Chapter 2

I shoved him away forcefully, laughing mockingly.

"Are you afraid Chloe will look down on you once she knows you can't have kids?"

He avoided my gaze, adjusting his collar. "This is our private marital business. It's inappropriate to discuss it in front of others. Besides, didn't you hire the country's top fertility specialists for me?"

"I believe we can cure it. We will have our own children. Why would I want someone else's?"

As soon as he said that, Chloe spoke up, acting completely innocent and naive.

"My... my friends always told me I have 'hyper-fertile' genes, though I never really understood what that meant."

"But I did give birth to twin boys. Even I thought it was a miracle."

She blushed slightly, looking down. "I feel like... if it were me, even if my husband had fertility issues, I'd probably still be able to get pregnant easily."

A spark lit up in Julian's eyes, but he quickly suppressed it. He stiffly wrapped an arm around my waist, deliberately creating distance from Chloe.

"Chloe, don't say things like that. Even if we can't have children, Audrey is the only wife I'll ever want."

The way he said it made it sound like I was the infertile one. It implied that if he were with Chloe, he would definitely have kids.

A wave of intense disgust washed over me.

Two weeks ago, I had flown across the country just to contact top medical experts for his condition. Yet, behind my back, he had secretly hired Chloe as our live-in maid.

When we returned downstairs, Chloe was serving plates of charred, overcooked meat. Julian, who was usually extremely picky about his food, devoured three portions without a single word of complaint.

Even the antique sapphire earrings he had secretly bought at an auction were now hanging from Chloe's ears. I had thought they were my upcoming birthday present.

Every night, he delayed coming to bed until he was sure I was asleep, as if he couldn't bear the thought of me touching him.

I took a deep breath and pointed at Chloe.

"Julian, I'm asking you one last time. Are you absolutely sure you want to keep her?"

He pushed me away impatiently. "Are you seriously starting this again? Haven't I already made my stance clear?"

"You just have to nitpick, blow things out of proportion, and drag my dignity through the mud, don't you?"

My lower back slammed against the wooden banister of the stairs. A sharp pain shot through my spine, making it impossible to stand up straight.

Julian rolled his eyes, approaching me with annoyance to pull me up.

"Alright, stop acting. Playing fragile doesn't suit you. Everyone knows you're a tough-as-nails tomboy."

In our sophomore year of college, he was walking me back to my dorm. Just as we reached the entrance, a heavy ceramic basin fell from a balcony above. Without thinking, I pushed him out of the way. The basin smashed onto my head, but I just smiled and told him I was fine.

I ended up needing five stitches, earning me the nickname "tomboy" among our friends.

Now, my sacrifice had become his laughingstock.

I avoided his hand. "Don't touch me. You're filthy."

His face hardened, his hands clenching into fists. "Can you not speak to me like a decent human being for once?"

"I've said all I have to say. It's either her or me."

Leaving those words behind, I turned to walk upstairs.

Julian was about to chase after me when Chloe began to sob softly, her shoulders shaking.

"I understand... Nobody has ever liked me. Everyone says I'm slow and useless. That's why my ex-husband abandoned me and left me to struggle with two boys."

"My dad beats me when he loses money gambling, my sick mom screams at me, and even my own kids think I'm worthless."

"Now Mrs. Sterling hates me too. If you two divorce because of me, I might as well just end it all!"

With that, she made a dramatic move to fling herself headfirst against the living room wall.

Julian lunged forward and caught her in a panic, his eyes overflowing with sheer heartache.

"Chloe, don't do this. I've never looked down on you."

"You're not slow. You're incredibly sweet and lovely."

Chloe looked up, tears streaming down her face. "Really?"

Julian gently ruffled her hair, deliberately raising his voice so I could hear.

"Of course. You're not like some people who are cold, harsh, and lack even an ounce of femininity. Who could possibly love someone like that?"

Chloe let out a wet giggle, darting a smug glance up at me.

"Julian, Mrs. Sterling sounds exactly like the person you're describing."

"The first time I saw her in her stiff business suit with her hair slicked back, I almost thought she was a man."

Julian laughed along with her. "Let me tell you a secret. My subordinates at the hospital privately call her the 'iron maiden' behind her back."

My steps halted abruptly on the stairs.

My heart pounded so hard it felt like it would burst from my chest. I grabbed a heavy ceramic vase from the hallway table and hurled it directly at them.

"Julian! Take your damn maid and get the hell out of my house!"