Chapter 4

Early the next morning.

Chloe burst into my room with a housekeeper.

“Audrey Prescott, you’ve already divorced Uncle Caleb, so why are you still living here? I’m the lady of this house now, get out!”

The housekeeper began clearing out my things.

I didn’t stop them. I simply picked up my pre-packed suitcase and walked out of the house without looking back.

“Wait! Open your suitcase. Who knows if you’ve stolen anything valuable? Uncle Caleb said everything in this mansion is mine now.”

The housekeeper snatched my suitcase, ransacking it.

Inside were only a few clothes I’d bought before marrying Caleb. Nothing else.

“Can I go now?”

“No! You haven’t been searched yet. Strip her!”

The housekeeper stepped forward, pulling at my clothes until I was completely naked.

Chloe looked at my pregnant belly with disgust. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. Are those stretch marks? So ugly. No wonder Uncle Caleb said he didn’t want to touch you.”

I clenched my fists, enduring the housekeeper’s mocking stares, and squatted down to pick up my clothes and put them back on.

Suddenly, Chloe rushed toward me, slapping my belly hard.

I instinctively raised my hand.

But Chloe stumbled first, falling to the ground and pointing at my suitcase, sobbing.

“Uncle Caleb, Audrey won’t let me move in, and she threw my suitcase!”

Caleb glared at me, barely suppressing his rage.

“What’s going on?”

“Uncle Caleb, Audrey called me a fatherless child and told me to stay away from you. She said I was a burden to you. If only my dad were still here…”

Chloe continued to sob.

Caleb’s fury could no longer be contained. He slapped me hard across the face.

“Apologize to Chloe, now!”

Blood seeped from the corner of my mouth, my eyes blurring with tears.

“Caleb, we’ve been together for eight years. Is this truly how you see me?”

“And why wouldn’t I! Chloe’s just a child. Would she lie about you?!”

Chloe clung to Caleb’s arm, acting utterly wronged, and pointed at a frog mascot costume.

“Uncle Caleb, I want to see Audrey wear that.”

“Did you hear her? Put it on and apologize to Chloe! Don’t forget your dad is still in the ICU. I can stop his medical treatment any time!”

Caleb said, already dialing the hospital.

“No! I’ll wear it.”

I endured the mocking stares around me, painstakingly pulling on the frog costume. The tight fabric pressed painfully against my belly.

“Uncle Caleb, look at Audrey in that frog suit! Her belly’s all puffy like that, doesn’t it look like a pregnant toad?!”

“As long as Chloe likes it. You can wear it every day to make her happy.”

The mascot costume was stifling.

My head spun, and sharp pains radiated from my lower abdomen.

I don’t know how long passed, then a wave of dizziness swept over me.

I fell heavily to the ground.