Chapter 1

The rain poured down heavily.

Sophia Neville gripped the car handle tightly, her voice trembling: "Gerald, please believe me, those thugs who hurt Claire Douglas—I didn't arrange for them..."

"The evidence is solid, and you still want to deny it?" Gerald Churchill looked at her with fierce eyes and flung a stack of photos at her.

The photos scattered everywhere, "documenting" Sophia's process of hiring someone to hurt Claire.

"No, it's not like that," Sophia shook her head. "This wasn't me. I don't even know her. Why would I hurt her?"

Before she could finish, a large hand suddenly reached over, and Gerald gripped her chin hard. "I'd like to know why, too. Because I took a liking to her? So you can't stand any woman around me, to the point where you'd have three thugs ruin her innocence?"

"I didn't! It really wasn't me!"

"It wasn't you?" Gerald sneered and shoved her face away, his voice even colder. "Claire just graduated from college. How could you do such a thing! And you think you deserve to be a mother?"

This sentence completely broke through Sophia's last line of defense.

She shook her head frantically: "I didn't... Gerald, believe me this once, just this once!"

But Gerald's gaze only grew more fierce.

Suddenly, his hand grabbed her collar. Before Sophia could react!

Sophia felt a chill on her chest as her maternity top was torn open, exposing the light-colored underwear and her prominent pregnant belly underneath.

She curled up in terror, her hands clutching herself protectively.

"How does it feel to be exposed like this?" Gerald's voice was ice-cold. "When Claire was found, this is how she was. Sophia, whatever you did to her, I'll do to you."

As soon as he finished speaking, the car door opened, and Gerald pushed Sophia out entirely.

She fell awkwardly into the rain, pain shooting through her knees and elbows.

Before she could speak, the Rolls-Royce sped away.

The rain grew heavier, large drops pelting her painfully.

Sophia struggled to her feet and looked around desperately. There was no way to get a cab here—she had to walk back.

With one hand protecting her belly and the other clutching her torn clothes, she stumbled toward the villa.

Her mind couldn't help replaying the past three years.

Her marriage to Gerald began as a transaction.

Three years ago, her father, Heath Neville, who had made movies his whole life, went white-haired overnight after a failed investment.

Gerald's grandfather, Mason Churchill, remembering how the Neville family had saved him years ago, offered help—on the condition of a marriage alliance between the two families.

At the time, the Churchill family heir Gerald happened to need a marriage to gain control of the family trust fund.

Back then, she had married into the Churchill family full of hope, because she had liked Gerald for a long time.

Unfortunately, he only felt disgust for her.

In his mind, she was always a jealous and vicious woman.

Even this child—he believed she had drugged and climbed into his bed to get it.

But that wasn't the truth. He never believed her, just like today. It clearly had nothing to do with her, but he was convinced she did it...

Tears fell like broken beads. Sophia walked and wiped her tears. After nearly an hour, she finally saw the villa's lights.

The rain had long since soaked through her entire body, leaving her teeth chattering from the cold.

As soon as she pushed open the front door, loud music hit her.

In the living room, Gerald's younger brother, Michael Churchill, was slouched on the sofa playing video games, with empty beer cans scattered on the floor.

Seeing her, Michael smirked and called out, "Sophia, I'm hungry. Go make me something to eat, hurry up!"

His tone was as casual as if ordering around a servant.

Sophia, supporting her slightly aching belly, ignored him and walked straight toward the stairs.

"Sophia!" Michael suddenly threw down his phone.

He rushed over in a few steps and grabbed her arm. "I'm talking to you! Are you deaf?"

He leaned in close, his alcohol-laden breath hitting her face, his gaze falling on her swollen belly with a vicious look. "Who do you think you are! Your family went bankrupt, and Grandpa took pity on you—you're just something we picked up! You really think you're Mrs. Churchill? Look at you, fat as a pig. Has Gerald ever paid you any attention?"

"If you dare not serve me well, I'll make Gerald divorce you in a heartbeat!"

The vicious words instantly pierced her numb nerves.

Sophia shook off his hand forcefully and continued upstairs.

Behind her came Michael's even more unbearable cursing.

Back in the bedroom, she locked the door and slowly slid down against it to sit on the floor, her body shaking uncontrollably.

After marriage, she had always tried hard to be a good wife, but what had she gotten in return!

She stroked her belly, her voice hoarse: "Baby, did Mommy make a mistake from the very beginning?"

Just then, her phone rang.

Sophia answered.

"Is this Ms. Sophia Neville?"

A gentle female voice came through: "I'm a director from Luminex Media Company. The script you submitted last month called 'Blue City', has been selected for the Cannes Film Festival, and investors are interested in producing it. Would you be available to participate in filming in two months?"

Hearing the words on the phone, Sophia felt dazed.

That script—she had written it curled up in a corner of the study during countless late nights after being rejected by Gerald.

The person on the phone was still waiting for an answer.

Sophia looked at her phone screen about to dim, and a spark suddenly jumped up from the dead ashes in her eyes.

"I can." She paused, her voice more resolute. "In two months, I'll join the crew."

After hanging up, she walked to the window and looked at the city's bustling nightscape outside, her palm pressed against her swollen belly.

The road wasn't completely blocked—she should give it a try.

The night was thick. Footsteps sounded outside the bedroom door.

Gerald pushed the door open, his face dark.

Sophia couldn't help but shiver, standing still without moving.

Gerald's gaze swept coldly over her. "You should be grateful that Claire was rescued, otherwise..."

The aura around him grew even colder.

Sophia couldn't help but take half a step back, but she felt so wronged—none of this had anything to do with her.

She took a deep breath. "Actually, it really wasn't me..."

"Shut up!" Gerald cut her off sharply. He turned back, looking at Sophia with poisonous eyes. "Don't ever say these things in front of me again!"

Sophia bit her lip and closed her mouth.

Gerald's gaze grew even more disgusted. He moved it away from Sophia's face and fixed it on her swollen belly.

He narrowed his eyes, his voice cold: "We've been married for almost four years. It's about time."