All Chapters of I Lost the Bet, She Lost My Love: Chapter 1 - Chapter 9

Kate Barker tossed two marriage certificates in front of me."Martin and I got married abroad. The only thing left is the wedding. Haven't you harassed me enough over the last three years?"Seeing the names on the certificates stung my eyes.Kate and I had a wedding, but we never actually signed the papers to make it legal. She smirked at my stunned expression, looking totally smug and in control."I've already had Martin move in. To be honest with you, the only reason I married him is that I'm pregnant with his child."If you have any self-respect, you'll explain everything to my mom. And if you continue to pester me, I won't hesitate to break your other leg," she spat as her gaze swept over my right leg.My broken leg had been left untreated for seven days now. It had gone from agonizing pain to being completely numb.Shutting my eyes, I rasped, "Okay."She clearly hadn't expected me to agree so readily. A flicker of surprise crossed her eyes."I'll move into the guest room.

It was only then that I learned how contemptible I was in Kate's eyes.The very next day, her boyfriend dumped her before disappearing without a trace. She blamed me for all of it and reluctantly went through the motions of our wedding.It was around then that Margaret said to me, "Neil, although we had a deal, you and Kate cannot register your marriage. Kate is right. You're not good enough for her anymore."With my parents gone, I had neither power nor influence. Naturally, I couldn't hold a candle to the rising Barker family.I let out a long, heavy sigh. Maybe my decision was wrong from the very start.After that day, Kate stopped coming home altogether. Meanwhile, Martin would occasionally text me just to rub it in."Mr. Cross, this is my first time being a dad. There are some things I don't know, so I wanted to ask for your advice. You're much older than me, so you probably have more experience with kids, right?"Messages like these were getting on my nerves.For the thre

"What wager? What agreement? Mom, what are you talking about?" Kate asked. She snapped her head up and unconsciously let go of Martin's hand.As if she couldn't understand Margaret's words, she turned her gaze to me. "Neil, what kind of wager did you make with my mom?"I looked away, refusing to answer. Margaret stepped between us, blocking Kate's view of me. She looked at Kate with a pained expression."Your marriage was arranged long ago," she said. "You were supposed to marry the youngest son of the Pruitt family. If Neil hadn't stepped in back then, you would've already been his wife."But it's not too late. I've already reached an agreement with the Pruitt family. I won't continue indulging your behavior any longer!"Kate's lips trembled slightly. She looked completely stunned by the news. "Mom, you're actually making me marry that cripple from the Pruitt family? I'm your daughter, not some piece of property you can just sell off!"She whipped her head back toward me, her vo

After living abroad for more than half a year, I thought my life would continue to be peaceful like this.But then, out of nowhere, Margaret called me from abroad. She sounded somewhat anxious as she said, "Neil, Kate wants to see you…"I froze for a second, then flatly turned her down. "Mrs. Barker, didn't we agree that you would keep her away from me?""I know that's what I said, but I never thought she'd threaten me with suicide. I offered Martin a large sum of money, and he abandoned Kate without a second thought. "When Kate couldn't find him and came to confront me, I told her everything about our wager. Now she's become obsessed with seeing you. I don't know what else to do…"Margaret sounded helpless as she kept trying to persuade me. "Neil, over these past three years, I've come to see you as my real son-in-law. As soon as the Pruitt family learned about Kate's divorce, they came knocking on our door."They don't care whether Kate has been married or pregnant. They simpl

Hearing the resolve in my voice, Margaret could only grit her teeth and agree to take Kate back.When I returned to the hospital room, Kate's eyes lit up the moment she saw me. "I thought you had left."I said nothing and simply looked at her calmly. She choked back a sob. "I was raised entirely by my mom. Her ridiculous standards and impossible expectations suffocated me."I only started dating because I wanted to escape her control. I hated you because you stood with her and forced me into a marriage I never wanted."I already knew all of this. When we were kids, Margaret was incredibly strict with her. If Kate didn't nail a dance routine, she'd be made to stand in a corner with no dinner. If her grades slipped, she'd get a brutal beating.And every single time she felt wronged, she'd come running to me, sobbing in my arms. I used to be her safe haven.I rolled up my sleeve, revealing a mess of scars.The first time was the day she brought Martin home. Just because I made a si