Chapter 2

James shoved Emily hard. After years of taking medication and injections trying to get pregnant, Emily's body was weak. She lost her balance and fell heavily to the ground.

It hurt, but nowhere near as much as the pain in her heart.

James didn't even glance at her. His eyes were only for Sophia, whose face was streaked with tears.

"Sophia, are you okay?"

"I... I'm fine, just a little stomach pain." Sophia answered weakly, then stole a glance at Emily and struggled to get out of James's arms.

"James, go check on Emily. She's weak and needs you more."

James frowned in displeasure, shot Emily a cold look, and said icily, "This is just her playing hard to get. No need to bother with her."

"You look terrible. Let me carry you to the ER."

James carried Sophia away with long strides, never looking back at Emily.

Emily watched the man's retreating figure, her heart aching to the point of suffocation. With a crash, it shattered into pieces, destroying what little feeling she had left for James.

Of course, she knew clearly that James didn't care about her feelings. Her current state would only make Sophia happy.

But she couldn't control her sad heart and her crying eyes. Like a walking corpse, she got up and dragged her thin body with heavy steps toward the place to pick up her test results.

It was close to the ER.

She didn't need to look deliberately. She could spot James in his tailored black suit among the crowd at a glance.

He gently pulled Sophia into his arms, his face full of concern.

James had never worried about her like this. She smiled bitterly at herself, turned away from them, just wanting to hide.

Half an hour later, Emily got her test results.

The report showed she was anemic and malnourished, but her uterus was healthy and her eggs were highly active - a rare naturally fertile body type.

The doctor giving her the report couldn't help but remind her: "Miss Emily, please stop taking random medications and injections that harm your body. Live well, take care of yourself. Your body can't take much more of this."

She clutched the test results and broke down crying.

So there was nothing wrong with her body.

When they first got married, the Smith family pressured them for a baby. James brushed it off saying they hadn't been married long, and she agreed with that reason at the time.

But after a year of marriage without getting pregnant, the Smith family treated her even worse, practically saying outright that something was wrong with her body.

James suggested they both get checked. She thought she was healthy and went with James for the tests.

Little did she know that would be the start of her suffering in the Smith family. The test report said she had a displaced uterus, cold womb, and narrow blocked fallopian tubes.

After that, the Smith family didn't even bother being polite to her anymore. They mocked her constantly, calling her scheming and trying to end the Smith family line, telling her to divorce James.

James stood up for her against the Smith family, saying he would find a way to have children with her.

Back then, she was moved by what James did for her and swore to have a child for him.

So she gritted her teeth and endured the medications and injections, even deciding to do IVF to get pregnant.

James was always cooperative, saying as long as she was happy, he'd do anything.

Not wanting to disappoint James, she tried again and again, but still couldn't get pregnant. She started doubting herself, hating herself.

She cried in hidden corners, couldn't sleep night after night. Her moderate depression had her thinking about death every day.

But for James's sake, she forced herself to endure it.

Now she finally knew - her condition was all part of a scheme by James and Sophia in the name of revenge.

She hadn't wronged either of them!

Sophia came from a poor family but wanted to study abroad and begged for her help. Back then, she truly considered Sophia a good friend. To help her go abroad, she provided money and connections, finally making it happen for Sophia.

Turns out Sophia's study abroad was fake - she actually went to party with her boyfriend. When she found out, she advised Sophia several times. After confirming Sophia broke up with that bad guy, she even gave Sophia a million dollars to come home.

She never expected Sophia would badmouth her to James like that.

The most ridiculous part was that James believed it. He actually thought she tricked Sophia into going abroad, then slandered Sophia for having a boyfriend, causing her to be bullied abroad with nowhere to turn for help.

So James wanted to get back at Sophia's behalf, using the lie about difficulty getting pregnant to wreck her body, while James had already been sleeping with Sophia all along.

How ridiculous! She left in a daze, but halfway ran into James and Sophia chatting and laughing together.

Sophia's body trembled. Her left hand gripped James's sleeve tightly, while her right hand obviously protected her belly.

"Emily, I didn't mean to get pregnant. It's just that James forgot to..."

"Sophia, you don't need to explain to her. This is what she owes you! Just making her unable to have children - we've already been more than generous."

"If she knows how to be grateful, she should apologize to you and take good care of you after you have the baby."

Sophia shook her head. "No, no need. Emily is a princess - how could she do servant work like that? As long as she doesn't hurt my child, I can disappear from your life forever."

"Don't talk nonsense. I'll protect you." James lovingly tapped her nose.

Emily saw the smugness in Sophia's eyes once again. Her heart was numb from pain. She said nothing, just quietly watched them perform in front of her.

"You're the bad woman who bullied my mom, right?" A four or five-year-old boy suddenly rushed at Emily, his little fists pounding on her.

It didn't really hurt, but it made her body freeze, her mind and spirit shattered.

The boy's face was a miniature combination of James and Sophia - evidence of their betrayal, appearing right before her eyes.

She, the victim, wanted to hide, didn't want to expose the bloody truth of this marriage, but the little boy wouldn't let her go.

"I'm going to beat you to death, bad woman!"

The boy hit her while shouting: "Grandma, come help me!"

Those words sent her into an icy abyss.

James's mother, usually so proper, elegantly walked up to her, gently picked up the little boy, and cooed softly.

"Sweetheart, don't bother with this woman. I'll find a way to teach her a lesson. You can't hurt your hands because of her."

James looked at the little boy approvingly, saying with a smile: "Eli is such a good boy, already knows how to protect mommy. Will you protect your little brother or sister the same way?"

Eli patted his chest and promised, "No problem."

Three adults and one child, all smiles, the atmosphere harmonious, as if completely unaware these were knives stabbing into her.

James didn't belong to her, so she didn't want him anymore.

The marriage was painful, she didn't want it anymore either.

A child - she could have one with someone else.

"James, let's get divorced. Give the child a complete family."