Chapter 5

Claire Ashford POV

After Chloe moved into the villa, Vincent's attention was mostly focused on her.

He hired a professional nutritionist to prepare elaborate pregnancy meals for her daily.

He read parenting books, learning how to provide prenatal education for the unborn child.

Every time Chloe went up or down the stairs, he'd carefully support her, terrified she might bump into something.

I saw all of this.

But I said nothing.

One night, I was jolted awake by a sudden, sharp stomach pain.

"Vincent," I instinctively called his name, my voice weak. "My stomach hurts..."

Usually, even if I just coughed, he'd wake up immediately and ask anxiously what was wrong.

But this time, there was only silence beside me.

Didn't he hear me?

"Vincent." I called again, reaching toward the other side of the bed.

My palm touched the sheets, cold and flat, without a trace of warmth.

He wasn't there.

I froze.

Just then, a man's low, gentle voice came faintly from the guest room next door, reading intermittently, "and so, the prince and princess lived happily ever after..."

It was Vincent.

He was in the guest room next door, reading Chloe a bedtime story.

I, his actual wife, was in agony from stomach pain, while he sat by another woman's bedside, building a fairy-tale world for his pregnant mistress and unborn child.

I pulled my lips into a smile, wanting to laugh, but my stomach hurt even more. Even my chest ached with a dull pain.

The stomach pain didn't allow me to think further. Gritting my teeth, I forced my weak body to get up, wanting to go downstairs to find painkillers.

Cold sweat soaked my hair. I supported myself against the wall and had just reached the bedroom door when a violent cramping pain struck.

Everything went black, and I passed out before I could grab onto anything.

When I woke up again, I was back in bed.

Vincent was sitting by the bedside. When he saw me open my eyes, he immediately bent down and grasped my hand.

"Claire! You're awake?" He was incredibly anxious, as if terrified. "You collapsed in your room last night. You scared me to death!"

I looked at his bloodshot eyes without speaking.

"The doctor came by. He said you've had irregular eating habits lately, and your stomach condition flared up, causing you to faint from the pain. It's nothing serious." He frowned, worried and confused. "But you eat with us every day. How could your eating be irregular?"

I lowered my eyes, hiding the self-mockery in them.

Recently, all his thoughts were on Chloe and her growing belly. Naturally, he wouldn't notice that watching him dote on another woman made me lose my appetite completely. I couldn't eat anything.

"It might be because of me." Chloe appeared at the bedroom door at some point, her face full of guilt. "Miss Ashford is probably still upset about me accidentally dropping the watch. That's why she can't eat. It's all my fault."

Vincent's brow furrowed deeply. He turned to me. "Claire, Chloe really didn't do it on purpose. I already talked to her about it. If you're still bothered by it, I'll compensate you on her behalf, okay? Whatever you want, I'll give it to you, as long as you stop being unhappy about this and eat properly."

Compensate again.

The word was so absurd it made me want to laugh.

Did he think everything could be traded away or smoothed over with "compensation"?

Before I could respond, Chloe slowly walked in with a warm smile. "You don't need to compensate Miss Ashford for me, because I have already obtained something Miss Ashford wants even more."

She handed me a document envelope.

Vincent's gaze was drawn to it. "What is that?"

Seeing him curiously reach for the envelope, my heart tightened. I quickly snatched it before he could.

I forced a smile. "This is just a little secret between me and Miss Rivers."

Vincent paused, then laughed. "When did you two become so close that you're keeping secrets from me? You used to tell me everything."

I looked up at him. "Didn't you also keep it from me that she was five months pregnant before letting me know?"