

His tires tore through a puddle, splashing muddy water all over Karina.

She was soaked from head to toe.

The cold seeped straight into her bones.

Karina wiped the water from her face, her fingers pale from the chill, and started walking toward the Foster estate.

Half an hour later, she arrived at the front door covered in rain and mud.

Everyone else was already there.

The moment she stepped inside, every eye in the room turned toward her.

Some looked disdainful.

Others were clearly waiting to see what kind of scene she would make.

Karina immediately spotted Serena sitting beside Mark.

Jack was pressed close to Serena, chattering away and acting spoiled.

“Aunt Serena, I want shrimp later. I’m hungry. When can we eat?”

Serena glanced smugly at Karina before stroking Jack’s hair.

“Jack, we have to wait until everyone’s here before we can start.”

Mark’s mother, Caroline Foster, immediately frowned.

“Karina Jackson, if you can’t even follow basic manners, then don’t bother coming next time.”

Ryan smirked.

“You can take the girl out of the backwoods, but you can’t teach her class.”

Karina gave him a cool glance.

“The great Foster family can’t even send a car to pick up its own daughter-in-law? Is that your idea of hospitality?”

Then she looked straight at Ryan.

“And deliberately splashing me with muddy water is what passes for manners in this family?”

Everyone’s expression changed.

Even Mark finally lifted his eyes to look at her.

His dark gaze was cold and unreadable.

Karina calmly looked away and gave Judy a slight nod.

“Sorry, Grandma. I’m going to change.”

She quickly went upstairs.

By the time she came back down, the seat beside Mark was empty.

Jack sat with his arms folded across his chest, looking openly resistant.

Karina ignored him and calmly took her seat.

The Foster family didn’t have a rule against talking at the dinner table, so Judy asked everyone how they’d been doing.

In the past, Karina would always join the conversation.

Tonight, she was unusually quiet.

She simply ate her dinner without saying much.

“Mark, Karina,” Judy said, “when you got married, we agreed you’d have a son and a daughter. Jack’s older now. It’s time to start thinking about a second child.”

Karina’s hand paused.

Jack pouted.

“Does Mom have to be the one who has my little sister? I want Aunt Serena to have her.”

“Mom’s too serious. I don’t want my little sister to turn out like her.”

The entire table fell silent.

Ryan quickly covered Jack’s mouth.

“You little brat. Watch what you say.”

Mark calmly wiped his mouth with his napkin.

“He’s a child. He doesn’t know what he’s saying. Don’t take it seriously.”

“As for a second child, I’ll make time for it.”

His tone was calm, detached, and businesslike.

As if he were scheduling a meeting rather than talking about having another baby with his wife.

From beginning to end, no one had bothered to ask what Karina wanted.

She gave a cold laugh and gently set down her fork.

“You don’t need to make time.

“I’m not having another child.”