Chapter 2

After changing the dressing, the nurse tactfully left.

When Jayden saw my pale face, he paused for a moment, and finally sighed.

"She won't be a problem for you. This is over now."

I stared at him steadily, feeling as if a lump of cotton was lodged in my chest, hard and aching.

Seeing that I stayed silent, he leaned down and pinned me.

His warm body pressed against me, but a shiver ran through me.

I hadn't expected that the day after he stabbed me, he offered not a word of explanation—instead he was trying to force himself on me.

"Her old line of work... she had too many miscarriages, and now she can't get pregnant."

"But she loves children. Have a baby, and give it to Julia to raise."

With that, he roughly tore my clothes open.

I struggled hard.

"Says who!"

Jayden easily locked both my hands.

"You don't get to refuse."

I stared at him in disbelief, my voice shaking:

"What do you take me for? A baby-making machine? Julia says one word about wanting a child, and I'm supposed to hand one over, no questions asked? I'm a person too!"

Jayden frowned down at me, his tone calm.

"Stop putting on an act."

"Even without Julia, didn't you say you'd have my child?"

My throat tightened; I opened my mouth but couldn't get out a single word.

Five years ago I really had said that, but back then he wouldn't so much as speak a harsh word to me; he would give up an international medical competition and cross half the globe to see me just because I said my stomach hurt; when my father suddenly fell ill, he was the first to step up and say that with him there, he'd do everything he could.

All those moments that had moved me turned out to be bubbles, bursting at the slightest touch.

Just then his phone suddenly rang.

It was Julia; I could hear her crying nonstop on the other end.

Jayden got up off me, his tone turning gentle in an instant.

He said, "Don't cry. I'll take care of everything."

The moment he hung up, he strode out.

Not sparing a thought for me, lying naked on the hospital bed after he'd just torn off my clothes.

A chill spread through my chest.

I took a deep breath, picked up my phone, and opened the calendar.

Only two days left. It was time to draw up the divorce papers.

Late that night, I was yanked awake from a deep sleep.

My already injured leg banged against the bed frame, and I sucked in a sharp breath at the pain.

When I opened my eyes, I saw Jayden's dark, grim face.

"Are you the one behind the leaks out there?"

I frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Jayden's eyes went colder as he took out his phone and set it in front of me. "See for yourself."

I hadn't expected Jayden's new relationship to be exposed so quickly.

That a celebrated genius doctor would lower himself to be with the lead actress of adult films had caused an uproar in the entertainment world.

On top of that, some insider had even dug up Julia's post from this morning: "There's always someone who'll embrace you without holding your murky past against you." The picture with it showed two hands with fingers laced tightly together.

"The only person who knows about Julia and me is you." His eyes fixed on me, sinister.

I let out a cold laugh. "So even you know it's nothing to be proud of."

Right then Julia rushed in from the doorway, accusing me through streaming tears.

"You'd actually stoop to such filthy tactics just to take me down!"

"I don't dare go out now—the second I step out, someone recognizes me."

"You must be so pleased, seeing me reduced to this."

I said nothing. I had known nothing about this, but no one would believe me.

Julia sobbed and demanded that Jayden get justice for her.

"Jayden, I've been humiliated beyond words. If you let this slide, I'll never forgive you!"

"Jayden, you wouldn't just stand there and watch me suffer, would you?"

Julia pressed relentlessly for a definite answer.

And a small sliver of hope rose in me: if he believed me, then these petty jabs would come to nothing.

But without a moment's hesitation Jayden kissed Julia, saying lightly, "Since you hurt Julia, I'll make you pay for it too."

"Julia, how do you want to get even?"

Julia looked me over from above, disdain in her eyes.

"Who'd have thought—for a washed-up old woman, you've still got a decent body."

"What makes you so above it all? Everything I've been through, you're going to go through too! You look down on those films I made, don't you? Then why don't you get a real taste of what it's like to be the lead actress in an adult film!"

Jayden hesitated for a moment, and Julia immediately broke into tears.

"I've never been wronged like this in my life. If she hadn't leaked it, this many people wouldn't be cursing me out."

Jayden glanced at her helplessly, then finally nodded and dialed a number.

"Bring your people over."