The air in the fancy room felt like it had been sucked out. For a moment, Emily Brown couldn't breathe, her body frozen. Her eyes twitched as she looked at the man in front of her. No, she was really looking at the document he handed over, listening to his cold voice.
"Sign this divorce agreement. We agreed on this before," he said.
Yeah, they had agreed on this three years ago. Emily mocked herself silently, clutching a pregnancy ultrasound report behind her back. She couldn't bring it out now.
Just two hours ago, she found out she was one month pregnant. Her first reaction was joy, followed by panic and helplessness. She wondered how to tell the man in front of her, but now it seemed she couldn't say anything at all.
After all, she married Michael Smith so they both could get what they wanted. Three years ago, she needed a place for her and her mom to settle down, and he needed an obedient wife to deal with his family's pressure to marry.
She still remembered what he had said back then. "I'll agree to your terms and give you the title of Mrs. Smith for three years. After three years, we'll divorce." He paused and added, "And don't fall in love with me, because I will never love you." Michael's words seemed to echo in her ears, but now they felt like a slap in the face.
Suppressing the bitterness and pain in her heart, she didn't take the divorce agreement but looked at Michael with a calm gaze. "But, it's not three years yet." There was still a year and three months left until their agreed divorce date, yet he was so eager to present the divorce agreement, reminding her of what she saw at the hospital yesterday.
He had rushed past her, holding another woman. With a face full of concern, he didn't notice her at all. But she saw that the woman in his arms was Sophia Brown, who had gone abroad two years ago. So it was because she was back.
He seemed to have run out of patience, irritably and rudely throwing the divorce agreement in her face. "Sign it. You'll get enough compensation. Sophia is back, and our farce should end," Michael said expressionlessly, then turned and left, slamming the door behind him.
It took Emily a minute to recover from his words, and tears began to fall uncontrollably. So, their nearly two-year marriage had become a farce the moment Sophia returned.
She should have known. Michael's heart had always belonged to Sophia. But two years of marriage had almost made her forget Sophia's existence, and she almost believed they could fall in love after marriage. It was all her delusion.
Two years ago, Sophia had left for her dance career abroad, and Michael had chased her to the airport but couldn't keep her. He had gotten drunk late at night and happened to meet Emily, who had been kicked out of her home.
At that time, she was in a desperate state, and Michael, born into a top-tier family, seemed like her only hope. She thought he would be her salvation, but she was wrong. He was like another abyss.
A month ago, he had been drugged at a party, leading to their first sex since their marriage. He had never touched her before, as if she were dangerous, and she knew he was staying faithful for Sophia. But just that time, she got pregnant.
Emily sat weakly on the edge of the bed, lowering her head and gently touching her flat belly, murmuring to herself, "What should I do with you?"
Meanwhile, Michael had just stepped out of the house when he received a call from the hospital. He frowned instantly and replied, "I'll be right there."
The VIP orthopedic ward at Evergreen Hospital was crowded with people, but no one dared to approach the pale, tear-streaked woman on the bed due to the mess on the floor. Sophia had just thrown the last lamp she could reach to the ground, venting her frustration. The lamp shattered into pieces at the others' feet. "Get out, all of you, get out!" Her hoarse scream filled the entire ward.
The orthopedic chief cautiously stepped forward to console her, "Miss Brown, your knee injury is temporary. It will heal completely."
Sophia glared at him with resentment, her voice filled with hatred. "I have a competition in a month. I need to recover in a week. If you can't do it, get out."
Everyone exchanged glances helplessly when hearing Sophia's hysterical outburst. The hospital staff hated dealing with such spoiled brats. They couldn't offend her, nor could they drive her away. They had to tread carefully, especially since Sophia had been personally brought to the hospital by the heir of Smith Corporation.
"What's going on?" Michael entered the ward and saw the mess while the doctors and nurses were exchanging glances. His cold expression softened slightly when he saw the pale-faced Sophia on the bed.
"I've spoken to the doctors. Your knee isn't a big problem. There's no need to worry." He gently comforted Sophia, waving the doctors away.
As soon as Sophia saw Michael, she immediately put on a weak and aggrieved expression. "Michael, will I never be able to dance again?"
"Nonsense. I'll make sure the doctors heal you." Michael gently stroked her head. Sophia's eyes lit up, and she seemed like a different person from the resentful, screaming woman earlier.
"Michael, I believe you." Sophia took the opportunity to hug Michael's waist and bury her face in his chest. Michael's body stiffened for a moment, but he didn't push her away, though he didn't hug her back either. After all, Sophia's knee injury was his fault.
Seeing that he didn't push her away, Sophia suddenly lifted her head to kiss Michael. She knew he was married, but so what? She believed Michael still loved her. She had never taken Emily seriously before, and she certainly wouldn't now.
Since she was back, Emily would only deserve the same life she had before. Dreaming of matching Michael and living a life of luxury was just a daydream.
But this time, Michael suddenly turned his head, avoiding her kiss. Sophia pretended to be confused and looked at him. "Michael, you..."
Michael suddenly felt a bit nauseous, hastily avoiding her. He wasn't sure if it was the smell of disinfectant in the ward or Sophia's overly strong perfume. "Sorry, you rest well. I have work to do. I'll see you tomorrow." Michael said, leaving the ward without looking back. Sophia watched his departing figure, clenching the bedsheet tightly. Sophia thought in mind, 'It doesn't matter. Michael would be mine sooner or later.'
After a while, she took out her phone, looked at it, and smiled with satisfaction. She saved a picture, opened Emily's Facebook and sent this photo. It was a picture of her tightly hugging Michael. From the angle, it looked like Michael was holding her in his arms.
Sophia thought inwardly, 'Emily, this is my gift to you upon my return.'
She had been furious when she heard that Michael had married Emily.
Emily smoothed out the crumpled ultrasound report, staring at it for a few minutes. On her left was the divorce agreement, and on her right was the ultrasound report. She thought back to everything that had happened in the past two years and let out a self-mocking laugh. 'If I don't love Michael, will everything be much simpler?'
She could immediately sign the divorce agreement, take the money, and leave. She could also unhesitatingly abort the baby and never see Michael again. But she had fallen in love with him, from eighteen to twenty-five, silently loving him throughout her youth.
The notification sound from her phone pulled her back to reality. When she opened her phone, her face paled visibly, and her hand holding the phone trembled slightly.