Chapter 3

This forced miscarriage meant I would never have the chance to be a mother again.

I thought Julian's revenge had reached its limit, but he said, it was just the beginning.

He knew I was an orphan, that even if I died in his family's home, no one would come looking for me. So he was determined to see me dead.

Back at the mansion, Julian took me to Chloe's room. Her memorial photo was prominently displayed, as if just yesterday she had been alive, calling me "Aubrey."

"Julian, Blake and I really had nothing going on. I never did anything to betray you or Chloe."

The words had barely left my mouth when Julian slapped me hard, knocking me to the ground. The metallic taste of blood stung my nostrils.

"Do you think Chloe and I are blind? You were having an affair right under our noses, Aubrey! How could you be so vile! Killing you now wouldn't even satisfy my hatred!" His face was contorted, his eyes burning with a rage that threatened to consume me. It was clear how deep his hatred ran.

When Chloe died, I mourned for a long time too.

Even though I hadn't caused her death, it was true that so many things had happened because of me.

Blake was a big deal back in college, charming countless girls on the basketball court.

Any girl who went to watch the games would steal a few glances at him. He was a total heartthrob.

But he wasn't my type.

I don't know when it started, but I kept running into Blake in different places. Too many coincidences are never coincidences. Sure enough, he started openly pursuing me.

When that news spread, I didn't get many blessings, but I certainly gained a lot of jealous haters.

I directly rejected Blake when he tried to serenade me with a guitar under my dorm window.

From then on, Blake became the laughingstock of the school and stopped bothering me.

Seeing him at Julian's family home, I certainly felt awkward.

But Chloe had told me many times how much she liked him.

However, Blake was not as simple as I thought.

In front of Julian and me, he spoiled Chloe like a child.

Later, I found out he often went home with Chloe, but he always looked for opportunities to get close to me, to be alone with me.

When Julian wasn't around, he’d dismiss Chloe, and that poor naive girl just thought he was tired.

The first time Chloe caught us, Blake's hand was on my waist. I struggled to break free, but he pulled me back forcefully, and his lips brushed my head.