Chapter 3
I returned home in a daze, only to find Blake was kneeling before Mia, tenderly massaging her feet with a concerned expression.]
When I was pregnant, he never did this for me, even when my entire body cramped with pain. He always said someone in his position couldn’t lose face by massaging a woman’s feet.]
But until now did I understood the stark difference between being loved and being unloved.]]
Seeing me enter, Blake snorted derisively.]
“You have the nerve to come back? Acting so convincingly–someone might actually believe you were pregnant!“]
I closed my eyes briefly before silently heading toward my room.]
Yet Mia pulled the two children in front of me, blocking my path.]
Her face full of contrition as she pleaded:[]
“Riley, it’s my fault for not leaving as you asked. You can punish me however you want!“]]
“You were right to even hit me. After this baby is born, I’ll disappear. I only ask that you accept these children as your own!“]
She tried to kneel, but Blake caught her. He laughed coldly, giving me a frigid look.
“Don’t beg her. I’m the one who couldn’t control myself. You’ve done nothing wrong!”
“Riley, whether you accept it or not, these children are my flesh and blood. You must treat them well!“]
“If you don’t want to be thrown out, change your attitude and apologize to Mia. I’ll let today’s incident slide!“]
I looked up, my gaze devoid of warmth.]
“Blake, you both wronged me. Why should I apologize?”
“Do you know that the baby in my womb was…“]
Before I could finish, Blake interrupted with a cold snort.[]
“Don’t tell me you were pregnant too?”
“Lies have limits. The doctors said your uterus was damaged, and pregnancy was impossible, You can’t even lie convincingly?!”
“Since you’re so stubborn, then go kneel in the rose garden until you’re ready to apologize!”
I trembled in disbelief, staring at him.
That rose garden was something he had planted for me when he proposed.[]
I loved roses but suffered from severe allergies, so I could only admire them from a distance.
Unable to accept bouquets, he gifted me an entire garden of roses instead. He said flowers might wither, but his love for me never would.
But now, he was turning that symbol of love into a prison.]
Blake ignored my struggles, forcing me to kneel among the thorny bushes–rose thorns pierced my flesh, making me shake uncontrollably. And pollen entered my throat, making it difficult to breathe.]
I screamed in pain.
“Blake, have you lost your mind? You know I’m allergic to pollen–this could kill me!“]
Yet he merely stepped back coldly, holding Mia as they watched me struggle in agony. In that moment, I felt nothing but desolation.]
Chapter 3
All my love had finally turned to dust.
