Ch. 251..260

Chapter 251

I had thought that this would all come to an end, and Emma would stop causing me troubles, especially after Michael had made himself clear to her.

However, it was evident that I had underestimated her jealousy. The next day, the doorbell at home rang.

Upon answering the door, I saw a few tough-looking men standing outside. Taking in their fierce expressions, I somehow had a bad feeling that they were here with no good intentions.

I glanced nervously at them as I asked timidly, “Who are you?”

“Are you Anna Garcia?” The man in lead asked coldly.

“I am. Why are you looking for me?” I had to admit I was terrified to face a few fierce-looking men alone.

“Guys, we're at the right place!” The man in lead turned around and said to the men behind him.

I frowned in confusion. Just when I was about to ask more, the leader of the group suddenly shoved me aside. He then barged into my house with his men.

They started smashing the furniture and electrical appliances inside without saying anything else. I widened my eyes in shock, my anger slowly surging within me.

“Who are you people? Why are you smashing my stuff?”

I rushed into the living room and shouted at them. This was outrageous. They were smashing my stuff without a valid reason.

However, my efforts to protest were to no avail. They didn't even look at me as they continued smashing around. One of them even started walking toward the bedroom.

“You'd better stop now! Otherwise, I'd be calling the police. You are trespassing on private property and attacking a citizen. You will go to jail for this!”

Seeing that none of them was paying attention to me, I got even more furious. Everything in this house contained memories of Michael and me. I was devastated to see them being smashed into pieces.

They finally reacted a little to my threat. They shot me fierce glances while one of them walked toward me.

“You want to call the police? Sure, go ahead! I doubt you'd dare to do so!”

He was staring at the phone in my hand as he walked closer and closer toward me with a threatening aura.

I backed away slowly as I trembled in fear. I was terrified at that moment since I had no idea what their intentions were.

“Why are you doing this? I don't even know you. Why did you barge into my house and start smashing my stuff?” I forced myself to fix my gaze on him as I questioned loudly.

I had never seen these men before, and I knew I never had any grudges with anyone else. As such, I was puzzled by this whole situation.

“We were hired by someone else to do this. Young lady, you have no one but yourself to blame for making such an enemy.”

Upon hearing that, I finally understood that they were merely hired help paid to do someone's dirty job.

However, I still couldn't think of anyone else that had bad blood with me, except for Emma.

Is she crazy? She should know how dangerous it is to have a few men barging in when I'm living on my own. Why did she do this?

“Who hired you?” I tried to look as calm as possible as I questioned the man standing in front of me.

In reality, my palms were already sweating profusely from fear. I knew I shouldn't let them sense how frightened I was. Otherwise, they would find me an easy target.

“Do you think we will tell you? Aren't you being a bit too naive here?” The man sneered and glanced at me with disdain.

“Guys, I think we're done here today! Let's go!”

Without answering my question, he glanced around at the messy living room behind me and nodded with satisfaction. He then waved a hand at his men.

“You can't leave without explaining yourselves!”

Although I was terrified, I still couldn't let them get away with destroying my home before I found out who was the one behind this.

“Get out of our way! We will beat you up if we had to!”

The man in lead shoved me aside, making me fall toward the couch. Knowing that I would hit myself on the belly, I reflexively shielded it with my hands.

I was pregnant at that moment, and the most important thing for me was to protect my baby from any possible harm.

I fell heavily on the couch, and fortunately, the couch was soft enough to shield me from the impact. There was a faint pain in my belly, but I knew it wasn't that serious.

They left without even looking at me.

After that, I sank onto the ground as I took in the messy living room.

This was the place I lived with Michael, and every single item in this house was filled with our memories. Yet, all of them were now smashed into pieces. My heart ached to see this scene.

My tears started flowing down my cheeks as I hugged my legs and curled myself on the ground. I was terrified and feeling helpless right then.

Suddenly, my phone rang. I answered it as soon as I saw who it was from. “Michael.”

I started crying as soon as I answered the call. I was still scared from before, and I wished he was here with me. If he was here, he wouldn't have allowed this to happen.

“Anna, why are you crying?”

Michael was startled at first when he heard me crying. His tone sounded anxious.

“C-Can you come over now? I... I'm scared...” I asked while sobbing. My voice and my body were still trembling.

I was still scared as I got reminded of the men barging into my house and smashing my stuff.

“What happened?” He got anxious after noticing that something was off in my tone.

I told him everything over the phone while sobbing. At that moment, I really couldn't find it in myself to be left alone at home.

“Wait for me. I'll be right over.” Michael ended the call right after saying this.

 

Chapter 252

Hearing the disconnect tone from the phone, my heart sank in despair. I was still trembling in fear.

I might not be this scared if this had happened before. However, I was pregnant now. I had to keep myself safe during my pregnancy.

It would take Michael at least another half an hour to travel to my place. Yet, he came into sight within twenty minutes.

After taking in the messy situation, the look on his face froze for a moment. He then strode toward me and crouched down with a concerned look. “What happened?”

Michael's voice was deep and hoarse, it sounded a little cold, but I could tell that he was nervous about me.

“I don't know. A couple of men barged in and started smashing my stuff. They didn't say anything but mentioned that I've made some enemy out there.”

I got into his arms once he appeared in front of me. His presence made me feel much more relieved, and my fear from earlier was slowly fading away.

“How about you? Did they hurt you?”

He carefully scrutinized me. I knew he was concerned about me.

“I-I'm fine...”

I was about to tell him that they shoved me, but I swallowed my words immediately as I didn't want him to know about the baby.

Although I said I was fine, Michael was still frowning. Noticing the cold glint in his eyes, I guessed he was furious about this.

“Do you know who did this?”

We were silent for a while, and Michael turned toward me, asking me that question with a serious tone.

My gaze flickered slightly upon hearing that question. I didn't know how to answer him.

“If I told you this was Emma's doing, will you believe me?”

After all, Emma was Michael's fiancée. I had already driven a wedge between them back when Michael helped me. He probably wouldn't believe my words now.

As expected, Michael's expression darkened upon hearing that. He didn't answer, and his silence made me feel uneasy.

I didn't want to suspect Emma of this, but she was the only one holding grudges against me. Besides, not many people knew that I lived here.

Michael was remaining silent, but his gaze turned colder with time. I hung my head low, feeling a little disappointed. Before I could say something else, Michael interrupted by saying, “I'll have someone clean this mess up later. Let's take you to the hospital and see if you're injured.”

Just like that, Michael shifted the topic. He then helped me up.

“There's no need for that. I wasn't injured. They didn't hurt me.” I rejected his offer right away. I was afraid that he would find out that I was pregnant once we were at the hospital.

I pushed his hand away, and my expression turned a little awkward. To be more accurate, I panicked and felt guilty.

Michael was a smart guy, and he frowned upon noticing my unusual reaction. His eyes were filled with doubts as he stared at me.

“Anna, are you hiding something from me?”

He stared down at me with an inquisitive look in his eyes.

I would always feel guilty whenever he looked at me like that especially now that I was hiding my pregnancy from him.

“N-No, not at all. You're overthinking.”

I was being wary, afraid that he would notice anything.

If I was to tell him about my pregnancy, he might think that I would use my baby to threaten him.

“Anna, you'd better not be hiding anything from me.”

Michael stopped asking, but I could tell that he didn't buy my act at all.

“Well, it's not like I can hide anything from you without you knowing. Am I right?”

I lowered my head in guilt, not having the courage to meet his gaze. Regardless, I still tried to sound calm.

“You'd better be!”

He scoffed. After scrutinizing me, he made a phone call to request someone to clean up this place and replace the furniture.

“I will get to the bottom of this, and I promise this will not happen again,” Michael said that with a gloomy expression as he swept a glance across the house.

Perhaps he had started suspecting Emma even though he didn't react to what I said earlier.

Not too long after the phone call, a group of people already arrived at the house and cleaned the mess up. They had also sent over the new furniture. With Michael's luxurious preference, the furniture they sent was high-end too.

I hesitated for a while before saying, “I don't think I can pay you back for the furniture right now, but I'll think of a way to do so.”

In truth, I wanted to ask if I could refuse the furniture Michael asked to send over. They all looked expensive, and I could never afford them without working for years. On top of that, I was having a baby too.

“Did I ask for you to pay me back?” Michael sounded upset as he frowned.

“How can I not pay you back when all this furniture looks this expensive?”

I panicked a little upon hearing that. I knew Michael was generous, but we were not together anymore. If anyone else found out about this, it would certainly stir up unwanted gossips, and I never wanted to go through that again.

“Anna, are you trying to get rid of my presence in your life?”

Although I knew my decision was the right thing to do, it wasn't the same case for Michael. He never liked people rejecting him.

“It's not like that. You've helped me with a lot, and I can't possibly ask for more. That's why, you don't have to help me in this,” I said timidly with my head hung low.

“Fine, do as you please, then!”

Michael was visibly angry. He turned around and walked away after saying that.

I lowered my eyes in disappointment after he left. I felt terrible, but there was nothing I could do about it now that we were no longer together.

The brand new furniture made my house look more high-end than before, but at the same time, there were lesser traces of my memories with Michael in this place. Perhaps it was time for both of us to move on.

 

Chapter 253

Everything went back to peace, and those men never came back. The next time I left the house, I noticed that the number of securities had risen. Upon an inquiry, I was informed that Michael had made a complaint about security to the management.

Michael's influence spanned over the entire Avenport, and many people feared him. As such, when he complained, everyone reacted quickly.

He was a man who never liked to have his whereabouts made known. As such, I was shocked when I heard that he had complained to the management himself for my sake.

Although I was touched by it, an uneasy feeling grew inside of me. Michael had been treating me differently lately, and it scared me. I was afraid that I would break my own promise and go looking for him if he continued treating me so nicely.

That day, I was sitting in the living room. As I looked at the brand new furniture laying around the house, I felt like I was in a different place despite the fact that it was still the same house.

When my mind was elsewhere, my phone suddenly rang. The moment I saw the caller ID, I couldn't help but frown. It was Ronan. I answered it.

“Hello?” came my flat greeting the moment the call connected.

Recently, I had been focusing on my pregnancy and finding a job. So, I didn't get in touch with Ronan for quite a long time. As soon as I became aware of this, I felt odd since Ronan had not contacted me during that time, too.

“It's been a while since we talked. Do you miss me?” As soon as the call was connected, Ronan's teasing voice came through, and it made me frown.

This guy never changes. We haven't got in touch for so long, and his first sentence to me is a cheeky one.

“I've been busy, and I don't have time for your nonsense. If you merely called to tease me, please end the call.”

My voice was full of irritation as I didn't have the energy to entertain him. After all, I needed those energies to find a job. Ronan was an unemployed and a good-for-nothing man. Though he was an adult, he had no plan to look for a job.

“Regardless of how busy you are, you must have time for a meal, right? I want to bring you to lunch,” demanded Ronan.

Despite the disappointment after hearing my remark, Ronan didn't give up. It was just like him to ask me repeatedly until I gave in.

“I really have things to do in the afternoon. I need to go look for a job.”

Upon hearing Ronan's invitation, I instinctively rejected him. At that moment, my mind was full of the fact that I still hadn't got a job, and I didn't want to waste my time with him.

“Aww, come on, I just want to bring you to dinner. You don't have to reject me so bluntly. If you need a job, I can help you with it. I do have a lot of connections, after all.”

Seeing that I rejected him, Ronan tried to tempt me with what I wanted at the moment—a job.

“You have a job suitable for me?”

When I heard that Ronan could help me in getting a job, I was intrigued. After all, my priority now was to get a job and earn money as I needed to prepare for my baby's birth.

“Yes. Are you doubting me?”

Ronan was not happy to hear the suspicion in my voice.

“No, I don't mean that.” I chuckled awkwardly upon realizing that my question was rather inappropriate.

Though I had no intention to have a meal with Ronan, I changed my mind after hearing his offer. Soon after, he picked me up at the bus station near my house.

Before long, we arrived at a Western restaurant. While I was enthused about the job Ronan might introduce me to, I wasn't paying attention to the food I was ordering. After all, I wasn't interested in eating.

As the dishes came, Ronan, who was now sitting in front of me, kept serving me food. His eyes were full of smiles as he looked at me.

I, on the other hand, didn't refuse his hospitality. After taking a few bites, I lifted my gaze toward him and asked, “So, do you know where I can get a suitable job? It'd be better if it's a position with higher pay.”

My eyes were full of anticipation as I looked at Ronan. I sincerely hoped that he could be reliable for once and introduce me to a good job.

“What happened to your previous job with Joyful Success? Why did you resign?”

Instead of answering my question, he threw another question at my face.

“Nothing happened. Things weren't going well. So, I resigned.” I came up with an excuse.

As I thought of the real reason behind my resignation, I lowered my head as my face fell.

Upon hearing my answer, Ronan furrowed his brows deeply. “Weren't going well? Did Michael bully you? If he's being difficult, you can come to me. I can help you with that.” Even his eyes were full of worries as he looked at me.

“No, he was fine. I resigned because of personal issues. He's got nothing to do with it,” I quickly explained.

Ronan's remark had frightened me. I couldn't let him go looking for Michael. If he knew about my past relationship with Michael, I was sure that he would look down at me.

Luckily, Ronan didn't press on the matter. He smiled and said, “Okay. Don't worry about your job. I'll help you ask around. I have friends everywhere. I'm sure they will be willing to provide you with a good position for my sake.”

I was relieved that he was willing to let go of the topic, and at the same, I was grateful. Even though

letting him help me meant that I wouldn't be getting the job through a proper channel, I had no other choice as I desperately needed a job to support myself and my unborn child.

“Then I'll trouble you with it, Ronan.”

As I smiled at him, my gratitude toward him grew. It seemed that even though he looked goofy all the time, he was reliable when needed.

“You don't have to be so courteous. I'm honored to help. Plus, who knows, you might fall in love with me.”

Ronan didn't like me being so polite to him. However, what he just said made me want to beat him up.

“That won't happen in this life. But if there's a next life, I might fall for you.”

I was now a pregnant woman. There was no way that I could be with Ronan. Even if I wasn't pregnant, we could never become a couple as he was Michael's cousin. The fact that I had a past relationship with Michael made me feel embarrassed to be with Ronan, not to mention the fact that I was not interested in him.

Ronan frowned at my words. It was obvious that he didn't like what he heard. “Can you stop saying things that'll crush my confidence? What do you mean by we can't be together in this life? The future is uncertain, and no one can predict it. Who knows, you might actually end up with me.”

 

Chapter 254

“Ronan, you...”

Whenever Ronan said things like that, I didn't know how to respond to him. I wanted to say something in reply, but he stopped me before I could finish my sentence.

“Let's not talk about it anymore. Here, eat more. You're getting thinner these few days.”

As he spoke, he served me a piece of meat.

Before pregnancy, I was a meat lover. However, ever since I got pregnant, I would start retching whenever I saw any oily meat.

At that instant, I felt sick. I quickly covered my mouth and rushed toward the toilet.

“Anna, are you all right?” upon seeing my reaction, Ronan yelled worriedly at me.

However, I didn't have time to respond to him as I made a beeline to the washroom.

Inside the washroom, I leaned on the basin and vomited everything I had just eaten. Despite that, I still felt terribly uncomfortable.

I could only gurgle multiple times to wash away the bitterness in my mouth. It took me a long time before I finally felt better. I noticed that for the past few days, my morning sickness had worsened.

After tidying myself up, I walked out of the washroom.

Ronan was looking at me worriedly when I got back to my seat.

“What happened to you just now? Are you feeling unwell?”

“I'm fine. Just having nausea,” I explained flatly and dismissed with a wave. I remained silent about my pregnancy as I feared that Ronan might accidentally spill the beans to Michael.

“You don't look well. Why don't I bring you to the hospital?”

Ronan accepted my explanation without any question. Nonetheless, he was still worried about me. Although his concern warmed my heart, I started panicking at his suggestion.

“No, that won't be necessary. I must have eaten something wrong. I'll be fine after a rest,” I immediately rejected Ronan's proposal.

I was scared about him bringing me to a hospital. Michael was a man with connections. If he heard about Ronan bringing me to the hospital, there was no guarantee that he wouldn't find out about the pregnancy, and I really didn't want him to know about it.

“Are you sure that you're okay? You look terrible.”

Ronan frowned worriedly at me, his voice full of concern.

“I'm really fine. You don't have to worry about me.”

Ronan could be as stubborn as a mule once he had decided something. In order to prevent him from

pushing to bring me to the hospital, I quickly changed the subject.

“Have you finished eating? If you are, please bring me home. I need some rest.”

Although I was in the early stage of my pregnancy, my morning sickness was rather severe. Every time I ate, I would throw it all out. Right now, after vomiting, I had lost all of my energy, and I really wanted to just lay in bed.

“Okay. I'll send you home now. You really don't look too good,” said Ronan when he noticed how sick I was. He drove me home straight without taking me around the city as usual.

With all my energy sapped, I had Ronan drop me outside my residential area instead of the bus stop. Since Michael had moved out, I didn't have to worry that they would bump into each other.

Nevertheless, I refused to let Ronan drive into the residential area, nor did I let him know which block I was staying in.

“Oh, so you stay here. This area is classy. Since you have been refusing to tell me where you stay, I thought that you're embarrassed because your house was old and dilapidated.” Ronan's face was full of surprise as he observed the surroundings of the residential area.

Upon hearing that, I smiled awkwardly and lied, “I rent a place here.”

I could not bring myself to tell him that it was his cousin, Michael, who gave me the house, even though I did not want to lie to him.

“I see. So, which block is yours? Let me drop you right at your doorstep.”

I got out of the car, and Ronan followed behind with a smile on his face.

I knew that he wanted to check out the place I was living at, but I had no intention of letting him in. It felt weird to invite a single man into my house, despite the fact that we were friends.

“No, that won't be necessary. It's getting late. You should go home earlier.”

Without any hesitation, I rejected Ronan's offer, and without giving him time to respond, I quickly walked away.

Ronan stood in front of his car with a cocked brow and a smile as he watched me running away.

The moment I got home, I went to my bedroom straight away and had a nap as I was worn out.

Though I had heard that pregnancy was a rather tormenting process, it was different when I experienced it myself. Now, I finally knew how terrible the morning sickness was.

I was in slumber for a long time. When I awoke, the sky had turned dark. Ever since I got pregnant, besides the morning sickness, I had been feeling rather sluggish. Every time I fell asleep, I would only wake up hours later. It seemed like I would be turning into a sloth soon.

I prepared a simple meal for myself. Until now, my appetite hadn't returned, and I didn't feel like eating, However, I didn't want to sleep with an empty stomach. Thus, I just ate something simple.

The following morning, I was awakened by the doorbell, and it aggravated me tremendously. After all, no one enjoyed having their sleep interrupted by others.

I dragged myself to answer the door. My eyes widened in shock when I saw that it was Ronan.

I don't remember telling him which block I stay on. How did he find me?

“What's with the face? Too happy to see me first thing in the morning?”

Amused, Ronan smiled at me and leaned closer to me as he watched me staring at him with wide eyes.

“H-How did you find me?” I questioned him as I regained my senses, my tone wary.

Did he follow me here?

With that thought in my mind, my guard instantly shot up.

“Come on, who do you think you're talking to? Since I already know the area you stayed in, it's only a matter of time before I found out which block you are on.”

Ronan pursed his lips and smirked smugly.

At first, I sincerely thought that he had a way to locate me. However, I only found out later on that he went on knocking at every single door early in the morning until he found me.

When I was told of this, I wondered if Ronan received any beatings for interrupting others' sleep.

“Why are you here so early in the morning?” My voice was full of irritation as I demanded.

I was irked that he came without any consent. Despite that, I couldn't throw him out as he was my friend.

 

Chapter 255

“I'm worried about you. After seeing how unwell you were yesterday, I was afraid that your stomach's still upset. So, I asked the housekeeper to make some easily digestible food for you.”

While Ronan informed me of the purpose of his visit, he walked past me and placed a lunch box on the table. He then opened the covers and laid everything perfectly.

I turned my gaze to the dishes and saw that all of them were simple and mild, without any meat. For once, I didn't feel nauseated when the smell of food penetrated my nasal.

“Thank you, but please, there's no need to trouble yourself in the future.”

I was incredibly touched. I was well aware of Ronan's intention, and that was the reason why I tried to stay away from him. At the same time, I was confused as to why he didn't ask me anything about my relationship with Michael. After all, the scandal about us had spread like wildfire.

“No worries,” said Ronan, grinning.

He pretended not to know the meaning behind my words, but I could see the disappointment in his eyes.

I frowned at his reaction, but I remained silent. I then sat down and started digging in.

“Ronan, have you seen the news about Michael?” Finally, I asked him the question that had been bothering me since the day before.

The scandal about Michael and I have been the talk of the town. Ronan must have heard of it, right?

“You mean news about my cousin? What news? I just got back from overseas yesterday. I didn't even get to meet him yet.”

Ronan stopped eating and looked at me in confusion after hearing my question. His voice was filled with puzzlement as well.

I didn't know how to react to his response as I originally thought that he would question me about the scandal. After a moment, I finally regained my senses. Turns out he has no idea about the news because he's been abroad.

“I-It's nothing.”

At first, I planned to come clean with him, but after seeing his reaction, I changed my mind. I merely carried on eating.

“Anna, why does it feel like something is going on between you and Michael?” asked Ronan suddenly.

My chest instantly tightened from his question, and my head jerked up.

When I met with his questioning gaze, I averted my eyes guiltily.

“Nothing is going on. Come on now, finish your food. I want to rest afterward.” With that, I stopped talking. I didn't want to discuss any topic related to Michael with him.

After finishing everything up, I walked into the kitchen to wash the lunch boxes brought by Ronan. After

all, it would be rude if I didn't do anything in return.

“Can I look around your house? I'll leave after you finish washing up.” Ronan, who was still sitting at the dining table, asked with anticipation.

I frowned at his request. I wanted to reject him, but after a moment of deliberation, I allowed him to as he wished. After all, Michael had moved all his stuff out, and I had nothing to hide.

“Sure. Help yourself.”

I then turned to continue washing the lunch boxes and ignored him.

Ronan was excited after getting my permission. He walked around the house and took a look at everything.

After I was done with everything, I walked out of the kitchen with the lunch boxes in hand. I saw Ronan sitting on the living room couch. He was staring at something in his hand.

I then realized that it was my pregnancy test result from two days ago. I dashed toward him and snatched the paper from him.

I had totally forgotten about the test result, and I didn't expect that Ronan would see it.

Ronan turned around and saw the panic in my eyes. His face darkened, and I saw the disappointment and shock in his eyes.

“You're pregnant?” Ronan asked after a long silence.

He no longer had a playful tone to his voice; instead, he sounded serious.

I lowered my head, avoiding his gaze. At the same time, I was worried. I was scared that my pregnancy would be made known to others.

“Yes,” I replied after some time.

The anger on Ronan's face was obvious after he heard my response. I noticed that he was trying to contain the fury in him.

Regardless, I didn't feel guilty for not telling him. Instead, I was thinking about how to hide this from Michael. My original plan was to hide my pregnancy from everyone. I really didn't expect that Ronan would accidentally see it.

“Who's the father?”

Ronan's hands, which were hanging by his side, had balled into fists. His reaction was understandable as he was serious about pursuing me.

“I can't tell you that. This child belongs to me and me only.” I spoke in all seriousness and determination as I lifted my gaze to meet his.

From the moment I found out about my pregnancy, I decided not to tell Michael about it and raise the child myself.

“What do you mean by that?”

Ronan frowned, confused. His expression was sullen.

“It means that I have no plan to be with the father, so I won't tell you who he is. I plan to raise my child on my own.” As I spoke, I caressed my belly.

“Is he the man you said you were in love with? How could you be so dumb? You know full well that you can't be with him, and yet you let yourself get pregnant?” Ronan's tone was full of accusation. He was mad after hearing my response.

Despite his tone, I knew that he felt sorry for me. However, his concern worried me and made me on edge. I didn't want him to waste any of his feelings on me anymore.

“I don't want you to tell anyone about this,” I said in a serious tone while looking at him.

“Are you sure about this?” Ronan asked placidly with a frown.

“I'm sure.” I paused when I saw the concern in his eyes. “Now that you know about my condition, you should be able to understand why we will never be together. So, I want you to stop pursuing me as well.”

Although letting Ronan find out about my pregnancy wasn't part of my plan, it was a good thing if I could make Ronan give up on his feelings for me.

I was relieved to see him leave. Men were possessive beings, and the same could be said about Ronan despite how casual he may look to others. I knew he couldn't accept me once he found out I

was pregnant with another man's child. Alas, it was for the best. At least now, I didn't have to worry about him falling deeper in love with me. Nonetheless, it was still a shame that I had lost a friend.

 

Chapter 256

For the next couple of days, I didn't receive any calls from Ronan. I perceived that he probably could not accept the sudden news about my pregnancy.

Consequently, I received another shocking news—Michael was getting married soon.

It took me quite some time to regain my senses after watching that news on the TV.

That was pretty startling because Michael had said that he would investigate whether the culprit of the intrusion in my house was Emma just a few days ago. Knowing that they were about to get married all of a sudden was unexpected indeed. Thus, I wondered if he was only paying lip service when he promised to help me.

Furthermore, it was difficult for me to be prepared mentally for such abrupt news since they were engaged just a few days ago.

I turned off the TV, intending to calm myself down, but to no avail. Even though I acknowledged that their marriage would arrive sooner or later, I still could not accept it as it was too sudden. Perhaps I still hadn't gotten over Michael yet.

Shortly afterward, I called Natalie as I didn't want to be alone at home while feeling exasperated.

The more I was alone, the more I would recall every bit of memories of being together with Michael. Realizing that he was about to marry another woman caused my heart to feel indescribably anguished.

Since she noticed that my tone sounded off, Natalie did not say too much and told me to wait for her at her company.

I found a café not too far away from Natalie's company and chose that place as our meeting point. While waiting for her, I discovered that the news about Michael's upcoming marriage was everywhere. Sure enough, I felt like I was about to descend into madness.

Not long after, Natalie appeared before me while panting heavily. She gulped down the water on the table after sitting down.

“What's wrong? Why are you in a bad mood?” Natalie asked while casting a look of concern toward me right after that drink.

Without answering her question straight away, I lowered my head and stirred the fruit juice I had ordered. Due to my pregnancy, I refrained from drinking coffee for the time being.

Following a moment of silence, I finally answered, “Michael is getting married after two weeks.”

Upon hearing my words, Natalie widened her eyes in shock. “What? Didn't he get engaged only recently?”

Like myself, Natalie thought that news was too unanticipated as well. After all, Michael and Emma had their engagement only a few days ago. Anyone who knew about the unforeseen marriage announcement would most definitely have the same reaction as us.

Despite feeling troubled, I didn't know what to say at the moment. Above all, I was in no position to say anything nor had the right to speak out. The fact was that Michael's marriage had nothing to do with me.

“I thought I could move on from Michael, Natalie. However, I was utterly heartbroken when I saw the news about him getting married very soon. I'm not sure what I should do.” I wouldn't have expressed my genuine feelings for Michael if it were in front of others. The exception was Natalie, as she was the only friend I could trust wholeheartedly.

Looking at my saddened expression, Natalie stared at me with a look of sympathy while frowning. “I think you're just tormenting yourself, Anna. Since you love Michael and are pregnant with his child, why don't you try being in a relationship with him?”

As usual, Natalie encouraged me to be more courageous by sorting things out with Michael. I knew she wanted me to be happy, but I had my concerns.

“Stop trying to persuade me, Natalie. There's no way I can be in a relationship with Michael. I only want to vent my feelings to feel better. Besides, I have no intention to tell him about the baby.” Although I recognized that Natalie meant well, I didn't want to do what she suggested.

“You're such a stubborn woman, Anna. I don't even know what's going through your mind sometimes.” Natalie let out a sigh helplessly as she knew my attitude was uncompromising.

After having a heart-to-heart chat with Natalie, I felt a lot better than before indeed. Still, my heart would drown in sorrow whenever I thought about Michael.

Therefore, I didn't turn on the TV even once for the next two days to avoid watching any news about Michael. The melancholy I felt did fade a little when I did that.

A few days later, I went to the hospital for a checkup concerning my pregnancy according to schedule.

Due to my care for my baby, I attended every single checkup since day one.

Thankfully, not only was my body in good shape, but my baby was developing normally as well.

Just as I was about to leave the hospital after the checkup, I was shocked to see the two persons in the elevator.

It was Michael and Ronan. The feeling of panic swept through my body as soon as I saw Michael.

I intended to walk away immediately, but my legs would not move. Consequently, I stood rooted to the spot.

At that moment, Michael and Ronan had noticed my presence. Michael had a puzzled look on his face while looking at me, probably because he never expected that I would appear in the hospital. As for Ronan, his face had darkened when he saw me.

I believed Ronan knew why I came to the hospital in all likelihood. Ever since he was aware of my pregnancy, he stopped contacting me. I had no clue what was in his mind, but I thought he probably felt awkward meeting me after knowing about my pregnancy.

“Are you going to stand there forever?” Michael questioned in a displeased tone when he saw that I was not moving.

His voice snapped me out of my daze successfully. I then entered the elevator with a slight hesitation and stood at a spot farther away from them.

My initial intention was to flee, but I realized that action would demonstrate my guilty conscience. More

importantly, I was afraid that Michael would find out about my pregnancy.

That was the first time I felt like the elevator was descending unusually slow due to the situation. Moreover, I thought bumping into Michael at the elevator in the hospital was such a baffling coincidence.

“What are you doing here? Are you sick?” Michael broke the awkward silence in the elevator after a while. However, I felt even more nervous by his question.

“I'm fine. I'm only here for a physical examination.” I lowered my head in guilt after giving that excuse while stuffing the report into my bag hastily to prevent Michael from noticing it.

While I was answering Michael, I also took a secret glance at Ronan as I was worried that he might reveal my pregnancy.

Unlike his previous playful demeanor, Ronan's face was devoid of expression.

“Isn't Anna your friend, Ronan? Why did she have to spend money for a physical examination in the hospital you established?” Michael shifted his gaze toward Ronan instead of giving me a reply after listening to my answer.

Considering that Ronan was not as hospitable toward me as before, I believed Michael would sense that something was off.

 

Chapter 257

Regardless, Michael had revealed that Ronan was the founder of the hospital. That was a pretty shocking piece of information as I had always thought that Ronan was only a good-for-nothing living off his family's riches.

“I didn't know Anna would come here for a physical examination. If I knew earlier, I would most definitely spare her from paying,” Ronan responded while curling his lips into a faint smile.

His tone was casual as usual, but I could feel an indecipherable emotion in his eyes while he was looking at me.

Regarding the floor I was on when I took the elevator earlier, Michael might not know I was on the obstetrics and gynecology department floor, but Ronan must have known.

“So, you're the founder of this hospital. That's quite a surprise.” I spoke to Ronan with an awkward tone after giving him a polite smile.

“I must've forgotten to tell you about that before.” In contrast to his previous witty personality, Ronan was being very courteous toward me at present. Even though it was a good thing that he had stopped pursuing me after knowing about my pregnancy, I still felt pretty uneasy by his indifferent attitude toward me.

Since I had always treated him as my close friend, becoming strangers because of my pregnancy was the last thing I wished to happen. However, it seemed like that was out of my control.

Once we finally reached the first floor, I strode out of the elevator without delay. Being with Michael and Ronan in the elevator was not only stressful but suffocating.

Before I was about to leave, I heard a female voice coming from behind. “Michael! You're finally done! I've been waiting for so long.”

The second I heard Michael's name mentioned, I could not help but stop in my tracks while my heart skipped a beat. I then turned around and witnessed Emma throwing herself into Michael's arm. There was also a sense of coquettishness in her tone while she was speaking.

In response, Michael did not push Emma away and allowed her to embrace him. Despite having an emotionless expression, there was no trace of disgust on his face.

Not too long ago, I had told Michael that I surmised that Emma was the instigator of the intrusion in my house. Judging from the current situation, it seemed to me that he did not take that matter to heart at all.

I wondered if Michael's feelings for Emma had changed during that period. After all, she was the woman he had to spend the rest of his life with soon. Conversely, I was only a nobody.

“Nice to meet you, Ms. Jones. Or should I call you Mrs. Shaw? Anyway, I see that you can't even separate from Michael for a moment now, huh? Weren't you with him just a short while ago?” Ronan could not hold himself back from joking with Emma. He even had a smile on his face when he saw them embracing.

It was apparent that Emma was in a joyous mood upon hearing Ronan calling her Mrs. Shaw from the bright smile on her face. There was a hint of shyness in her expression too.

Sure enough, I felt like a dagger had pierced through my heart the second I heard Emma being called Mrs. Shaw. My eyes began to well up in tears uncontrollably when I saw how in sync they looked, painting a picture of a happy family.

“It's too early to call me that. Since there's still a couple of days before our wedding, addressing me as Mrs. Shaw is a little inappropriate.” Although she gave such a reply to Ronan, Emma was gazing at Michael with a blissful expression.

“Why not? You'll marry Michael eventually anyway,” the straightforward Ronan uttered again right after Emma finished her words.

Upon hearing Ronan's utterance, Emma hung her head for a while before staring at Michael solemnly. “I hope you'll love me with all your heart and soul instead of loving others once we're married. Can you do that, Michael?”

A mixture of anticipation and tenderness was in her tone as she spoke.

When he heard her speaking such unexpected words, Michael furrowed his brows and looked at her with a tinge of annoyance.

I understood the overtone in Emma's words—she was still brooding over the press conference Michael held earlier. Nonetheless, I thought it was understandable since no woman would tolerate the man she loved to have feelings for another woman.

In the meantime, it seemed like Emma had not noticed me, despite the fact that I was only standing not too far away from them. The reason was perhaps that she only had her eyes on Michael alone.

Given that Michael had a chilling expression and did not answer Emma, Ronan felt the awkwardness in the air and tried to ease the tension. “What are you even saying? You're about to be Michael's wife! Of course, you'll be the only person he loves unquestionably! Why would he love anyone else?”

“I assume you're unaware of what happened since you were abroad a few days ago. Michael confessed to a woman named Anna—”

“Enough!” Michael cut Emma off before she could reveal the matter between him and myself.

Ascertaining from his terrifying countenance, it was apparent that Michael did not like Emma mentioning us in front of others. Furthermore, he had always hated gossipers.

Still, the ever-intelligent Ronan discovered something in Emma's words despite being interjected by Michael. He was bewildered after hearing my name and gazed toward me with a much more complicated expression than before.

After staring intently at me for a while, he shifted his gaze toward my belly.

I perceived that he must be starting to speculate something in his mind. He looked like a person who loved to fool around on the surface, but he was pretty quick-witted in reality. Others did not have to say anything more at times, as he could perform accurate guesswork by himself.

Consequent to Ronan's gaze, I lowered my head in guilt and turned around, intending to leave. To my dismay, Emma's voice sounded before I could walk away. “Anna? What are you doing here?”

She probably noticed me when she saw Ronan looking in my direction. On the heels of glancing at me with widened eyes, she looked at Michael like she was suspecting something.

Based on her pettiness, she must have thought it was not a coincidence that Michael and I appeared at the hospital concurrently. She probably concluded that I was there to pester Michael deliberately.

My first intuition was to ignore her and leave at once, but I refrained from doing so because Michael and Ronan were present. In addition to that, I believed Emma probably would not go too far with Michael by her side since she had to maintain the image he had for her.

Hence, I turned around and stared at Emma emotionlessly while remaining silent.

“It is you. Why are you here? Are you here to see Michael?” As expected, Emma thought I was there to pester Michael.

Since Emma mentioned something about Michael and me earlier to Ronan in front of Michael, I knew Ronan would possibly validate what I had told him before; that the man I was in love with was Michael.

 

Chapter 258

Although I did not care about others' opinions of me, Emma's dubious gaze still irked me. This woman always thinks of others badly!

“I'm here for a medical checkup,” I replied in apathy, trying to shake her off.

Emma sauntered toward me and looked at me in faint disdain. “Medical checkup? Ms. Garcia, are you feeling sick? By the way, this hospital is under Ronan. If you do have any illness, I might be able to get you a discount,” she said with courtesy. Although she spoke politely, I could tell she was feigning it. Her words were not out of concern but to proclaim her possession of Michael.

Of course, I got what Emma was trying to imply loud and clear, but I had no idea what Michael and Ronan were thinking. Regardless, any thoughts that they had mattered naught to me now.

I was aware that the reason Emma stopped me was so that she could drop those words to bemuse and embarrass me.

Therefore, I responded indifferently so that I could leave the place faster. “I don't need it, Ms. Jones. If you have nothing else, I shall take my leave first” With that, I turned to walk away.

“Ms. Garcia, the wedding between Michael and I will be held next Sunday. If you're free, I hope you'll come to celebrate with us,” she said as she slightly raised the corner of her mouth, sneering.

Her words immediately caused my heart to clench in pain.

Irrefutably, she knew my weakness very well—that I still loved Michael. She intentionally reminded me of the wedding just to evoke my anguish. I had to say, she succeeded.

“Emma, you're crossing the line!”

Irked, Michael glared at Emma in vague vexation. As I had spent much time with Michael, I knew he was genuinely angry at that moment. However, since he could not rebuke her in public, he simply stared at her coldly.

Noticing Michael's rage, Emma still intended to verbalize her sarcasm. However, she met his menacing gaze as she opened her mouth. Instantly, she swallowed her words and looked at him in indignance.

Obviously, she was afraid of angering Michael. However, the fact that Michael and I had appeared at the hospital at the same time had incited her jealousy.

Although I was in so much agony it felt as though my heart was stabbed, I still forced a smile and turned to look at Emma. “I don't think I'll be attending since I don't have what it takes to take part in such a high-profile wedding.”

As soon as I dropped my words, Michael frowned and gazed at me gloomily. Exasperated, he marched past me without uttering a word.

To him, I was but a stranger now. I reckoned he couldn't be bothered to even spare me a glance.

Emma realized that her unrestrained temper had infuriated Michael. Hence, she threw a malicious glare at me and immediately trotted toward him.

I stood still and watched as they left. The moment they were out of my sight, my tough facade instantly

crumbled.

I gazed in the direction where Michael left as I smiled wryly.

Standing not far away, Ronan was watching me. Unable to ignore my disheartenment, he walked toward me and tried to console me.

“Shall we have a chat?” he asked in a gentle tone.

Unlike his usual self, who was bright and confident, he sounded calm, which slightly took me aback.

I followed Ronan wordlessly. Although I never desired to get together with him, I still needed to reveal some matters I had concealed long from him. It was time for me to come clean.

Ronan led me to a field behind the hospital. He stopped and turned toward me, gazing at me with mixed feelings. After a moment of silence, he finally spoke.

“Before, you told me you already have someone you fancy. Is that someone Michael?”

As he locked his gaze at me, I could sense the nervousness and sadness in his eyes.

Previously, I hid my relationship with Michael from Ronan because I expected our relationship to end at some point. Since we all knew each other, I did not want the atmosphere to turn awkward if we met. Unfortunately, after what happened earlier, I could not conceal it anymore.

I lowered my head and kept mum, silently agreeing to Ronan's conjecture.

Being the sharp man that he was, he immediately grasped my answer from the silence. I looked up, only to see him gazing at me somberly with his brows knitted.

With a vaguely quivering voice, he asked as he redirected his gaze to my stomach, “So, the child in your belly is his?”

“Yes...” I admitted.

Even if I did lie to him, Ronan had already guessed the answer. Hence, I saw no reason to deceive him any further.

Upon hearing my reply, he snickered as he said in a painful tone, “So, you knew Michael long before, and you were even in a relationship with him. And to think I had once foolishly introduced you two to each other... what a joke.”

If the person I loved was not Michael, Ronan would not felt such dismay. Sadly, I was indeed in a relationship with Michael before. Not to mention we even hid it from him and pretended to be strangers.

If I were Ronan, I would have felt more distressed than he was after learning about the truth. Hence, I felt guilty for deceiving him.

“Sorry...” I lowered my head and apologized with a regretful expression.

Aside from apologizing, I could not squeeze out any other words.

Ronan chuckled wryly as he looked at me with slight resentment. Losing his composure, his tone lost its tenderness and was replaced with anguish instead. “Sorry? I just found out I was played like a fool.

Do you think your apology is enough?”

“I never intended to trick you. I sincerely treat you as a friend. But, I don't know how I should tell you about my relationship with Michael,” Panicking, I tried to explain myself upon realizing furious Ronan was.

Indeed, I had deceived him numerous times on this matter. However, I never intended to play with his trust. I was even afraid that our friendship would end after he had known about my relationship with Michael.

“Friend? You've been Michael's lover for all the time I've been pursuing you. I bet you must see me as a fool, huh? To think, I never suspected the relationship between you two.”

Regardless of my explanation, Ronan could not accept it.

Indeed. Anyone would have felt disheartened upon learning that the woman he loved was deceiving him. Besides, for a man who always acted on his own accord, I could tell Ronan was actually holding back his rage.

 

Chapter 259

“Yes. This is all my fault. However, I only did what I did because I know Michael and I will never stay together. I didn't want too many people to know that we've been in a relationship. This was also the reason why I can't accept your feeling.”

Ronan's genuine affection for me made me feel the need to explain everything to him clearly. Even though my feelings toward Michael had receded, I could never agree to get together with Ronan, for I was once Michael's lover.

“Enough. You don't need to explain anymore. Everything is finally clear to me after so long. At the very least, I don't need to be deceived by you two like a fool anymore.”

Before I could explain further, he cut me off. At that moment, I reckoned that my words would not make any difference as they could never negate the damage I dealt him.

The woman he loved was his cousin's lover. He must think of me as revolting and despicable.

Ronan gazed at me with a bitter smile before he turned and stalked away wordlessly. Watching his retreating figure, I could vaguely sense his devastation.

Never had I expected things to turn out this way. Aside from the anguish that I felt from losing Michael, I was also swamped with guilt from the way things turned out between me and Ronan.

Ronan had treated me earnestly and did a lot for me. On the contrary, I acted selfishly and hurt him.

I thought that maybe a woman like me would never get to have a happy ending.

Distressed, I returned home feeling enervated. It should have been a great day after learning that my child was developing healthily. Unfortunately, Emma's appearance had ruined it all.

For the next few days, I never stepped foot out of my house. Even when I had the urge to call Ronan sometimes, I would tamp those urges down.

As things had aggravated to such a degree, I could never ask Ronan to forgive me. Of course, I wished for his forgiveness, but I was too ashamed to call.

While I was brooding alone in the living room, a knock suddenly came from the door, pulling me back to my senses. Immediately, I directed my gaze at it.

I rarely had visitors. In addition, I had become vigilant after my house was destroyed last time. Hence, I peeped through the door viewer to ensure my safety. Upon seeing Michael standing outside, I was startled.

What is he doing here? He has not come here for a long time. Plus, he's going to get married soon. More the reason he shouldn't be here.

“Anna. Open the door!” Michael demanded impatiently and rang the doorbell incessantly when he saw that the door had yet to open after some time.

I stood at the entrance and hesitated for a moment. In the end, I decided to open the door.

Before I could even look at Michael's face, he pulled me into his arms abruptly.

Surprised, I froze. My mind stopped me from pushing Michael away as his embrace was what I longed for all this time.

“Michael, what are you doing here?”

Although my heart was fluttering as I nestled in Michael's embrace, I forced my voice to sound calm. I was becoming more and more confused about the state of our relationship.

“Don't move,” he demanded when I tried to push him away.

I caught a whiff of alcohol from him as he spoke.

Immediately, I ceased resisting. “Are you drunk?” I scowled and questioned with faint brusqueness.

I rarely see Michael getting so drunk, even at socializing events, as his alcohol tolerance was good. I reckoned that something must have happened for him to get drunk and come to my place.

Michael did not answer my inquiry. Instead, he tightened his hold with his strong arms, as though he was trying to meld me into him.

Although I feel suffocated, I did not struggle and simply allowed him to do as he wished.

After a long time, Michael finally released me. He straightened and lowered his head to gaze at me. Upon seeing his face, I was shocked.

The corner of his mouth was bruised, and his left cheek was swollen, as though he was beaten up by someone.

“What happened to your face? Did someone hit you?”

Over the years that I had known Michael, I had never seen him getting injured. His miserable state got my heart wrenching in pain.

Who's daring enough to assault Michael? Puzzled, I never expected anyone to be dauntless enough to hurt him.

Probably thinking that he looked pathetic, he turned his head away, wiped the corner of his mouth, and calmly claimed, “I'm fine.”

I could tell he found the injury on his face shameful, thus unwilling to share.

Knowing that he was concerned about his dignity, I did not probe any further. Instantly, the atmosphere got awkward from the lengthy silence.

Michael then walked past me and entered my living room. As I found it inappropriate for us to meet alone, I did not close the door as I followed him.

His movement was unsteady because of the tipsiness. I wanted to help him, but I deliberately suppressed the urge to.

When we walked to the couch, Michael abruptly stopped. Before I could respond, he turned around, pushed me down onto the couch, and pinned me down.

Startled, I immediately averted my gaze when they met with his. I was afraid that I might act rashly if I

gazed at him any longer.

“Michael, what are you doing? Get off me now.”

I pushed at him forcefully, trying to get him off my body as his weight might harm the baby in my belly.

Despite my struggles, he did not budge and kept pressing down on me like a huge boulder. He stared at me intently for a moment before he questioned, “What is your relationship with Ronan? Do you fancy him?”

Although his words were slurred, I could grasp the desperation from his tone.

I frowned upon hearing his question, fury surging through me. Is this the reason why he came to see me? To ask about my relationship with Ronan? Is he suspicious of our relationship?

“No. We're just friends,” I answered coldly as I looked into his eyes.

 

Chapter 260

“Just friends? Do you think that I'm foolish enough to believe you, Anna?”

Not believing my explanation, Michael became more agitated. While he stammered, a sharp glint flashed across his eyes.

He was doubting my relationship with Ronan.

While I looked into his dark eyes, my gaze flitted. However, in the next second, anger surged through me.

“It's none of my business whether you believe me or not. Neither does my relationship with Ronan have anything to do with you! What right do you have to interrogate me, Michael?”

Since he was already going to marry Emma, he had no right to ask me all these questions.

“Anna Garcia!”

I spoke coldly and clearly. However, my words only served to make Michael more enraged. He glared at me angrily, his expression becoming grim.

I met his gaze calmly, unwilling to give in. Since he was about to marry Emma, there was no reason why I should endure his domineering acts. He had no right to treat me like this.

Just when I thought that Michael would lose his temper, something unexpected happened—he leaned his head on my shoulder and fell asleep.

It was as if it was another person being enraged earlier.

A surprised look flashed across my eyes. When I returned to my senses, I realized that he had actually fallen asleep.

I stared at Michael's handsome face, which was merely inches away from me. He looked so quiet when asleep. Perhaps, I would not have any opportunities to look at him from such a close distance in the future.

Extending my arm, I wanted to caress his face. However, just when I was about to touch him, I froze. Although I yearned to stay by his side quietly like this, I could not do that. It had been a tough struggle for me to control my emotions. I was afraid that once I touched him, my rationality would disappear.

Hence, I turned around and averted my gaze from Michael. Exerting all my force, I pushed him away from me. Although he wasn't a huge guy, he was still exceptionally heavy to me.

I had to use a lot of force before I managed to shove him away. Standing up, I glanced down at his face. It had been ages since I had looked at him so intently.

I wished to stay by his side until he wakes up, but I knew that he should not stay at my place. After all, he was about to get married. If someone found out that he had stayed overnight at my place before his wedding day, both of us would become the gossip of the town again. Furthermore, this would impact Michael's reputation.

I deliberated about it for a long time before whipping out my phone and giving Emma a call.

She was the one whom I was the most reluctant to contact. However, she was also the only one who could bring Michael away. After all, she was his wife-to-be.

While the call was going through, my heart pounded. Calling Emma made me feel very uneasy.

“What's the matter?”

Emma's voice sounded cold when she picked up. In front of Michael, she might still put up a friendlier front toward me. However, when he was absent, her true colors would shine through.

“Michael's drunk and he's at my place. If you're free, come here now and bring him away. I don't want to cause any misunderstandings.”

Although I felt annoyed at how cold she sounded, I had no choice but to suppress my fury and reply in an equally curt manner.

“What? Michael's at your place? Anna, what dirty tricks have you played to lure him there? Why haven't you given up?” demanded Emma coldly upon hearing that Michael was with me, her voice bristling with fury.

As long as Michael had something to do with me, Emma would assume that I had resorted to unscrupulous methods to seduce him. To her, I was nothing more than a despicable woman.

“Stop thinking of everyone in such a horrid way. If I haven't given up, would I still call you and ask you to bring Michael away? I've already called you. It's up to you whether you want to come or not.”

Even though I called Emma to clarify my relationship with Michael, it did not mean that she could

humiliate me however she liked. I did not owe her anything, so I would not endure her bullying.

I hung up after speaking, not giving her a chance to speak.

Looking at Michael, who was fast asleep on the couch, I was slightly reluctant to let him leave just like that.

As he had drunk a lot, his face was flushed. I grabbed a wet towel and wiped his face attentively.

“Anna, you're my woman... You're mine...” mumbled Michael drowsily, still groggy with sleep.

Perhaps, he could sense my presence beside him.

My heart pounded when I heard what he said. Michael's still calling out for me when he's drunk. Is it because he loves me?

But if he loves me, why would he still be together with another woman? Why is he marrying someone else?

I thought that I understood Michael well. However, I now realized that I knew nothing about him. Other than his company's future, I did not know what else was important to him.

Although he did not like Emma, he chose to marry her. Regardless of whether he made the choice for the sake of his company, or if his family forced him to, I still could not understand it. Are these superficial things more important than his happiness for the rest of his life?

I gazed at Michael, who was still mumbling my name. Every time he called out my name, my heart

would skip a beat.

Knowing that Michael would never change his mind as long as he had made his decision, I tried my best to not let my resolve be swayed by his drunken words.

Just when I was staring at his handsome face, letting all those wild thoughts rush through my mind, I heard the urgent clacking of heels outside.

Since I did not close the door, Emma barged straight into my house. When she spotted me wiping Michael's face, her eyes blazed with rage.

She strode toward me and roared, “Anna, you b*tch! What are you doing?”

Still not satisfied after yelling at me, she shoved me aside. As I was caught off guard, I collapsed onto the floor.

My first instinct was to shield my stomach with my hand. After being pushed by Emma, I was equally furious. Now that I was pregnant, I would not let anyone do anything that could harm my baby.

“Anna, how shameless can you be? Michael's going to be married to me soon. Everyone in the nation knows about our wedding! Yet, you're still seducing him in the middle of the night. It seems your shamelessness knows no limits!”