Chapter 2

We took a seat in a private booth at a nearby cafe.

I couldn't help but study Vivian closely.

Dark circles shadowed her eyes, and her eyelids were slightly swollen. Clearly, she hadn't slept a wink either.

Yet beneath the fatigue, Vivian was undeniably stunning, radiant with youthful energy. Even with her baby bump, she carried herself with effortless grace and gentle maternal warmth.

No wonder Derek strayed.

Seeing me stare at her in a daze, Vivian didn't get angry. She casually stirred her coffee.

She broke the silence:

"I'll get straight to the point."

"I know you're not his cousin. You're Derek's girlfriend—five years together, right?"

I nodded without denying it.

Instead, I reached out, slid the coffee away from her, and handed her a cup of warm water.

"Coffee isn't good for the baby. You should stick to water."

"Did you... officially marry Derek?"

Vivian froze for a second, caught off guard by my gentleness.

Her tone softened considerably.

"Yeah. We signed the papers downtown last month."

"Your reaction yesterday felt off, so I had someone dig into him. That's how I found out about you. I assume... you were kept in the dark too."

I let out a bitter, self-deprecating laugh:

"Yeah. Technically speaking, that makes me the mistress."

"Don't worry, I won't cling to Derek. Once I land a job, I'll pack up and leave the city."

Vivian looked at me, genuine surprise flickering in her eyes:

"I expected you to be like my dad's brainless mistresses—screaming, demanding I divorce him, or crying that 'he loves me the most.' You're remarkably calm."

I paused, took a sip of my drink, and said slowly:

"I'm not stupid. Over the past five years, every single time I brought up marriage, Derek either changed the subject or made up an emergency. Deep down, I already knew. I just refused to face reality."

"Now that you're sitting in front of me with a baby on the way, I have no choice but to wake up."

With that, I stood up to leave. Just as I took a step, I remembered something.

I pulled an umbrella from my tote bag and set it on the table.

"Take this. It's about to pour outside. With the baby, you shouldn't get caught in the rain."

"Head home soon. If you're still worried, I can leave the city tomorrow."

Just as I reached the door, Vivian called out:

"Wait!"

I turned back to face her.

Vivian braced her lower back, standing up slowly, and asked:

"Do you want to make Derek pay?"

Before I could answer, a cold smirk curled on her lips:

"Because I sure do."

Vivian told me to wait in the restroom for a moment, then dialed Derek's number, ordering him over immediately.

The second Derek pushed open the private room's door, Vivian slapped him across the face with all her might.

"I know everything about you and Chloe!" she screamed, tears streaming down her face.

"She was never your cousin! You lied to me! I want a divorce!"

Derek grunted in pain, his cheek swelling instantly. Without even bothering to nurse his sting, he rushed forward, wrapping Vivian in his arms, desperately whispering:

"Vivian, please, let me explain."

"The day I met you three months ago, I broke things off with Chloe. She's the one who refused to let go, stalking me all the way to our hotel. My heart belongs only to you!"

But Vivian refused to listen, thrashing against his grip.

She roared:

"You two were together for five whole years! You just stopped loving her overnight? What if she turns up pregnant and drags you down forever?"

"I don't care! I'm calling my dad right now, and I'm divorcing you!"

Sobbing, Vivian clutched her belly and made a move toward the door.

Panicking, Derek blurted out without thinking:

"Chloe will never get pregnant!"

"I switched her pills years ago! Her body has been ruined by the medication for a long time!"