"Congratulations. You're pregnant."

The doctor's gentle voice fell by Natalie Sterling's ear. She lowered her head and stared at the test report in her hand, and a wave of joy rushed up in her chest all at once.

Natalie and her boyfriend, Theodore Langdon, had been together for nearly three years, but the two of them had always kept things proper.

It wasn't until last month, on the night before Theodore left for a business trip, that they finally crossed that line.

She never expected this baby to arrive so quietly, just like that.

"Thank you, doctor," Natalie said softly, then walked out of the consultation room with light, almost floating steps.

Even though she was still in school, she had already made up her mind in secret. She was keeping this little life no matter what.

She had heard Theodore was coming back from his trip tonight, so Natalie decided to give him a surprise.

With nerves and hope all tangled together in her heart, she came to the marital home they shared.

She had decorated this little love nest with her own hands, and every corner used to feel warm and sweet.

Natalie thought she'd start by making a big dinner for him, and her pace quickened without her even noticing.

But the second she pushed the door open, the scene in front of her made her feel like she had dropped straight into an ice pit.

A man's dress shirt was tossed in the living room, and beside it lay a piece of black lace lingerie.

Natalie's eyes widened. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. It felt so unreal it almost made her scalp go numb.

Just then, from the bedroom came sounds so intimate they made her blood run cold:

"Mmm... brother-in-law, you're amazing. Tell me, between me and my sister, who do you like more?"

"Do I even need to answer? Yvonne, of course it's you. Your sister is seriously such a stiff old-school type."

"Ah... brother-in-law, slower... no, too fast..."

"Still calling me brother-in-law? Hm?"

Those shameless, teasing voices crashed down like a sledgehammer and shattered every bit of Natalie's fantasy on the spot.

Theodore Langdon... with her half-sister, Yvonne Sterling...

No. No way. This had to be some sick hallucination.

Natalie Sterling forced herself to breathe, to stay upright, then reached out with a shaking hand and pushed the bedroom door open.

What she saw hit like a knife straight through the chest.

Two naked bodies were tangled together on the bed, skin against skin, the whole room reeking of sweat and betrayal. It was so filthy it made her stomach twist.

Theodore was the first to notice someone at the door. The second he saw Natalie, his face changed. He panicked, grabbed the blanket in a rush, and yanked it over himself. "Natalie? Why are you here?"

Yvonne put on a startled look, but the smug little gleam in her eyes gave her away completely. She shrank into Theodore's arms like she belonged there.

"You two... what are you doing?"

Natalie's voice was trembling so hard it barely sounded like her own. Her heart felt like it was being ripped open alive.

"Nat, don't be mad. Theodore and I are really in love." Yvonne squeezed out a few fake tears, looking pitiful on purpose. "If you want to blame someone, blame me. I just... love him too much..."

Theodore's expression softened at once when he saw Yvonne crying. Then he turned to Natalie, and the warmth in his eyes was gone, just like that. "Natalie, since you've already found out, I'll be straight with you. The one I love is Yvonne. Let us be together."

Yvonne.

Wow. He said her name so naturally, so intimately.

Let them be together?

If she made room for this trash couple, then who was supposed to make room for her?

Natalie's vision blurred with tears. She bit back the rage clawing up her throat and thought of the baby in her stomach, forcing herself to stay calm, to not completely lose it.

But the shake in her voice still sold her out.

"Theodore... I'm pregnant with your child."

That should have been the best news in the world for her.

Theodore froze for half a second, then his face darkened instantly. "Natalie... what did you just say?"

"I'm pregnant. It was from that time before..."

"I've been away on business for over forty days." His face turned stormy, jaw clenched so hard it looked like he might crack a tooth. "And now you're saying you got pregnant last month with my child?"

He stared at her with cold, vicious disbelief.

"Natalie, you actually cheated on me behind my back?"

This Natalie, back when she was with him, had always acted all shy and proper, like some delicate good girl. And now she was pregnant with another man's child?

That ridiculous bit of male pride got triggered hard. Theodore Langdon's face darkened on the spot, gloomy enough to drip water.

"On the 30th last month, you were the one who texted me and asked me to go to the hotel. Don't tell me you've suddenly lost your memory?"

Natalie had never expected Theodore to deny it so shamelessly. Her expression turned cold too.

But before she could say more, Yvonne Sterling's fake-sweet voice cut in right on cue.

"Come on, sis... don't tell me you cheated on my brother-in-law behind his back? He left for a business trip on the 20th... I even went with him."

She looked soft and innocent on the outside, all delicate and harmless, but there was undisguised triumph flashing in her eyes, like her scheme had landed perfectly.

"Impossible!" Natalie instantly pulled out her phone and shoved the text message in front of Theodore. "Theodore Langdon, open your eyes and look carefully. You sent this message on the 30th!"

Theodore glanced at it, and a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes, like he'd suddenly realized something.

But that reaction vanished fast. In no time, he went right back to that lofty, superior attitude of his.

"Natalie, get rid of the baby.

"Even if the text really did invite you there, when you entered the room and saw it wasn't me, didn't you feel even a little suspicious? Or were you actually looking forward to a one-night stand?"

Natalie's mind flashed back to that night. She'd been dizzy the whole time, her head fuzzy, and when she saw the room number was right, she hadn't thought much about it.

Who could've guessed things would blow up like this?

But she hadn't missed that brief flash of shock in Theodore's eyes.

If Theodore had really been overseas, there would've been no reason at all for him to send her that kind of suggestive text.

Looking at the smugness in Yvonne's eyes, wild and totally unhidden now, Natalie suddenly felt like she'd been slapped awake.

Yvonne had been away on the trip with Theodore, and Theodore clearly hadn't known anything about the message. That left only one possibility—

The man in that hotel room that night was never Theodore at all!

"Yvonne Sterling, this was you, wasn't it?!" Natalie pointed at her, her finger trembling with rage, her whole body shaking from anger.

She truly had never imagined that her own sister could be this vicious.

There wasn’t a hint of panic on Yvonne Sterling’s face. She still wore that pitiful, wronged look, but somehow it only made her seem more like a snake hiding in the grass. "Natalie, I really didn’t know you’d actually come..."

"You should just get rid of that bastard. If Dad finds out you’re pregnant with some bastard child, he’ll be furious."

"You vicious bitch!"

Natalie Sterling completely snapped. Like a lioness pushed past her limit, she lunged forward, wanting nothing more than to rip that fake face apart.

But Theodore Langdon reacted fast. He caught her wrist and shoved her back, shielding Yvonne behind him without a second thought.

Yvonne instantly put on a frightened act, shrinking into Theodore’s arms like she’d been scared out of her mind. But in her eyes, there was zero fear—only mockery. She looked at Natalie, sprawled on the floor, as if she were staring at some pathetic little bug.

Natalie looked at Theodore like that, and her whole heart went cold.

She had given him so much.

She had loved him with everything she had.

And now, right in front of her, he was protecting her own half-sister?

"Natalie, calm down. What’s done is done. Is hitting Yvonne going to fix anything?" Theodore frowned at her, his eyes full of impatience, like he was looking at someone who had totally lost it.

Natalie met his gaze, and it felt like a knife twisting in her chest. But then she dragged out a smile, one so sharp and broken it was almost scary. "Why shouldn’t I hit her? Not only will I hit her, I’ll make her pay back everything she’s done to me ten times over. And you, Theodore—you’re not getting away with this either."

"Natalie, I know I was wrong. If you’re mad, then take it out on me..." Yvonne hid in Theodore’s embrace, her voice soft and sweet, dripping with fake guilt.

Smack—

The sound landed crisp and brutal.

A bright red handprint bloomed across Yvonne’s pale cheek.

She looked stunned for a second, like her brain had frozen. But when she came back to herself, her face twisted instantly, ugly and vicious.

Even Theodore hadn’t expected Natalie to move that fast.

Natalie glared at the two of them, hatred blazing in her red-rimmed eyes. "You disgusting adulterers! The both of you will get what’s coming to you!"

The moment she finished, Natalie turned and rushed out the door.

The wild joy she had felt before was gone without a trace. All that remained inside her was emptiness, crushing heartbreak, and hatred so fierce it nearly swallowed her whole.

She wandered onto the road in a daze, like her soul had been hollowed out. Then suddenly, a harsh car horn tore through the air.

She turned her head blankly.

Blinding headlights slammed into her vision, so bright that everything went white.

The next second, the whole world fell into dead silence.