Chapter 2

Matthew's POV

I got out of the cab, looking completely disoriented. But before I even entered the apartment, I realized that Timmy was burning up in my arms.

So, I rushed him to the nearest hospital.

After finally getting Timmy hooked up to an IV, I left him in the nurse's care for a short while and headed over to the counter to pay the bill.

I suddenly heard an angry shout behind me.

"Matthew Powell! Did I not tell you to go home and wait for me to explain things to you? What the hell did you follow me and Saul to the hospital for?"

Janice grabbed me by the arm and dragged me toward the hospital exit. During the altercation, a medical report fell out of her coat pocket.

She frantically tried to pick it up, but I grabbed it first.

The title read "Pregnancy Test Report" in huge, black letters, and her name was written clearly on it.

We hadn't slept together in the same bed for more than six months.

I finally couldn't hold it back anymore and tore the report in half.

"Timmy has been having recurring high fevers for the past six months, and you never cared or asked a word about him! I thought it was just because you were working hard.

"But now, Timmy's burning at 104 degrees, and you're still busy taking a pregnancy test report for that bastard in your belly? Are you even humane at this point?"

"Timmy's just as tough as you are. How could he possibly be sick all of a sudden?" she retorted.

I felt as though all the energy had been sucked out of me at that moment.

I was the one always running around like a headless chicken worrying about Timmy ever since he was born. Janice hadn't even changed his diaper once and didn't know a single thing about his health status.

Janice still wanted to retort, but when she saw the redness in my eyes, she stopped and asked another question.

"Which ward is he in now? I'll go and visit him.

"Didn't I tell you earlier to stop being so frugal and stingy? It's bad enough that you're taking someone else's secondhand baby stroller, but couldn't you even afford to get a cab? It's your fault that Timmy's suffering now."

I couldn't hold my emotions back anymore. All the grievances of the past three years surged up at once.

"Frugal? Stingy? Did you think I would want to do any of this if I actually had the money? And if it were not for that baby stroller, I would never even have realized that you'd been pretending to be poor all this time while spending all of your money on a gigolo!"

Janice used to always calm me down and soothe me every time I got mad, but this time, her face darkened.

"You're just a damn delivery guy. What right do you have to accuse Saul of being a gigolo?"

I felt my ears ringing. This was the first time I thought that the woman I'd married for three years was a complete stranger to me.

Back then, Janice told me that she wanted to go into research, and my dad and I both provided her with all the financial support that she needed without any hesitation. We also spared no effort in getting her the right connections in the industry.

Some time after that, my dad went bankrupt, and he took his own life. From then on, everyone began avoiding us.

I was abducted and tortured by our creditors for a day and a night. And yet, they weren't satisfied and even spread videos of my dad killing himself and me being tortured and humiliated in front of the camera, for all the internet to see.

By the time Janice called the police and rescued me, I was completely covered in blood, and every inch of my skin was lacerated with cuts and burns.

She cried her eyes out and hugged me in her arms, apologizing and comforting me again and again. She also got someone to take down all the offensive videos and sued the abductors until they were sentenced to life in prison.

However, as it turned out, she was just like the other people who looked down on me.

I leaned weakly against the wall. When she saw that I couldn't remain on my feet anymore, her expression softened.

"My parents don't like your family background and forced me into an arranged marriage with Saul instead. Saul saved my life once and suffered a brain injury afterward, so I have the responsibility to take care of him.

"Just wait until I've completely taken over the company. I'll then bring you and Timmy back to live with me. I won't let you both suffer again.

"Saul's just been spoiled since young. He also can't leave me. However, as long as you don't pester or provoke him, he will never personally come looking for you either."

I smiled bitterly. "Forget about it."

"Jan? The prenatal checkup is in the other direction. What are you doing here?"

I hadn't finished what I was about to say when Saul's voice suddenly interrupted us. Janice's expression changed at once, and she quickly put some distance between us. However, Saul had already seen us by then.

He stormed over angrily and slammed me in the face with Janice's handbag that he'd been carrying.

"I did you a favor by giving that stroller to you for free, and this is how you repay me? By seducing my wife in public?"