Chapter 2

Even without any conflict involving another woman, Landon had never been able to stand his younger brother.

I just never imagined that one day the person defending me wouldn't be my own husband.

It would be the brother-in-law I'd once secretly thought was too rebellious.

Under Mrs. Delgado's warning glance, Bartholomew held himself back from embarrassing him in front of everyone

He only left them with one cold, cutting remark.

"So the Delgado family's rules are nothing more than humiliating the woman who married into the family. How ridiculous"

After he left, Landon pinched the bridge of his nose, irritated.

But the family dinner had to go on.

"Rose, go prepare a couple more dishes. Anna likes garlic butter shrimp and lobster thermidor. A family dinner should have something everyone likes."

A few things people enjoy.

That was something he'd never once said to me.

Because I had never been allowed to sit at that table. There had never been a reason for him to care what I liked.

I looked at him.

"I've told you my pregnancy nausea has been severe. I can't stand the smell of seafood. Let Uncle Mark handle it."

Uncle Mark was the cook who usually handled the meals at the old estate.

Because I was only two months pregnant, even the notoriously picky Delgado elders had, for once, been understanding. No one had requested seafood dishes.

Landon knew that perfectly well, yet he made the request anyway.

Anna spoke up in a hurt voice. "Mr. Delgado, it's fine. I'll just eat something simple. Don't wear your wife out."

She looked like she was forcing herself to endure an unfair situation.

Landon frowned. "If you can't stand the smell, wear a mask. It won't take that long."

"Anna hardly ever comes by. Don't make it look like the Delgados mistreat their guests. That would be improper."

That was the third time tonight he'd used the rules and his sense of propriety to corner me.

But his rules only seemed to apply when it suited him.

With the whole crowd of relatives and elders watching, I still nodded. "Fine."

Preparing those two dishes took nearly forty minutes. I retched more than a dozen times.

My appetite was long gone.

I leaned against the kitchen doorway, watching Anna sit in the seat I'd waited five years for.

Landon carefully peeled the shrimp for her, then waited for it to cool before handing it to her.

He didn't spare me a single glance.

Something in my chest went cold all at once.

I took out my phone and sent a message to my attending physician.

"Hello, I'd like to schedule an abortion for tomorrow."

After the family dinner ended and all the elders and relatives had been seen off, I headed toward the car out of habit.

But Landon blocked the car door. "Rose, I have an online meeting in three minutes. I can't leave yet, and Anna needs to stay and help me with it"

"Staying up late isn't good for a pregnant woman. Just take a cab home yourself first."

I froze for a moment. "But the mansion is halfway up the mountain. Walking down takes an hour, and it's already ten at night. The road down the mountain is completely dark..."

The words had barely left my mouth when Anna poked her head out from inside the doorway, her voice carrying an obvious hint. "Mr. Delgado, all set? The old madam is looking for you."

Landon nodded and gave me a helpless look. "Rose, this isn't your first time back at the old estate. You know that road like the back of your hand. Besides, there are streetlights."

"Sitting around being lazy isn't good for a pregnant woman anyway. Just think of it as a walk. It's good for the baby's development."

I pressed my lips together.

I wanted to remind him that the streetlights had broken the last time we came back, and still hadn't been fixed.

I also wanted to say that, in order to honor his so-called Delgado rule that the lady of the house had to prepare the family dinner herself to prove her sincerity, I'd already been on my feet for five hours.

Because Landon's sperm viability was low, to protect his pride, I'd always told outsiders it was my own body that was the problem.

My belly was covered in needle marks. The IVF treatment had finally worked after everything I'd been through..

The doctor had warned me to get plenty of rest and avoid unnecessary movement.

But Landon didn't give me the chance to speak, because Anna sneezed.

He immediately rushed over, draped his coat around her shoulders, and asked with concern.