Chapter 2

Seeing me vomit, a flicker of disgust crossed Brendan’s face. Then, as if something clicked, his voice took on a barely concealed delight.

"Cassie, are you, are you pregnant?"

Pregnant?

In my last life, I discovered I was pregnant shortly after getting married, then spiraled into a nightmare.

Could I be pregnant already?

But I remembered Brendan and I always used protection before marriage.

I instinctively clutched my lower abdomen, my limbs going cold.

I was still processing, but Brendan had already confidently declared, "You're definitely pregnant."

"How are you so sure?"

I looked at Brendan with suspicion.

We’d been using contraception, and he knew it. Besides, I was just nauseous; how could he be so certain?

He seemed surprised by my question. A hint of awkwardness flashed across his face, then he couldn't contain the excitement in his voice.

"I’ve seen how other women act when they're pregnant.

"Cassie, this is great news! Your parents only have you, their only daughter. They'll be so happy when they find out you're pregnant, they won't object to us being together anymore."

Brendan was so excited he was almost doing a little jig, and my stomach twisted again.

If it were my past, naive, head-over-heels self, I might have thought he genuinely looked forward to our child.

But this time, I suddenly remembered a news story I'd seen online about a guy who, to get his girlfriend's parents to agree to the marriage, secretly poked holes in condoms to get her pregnant.

I'd even shown that news story to Brendan back then, condemning the guy as a fraud.

Brendan had echoed my condemnation, calling the guy irresponsible and swearing he'd never do such a thing. He said he’d only earn my parents' approval through his own hard work, which had brought me to tears.

Now that I thought about it, maybe he’d been plotting it all along.

Perhaps sensing my prolonged silence, Brendan began to hurry me.

"Cassie, let's just get our marriage license now. After that, we can go to your house and tell your parents the good news!"

No, absolutely not. I couldn't get married to him.

I knew how incredibly difficult divorce was once you'd signed the papers. As soon as we registered, I might never escape this man again in my entire life.

Thinking this, I blurted out, "I don't want to get married right now."

"What?

"What do you mean? Are you now, like your parents, looking down on me because my family is poor?"

Brendan's smile instantly stiffened, his tone becoming angry, his voice rising.

The eyes of everyone around us couldn't help but turn our way.

Brendan seemed to draw encouragement from the attention, launching into a tearful performance of his "devotion."

"Cassie, I know my family is poor, but my parents even pulled out their life savings for us to get married. Now you're saying you don't want to? What about my family?"

As sympathetic glances fell on Brendan, the eyes that looked at me were subtly edged with condemnation.

I hadn't realized before how good an actor Brendan was; no wonder he could stream and rake in donations in my past life.

Seeing my silence, Brendan put on a loving face again and reached out to grab my hand.

"Cassie, I know you're just saying silly things because you're upset. We've come so far; let's not fight, okay? Let's just go get our marriage license."