He wasn’t finished. “Besides, a woman from a wealthy family should know the rules. Jenna is already pregnant with my brother’s child! Is Leslie just going to pretend that’s not happening? If you can’t give your husband a son, you can’t stop another woman from doing it. If you ask me, Leslie should be grateful. My brother is a saint for putting up with her for three years. If it were me, I would‘
ve kicked a barren woman like that out on the street long ago.”
Their words were so shameless, so utterly devoid of gratitude, that I couldn’t help but laugh. A cold, empty sound. I turned my gaze
to Andrew, who had remained silent through it all.
“Andrew,” I said, my voice cutting through the chatter. “If your family is so certain that I am your lawfully wedded wife… then what,
exactly, is she?”
My direct challenge left him speechless, his face flushing red and then pale. He didn’t dare contradict his relatives, and he didn’t dare contradict me. He just stood there, fuming impotently, looking like a chastised child.
09.57
Chapter 2
Finally, his mother, the woman who had always been closest to me, broke the standoff.
09:57
She abandoned her act of affection for Jenna and rushed to my side, trying to take my hand. Her face was a mask of regret. “Lesl- ie, dear, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have let Andrew hide this from you,” she pleaded. “But Jenna is carrying Andrew’s child now. Our
grandchild. We can’t turn our backs on her…”
Her voice dropped to a wheedling whisper. “This baby will be Lily’s little brother. For Lily’s sake, can’t you find it in your heart to acc-
ept Jenna? To forgive Andrew?”
The moral blackmail, the years of fake affection–it all made my stomach turn. But before I could tear her hypocritical performance
to shreds, Jenna let out a sudden cry.
She clutched her stomach, her face twisting in pain as she slid dramatically to the floor. “Ah! Andrew! My stomach… it hurts!”
It was a classic, transparent ploy, but it worked. Andrew’s attention snapped to her instantly. He was a man possessed, all concern
for Jenna, completely oblivious to me. He knelt and gathered her into his arms, then turned to glare at me with pure venom in his
eyes.
“Leslie, that’s enough!” he snarled, his voice a low growl I’d never heard before. “My family and I have tolerated your behavior out of
respect for our past. But if anything happens to Jenna or my baby today, I swear, I will make you pay!”
It was the first time he had ever spoken to me with such malice. Even in the coldness of the past three years, he had always main-
tained a veneer of kindness. His acting skills were truly superb.
But looking at the man who was once my husband cradling another woman, threatening me for her sake, I felt nothing. Not a flicker
