Chapter 4

Chloe smiled faintly, pulling a wedding invitation from her bag and handing it to me.

"But now, this baby is just perfect! We'll have the wedding, then the baby, and then our family of three can be together forever and ever."

"Liam's mother left him very early, and he never really felt the warmth of a family. But now, the baby and I will give him a warm home!"

With that, Chloe flashed a pure, innocent smile, looking warmly at Liam.

Every sweet word she spoke was like a living blade, seemingly crafted to wound me.

Yet, Chloe's smile was so sweet and warm, as if her hurtful words were merely accidental.

As if her true intention was only to comfort me, this "poor woman with a bad background and a lost uterus."

I opened the invitation to see Liam Hayes and Chloe Walsh’s wedding date, set for next month.

The date written on the invitation was the very day I "gave birth to stillborns."

No wonder.

No wonder Liam said he would never let those two children hinder his marriage to Chloe Walsh. No wonder he could so unhesitatingly kill my children with his own hands.

It turned out Chloe Walsh’s child came at just the right time, while my children were destined to be obstacles.

I couldn't help but let out a cynical laugh:

"Oh, the wedding is next month? So you're pregnant before marriage? Will you be wearing a wedding dress with a baby bump then?"

"Tsk, tsk. I really didn't expect a 'precious' woman like Ms. Walsh to do something like get pregnant before marriage. I thought people from your background had very strict upbringings. Guess you're not so different from us uncultured low-class people, after all."

Chloe’s face instantly darkened.

Before she could speak, Liam, frowning, reprimanded me:

"Harper! How dare you speak to Chloe like that? She's genuinely trying to be kind to you, and you're so ungrateful! Apologize to Chloe."

I ignored him, closing my eyes and pretending to sleep.

Never, in all my life, had I been so assertive with Liam.

This clearly enraged him. Liam grabbed my shoulders, forcing me to sit up in the hospital bed.

His large hand clamped my jaw, making me look directly at Chloe, whose eyes were red and brimming with tears.

Liam's cold voice rang out again.

"Harper, apologize."

I sneered, rolling my eyes at him.

"By what authority are you ordering me? As a brother? But you clearly never considered me family, did you? Besides, why should I apologize? Because Chloe Walsh is subtly calling me low-class and unwanted?"

Liam’s hand stiffened for a moment.

I seized the opportunity of his moment of distraction and forcefully pushed him away, continuing:

"Chloe Walsh saying I'm low-class might be true, but what's wrong with me saying she's pregnant before marriage? They're both facts, why should I apologize?"

This time, Liam regained his composure, his face flushed with what seemed like shame and anger, and he slapped me hard across the face.

His eyes held deep disappointment.

"Harper, I can't believe you've become like this. If she truly wanted to humiliate you, why would she promise to take care of you for life? You and I aren't blood relatives, and you have even less connection to Chloe. Whatever your life turns out to be, it has nothing to do with Chloe."

"Harper, I think *you're* the truly malicious one. I'll say it again, apologize to Chloe right now!"