Chapter 4

My vision gradually blurred.

Sweet memories from the past surged up uncontrollably, stabbing me painfully.

I'll never forget how hard Victoria fought to marry me back then.

Once, someone maliciously drugged her drink with a powerful aphrodisiac.

When the drug took effect, she forcibly endured it, using a knife to cut herself to stay conscious.

She'd rather soak in cold water all night than touch anyone who approached her.

Afterward, she held me, deadly serious: "Theodore, I won't touch anyone but you. For this lifetime, I'll only be faithful to you."

I believed her.

And Diallo was my other salvation.

During a rafting activity in freshman year, I accidentally fell into the water. He jumped in without hesitation to save me.

In junior year, my parents died in a plane crash.

Overnight, I went from wealthy heir to orphan.

It was Diallo who took me into his home without a word, staying with me day and night.

I gave him everything I had in return.

I don't understand what I did wrong.

That he had to take both my women.

I understand even less.

Why Victoria, who had loved me to the bone, would change just like Lamoris did.

The next day, Victoria came to pick me up from the hospital.

Before I could expose her, she grabbed my hand and apologized:

"Theodore, I didn't mean to yell at you yesterday. I was afraid that if you treated Diallo like that, he'd be disappointed and hurt and leave you. You don't want to lose this friend, do you?"

I coldly withdrew my hand.

My gaze swept over the center console where a cake sat—my favorite flavor from before.

My heart stirred slightly. I reached out to open it, but Victoria pressed down on my hand.

Her tone left no room for argument:

"Don't touch it. I bought this for Diallo."

After a pause, she added consolingly: "If you want some, I'll buy you another one tomorrow."

I calmly withdrew my hand.

So even a piece of cake no longer had my share.

When we got home, I excused myself to go to the bathroom.

As soon as I pushed open the door, I saw a conspicuous pregnancy test.

In an instant, my heart felt like it was being cut by knives.

There was only one woman in the house. The pregnant one could only be Victoria.

And I had lost my ability to have children, so the baby was Diallo's?

I opened the surveillance feed. Diallo's trembling voice came through the video.

"Victoria, how could I get you pregnant? Theodore just lost his ability to have children. How can I do this? I'm such a terrible friend to him."

Victoria reached out and hugged Diallo tightly:

"Diallo, this isn't your fault. This is our child—it's fate. Theodore can't have children. This is my only child."

Diallo was silent for a while, then took Victoria's hand:

"Victoria, will you marry me? You can't keep me nameless and titleless like this. I know this is unfair to Theodore. We can compensate him in other ways."

After a long silence, Victoria said heavily: "Diallo, I don't know..."

My chest felt nothing but numbness.

All the pain reached its peak in this moment, then strangely returned to deathly silence.

At dinner, I looked at them and asked: "I saw a pregnancy test in the bathroom. Whose is it?"

Identical panic appeared on both their faces.

Diallo's face went white. He stammered for a long time before squeezing out:

"It's my new girlfriend's. There was an accident..."

I suddenly laughed, my laughter full of mockery:

"You have a girlfriend but won't introduce her to me? And you secretly got her pregnant? Is your girlfriend that shameful?"

I paused, my gaze sweeping over Victoria's grim expression, my tone growing sharper:

"You got her pregnant and won't take responsibility? Diallo, since when did you become so spineless?

Or are you the other man, clinging to some rich woman? If you ask me, this kind of relationship that can't see the light of day should be ended as soon as possible, before it becomes an embarrassment."

Diallo's face turned deathly pale, his body trembling continuously.

Victoria slammed the table and stood up, shouting at me:

"Theodore, shut up!"

She violently smashed the plate in front of her on the ground. Ceramic shards bounced up, cutting several bloody lines across my face.

"He's your best friend! If you won't help him, fine, but how can you be so aggressive and viciously slander him like this? Do you have no conscience!"

Diallo reached out and tightly grabbed Victoria's sleeve, shaking his head with tears in his eyes to persuade her: "Victoria, don't be angry. I'm fine. Don't blame Theodore..."

One protecting him with fury, one appearing weak and wronged—they were like a pair of mandarin ducks being persecuted.

And I had become the villain trying to tear them apart.

In that moment, I suddenly felt incredibly exhausted, without even the energy to argue or expose them.

I stood up, didn't look at them again, and turned back to my room.