THE PRIVATE LIBRARY · PREVIEW
Emily emerges from the hospital shaken, then watches Nathan drive away with Sophia. At home, the tension becomes a direct accusation, and Emily asks whether her husband would believe her denial. Read the first two chapters free to follow the move from public humiliation to a private confrontation in which trust is already badly fractured.
CHAPTER ONE
Chapter 1 She Can't Get Pregnant
"Madam, please don't be too discouraged. Your situation is not too serious. The ability to conceive is closely related to one's emotional state. Please keep a positive attitude an…
"Madam, please don't be too discouraged. Your situation is not too serious. The ability to conceive is closely related to one's emotional state. Please keep a positive attitude and cooperate with the treatment. I believe you will have a healthy baby." It was the hottest season in LA, but Emily Carter, just out of the hospital, felt like she was enveloped in a chill as if a cold breeze had swept over her, causing her body to uncontrollably shiver. Her Mother-in-law, Carol, stood at the hospital entrance, grabbed Emily's hand as soon as she saw her, and snatched the health report from her, murmuring incessantly, "Let me see. How can someone be married for so many years without having a child?" Emily instinctively tried to snatch the report back. But Carol pushed her away, disregarding Emily's pale face, and opened the report right there on the street. Emily staggered back, almost falling. The recent stress had taken a toll on her, and she realized that she hadn't drunk water for a long time. The scorching summer sun made her feel dizzy for a moment. Carol continued muttering, but Emily couldn't hear her for a moment. "Look! This is your problem! You can't conceive at all," Carol shouted, pulling Emily back from her dizziness. "I..." Emily felt too weak to argue with her anymore. She just wanted to go home. Carol frowned at the words "blocked fallopian tubes" on the report, her face darkening as if she had just returned from hell. "What else do you have to say? The hospital diagnosis gives you less than a 20% chance of getting pregnant!" Carol's anger grew stronger. Emily shook her head, trying to clear her mind. She knew Carol had always disliked her because she had been married to Nathan for four years without getting pregnant. No, Carol had disliked her from the first day she married Nathan. People passing by heard Carol's voice and looked at them. Emily felt like a clown. Nathan Reed was the only heir of the famous Reed family in LA. Emily understood Carol's desire for a boy to inherit the family fortune, and since their marriage wasn't based on love, she had been silently enduring it. "Carol," Emily tried to remain patient, "let's go home first." "That's the Reed family's mansion, not your home. Get it straight! You're not worthy!" Emily frowned. "Regardless, Nathan and I are legally married. You can't change that fact..." "I can't change it? You'd better divorce Nathan right away! Don't think I don't know what you're planning. Let me tell you, you won't take anything from our family's fortune!" More and more people gathered around, and the scorching weather and sharp looks around made her increasingly embarrassed. Emily took a deep breath, feeling hopeless and helpless. If she had known it would be like this, perhaps she wouldn't have agreed to marry Nathan in the first place. She was just an ordinary girl, originally with no chance of meeting a billionaire like Nathan. But Emily's grandfather and Nathan's grandfather had been friends, and her grandfather had even saved Nathan's grandfather. Later, Emily's family declined, and Emily could only live in the slums. To take care of poor Emily, Nathan's grandfather asked Nathan to marry her before he died. Nathan was initially unwilling. Which eligible bachelor would marry an ordinary girl like Emily? But seeing his grandfather weak in the hospital, he agreed. This year marked their fourth year of marriage. In these four years, Nathan hadn't bullied her, but he hadn't been very enthusiastic either. Their relationship was only slightly better than that of strangers, and it couldn't even be considered friendship. Nathan's circle of friends was completely different from hers, and she didn't expect Nathan to understand her or to resist Carol for her. She just didn't expect that this marriage would end up in such a deadlock. "Carol, our marriage was decided by our grandfathers..." "He's dead, isn't he? Emily, do you think you can be Mrs. Reed forever?" Carol's tone grew louder. Just as Emily thought she was about to start another round of rebuke, Carol suddenly put on a smiling face and pointed to a couple embracing not far away, saying to her, "See that? Someone is giving birth to an heir for our family. I suggest you give up the position of Mrs. Reed quickly. Someone else is more suitable for it than you." Following Carol's gesture, Emily's gaze fell on her husband Nathan, who was tenderly holding a pregnant woman with a slightly protruding belly in his arms, lowering his head affectionately. The woman whispered something in his ear, and Nathan smiled gently, kissing her forehead. She had never seen Nathan smile so tenderly at herself. Her gaze fell on the pregnant woman in Nathan's arms, and a strange sense of familiarity swept over her. The pregnant woman was no stranger; it was her cousin, Sophia. Shock, anger, disbelief. Multiple emotions flooded her mind, and Emily almost couldn't believe her eyes. Sophia noticed her gaze, and she slowly walked to Emily, stroking her belly and said happily, "Emily, my cousin, I'm pregnant with Nathan's child. We just had a check-up, and the doctor said the baby is very healthy. Guess if it's a boy or a girl?" Emily looked at her already pregnant belly, trembling, unable to speak complete words. "How could you... He's your brother-in-law! How could you do this to me? How could you seduce your own brother-in-law?" Emily instinctively raised her hand to slap her, but her hand was grabbed in mid-air. Nathan, with a stern face, seized her hand and pushed her away forcefully. Stepping forward, he shielded Sophia behind him and said in a low voice, "Emily, you've seen it. We're getting divorced." Emily closed her eyes, overwhelmed with exhaustion and powerlessness. "When did you two get together? As your wife, I still have the right to know." "You dare to ask? Let me tell you, Emily, you have no right to interfere in our family's affairs, let alone Nathan!" Carol was extremely arrogant at this moment. Emily felt suffocated, and she growled lowly, "I am Nathan's wife. My husband cheated, and I have the right to know, don't I?" "You, with your background living in the slums, dare to think you can be the wife of the Reed family? Nathan's grandfather was confused, but I am not!" More and more people gathered around, as if watching a real-life drama show. She never imagined that one day she would be the protagonist of such a farce. Sophia looked guilty, leaning softly against Nathan's chest, saying softly, "Carol, don't blame Emily. It's my fault. I... I just love Nathan so much." Carol took Sophia's hand and smiled, "Sophia, you're different from her. You're cultured, and now you're carrying the heir of the Reed family. You're my recognized daughter-in-law." Emily closed her eyes, hoping this was just a hallucination brought on by exhaustion. "Sophia, I've always taken care of you. Since you came to this city to attend university, I've treated you like family! I helped you get into Nathan's company." Emily couldn't control her tears anymore. "How could you do this to me?" "Emily," Nathan spoke up, stepping forward and shielding Sophia behind him with a firm stance, "Sophia is now my woman. If you're angry, you can talk to me about it." Angry? What anger could she have? For four years, she had endured all the grievances alone, turning all her anger into pleasing. She had been trying hard to build a good relationship with Nathan and Carol, even treating the maid well. What more could she say now? At first, she was excited to marry Nathan. She likes him. She wanted to be a good wife, take care of her husband, and have a cute child. What was wrong with that? She didn't have any relatives. She thought she had gained new family members after getting married, but her marriage was ruined by her cousin. Her heart felt like it was being torn apart by an invisible hand, making her unable to stand up straight from the pain. "Go home. Don't make a fool of yourself on the street," Nathan, a famous billionaire in LA, didn't want to be recognized on the street by others. But when Emily's hand grasped the car door handle, Nathan said, "Take a taxi, don't take this car. Sophia will sit in this car." It's a car with four seats. He drove, Carol sat in the passenger seat, and Sophia sat alone in the back seat, apologizing with a smile, "Sorry, Emily. Nathan is just too worried about this child..." She smiled bitterly and closed the car door. The root of all this was because she couldn't have a child. Nathan drove away in a black Bugatti, leaving her alone standing at the hospital entrance, pointed and talked about by passers-by. She was Nathan's nominal wife, but also a family member not recognized by the Reed family.
PAUSE · ONE CHAPTER IN
The opening is only the beginning.
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CHAPTER TWO
Chapter 2 You're A Bastard
An hour later, they returned to the Reed family's villa. As soon as they entered, Emily saw Carol peeling an apple for Sophia. Nathan, on the other hand, sat by, his gaze fixed on Sophia's slightly swollen belly. His face bore a tenderness she had never seen before. They appeared to be a harmonious family. Emily pushed the door open and Carol's smile faded. "I thought you had left... Sophia, don't mind her, have an apple." Sophia looked uneasy as she tried to stand, clutching her waist. Nathan squeezed her hand. "Sit down, don't worry about anything else." Nathan stood up, his imposing figure dominating the room. "Emily, let's talk." Upstairs was her and Nathan's bedroom. Unfortunately, in the four years since, Nathan's visits home could be counted on one hand, mostly confined to the study. Entering the room, he approached the bed, lit a cigar, his voice icy. "Speak, what are your conditions?" Emily was puzzled. "What?" "How much money will it take for you to agree to a divorce?" Nathan sneered. "You married me for money, didn't you?" Emily felt like she had plunged into an ice cellar. "I married you because..." Because I liked you. But Emily couldn't bring herself to say it. She choked up. Tears streamed down Emily's face. "I married you because of your grandfather's dying wish... He was kind to me, and I want to repay him." "Enough!" Nathan abruptly stubbed out the cigar. "You did everything to please my grandfather, forcing me to marry you! You have no feelings for me. Stop with the useless talk. How much money do you want? Tell me quickly. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other." Emily laughed bitterly. "Have you always seen me like this over the years? Am I just a gold digger who did anything to marry you?" "Then what?" His voice was unusually cold. "Did you marry me because you love me?" All the words she was prepared to say became a joke. He regarded all her efforts and sacrifices over the years as a joke. Emily shook her head, smiling bitterly. "Nathan, you're a bastard." "As you wish," Nathan tore a check, signed it, and tossed it in front of her. "Fill in whatever amount you want. Tomorrow morning, come with me to the law firm to sign the divorce agreement." The light check fell at her feet. Emily didn't want to pick it up. "Do you really like Sophia so much? Do you love her enough to divorce me?" Nathan strode towards the bedroom door, not wanting to stay with her for another minute. "At least she won't schematically manipulate me. She's willing to have a child for me. But you, not only do you not love me, you won't have a child for me either." With a forceful slam, the door closed. Emily felt like her spine had been pulled out, collapsing onto the floor. Beside her lay the check, enough to end her marriage. Nathan's signature was clear. His handwriting, like him, appeared sharp and heartless. She picked it up, tore it to shreds, and threw the pieces out of the window. She leaned against the corner, enveloped by darkness, feeling a little safer this way. Her father had heart disease, her mother died in childbirth, and if it weren't for her father and Sophia's father's help, she might have died by now. In other words, Sophia's father and Nathan's grandfather were both her benefactors. The bedroom door swung open once again. Emily's crying came to an abrupt halt. She lifted her head, hoping it was Nathan who had arrived. Perhaps Nathan wasn't so heartless after all; perhaps they could still try surrogacy. As long as Nathan tried to understand her, she was willing to continue this marriage. "Emily, it's me." Sophia's voice shattered her last glimmer of hope. Emily's heart sank. She took a breath and looked at Sophia, who was slowly walking into the room, holding her waist, her voice indifferent. "I have nothing to say to you. Please leave." But Sophia said, "Nathan asked me to come up. He said this bedroom is mine from now on. Once you two divorce, we'll get married immediately..." Emily suddenly looked up, shocked at the woman before her. It was still the familiar face, but Sophia's expression seemed to have changed entirely, as if she had transformed into a different person from the pitiful Sophia just moments ago. "Emily, you don't need to be so surprised. You know, a poor girl like you was never worthy of marrying Nathan. You two are incompatible from every aspect. It's actually better to divorce sooner." Emily stared at her. "Even if we divorce, it's none of your business to lecture me!" Sophia smirked. "Emily, my Emily, do you know how amusing you look right now?" "A person who ruins someone else's marriage has no right to say such things to me." Sophia shrugged, walked closer, and lowered her voice, her tone ambiguous. "You don't even know how amazing Nathan is in bed. The first time, we did it six times. He's very obsessed with my body. He told me he didn't want to touch you at all..." Emily's face went pale instantly. Since their marriage, Nathan had only touched her once, and that was two years ago when he was drunk. After that, they never slept together again. Not even Carol knew about this. "Emily, you're not worthy of Nathan. Even if it's not me, someone else will replace you as Mrs. Reed. Since that's the case, isn't this the best outcome now? My child will call you Aunt in the future..." She seemed to find something amusing, covering her mouth and chuckling. "Look, we're still a family..." "Sophia, shut up!" Emily raised her hand in anger. Just then, Sophia's smile vanished, replaced by a weeping expression. She grabbed Emily's hand and fell to the ground. "Emily! It's all my fault, hit me if you want, but don't hurt my baby..." Bang! The bedroom door was kicked open forcefully. Nathan stood at the doorway, his eyes burning holes through her. Emily's hand remained suspended in mid-air, laughing out of frustration. So, this was what it was all about. She really had been foolish to the extreme, falling for such childish tricks. Sophia clutched her stomach, crying, "My belly hurts... Help me, Nathan... save our baby..." Carol's footsteps approached, the maid's cries of alarm, Sophia's cries—all the sounds mingled together. And she stood there, like an outsider. Carol raised her hand and slapped Emily twice, grabbing something nearby and hurling it at her. "Wretch! Dare to harm the heir of our Reed family!" A sharp pain shot through Emily's forehead, and a trickle of blood snaked down from her temple, staining her vision red. She stood in place, watching Nathan, who was holding Sophia in his arms, painfully saying, "If I said I didn't push her, would you believe me?" Nathan's answer was, "Are you worthy of my trust?"
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