The voices from inside stabbed into Bianca Rhodes’s heart like a knife as she stood at the door of the lounge.

They were a legally married couple. Whatever they were doing was perfectly natural.

She didn’t even have the right to stop them.

Her hand went to her slightly swelling belly. She knocked on the door. "Herman, my stomach hurts."

He started to get off, but Zoe Ellsworth stopped him, her eyes sultry. "Darling, if you don’t want me, I’ll go find someone else."

With those words, she made Bianca’s plea vanish into thin air.

"Who do you want to find?"

Zoe laughed. "Isn’t what’s between us consensual? If my husband doesn’t want me, why can’t I find someone else? Go on, try me!"

Herman Hawthorne looked at her possessively. "Don’t even think about it. You’re my little wife."

She kept smiling, but a voice in her heart was screaming: ’If you know I’m your little wife, why are you still being so merciful to another woman?’

"Yes, I’m your little wife, but I can be with whomever I want, just like with you. It doesn’t matter if it was before or after we got married." Her words were blunt; she just wanted him to know that if he didn’t solve this problem soon, she was not to be trifled with.

Did he really think she would be kind enough to let Bianca Rhodes have this child?

’Dream on!’

"Zoe, how do you want me to handle this?"

"Darling, do you really not understand how I want you to handle this? If you want a child, I’ll have one with you. But you have to make a choice. I’m not afraid of divorce. I’m just afraid that as long as we’re married, I won’t be able to protect my marriage. I also want to tell you, a child isn’t the only bargaining chip. Even if we get a divorce, she’d have to get rid of the child in her belly before she could be with you. I would rather die than let anyone mock my pride."

He seemed to be thinking.

"I haven’t forgotten that besides being the father of that unborn child, I’m also your husband." After a long pause, he finally spoke. "I promised you that I’d be with you for a lifetime. Even if I can’t give you love, I will keep my promise."

Zoe Ellsworth wrapped her legs around his waist. "You... don’t be so sure about things so soon. If you dare to spend a lifetime with me, I dare to make you fall hopelessly in love with me."

He finally relaxed.

But the woman outside the door was full of resentment, as if Zoe Ellsworth had stolen her husband and she were the original wife.

Love doesn’t care about first-come, first-served; only where the heart settles.

She clutched her stomach, pacing back and forth.

After more than an hour, the door to the lounge finally opened.

Zoe Ellsworth came out and put on her coat. The buttons on her sheer top were still undone—perhaps intentionally, for the benefit of the woman waiting outside.

"How shameless!" Bianca Rhodes could barely contain her anger.

Zoe snorted, her eyes fixed on Bianca’s stomach. She repeated, "How shameless. Too young, too simple."

Herman Hawthorne walked out, the flush still visible on his face.

When Bianca saw him, her eyes filled with grievance. "Herman."

"Didn’t you say your stomach hurt? Go home and rest."

Bianca looked at Zoe Ellsworth standing to the side, her anger flaring. She said directly, "The baby is getting bigger and bigger, Herman. When are you going to give my child a legitimate status?"

"What status? As a bastard?" Zoe retorted.

"I wasn’t talking to you. Don’t interrupt."

He turned to look at Bianca, a flicker of some unreadable emotion in his eyes. "I’m not divorcing Zoe. I told you that the night before last."

Zoe’s head snapped up. ’The night before last? So he told her that night?’ 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Bianca answered in a low voice, "Are you still the same decisive Herman Hawthorne? Are you still the same Herman Hawthorne who would cut off a man’s hand just for touching me? Are you still the same Herman Hawthorne who said he would love me for a lifetime? From where I’m standing, your love can’t withstand the slightest storm. You married her, but do you love her? Herman, you love me. I’m back now. Shouldn’t you decisively divorce her and marry me?"

A barrage of questions.

Herman Hawthorne looked at Zoe. "Go on home. I’ll be back tonight."

"Okay, darling. I’ll be waiting for you at home."

Zoe buttoned up her top, opened the door, and walked out.

*

The room fell silent.

His eyes darkened. "I did propose to you. It’s not like I didn’t. Your reason for rejecting me was that you thought another man was a better fit for you than I was. Bianca, no matter how much I loved you, I can’t toy with someone else’s life, nor will I do something so dishonorable."

"Is divorcing her dishonorable? Is this your love? Herman Hawthorne, you were in there making love with your wife right in front of me! Did you even consider my feelings?"

He actually smiled, a brilliant, chilling smile. "So you know how bad it feels? Bianca Rhodes, isn’t that exactly what you did to me back then? What’s wrong? Can’t take it when the tables are turned?"

A chill ran through Bianca Rhodes’s palm. "Were you... just now... getting revenge on me?"

"Why would I get revenge on you? I wouldn’t do something so childish," he retorted.

She walked up to him. "If you love me, why won’t you be with me and make things right?"

"More than love, I value lifelong companionship."

His words made Bianca’s legs feel a bit weak. "Lifelong companionship... I can give you that too."

He shook his head. "You ran out on me at the last minute. I can’t trust your words anymore. Regarding this matter, I’ll respect your choice. If you want to have the baby, then have it. After it’s born and we do a paternity test, if you don’t want to raise it, I will. If you don’t want to have it, I won’t force you. I’ll give you a sum of money."

"To pay me off?" She let out a dry laugh. "Is your love something that can be measured in money?"

He looked at her, his gaze holding an unusual hue. "Compared to mine, your love is worth less than paper. What are you still not satisfied about?"

Her heart ached, a heavy feeling settling in her chest.

She found she couldn’t meet his gaze.

She averted her eyes and said, "Of course I’m not satisfied. I don’t want my child to be born without a complete family. Is that what you want?"

"Then just get rid of the child."

Bianca looked at him in utter disbelief. "This is your child! Our child!"

"If I didn’t know it was my child, do you think you’d still be standing here? The whole world knows my wife is Zoe Ellsworth."

Bianca simply couldn’t understand. "Why is your love so different from other men’s? When other men love a woman, they want to be with her every moment, they want to marry her, to build a life together. Why are you such an exception?"

He sat back down in his office chair. "I gave you the chance to be with me. You’re the one who didn’t take it. Once an arrow is fired, it can’t be called back. Since I’ve married Zoe, I can’t let her down. Bianca, a man has responsibilities, not just love. Do you understand? Loving you doesn’t mean I have to be with you. So don’t think all love is so grand and noble."