My husband made me be the surrogate for his mistress.

That meant the baby in my bully would be theirs, not mine.

I had been pregnant for three months already.

How could they plan to take my baby?

I took out my phone and made a call.

"Dad, cut the capital flow to the Kaufman Group in three days. I and Antonio, we’re done."

It was time to restore my real indentity.

My dad exhaled.

"OK. Tell me when you want to come back, and I'll go pick you up."

***

I had been disabled for three years. After countless hormone injections to protect the pregnancy, I finally conceived.

But, on my birthday, I overheard my husband, Antonio Kaufman, speaking German on the phone with another woman.

She said, "I can have your child too. Why does it have to be her, the cripple? You said you'd marry me as soon as she gave birth. Don't go back on your word."

He reassured her softly, "I promise. Childbirth is dangerous. How could I let you go through that?"

My hand, clutching the medical report confirming my full recovery, began to tremble violently.

Antonio probably forgot that I was the one who taught him German.

My legs had recovered a few weeks ago, and I wanted to surprise Antonio today.

He hung up, his eyes dark with a trace of desire. He didn't notice my reaction.

Staring at the untouched beef on the table, he frowned.

Then he said to me, "Don't be picky. Having beef is good for the baby. Be good, Grace."

I looked at the beef he placed on my plate and smiled bitterly.

Once, I accidentally ate beef, and Antonio was even more nervous than me. He took me to the hospital in the middle of the night.

From that day on, beef was never served at our dining table again. He always checked the ingredient list regarding whatever I ate.

Yet, now, it seemed he had completely forgotten I was allergic to beef.

He was sitting opposite me, and I noticed the imperceptible smile on his lips.

He was so engrossed in his phone that he completely forgot what he had told me this morning. He said it was my birthday today, and he'd stay with me to celebrate it together.

Suddenly, he looked up and said to me apologetically, "Sorry, Grace.

"The company's accounts don't add up, and I got to go take a look. I'll be back as soon as I deal with it. Stay home and wait for me, OK?"

He walked out quickly before I could respond.

Tears streamed down my face in an instant, my chest tightening with pain.

It never occurred to me that he'd betray me one day.

Back then, I had a car accident and was sent to the hospital. The doctor said I could never stand up again.

It was Antonio who held my hand and said he'd be with me forever. He gave me the strength to live.

Then he even married me resolutely against his family's objection.

In disbelief, I pulled out my phone and saw a photo sent from my friend.

Under the dim streetlight, a man and a woman embraced, locked in a passionate kiss, as lovers lost in their own world.

That all-too-familiar figure crushed the last shred of hope I had left.

With trembling hands, I texted my friend back, "Antonio is home celebrating my birthday with me. This isn't him."

I stared at the photo for a long time before it suddenly dwelled on me I had seen the woman before. It was Pearl Greene, the company's translator who came here last week to fetch some materials.

I logged in to WhatsApp, found her contact in the company's group chat, and added her using my alternate account.

She accepted my friend request almost immediately.

Then I checked her Instagram.

One of her posts was: "Sneaking around with someone else's husband in his study—so thrilling I can almost hear my own heartbeat. Just kidding..."

She updated this post exactly a week ago.

That day, I saw her walking out of the study while blushing, followed by Antonio, who looked a bit uneasy.

I figured she was probably not feeling well, or maybe it was too warm here.

It never occurred to me that they deliberately chose to have an affair in his study for the thrill.

As I was in a daze, Pearl updated her Instagram again.

In the photo, Antonio, who was supposed to be at work, sat comfortably in her living room.

He was sitting on a couch, chatting with an old madam. Those who didn't know might think he was her grandson-in-law.

I clicked on the live photo and heard Pearl's voice, tinged with a smile. "Grandma, this is the fourth time Antonio is here this week. You still think he isn't here enough?"

A lump formed in my throat as tears spilled onto my phone screen.

Last year, my mother fell seriously ill and was hospitalized, undergoing four surgeries. Yet, Antonio, her son-in-law, never showed up once.

I couldn't walk, so I begged him several times, asking him to check on my mom, but he refused me righteously.

He said, "What's the point? I'm not a doctor. If you really are worried about her that much, ask the driver to take you to the hospital. Why are you forcing me?"

I thought he didn't want to go because he wasn't good at getting along with the elders. After my mom was cured, she was discharged. One day, she brought this up, and I even defended him.

It turned out he simply thought I was deliberately forcing him to make things difficult for him.

Antonio and I were married for three years. I showed off his love for me to the others countless times, but now, it dwelled on me that I was a complete joke.

My vision blurred, and my heart broke. I was overwhelmed by pain and bitterness.

At midnight, Antonio finally came back.

The cheap perfume on his clothes made me nauseated.

He placed his hand on my waist, saying in a titillating tone, "Grace, the baby is perfectly fine. What if tonight, we..."

I grabbed his hand and slid it down.

The second his hand touched my motionless leg, he withdrew it at once as if he had gotten an electric shock.

He looked displeased, and his tone turned cold.

"What's this supposed to mean, Grace? Yeah, I didn't celebrate your birthday with you today. But it was just a meal. Do you really have to be like this?"

I was stunned for a second before smiling self-mockingly, "Don't overthink it. I'm just a bit tired."

If it were before, I would have been flattered and pleased him already.

I thought the reason why he rarely got intimate with me was because he was concerned about my disability.

I was wrong; it was because his physical needs were already satisfied.

As I listened to his even breathing, I didn't sleep a wink that night.

Early in the morning, he got up and washed up. He even was in the mood to dress me up.

Squatting in front of my wheelchair, he coaxed me, "I'm sorry for being so mean last night. Don't be upset with me, OK? It's the company's anniversary today. Let me take you there; maybe you'll feel better."

I wanted to refuse, but he took me to the office anyway.

The second those people at the company saw me, they whispered among themselves.

"What's Mr. Kaufman thinking? There are plenty of pretty women out there, yet he married a cripple."

The same thing happened every year. Antonio was right beside me, and I was certain he heard their whispers, too, but he didn't respond at all.

Just then, Pearl, wearing an evening gown, walked over slowly, her obscure gaze sweeping over me.

"Mr. Kaufman, may I have the honor to dance with you?" she offered.

Antonio smiled; he didn't notice my slowly clenched fists.

"The honor is mine," he said.

Then he left me behind together with my wheelchair, took Pearl's hand gently, and danced together with her in the center of the dance floor.

In the next second, all the lights in the room went out.

Meanwhile, fireworks outside the window bloomed brilliantly.

In the darkness, I followed them to the stairwell.

Antonio said, "Why would I lie to you? The fireworks are for you only."

She complained, "Don't touch me! You were in bed with that cripple, right? I don't want to talk to you ever again!"

At the mention of me, he was obviously impatient. "It annoys me whenever I see her legs. Why would I be interested in her? Be good, Pearl. Let me see if you've missed me."

His words broke me down. I lost it and burst into tears, covering my mouth.

Three years ago, when I saw the car rushing toward Antonio, I rushed to him and pushed him away without hesitation. After the accident, I became a cripple.

Back then, at my bedside, Antonio cried his eyes out, swearing he'd be good to me till the day he died.

It had only been three years, yet he had forgotten his vow completely.

After they left, I finally couldn't help but cry loudly.

I didn't get it. What did I even mean to Antonio?

After a long time, I wiped away my tears and wheeled myself out. Everyone had left.

Taking out my phone, I saw no new messages.

I could only hail a cab home.

On the way, the car passed by a famous restaurant, and I immediately spotted the two by the window. They were leaning against each other, looking extremely intimate.

I froze. Then I asked the driver to pull over and wheeled myself toward them.

At the sight of me, Antonio pushed Pearl away at once and said a bit awkwardly, "Grace, what are you doing here?"

I swallowed hard, my eyes sore.

I said to Antonio, "You left me at the company while having dinner here with another woman. Antonio, do I mean nothing to you?"

This restaurant was so popular that it was almost impossible to book. We only came here once before our wedding.

After we got married, he always turned me down impatiently whenever I proposed to eat here.

He said, "We got to book a table two days in advance, and the table isn't even guaranteed. Do you have to eat there? Besides, what about your legs? It'll be so troublesome. Be good. Just tell Ella to fix you something."

Ella Watkins was the maid. I should have realized that instead of finding it troublesome, Antonio simply didn't want to eat with me here.

Aggrieved, Pearl said, "Mrs. Kaufman, don't get upset with Mr. Kaufman. I insisted on coming here. Blame me if you want to."

Antonio became more confident after hearing her words.

"Pearl is my employee, and I treat her to a meal. Do you have to make a big deal out of it, Grace?

"Stop being so paranoid, OK? Not everyone is your enemy. It's all in your head."

I looked at him in great disbelief. Did he seriously just say those words to me?

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my abdomen.

My face turned pale as I clutched my belly. "It hurts ... so much..."

He immediately pushed Pearl away, picked me up, and took me to the hospital.

After anxiously checking with the doctor, he was reassured that I was fine.

He breathed a relief, a trace of guilt flashing across his eyes. He held my hand, looking serious.

"I'm sorry, Grace. I didn't even know what I was thinking earlier. I didn't mean what I said. Don't get mad at me, OK?"

I said nothing while my gaze swept over his bare ring finger, and bitterness surged within me.

I thought, "Antonio, why are you so worried? Is it because of me? Or the baby?

"I suddenly feel like I've never really known what kind of person you are."

He averted his gaze under my line of sight.

"I'll go get some food for you, Grace. Rest for a bit."

He almost fled away.

I stroked my slightly bulging belly, my mind in turmoil.

"That man is such a jerk. Right after he sent his pregnant wife here, he left with another woman. Did you see that? They held hands, fingers interlocked no less."

I heard the whispers outside the room and was a bit stunned. Then I took off the ring from my ring finger and stared at the mark it left in a daze.

Back then, Antonio said he'd still wear the ring even after he died.

But now, he broke our vows.

I waited till the wee hours, but Antonio and the dinner he got for me were still nowhere to be seen.

As I was drifting to sleep, I heard two deliberately lowered voices.

Antonio said, "This can't happen again. Finally, Grace is pregnant with our baby. If anything happens to her, our previous efforts will all go down the drain."

Pearl sneered, "I'm so curious. How will Grace react if she finds out you secretly switched her egg with mine?"

My pupils constricted violently at once as tears streamed down my face. Their words were like a sharp knife, stabbing my heart ruthlessly.

I couldn't believe Antonio had me be their surrogate.

I thought, "Antonio, what the heck do I exactly mean to you?"

Biting my lip hard, I tried my best not to make a sound.

They left; after that, I finally lost it and burst into tears helplessly.

I had been pregnant for three months already. How come it was their baby?

The next morning, I took out my phone numbly and made a call. "Dad, halt the capital flow to the Kaufman Group in three days."

My dad heard how hoarse my voice was and wanted to say something. But after much consideration, he didn't.

Instead, he simply said, "OK. Tell me when you want to come back, and I'll go pick you up."

After hanging up the phone, I wiped away my tears bitterly.

Then I got out of bed and went to the doctor who had performed my IVF.

She was puzzled.

"It was per Mr. Kaufman's request, and he provided the re-paired eggs. Is there something wrong with the fetus?"

I shook my head. "No. I was just asking."

Turning to leave, I stopped recording.

I had already thought it through; how come it still hurt?

Stroking my belly, I scheduled an abortion for that day.

Lying on the cold operating table, I stared at the ceiling in a daze.

Under the aurora, Antonio held me in his arms tightly.

After a long time of silence, he said seriously, "Grace, before I met you, I always thought I could spend the rest of my life without love.

"But I feel so lucky to have you in my life. We're destined to be together. Now, my only hope is to live longer..."

I knew love wasn't eternal, but at that very moment, perhaps it was.

After the surgery, I asked the doctor for the remains of the undeveloped fetus and then put it in a box.

I hailed a cab to go home. As I pushed open the door, unexpectedly, I saw Pearl.

She was wearing the high-end gown Antonio gave me on my last birthday as well as an emerald necklace my family gave me on our wedding day.

She looked at me, smug.

"Mrs. Kaufman, you're back. I'm so sorry. Mr. Kaufman insisted on taking me to his family's banquet, saying that I could dance with him.

"Don't blame him, OK? After all, given your condition... You know how men are. Their pride means the world to them. Oh, and don't worry. I'll return your gown once we're back."

My gaze turned icy.

"Take off the necklace. You took it without my permission, and that is stealing. You don't know? And it's quite surprising that you seem pleased with yourself after selling your body out for this gown."

Pearl pulled a long face. Before I could react, she strode toward me and pinched my thigh hard.

In the next second, she fell to the floor.

Antonio walked downstairs at the same time.

Seeing this, he rushed toward us, helped her up, and frowned as he questioned me angrily, "What happened? Grace, what did you do? Aren't you supposed to be in the hospital?"

My breathing turned heavy as I looked back at him in disbelief. "Why don't you ask her what she did? Look at my legs. What could I possibly do?"

Pearl wiped away the tears that she managed to squeeze. "Mr. Kaufman, it has nothing to do with Mrs. Kaufman. I tripped and fell.

"But I really didn't steal her gown and necklace, and I've never sold my body out. Mr. Kaufman, I think I'll skip the banquet. Sorry."

Antonio looked at her with distress. He wiped away her tears, totally not giving a damn that I was present.

Suppressing his fury, he said to me, "I gave Pearl your gown and necklace, and I invited her to the banquet.

"I've been the butt of the joke for three years all because of you. Grace, at least try to be more understanding, OK?

"You're getting more and more willful taking advantage of your pregnancy. But Pearl has done nothing wrong. Apologize to her!"

My chest heaved violently as I looked at him, shocked.

People always blurted out their real thoughts when they were impulsive. Only now did I realize this was how Antonio thought of me.

We were married for three years; of course, he knew what kind of person I was.

Pearl's acting skills weren't superb; rather, they were lame. The reason why he was acting like this was because he had already chosen her over me.

All of a sudden, I didn't feel like arguing at all. I wheeled myself back into my room.

Antonio shot me a discontented look and then lowered his head to comfort Pearl in his arms.

Just like that, Antonio took Pearl to his family's banquet.

Soon, his mom called me.

"Antonio is so over the line. I'm sorry, Grace. I've already given him a piece of my mind for you. Don't be upset. A bad mood won't do any good to the baby..."

After hanging up the phone, I checked Pearl's Instagram again.

As expected, she updated a few minutes ago. It was a group photo, in which all of them were sitting together on a big couch. Antonio held Pearl tightly in his arms, and they looked like a loving couple who made everyone envious.

Antonio's mom: "I'm so happy. We're such a nice, happy family."

Antonio's cousin: "She's way better than that cripple who can't spend a day without her wheelchair. Finally, Antonio, you know what's good for you."

Antonio's sister: "Antonio, congratulations! It's such a huge burden lifted off your shoulders."

I smiled self-mockingly.

Antonio and I dated for four years and were married for three years. My parents had given up business benefits to the Kaufman family more than once, yet they had never treated me well.

They were slightly nicer to me after I got pregnant.

Antonio knew how they treated me.

I remembered that once, I cried while telling him how unfair they had been treating me, but he said impatiently, "They're my parents. What do you expect me to do? They're elders, OK? Just give in to them a little bit. It won't kill you.

"I almost turned against my family in order to marry you back then. You know it, don't you? Grace, can't you be a little more considerate?"

I did exactly like he said. I gave in to them and became more considerate than ever. Yet what did I get in the end?

I couldn't help but want to ask Antonio, "Won't you feel guilty at all, Antonio?"

Antonio only came back at noon the next day, and he looked so happy.

"Grace, I was impulsive yesterday. Sorry. But you shouldn't have pushed Pearl. I invited her at the last minute; it didn't mean anything."

I nodded, not saying a word.

My reaction surprised him a bit, but he didn't dwell on it. He simply figured that I had forgiven him.

He said, "I'm about to go on a business trip these days, but don't worry. I'll be back after about three days. Let's go take photos as a memento of your pregnancy. OK?"

Half an hour ago, he updated his Instagram while blocking me, my family, and my friends.

He posted, "Besides a title, I can give you everything—whatever you want. Everyone, you're all invited to attend my wedding tomorrow."

It was quite ridiculous, actually; Antonio and I had never held a wedding.

What he didn't know was I had an alt account that was also in his contacts.

Now that he had betrayed me, I wasn't a fool. Of course, I wouldn't wait for him to have a change of mind.

I nodded. "OK. I have a big surprise for you when you come back."