Ch. 241..250

Chapter 241

“Where are you?”

Just as I was going to end the call, I heard Michael's deep voice sound from the other end.

My heart trembled upon hearing his question. I stuttered out two words, about to give him an answer, “I'm at...”

“Michael, hurry over. Let's discuss the details of our engagement.”

I was interrupted by Emma's voice from the other side of the phone.

My heart sank. Apparently, he was with Emma now. It was obvious that they were discussing their wedding details.

That fact was like a cut to the heart. Not wanting to bother the two of them, I didn't answer Michael's question, hanging up the phone instead.

I hated myself for being such a fool. The two of them were going to get engaged soon, but I still couldn't get over him. Despite knowing the fact that he was not going to be mine, I had still contacted him. I was no different from a homewrecker.

I sat by the side of the road and chuckled darkly, finding my own antics ridiculous. I had really overestimated myself. Michael had already decided to get married to Emma. Of course, he wouldn't take me seriously.

I buried my head in my knees, feeling utterly lonely and vulnerable.

The sky slowly got dark as I remained sitting by the street. Many pedestrians couldn't help but shoot me weird gazes as they passed by. However, I wasn't bothered by it.

I didn't know how long I had been squatting there. Suddenly, bright lights flashed in the direction of my eyes. Instinctively, I covered my eyes with my hands. If it was any other time, I would definitely be angry and went after the driver, but today I was not in the mood for any confrontation.

The car with the blinding headlights came to a screeching halt in front of me. The next second, my heart skipped a beat the moment I recognized the person who had just exited the car.

Michael? What is he doing here? I don't remember telling him my whereabouts.

Michael strode over and looked at me from above. His handsome face looked grim.

“Get in the car!” he domineeringly ordered before I could say anything.

“Why are you here? Aren't you supposed to be discussing your wedding details with Emma?”

I tilted my head up and stared at him, not bothering to move from where I was. My heart was feeling inexplicable pain.

“I said, get in the car!”

I remained on the floor. There was a hint of anger in Michael's voice as he yelled at me, and his gaze was growing colder by the minute.

My brows furrowed slightly upon hearing his tone. I didn't want anything to do with him anymore; I shouldn't have made that call earlier.

He looked at me furiously. The next second, he strode right in front of me and pulled me up. Then, I was pushed into his car forcefully.

“What are you doing, Michael? Why are you here looking for me instead of spending time with Emma?”

Michael sped down the road, ignoring my question. I stared at him angrily with eyes that seemed to be blazing with fire.

“Aren't you trying to make me come here? Is that not the reason you called me earlier?” Michael took a glance at me and answered coldly.

He had read my mind. All of a sudden, I was at loss for words. Feeling guilty, I hurriedly moved my gaze away. I really couldn't hide anything from him.

“Did you call me to stop me from getting engaged with Emma?”

Michael was speeding down the road at an inhumane speed while asking that. Although he had his eyes fixed on the road, his voice was oddly calm.

“No, I didn't. I've never thought of ruining your marriage.”

He must be thinking I want to ruin their engagement ceremony. Perhaps, he came all the way here to give me a warning.

“Anna, do you think you can lie to my face about things?”

Michael was evidently extremely unhappy with my denial. His brows were tightly furrowed as he shot me a stern look.

“Michael, there's only one thing I have to ask you.”

I lowered my head, feeling down. How can I stop him from marrying Emma?

“Go on!”

The man looked impatient.

“We were together for a long time. Have you ever truthfully liked me?”

After being silent for quite a while, I finally popped the question.

Michael had been saying that we were just friends with benefits. There was nothing else more than that. However, I was not willing to accept the truth.

As soon as I asked that question, the man immediately slammed on the brakes. When the car rolled to a stop, he turned to look at me with a grim expression on his face.

I looked him in the eyes calmly, patiently waiting for his answer. I was aware of his engagement, but it would be a great consolation if I knew that he had actually liked me once.

“I did,” Michael answered with a calm expression.

Initially, I thought he was going to warn me and make sure I know my place. However, his answer was beyond my expectation. He actually said he liked me...

“Michael, you...”

My eyes widened as I looked at him. I couldn't believe my ears. Michael had never admitted to openly liking me before. But this time...

“I said I do like you. Don't you understand?”

My surprised face ignited a frown out of Michael. He sounded quite displeased.

I stared at his eyes that were full of seriousness, and at that moment, I felt really content.

A lump in my throat rose in my throat several moments later. Hence, I averted my eyes, afraid that I would lose control of my emotions and bury myself in his arms.

“Anna, I have to admit that you're the one and only woman whom I have truly liked — maybe even loved. But as you know, I've never been a person who let my feelings get the upper hand over me.”

I could tell that he was actually reminding me of his engagement with those words. Even if I was the person he had feelings for, his final choice would still be Emma.

My mouth gradually curved into a bitter smile. I wasn't surprised at all. I had seen this coming, but it still really hurt.

I turned to look at him and replied earnestly, “I understand. I have never thought of interfering with your wedding.”

I sucked in a deep breath at that, trying to remain calm.

“That's good. I hate scheming women who try all sorts of tactics to get what they want. You're the woman I love. I hope you won't let me down!”

Though he sounded as if he was satisfied with my answer, his expression didn't show any signs of happiness.

Upon hearing his warning, I lowered my head and remained silent.

“I'll send you home. How could you sit there alone at this hour? Aren't you afraid of being in danger?”

Upon saying that, Michael started his car again, driving toward Birchwood.

He sped along the road all the way, so we arrived within ten minutes. We walked into the house side by side — sometimes we had done ages ago.

“Have a good rest.”

Michael glanced at me calmly as he spoke. Then, he turned around and prepared to leave.

I didn't know what had gotten into me, but I hurriedly wrapped my arms around his waist tightly, pleading, “Can you stay with me tonight?”

I would never have a chance to spend time with Michael anymore in another two days. I guessed tonight would be my last chance of feeling the type of happiness only he could bring me.

 

Chapter 242

“Anna,” Michael called out my name gently.

Even though I did not see his face, I could feel that he must have thought that I wanted to get back together with him.

Instantly, I let go of my hand. Compared to wanting him to stay, I did not want him to misinterpret my feelings.

I thought he would walk away. But to my surprise, he turned to me abruptly and started kissing me forcefully.

Knowing that he would have a fiancée soon, I knew I should not be doing this. But the fact was that I could no longer control myself. It was, without doubt, the first time I loved someone so humbly.

I had long gotten used to his obsessive and robust kiss, and I somehow enjoyed it.

Wrapping my arms affectionately around his neck, I closed my eyes and responded to his kiss.

He seemed extraordinarily passionate today. Maybe it was because we had separated for a long time, and he had started to miss the feel of my body.

The kiss lasted for a long time before Michael carried me into the bedroom. He placed me on the bed and began taking off my clothes.

At that moment, I recalled reading from the internet that sex was not recommended during the first three months of pregnancy, as it might cause a miscarriage. Although I had already decided to abort

this baby, I was still worried about any accident that might happen.

“Michael, please stop...”

As soon as his hand started touching beneath my shirt, I grabbed it nervously, trying to stop him.

Seeing my gesture, he furrowed his eyes in discontent. “Why? Am I making you uncomfortable?”

Michael was a confident man in bed, as he knew perfectly about all the woman's sensitive spots. Thus, he was baffled when I stopped him abruptly.

“Let's not do that today. Okay?”

I looked him in the eyes and finally spoke after hesitated for a long while.

I knew best that he was like a crazy beast when making love. That was why I feared there was a big chance it would cause some degree of harm toward my baby.

“Anna, are you fooling around with me? Why did you tempt me just now then?”

Upon hearing what I said, his eyes blazed with rage.

He would be pissed every time I stopped him halfway, so I was not surprised by his reaction. Especially when we had not met for such a long time; I had expected him to react exactly in such a manner.

“It's a little inconvenient for me today...”

I spoke with a meek voice while gazing at his eyes.

“Inconvenient? Why? You aren't on your period now, right?”

Obviously, he was not satisfied with my hesitance.

“Michael, I really can't. Let's just chat tonight, okay?”

I grasped his arm tightly, pleading with him.

He looked utterly displeased as he spat out, “Anna, are you telling me not to touch you?”

I nodded in silence. I knew it would piss him off, but I could not tell him the real reason for my refusal.

“Fine. Since you're not available down there, let's use other parts then.” At that, his expression turned into anticipation.

“What do you mean?”

I looked at him in confusion, unable to comprehend his words.

“Help me with these.”

He snickered as his finger touched my lips lustfully.

I was a grown woman. Thus, I would be a fool if I still failed to understand what he meant.

“Can I use my hand?”

I stared at him awkwardly, trying to persuade him with a soft voice.

Frankly, I found it preposterous to jerk a man off with my hand, but it was way more acceptable compared to using my mouth.

“Anna, there's no third option. Make your decision.”

Michael did not consider my suggestion at all.

My heart dropped; I knew he would not give in. But for the sake of my baby, it seemed like I had to go with my mouth.

While I was still trying to clear my thoughts, Michael had already taken off his pants.

“Michael, I...”

I was still trying to talk him out of this. But before I could finish my sentence, his hands had grabbed my head firmly.

Fortunately, seeing my struggling expression, he was still willing to slow down his pace.

I was unsure if it was too exciting for him or if he deliberately shortened the time to save my struggle, but it lasted not more than half an hour.

Upon seeing him finally satisfied, I let out a sigh of relief.

“That was good. We should have tried it long ago.”

Michael laid down and held me in his embrace, his expression beaming with delight.

He was happy, but in contrast, my heart was beyond exasperated. As he was having a great time alone, it was but such an awful experience for me.

If I knew he would behave so rudely, I would not have wanted him to stay.

 

Chapter 243

That night, I did not manage to catch even a wink of sleep. Within my mind, all I could think of was Michael's engagement plan with Emma.

“Michael, are you really willing to marry Emma? Won't you regret it?”

I had been contemplating how to ask that question for a very long time, but I eventually failed to suppress my doubt. When I spoke, I was not even sure if Michael was still awake.

“So what if I'm not willing?”

He answered my question with another question.

Nonetheless, I could sense that he did not seem that bothered to proceed with the engagement.

“If you're not willing, why would you do it then? Don't you think spending a life with someone you don't love is quite a miserable life?”

I turned around to face him with my eyes looking extremely earnest.

“Not everything in this life goes as we please.”

He stared back at me, his tone utterly composed. But somehow, I could felt slight helplessness in it.

I was at a loss for words at that moment. Perhaps he has a good reason to follow and accept the arrangement made by his family.

It seemed like love was not the top priority in his world.

“It's late. We should get some sleep.”

Trying hard to suppress the sorrow in my heart, I closed my eyes after saying that.

I was not sleepy at all, but I was petrified to continue the conversation with him. I feared that I would eventually find out that he would not cancel the engagement regardless of his feelings for me.

As I closed my eyes tightly, but I could feel Michael still gazing at me. After a short moment, he reached his hand and caressed my face gently.

My body trembled slightly upon feeling his touch. At that instant, I wished I could jump right into his embrace and beg him not to marry Emma.

But who am I to ask him for that? And even if I said it, I was not sure if he would change his mind.

“Giving up on you might be the hardest decision I will ever have to make in this life.”

With his hand still on my face, he whispered out those words.

Upon hearing that, my chest heaved up and down as I tried to suppress my emotions. I could feel the sincerity in his words, but I could not comprehend why a man would choose his career over his happiness.

In the end, I did not open my eyes to face him, eventually dozing off without realizing it. I slept soundly

that night; I guess Michael gave me a unique sense of security.

However, Michael had already left when I woke up the next morning.

Staring at the deserted room, I felt a sudden emptiness within my heart. Are we really becoming strangers from now on?

I sat on the bed with my hands wrapped tightly around my legs. I started thinking back on all our memories. Even though Michael often treated me coldly and domineeringly, he was the only one who was there for me whenever I needed help.

Staring at the empty bed, I could still smell his scent from it. Last night would most probably be the last time I would ever get to meet him.

I locked myself from the world for these two days. I did not dare to turn on the television nor the computer at all, as all the news would be broadcasting about Michael's sensational engagement. I did not think I would be able to accept that reality.

During the weekend, I finally got out of my room, heading towards the hospital. On this same day, Michael would be getting engaged with Emma.

On the day of my appointment for my abortion, I arrived at the doctor's office bright and early. The doctor saw me entering the office and said indifferently, “Have a seat. So have you decided to truly abort the baby?”

“Yes, I have. It's not the right time for me to have a kid.”

I lowered my head and said this sentence hesitantly.

“Then get yourself ready now. We will proceed with the operation half an hour later.”

After confirming my decision, the doctor gave me a set of verbal instructions to follow.

Half an hour later, the doctor guided me to the operating room. My heart skipped a beat looking at all sorts of tools in that room.

Upon seeing the doctor start to disinfect all those tools, my heart fell with a thud. It was my first time entering an operation room, so I was reasonably terrified.

My face paled in fright the second I saw the doctor holding up a tool and approaching me.

A few minutes later, the doctor turned to look at me. I could not recognize her face as she was wearing a surgical mask.

“Take off your pants and lie down.”

She pointed rigidly at the bed behind me.

After hesitating for a long while, I stepped towards the bed slowly and took off my pants. Even though I had never undergone an abortion before, I had expected the need to expose my lady part.

Although it was a female doctor attending to me, I still could not help but feel embarrassed. After all, besides Michael, no one had ever seen my private lady parts.

I forced myself to lie down on the bed with my heart pounding uncontrollably.

The baby belonged to Michael and I. At that moment, some part of me somehow wished I could keep it.

As I lay on the bed, my body started to tremble incessantly.

The doctor instructed gently, “Spread your legs, please. I can't operate on you like this.”

It seemed like she detected my nervousness and was trying to calm me down.

Closing my eyes, I reluctantly spread my legs. I persuaded myself that there was nothing to be shy of, as the doctor must have conducted such an operation countless time.

“I'll disinfect you first. And before the operation, I'll give you an anesthetic. So you won't feel any pain throughout the process. Don't worry.”

The doctor was still kind enough to give me some comforting words.

“Thank you.”

I opened my eyes, not knowing else how to respond to her.

I could not see what she was doing as I lay down, but I could feel something cold on the lower part of my body. She must be disinfecting me.

At that moment, the only thing I could see was the operation light above me. Thinking that the baby inside my belly would soon be gone, I could not help but start to panic a little.

I was not a cold-blooded person, and I felt remorse for ending a life like this.

After completed the disinfection, the doctor directed the operation light towards my lady part and went to take a needle. I guessed it must be the anesthetic.

At that moment, I felt as though my spirit was leaving my body. Once she injected the anesthetic, I would not be able to feel anything — everything would be over once I woke up.

 

Chapter 244

Staring at the needle approaching my body, I suddenly felt a great fear of losing the baby in my stomach.

I pushed away from the doctor nervously and jumped right off the bed.

“I'm so sorry, doctor. I changed my mind. think I want to keep my baby.”

As I scrambled to wear my pants, I stared at the doctor apologetically. I wondered if I was the first one who regretted the decision of abortion right at the very last second.

I thought the doctor would be mad, thinking I had wasted her time. But instead, she showed signs of no anger at all. She took off her mask and cast a genuine smile towards me.

“Every child is an angel. Please appreciate such a gift in the future.”

Upon saying that, the doctor turned and walked out of the operating room.

I did not know how and when I left the hospital. As I walked alone on the street, fear still lingered in my chest. The thought of my baby being gone if I had not change my mind at the last second ignited a sense of despair within me.

Even though I felt lost at the thought of the future of myself and my child, at that very moment, my instinct told me that I would not regret this. The baby was part of me now, and there was no way I would abandon it.

I touched my belly carefully. Although it was still too tiny to be detected, I could imagine it growing

gradually.

Taking a deep breath, I lifted my head and looked at the sky. I had made up my mind. No matter how people would look at me, no matter how hard it would be to take care of a child, I would try my best to be a good mother.

Taking out my phone, I called Natalie to see if she was at home, and I was glad to know that she was.

After I arrived at her house, we chatted briefly before she suddenly mentioned Michael.

“Anna, do you know that Michael is getting engaged today?”

My friend stated the question carefully while observing my expression.

Before that, I was still in the joy of keeping the baby, but my smile vanished the instant I heard that man's name.

“Of course I know about it. It's the biggest news that's trending all over now. Everyone knows about it.”

I knew Natalie was aware of my feelings towards Michael, but I still tried my hardest to seem calm.

“Don't you have any plan? Since you like him so much, are you going to watch him getting married to another woman?”

Natalie was somewhat pissed by my calmness. In my heart, I knew she was a true friend who cared for my happiness.

“At this point, there's nothing I can do anymore. As you know, there is no future between Michael and I.”

I knew Natalie was trying to encourage me, but I had lost all my courage. I was afraid that more courage would only bring more agony in the end.

“Anna, are you going to piss me off? How can you give up without trying? Didn't you say that Michael also likes you?”

“Natalie, I have never expected a future of us. I feel content with having this baby. That's all that matters to me now.”

I patted my belly gently; the child was my only spiritual sustenance right now.

“Baby? What baby? You're pregnant?”

Natalie was stunned momentarily as her eyes widened in bewilderment.

“Yes, it's Michael's.”

Natalie was the only friend I trusted — I hid no secret from her. After all, she would find out about it sooner or later when my belly started to grow.

“What? Anna, you...”

Even though she had already suspected it, she was at a loss after hearing my confession.

“I know what you're thinking. You must think I'm crazy.”

I had her Natalie long enough to know how she would feel about it.

I would not be able to comprehend my decision either if I was the old me. But I now realized that a mother would do anything to protect her child, even though it might seem insane in others' eyes. I guessed that was the sacrificing love of a mother.

“Anna, are you out of your mind? Do you realize you're pregnant out of wedlock? If you give birth to this baby, how will the world look at you in the future?”

Natalie stared at me with a panicked look on her face. But as a matter of fact, I had already considered every possible consequence she mentioned. That had been the exact reason I wanted to abort my baby. But when I was on the operating bed, I realized that all the pressure and critics from the world were nothing compared to my unborn baby's life.

“I don't care how people will look at me. There's no way I could possibly kill my own child.”

At this moment, I could feel my deep connection with the baby in my belly. I knew I would not be able to forgive how inhuman I was for seriously thinking to abort my own child earlier.

“You... I don't know what to say. Didn't you use contraception when you had sex with him? You're ruining your own life like this!”

Natalie knew she would not be able to change my mind, but she was still utterly concerned about my well-being.

“Don't worry. I have decided to keep the baby, so I am prepared for whatever comes my way.”

The second I decided to keep the baby, I had decided resolutely that I would protect my child no matter what happened in the future.

“Fine. Since you've made up your mind, I'll support you. But... When are you planning to tell Michael? You are going to tell him, right?”

I did not respond to her question for quite a long time.

“No, I don't plan to tell him. I'll bring up the child myself,” I told her in an earnest tone.

“What? How can you not tell him? Anna, are you stupid?”

My response once again left Natalie in awe.

“Michael is already engaged, and they will be getting married soon. There's no point of him knowing.”

I doubted if it would make any difference if Michael knew about my pregnancy.

“Anna, you're not thinking straight. The baby belongs to him, so he has the right to know. Moreover, how could you possibly bring up the child all by yourself?”

My best friend disagreed thoroughly with my decision. However, regardless of how right she was about the burden of taking care of a child, I was still reluctant to inform Michael of this.

I lowered my head, seeming extremely dispirited.

“Anna, listen to me. The difficulty of taking care of a child is beyond your imagination. You must tell him now. Even if you don't, he will find out when your belly starts to grow. Don't forget that you're still working at his company.”

Chapter 245

Natalie's words held some degree of truth. I was also aware that it would be difficult to keep the news of my pregnancy from Michael.

Not wanting to further discuss this topic with her, we talked for a bit longer before I decided to leave.

I intended to keep the baby, but I didn't know how to keep this a secret from Michael. He was an intelligent man. If I told him the baby was someone else's, there was no way he would believe me.

Today was his engagement day. Initially, I refused to watch anything that had to do with it. However, I could not hold myself back. I turned on the TV to watch his engagement video, which was playing in a loop.

The man was dressed in a white suit, looking tall and charming. His expression was still cold as ever, and his piercing eyes seemed like he could read right through someone. No matter where he was, he would always be the center of attention.

Standing beside him was Emma, who had her hand around his arm. The champagne-colored dress complimented her skin, and the long length of the dress hugged her every curve. The bright smile on her face made her look even more appealing. Though I didn't want to, I had to admit that the two of them were a perfect match.

As much as I wanted to deny it, my heart ached upon looking at the couple.

I hurriedly turned off the TV; I didn't dare watch it any longer. I had known that watching further would make me sad, but I had been able to hold myself back.

At night, while I was tossing and turning in bed, I suddenly thought of an idea to prevent Michael from finding out that I was pregnant with his child — leaving the company.

Even though I was reluctant to do so, that was the only way to avoid his suspicion.

On Monday, I strolled straight to the HR department to hand in my resignation letter, and it didn't take long for me to complete the procedure.

When I returned home, I let out a helpless sigh because I was once again unemployed. The most important thing for me to do right now was to land a job. Otherwise, when the baby finally came, both of us would suffer.

In the next few days, I applied for jobs in a few companies, but because I had to raise a child all by myself in the future, I had to find a job that offered a high salary. Unfortunately, I had not managed to find the ideal company that met all my requirements after a long time of searching.

After I left Joyful Success, Michael completely disappeared from my life. It was as if we had never met at all.

However, today, when I was staying at home looking at the job offers in the newspaper. The door to my room suddenly opened, making me instinctively turn toward the door's direction, only to see Michael walking in.

“You... Why are you here?” I asked, stupefied.

Since he was already engaged with Emma, I hadn't expected him to come here any more; it seemed

like I was wrong.

“You resigned?” he asked, ignoring my question.

“Yes,” I replied flatly. Did he come here to talk about that?

“State the reason,” he demanded.

I noticed that his face had darkened upon hearing my answer. Though I didn't know why he was so mad, my heart still fluttered upon meeting him.

“No reason. I just wanted a change of working environment.”

Since I could not let him know about the baby inside my stomach, I had to make up an excuse to brush him off.

“Anna Garcia, tell me the truth!”

He started approaching me as his face turned gloomier. A trace of anger flashed in his eyes.

“It's my right to resign. I shouldn't have to report anything to you. So what brings you here today?”

The look in his eyes made me uneasy, and in fear that he would find out about my pregnancy, I wished he would leave.

He halted his steps as the fire in his eyes dissipated. It was soon replaced with an awkward expression.

“Come back to the company tomorrow,” he told me rigidly. It was my first time seeing him in such a state.

“Why should I?” I stared at him, flabbergasted.

“I'm not used to not having you around,” he answered stiffly.

This was a first — he had never openly expressed his true feelings on a matter before.

“That's not good enough a reason for me to return the company. If I continue working there, it will only bring about unnecessary trouble.”

Under normal circumstances, I would have agreed with him without any hesitation. However, the situation was different now. I was bearing his child, whom I had decided to give birth to without his knowledge. I could not let him know about this.

“I have personally come to see you, yet you still dare to reject me?” he questioned with a tight frown, staring at me in disdain.

“We are already over, Mr. Shaw. I wish not to be involved with you anymore. I don't want to keep being delusional that we might happen.”

I had left the company after careful consideration. Of course, the baby was the top reason. But other than that, I also didn't want to see him with Emma because that would be painful.

“Do you plan to erase your existence from my life, Anna?”

Michael's eyes flickered with an emotion that I could not decipher.

I looked down, not bothering to reply to his question. That was my silent way to confirm his guess. We would not end up together, anyway, so what was the point of maintaining contact with each other?

I finally uttered after some time, “I'm tired, Michael. If that's all you came here for, please see yourself out.”

“I canceled my date just to come here, Anna. How dare you chase me away?” He squinted his eyes, evidently furious.

My heart skipped a beat upon hearing his statement. He canceled his date with Emma just to see me?

“You were supposed to have a date with Emma?” I questioned, gazing at him in suspicion.

“What do you think? Anna, out of everyone, you're the first woman who has rejected me!”

“You know, you once said I'm the first woman you were ever attracted to. If Emma wasn't in the picture, would you have ended up with me?”

Judging from what he said, it was enough to figure out that I was important to him. Still, he had never directly told me that he wanted to be with me.

I could not guess what was going through in his mind. Are benefits more important than anything else to him?

 

Chapter 246

“Anna, do you want to be with me because of love or because of the title of Mrs. Shaw?” He stared at me intently. His frown remained on his face.

What? Does he seriously think I want to be with him because I want to achieve such a title? Does he think I'm doing this merely for money?

Learning that was how he viewed me, a bitter smile tugged on the corner of my lips. I shouldn't have asked him that. For him, everything between us is a joke.

“If you're convinced I want to be with you because of that ridiculous reason, please leave. From now on, we're nothing but strangers,” I stated coldly while pointing at the door, breaking eye contact with him.

So he thinks my feelings for him are fake? That I'm only with him for worldly possessions? Sure, being his wife means enjoying endless glory and wealth. Many women are competing to be with him, but I am not what he thinks I am. I love him, and that's the only reason why I want to be with him. Even if he were just an ordinary person, my feelings for him wouldn't change.

“Strangers? Are you trying to make me mad, Anna?” he questioned coldly.

“Maybe if I withdraw myself from your life, you'll change your perspective about me.”

Yes. Maybe being strangers will open your eyes to see that I'm serious with you.

Enraged, Michael shot me a cold look before turning to leave in silence.

Though I was relieved that he was no longer around me, my heart ached, for I still could not believe that that was how lowly he thought of me.

Half an hour later, someone knocked on my door once again, but I ignored it, assuming that Michael had returned.

To my dismay, the knocking was insistent. It was getting annoying, so I opened the door in the end.

“Michael, haven't I made it clear that we-”

My voice trailed off when I noticed that the person outside was not Michael, but Emma, looking immensely pissed off.

“Emma, why are you here?” I questioned with a frown.

What is she up to this time?

“You should know better, shouldn't you? Stop pretending to be innocent, Anna!” she shouted while staring at me. Rage evidently dancing in her wards.

“I have no idea what you're talking about! You're not welcomed here. Get lost!”

Every time I met the woman, she never failed to make my blood boil. Now that I was pregnant, I had no energy to deal with her. So with that said, I proceeded to slam the door in her face, but she had managed to block it somehow.

“What? You're afraid of facing me? Is that it?” Pushing the door open, she invited herself inside. Her glare never averted from me.

My brows snapped together as I sensed her contempt, and my patience was starting to get thin. “I no longer have anything to do with you, Emma. Please leave me alone!”

As I used to have an affair with Michael, I would sometimes feel guilty whenever I met Emma. But he and I were over now, yet she still came looking for trouble. There was no way I would allow her to throw a fit and step all over me.

“Is that so? Then tell me, you b*tch. Why are you still seducing Michael when you know we're already engaged? Aren't you ashamed that you're this desperate?” she spat out angrily. A trace of hatred tainted her eyes.

“Excuse me? Who are you to call me a b*tch?” I refuted irritatingly as I stared back at her with the same amount of hatred.

“I'm saying this as his fiancée! Anna, I saw with my own eyes that he left this place earlier! Don't you dare try to deny it! Why are you still clinging onto him, knowing he's engaged now? What do you plan on doing exactly?”

It was ridiculous how she thought I had lost against her because she was now engaged to Michael. Sure, my heart stung when she mentioned she was his fiancée, but I would never let her know about that — I would never allow her that satisfaction.

“I'm not clinging onto him. He came here willingly. If you don't believe me, you can ask him yourself,” I informed sternly.

Though I didn't want to have this meaningless argument with her, I could not let her keep making such a groundless accusation.

In the past few days, I had completely cut off contact with Michael and decided that we would be strangers from now on. Him showing up earlier had nothing to do with me.

“Do you think I'd buy your blatant lie? I seriously don't know what Michael sees in you! Why is he this entranced with you? This is your reminder that Michael is now my fiancé. If you continue seeing him, I'll make sure the whole Avenport goes against you!”

Nothing would change her mind regardless of what I said. I felt like I was simply her outlet to vent her complex emotions.

“I'm already immune to your threats. This isn't the first time you've done this, but my patience has its limits too. I've already explained what's needed to be explained. It's up to you whether to believe me. This is my house, so leave! You better not show up here anymore!”

Since I had never expected her to come here, I was pretty taken aback when she showed up. However, that was also the reason for my fury. How dare she cause trouble on my territory? So what if she's his fiancée? That still didn't give her the right to do such a thing.

“How nice of you to still have the guts to threaten me. Anna, if you want to compete with me, look at yourself in the mirror first and foremost. I will never forgive you for stealing my man.”

 

Chapter 247

“Whatever you say. Now get the hell out of my house!” I demanded. I was already used to her threats, so I didn't take it seriously.

“I'm not afraid of you, Anna. I'm for real this time. I'm going to make the whole town your enemy!”

Emma became even more furious upon seeing my nonchalant attitude toward her threats.

Without wanting to waste more energy on her, I kicked her out before slamming the door shut.

Her appearance worsened my already bad mood. I was not afraid of what she would do. I just hated being misunderstood and threatened.

The woman didn't leave immediately. Instead, she stayed and kicked my door like a madwoman, but upon seeing that I didn't bother to acknowledge her any longer, she stomped away.

Two days after the incident with Emma, I had almost forgotten that she had even come to my house. For the past couple of days, I busied myself online-searching for the things I needed to pay attention to during pregnancy. Of course, I never neglected the responsibility of looking for a job despite being busy.

However, my peaceful days only lasted that long. Today, when I went out to keep hunting for a job, I noticed that people were staring and pointing at me, causing me to feel a bit self-conscious as my brows furrowed.

Deciding to brush them off, I continued my journey. However, as much as I wanted to ignore them, things were starting to get out of hand as they would gossip about me whenever they passed by me.

Some even secretly snapped photos of me without my consent.

At one point, two young women took pictures of me when they passed by me. Frowning in confusion, I tried my best to eavesdrop on their conversation.

“Look. It's the unscrupulous woman who hooked up with Michael Shaw.”

“Looks really can be deceiving. Who would've known such an innocent-looking woman would get it on with someone else's fiancé?”

“Well, pure-looking women like her are the cheapest women alive. We don't know how many men she slept with. We'll probably be shocked by the number.”

I could not believe my ears. Not only were they degrading me so openly, but this whole thing seemed to have something to do with Michael since they mentioned him.

“What are you talking about!” I yelled angrily. Who do they think they are to disrespect me like this?

Startled by my sudden outburst, the two women didn't react for some time. However, when they regained their composure, they started to hurl insults toward me.

“We're talking about how shameless you are. What? You can hook up with Michael, but we can't talk about it? Don't be a hypocrite!” uttered one of them.

“What kind of nonsense are you sprouting? You don't even know me! What gives you the right to accuse me of hooking up with a man?”

How do they know about Michael and I, though?

Even if we did have an affair before, we were over now. I was not like the woman they pictured in their minds.

“Almost everyone in this country knows who you are. You're on the headlines of everything, even the news. By denying that you hooked up with Michael Shaw, are you trying to say the news are lying about it?” stated the other one as she stared at me in disdain.

I was dumbfounded when I heard those words.

“Headline? What do you mean it's on the headlines?”

“Oh. So she didn't know she made it to the headline of newspapers. No wonder she still has the guts to leave her house. If I were her, I would have stayed home.”

Not believing her, I immediately went to buy the latest newspapers. Indeed, news of the affair between Michael and I was on the front page. Right now, I was known as the mistress of someone else's fiancé. Wherever I went, people stared at me in disgust as if I were filthy.

According to the newspaper, I was trying to climb the social ladder by seducing the most famous man in town. They had even included a photo of me sitting in Michael's car.

Though it was a sneak shot, both our faces were as clear as day. The person who took this photo must have been a professional, but I had no time to care about such a petty matter.

Since I had made it to the headline with negative news, I was now the number one public enemy. It was unpleasant to have everyone pointing at me and insulting me without bothering to be discreet at all.

Infuriated with the current situation, my trembling hands clenched the newspaper.

Ever since Michael got engaged, I had ceased mingling with him. Still, that didn't stop this sh*t from happening. Somebody was obviously trying to frame me, but I had no idea who.

My mind scanned every possible person that would intentionally target me like this. That was when Emma popped up.

Yes. She must be the one behind this ordeal. She did threaten me two days ago, after all.

Noticing that the pedestrians were still gossiping about me, I decided to return home. Along the way, I could not deny that I felt a bit scared.

Almost every person I crossed paths with did the same as the others. My mind was in a mess as I had no idea how to face such people.

When I arrived home, a sense of humiliation still lingered deep within me. I quickly fished my phone and dialed Emma's number.

The woman was getting increasingly outrageous. It was evident that she was trying to ruin my whole being.

I took a deep breath and waited for her to pick up, which she did just after the first ring.

“Hello?”

Though she sounded casual, I could detect the smugness in her voice.

 

Chapter 248

“It was you, wasn't it?” I questioned without beating around the bush.

I was so overwhelmed with anger that I would have slapped Emma in the face if she were in front of me.

How dare she do this when she knows that women value reputation the most? She's such a vile woman!

Sure, I did have a thing with Michael some time ago, but I was never a mistress nor a homewrecker! That was totally false news!

“I have no idea what you're talking about,” she denied, but the triumph in her voice stated otherwise.

“Oh, I think you do! Don't even bother trying to pretend! You're a vicious woman, Emma!” I howled furiously.

At that moment, I really wished I could make her pay for what she did, but I didn't have any proof against her since I had never expected her to pull such a stunt.

“So what if it was me? You can't do anything to me, anyway. And so what if I'm vicious? At least that's better than being a b*tch,” she finally admitted. Her voice became cold as her attitude toward me worsened.

“Don't you think you're too much? You clearly didn't think how this news would impact Michael too!”

Knowing that my words would not affect her, I had to bring the man into this conversation. He was the

only one that could truly scare her.

“Anna, don't you know the situation at all? You're the villain here. Why would he be impacted? Any woman would be able to seduce him as you did. Did you think people will actually drag him along with you?” she sneered, totally disregarding that what she did would also disturb Michael.

Howbeit, what she said was true. I was the villain here; people would be focusing entirely on me. It seemed like she had only taken such extreme steps after thorough consideration.

“Even if it doesn't impact him, you still used his name for something as horrible as this. It will only make him hate you even more.”

One thing I learned of Michael was that he hated people using him regardless of the reason. Even though the issue would not affect him, he definitely would not ignore it when he found out.

“Shut up, Anna! How could you say he'll hate me when I'm his fiancée?”

Agitation replaced the triumph in her voice after hearing me say that. It must have triggered her.

“Because he doesn't like you at all, and you know about that as well. I really don't get why you insist on marrying someone who's not even in love with you.”

Anyone could guess that Michael didn't feel anything for Emma just by judging his attitude toward her. Emma was aware of that, but she still wanted to force their relationship, and that was something I could not decipher.

“I told you to shut up! Shut the hell up!” she yelled hysterically, letting me know that I had hit the bullseye. Emma simply didn't want to accept it.

“Why should I shut up just because you tell me to do so? You know, Michael himself personally told me that he doesn't like you one bit. In fact, he despises you!”

I didn't care if I was being harsh toward her. Compared to what she had done to me, I was far more merciful.

“Say one more thing, and I swear I'll make the public hate you more than they already do, Anna!” she threatened once again.

“You've already accomplished that, anyway, so I don't mind if you decide to scheme anything else. But remember, if my life is threatened because of this, I'll drag you to hell with me.”

I'm not a saint, and I don't aspire to be one. Anyone who messes with me will get it back tenfold!

“Anna, you—”

I ended the call before she could say anything else. All she would do is threaten me again, anyway. She had already ruined my reputation. What more could she threaten me with?

Although I had won against her over the phone call, I didn't feel proud at all. In fact, the frustration I felt never left me. There was only one person who could help me clear my name, and that was Michael.

Bearing that thought in mind, I proceeded to look for his phone number. However, I hesitated for a long time upon recalling what I had said to him when he came over that day. Would he still want to help me

after that?

Even though he was my only way out, I still decided against it as I put my phone aside with a sigh.

When I was lost in thought, my phone suddenly rang. Glancing at the screen, my eyes brightened upon seeing Michael's name.

After taking a deep breath, I accepted his call.

“Hello?”

“Where are you now?” he asked blandly.

I hesitated a bit before replying, “At home.” He must have seen the newspapers. Otherwise, he would not have called me.

“I saw the headlines. It started from a magazine company called CHIC.”

As expected, my hunch was correct. It was not surprising, though. There was no way he would not hear of this circulation, considering that even I had already known about this.

I hadn't expected him to immediately investigate which company had started the publication, so I could not care less about it. What I wanted to know was his reaction upon learning that Emma was the mastermind behind this matter.

“Do you know your fiancée's the one behind this?”

“Really? Are you sure?” he questioned sullenly.

“You can carry on investigating if you don't believe me. Given your ability, I'm sure you'll find the truth in no time.”

I had no idea if he believed me or not, but I knew investigating this matter would be a piece of cake for him.

He was silent for a while, which had made me nervous. Why isn't he saying anything? Doesn't he believe me? Does he think I'm trying to set Emma up to break them apart?

 

Chapter 249

“I believe you,” he uttered after some time, clearing my doubts.

“Really?”

Touched that he had chosen to believe me, my eyes turned misty and a lump formed in my throat.

“I know what kind of a person she is. Let me handle this, alright? I'm not going to let you get slandered.”

Though he didn't reply to my question, everything he said almost made me burst into tears.

“Thank you,” I stated softly.

He could have ignored the matter since he would not be dragged along, considering people would not dare to badmouth him. Still, he decided to help me, and that proved just how good he was to me. I was merely an ordinary person, so the public's continuous harsh opinions would seriously take a toll on me.

“You don't need to thank me, Anna. Nobody's allowed to bully you except me, after all,” he replied.

In an instant, my feelings hit rock bottom again. So he only helped me because of his own possessiveness. To him, I was still the woman nobody else could bully but him.

“You really have a tendency to ruin the moment, didn't you? I don't feel touched anymore. Thanks a lot,” I uttered sarcastically.

Couldn't he have at least pretended that he cares about me?

“Why do you get touched so easily, Anna?” His voice remained indifferent, but I could hear the smile hidden in it.

“How do you plan to resolve this matter? Is it going to get tricky?”

It's not like I'm doubting his abilities... I believe in him more than anyone. However, given our current relationship, I don't want to cause him trouble, especially when the matter directly involves me.

“You don't have to worry about anything involving this. I'll hold a press conference tomorrow and clear everything at once,” he reassured.

After our call ended, I had a hard time recollecting myself. Although our relationship had ended, I could still feel the concern he felt toward me. Maybe even more so than when we were still together.

My eyes landed on the newspaper once again, and a frustrated frown made its way on my face. At that moment, my hatred toward Emma had increased drastically.

The woman had always bothered me when I had never intentionally provoked someone. It must be her way to project her irritation for failing to make Michael fall for her. To say that I didn't resent would be a complete lie.

I stayed at home for the rest of the day because I knew I would not be able to withstand the judgmental stares and insults I would receive outside.

Since I was still afraid of going out the following day, I decided to watch TV to relieve my boredom at home.

Switching on the device, the first thing that showed up on the screen was Michael's press conference. He was sitting on the stage, looking as cold as ever, with flashes of cameras illuminating his face.

“Mr. Shaw, mind telling us who the woman in the photo is? According to the newspapers, she's your mistress who's trying to ruin your current relationship. Is that true?” asked one of the reporters boldly.

Upon hearing his questions, the man's already cold face turned even more stoic as his rage-filled eyes glared at the reporter.

“I'm going to resolve this matter right here and now. The woman in the photo is the woman I love. She is not a mistress. From now on, I don't want anyone to label her as a mistress!”

Everyone was stunned by this revelation because he was known as the ruthless man who had never fallen for any woman before. To hear those words coming right from him was beyond shocking.

My reaction was no different from theirs.

Did he seriously just admit that he loves me in front of the whole country? No. I must be dreaming. Michael would never do such a reckless thing.

“Just to make sure, Mr. Shaw. The woman you claimed you love is that Anna Garcia woman, correct?” questioned the same reporter from earlier, trying to get a confirmation.

“Haven't I made myself clear? I'm going to catch the culprit behind this issue!”

Although he didn't directly voice that the woman he loved was me, his tone alone was enough

assurance.

A commotion suddenly broke out among the crowd; the reporters didn't know what else to ask. Perhaps it was because Michael's answers were not what they had expected.

“From this day on, all of you better not disturb her anymore.”

With that said, he stood up and left the press conference. Even when he was out of sight, my heart was still pounding.

When he told me he would resolve this issue, I never envisioned the solution to be him telling the whole country that he loved me.

Moreover, his fiancée was the one who had pulled this stunt, so what he did would be a huge slap to Emma.

I had to admit that it made me feel like I still had a special place in his heart. Even though we could not end up together, my heart still burst with joy when he held a press conference just for me.

Turning off the TV, I grabbed my phone and dialed his number.

As if expecting my call, he picked up in no time, and his flat voice echoed from the other line, “Have you watched my press conference?”

“Yes. I watched it just now.” My heart palpitated again upon remembering what he had said at the press conference.

We fell into silence for a while. “Thank you, Michael. If not for you, I really wouldn't be able to live in Avenport anymore.”

Emma had only done such a vicious thing to drive me away from Avenport. She wanted to make sure that I was no longer in Michael's life. Unfortunately for her, the man had sided with me and had even assumed responsibility for the entire issue.

 

Chapter 250

“You're my woman. I'm the only one who can bully you.”

Sadness flickered in my eyes after hearing his statement. When will he understand that we're not together anymore?

“Michael, we...” I trailed off, not knowing how to word it. When I was about to continue, though, Emma's yells echoed from his side.

“Michael, what's that supposed to mean!”

Although I could not see her face, I could tell she was furious from her tone alone.

“Emma, who do you think you are to be barging in my office like this?” he questioned without hanging up. His voice didn't carry even an ounce of affection.

“Well, I'm only acting like this because of you. Tell me, Michael. Why did you do that?”

This time, her voice had softened up, but there were still hints of anger.

As I listened to their conversation, I grew a bit nervous. I was aware that this was between them. I should have hung up, but I was curious to hear his answer.

“What do you mean why?”

“I am your fiancée, Michael. Why did you tell the world you love Anna? Why did you want to be responsible for that issue?”

Her tone contained a tinge of grudge, as well as irritation when she mentioned my name.

“Bold of you to have the audacity to question me. Don't think I don't know you're behind this, Emma. I don't appreciate being used.”

As I had expected, he hated that Emma had taken advantage of his name. Sure, it was selfish of me to tell him that she was the culprit, but I didn't want her to keep using him like this.

“Y-You've misunderstood, Michael. I have nothing to do with this,” she denied nervously. Still, even I could sense the guilt in her voice, let alone Michael.

“Don't bother lying to me. I'm not stupid.”

“You have to believe me, Michael. I really didn't do it! What did Anna tell you? Since she's so keen on breaking us apart, she must have deliberately told you false things to frame me!” she lied, sounding evidently panic-stricken.

Upon hearing her including me in her lies, my wrath increased tenfold.

She really can't give me a break, can she?

“Don't be so self-righteous around me, Emma! If you want to be Mrs. Shaw, you better watch yourself. My patience is wearing thin!”

Michael remained firm on choosing not to believe her. As I listened intently, all I could imagine was his

frosty eyes glaring straight at Emma.

“Can you stop being so mean to me, Michael? I only did that because I love you.” Emma admitted to her involvement in the end, knowing it was already futile to continue lying. “And because I love you, I'm jealous of the way you treat Anna. I want to win your love.”

From the way she sounded, I could tell that she was acting pitiful, trying to soften Michael's heart. Most men would have caved in when women behaved like that, after all.

Little did she know, Michael was not like most men. He was a heartless person who would not be affected by whatever people would say and do, especially when it was someone he was not fond of.

“Before I reach my limit, piss off!” he howled.

His reaction was worse than what I had in mind.

“Michael...” exclaimed Emma, obviously shocked that he was driving her out.

“Do not make me repeat myself,” he warned, nearly at the end of his rope.

The line turned silent after that, so I presumed that Emma had left. That made me nervous, considering that I had listened to their entire conversation. I was afraid of how Michael would react when he noticed that I hadn't hung up.

Holding my breath, I contemplated whether to start talking.

“Did you hear everything?”

The man's voice sounded just when I had decided to end the call, causing me to panic yet guilty. After all, eavesdropping was by no mean an honorable action. Moreover, I didn't know what to expect from him since he was unpredictable. He might even get mad at me.

“I-I didn't mean to... But I couldn't help myself from doing so,” I defended myself weakly.

“It doesn't matter. It's not like it's something important.”

Fortunately for me, he was not enraged even after learning that I had eavesdropped.

“Um, about earlier... don't you think you're a bit cruel to Emma?” I asked.

Of course, I was definitely not sympathizing with her. I just didn't want him to be mean to someone because of me.

“What happens between Emma and I isn't your concern. You should focus on looking after yourself, Anna,” he answered curtly, brushing off the fact that Emma would be downhearted by how he had treated her earlier.

“Okay. Um, I'll be hanging up, then,” I told him. There was nothing I had left to say.

“All right. Bye.”

With that said, Michael ended the call.

What he did at the press conference today had, of course, moved me. However, I wondered why he had decided to help me when we were no longer together. What am I to him?