Chapter 3

Hearing my voice, Kamila seemed even more excited.

She quickened her pace towards the photo wall.

A surge of dread overcame me. At that moment, I hated my useless brother more than ever!

Jaron had begged me for a month, telling me how his girlfriend was sweet and considerate and that she wanted to marry into our family. Thinking about how our parents had asked me to find him a good wife before they died, I had softened and agreed.

However, I never imagined that the reality would be so different from what he had described.

I rushed forward, grabbing her hand, terrified she would go crazy and destroy the photos.

"I won't hold you responsible for smashing the gifts. Anyway, they were meant for you. But if you destroy my photo wall, I'll make sure you regret it!"

My eyes were red with tears that I barely managed to hold back.

I clutched the only photo I had of my parents carefully, which was my most cherished memory.

My parents had died long ago, and we were so poor at the time that no photos remained. I had spent a fortune restoring this one. My memory of their faces had already faded. Without this photo, I would have forgotten their faces completely.

But the next second, Kamila snatched the photo from my arms.

"I didn't expect Jaron and you to be childhood friends. Then perhaps you're a lady from a prominent family. Why did you stoop to be a mistress? Or do you just like other people's boyfriends?"

I reached out to grab it, but she only seemed more excited, holding the photo high above her head.

Feeling panicking, I screamed.

"Presley! Help me get it back!"

But Kamila roared, "You keep recording! If you come near, I'll smash it right now!"

I had no choice but to wave my hand in tears, signaling Presley to stay put.

Fear overwhelmed my anger in an instant. I could feel my legs shaking, and a dull pain began to throb in my abdomen, but I still begged desperately.

"Please, anything but this. You can't tear up this photo.

"It's of Jaron's late parents!"

I thought Kamila might hesitate, but she just smirked.

"So what if it is? Jaron told me he hates those dead parents the most.

"This photo wall will be filled with my pictures soon."

Seeing Kamila's smug expression, I desperately tried to appease her.

"Okay, you can replace it with your pictures, but can you at least return this one to me?"

Tears streamed down my face as I spoke.

Seeing me in such a state seemed to please her even more.

"Do you want it? Okay."

I felt delighted and reached out eagerly.

But the next second, she held the photo right in front of my face, smiling arrogantly.

"Mistresses have no right to ask for anything!"

At that moment, I watched in horror as the photo of my parents was torn to shreds, beyond repair.

My heart felt like it was being torn apart, enveloped in a wave of despair and agony.

I didn't even get a final and clear look at it...

Then the last memory of my parents was gone forever…

Looking at the shredded photo on the floor, I felt like my soul was instantly ripped away. My legs gave way, and I collapsed onto the floor. I tried to reach for the photo fragments, but a searing pain shot through my hand.

Kamila, wearing my high heels, was crushing my hand under her foot heavily.

She even stomped down repeatedly.

The sharp pain made me cry out.

Presley, who had been trying to call Jaron frantically, was now in tears, but Jaron's phone couldn't get through. With every step Presley took toward me, she stomped harder.

I had never endured such humiliation before.

I was pampered by my parents when I was young, and as an adult, I had a considerate husband who was currently on a business trip. After winning a large lottery prize, I quit my job and enjoyed a life of luxury.

The greatest hardship I faced was the injections during IVF preparation.

Thinking about it, I touched my slightly protruding belly, fearing for the baby's safety.

But Kamila's cruelty only escalated. She noticed the expensive baby clothes I had carefully chosen and the small sweater I had knitted over two months.

Her anger flared.

"Why are there baby clothes here? Are you pregnant with an illegitimate child?"

Presley was sobbing while she said, "Please, let madam get up. She just stabilized her pregnancy. If anything happens to her, you won't get out of it!"

After that, Presley threw aside her phone and tried to drag Kamila away.

But Kamila grabbed shards of glass from the floor and threw them at Presley. "Busybody, you meddling old hag. When Jaron comes back, I'll have him fire you!"

Presley's face instantly bled, and she fainted.

I managed to pull my right hand free and cried.

"You can smash anything, but don't touch my baby. I've struggled for years to get pregnant through IVF. Can't you be rational? I'm not a mistress!"

Kamila licked her lips and crouched down slowly.

She slapped my face again and again until my mouth filled with blood. Before I could catch my breath, she flipped me over.

I cried, clutching my stomach. "Are you insane? This is murder! You're a murderer!"

Her laughter grew more sinister as she said slowly.

"A child of a mistress shouldn't exist in this world."

"No!" I screamed in agony.

The next moment, a searing pain radiated from my abdomen.

She stomped on my belly heavily with the heel of her shoe!