In the back of the taxi, Chloe Austin stared blankly at her pregnancy test report.
Over a month ago, a drunken Caden Sterling had stumbled into the wrong room.
She never expected that one chaotic night would lead to her carrying his child.
She couldn’t help but gently touch her stomach.
As a first-time mother, Chloe was overwhelmed with excitement.
She and Caden were actually having a baby!
She thought, “Maybe Caden won’t be so cold to me now that we’re having a child.”
Impatient to share the good news, she dug out her phone and called him.
But there was no answer.
Refusing to give up, Chloe dialed again, only to be met once more by the cold, mechanical voice of the automated operator.
A hint of disappointment clouded Chloe’s eyes as the smile slowly vanished from her lips.
Taking a deep breath, she tried to convince herself that Caden was probably just stuck in a meeting and didn’t have time to answer.
The thought gradually calmed her down.
She was sure he would love this baby too.
Just as she was looking forward to welcoming this new little life, a trending news notification popped up on her screen, leaving her completely stunned.
“President of Sterling Group, Caden Sterling, suspected of dating a mysterious female star.”
Chloe’s hands trembled as she gripped her phone.
The overwhelming flood of gossip articles battered her nerves, making her mind go completely blank.
She mechanically tapped on the photo of the mysterious star.
Upon recognizing that familiar silhouette from behind, she let out a bitter, miserable smile.
Vivian Sullivan had finally returned from abroad.
She was Caden’s first love.
Back then, in pursuit of a better life, Vivian had callously abandoned him, fleeing overseas to launch her career as a celebrity.
Unable to accept the breakup, Caden had completely fallen apart.
He locked himself in his room and drank heavily every single day, eventually drinking himself into a gastric hemorrhage.
Had Chloe not been worried about him and gone to his house to check on him, he would likely be dead by now.
After that, she took care of him without a single complaint.
Through a stroke of fate, the Morgan family acknowledged her as their ideal daughter-in-law, ultimately leading to their secret marriage.
She had harbored a secret crush on Caden since childhood.
Even though she knew he didn’t love her and treated her with nothing but coldness every day, she kept hoping that time would eventually change things.
She believed that as long as she treated him well enough, she could surely melt his frozen heart.
But in the end, she still couldn’t compete with her.
After Chloe arrived home, she wandered around the empty house.
There was no sign of him.
Driven by some inexplicable urge, she pulled out her phone and called him again, clinging to a last sliver of hope.
The phone rang and rang.
Just as she was about to hang up in disappointment, the call connected.
Before she could even speak, Caden’s impatient voice came through the receiver.
“What is it?”
“I…”
Before Chloe could finish her sentence, she heard a sweet female voice in the background.
“Caden, hurry up and get dressed.”
The voice pierced Chloe’s heart with a sharp ache.
In that moment, she finally understood.
She would never be able to warm Caden’s icy heart.
His cold voice immediately followed.
“Chloe, I’m busy with work right now.
If it’s something important, save it until I get home.”
Without giving her a chance to reply, the call was abruptly ended with a CLICK.
She bit her lower lip and gently placed a hand over her stomach, a resolute look settling in her eyes.
She typed a message.
“Let’s get a divorce.”
After hitting send, Chloe felt an unnatural chill wash over her body.
She thought she was strong enough, but the intense, piercing pain in her chest served as a cruel reminder that she simply couldn’t let him go.
In the pitch-black room, Chloe curled up in a corner, hugging her knees as she wept in silence.
Meanwhile, Caden stared at the text message on his screen, feeling unusually irritable.
Vivian wrapped both her hands around his arm and spoke in a coquettish tone.
“Caden, is there a problem at the company?
Why don’t you accompany me to the photoshoot another time?
Your work is much more important.”
“It’s nothing.
Chloe called.”
Hearing this, Vivian immediately put on an aggrieved expression.
“Did my return upset her?
Caden, you should hurry home and keep her company.
It wouldn’t be good if she got angry.”
Caden steadied his emotions and said indifferently, “She’s not as important as you.”
Vivian watched him walk away to change his clothes.
With a cold sneer, she picked up his phone from the table.
When she saw the latest text message, she froze.
She wondered, “Is this woman trying to pull a new trick?”
Late that night.
Chloe suddenly felt her hand being yanked hard, followed by a violent spinning sensation.
She opened her eyes in panic, subconsciously shielding her stomach.
“Who is it?!”
Caden stood by the edge of the bed, glaring down at her with a deep frown.
“Who gave you the nerve to threaten me?”
Listening to the man’s emotionless interrogation, Chloe let out a mocking laugh and stared back at him in utter silence.
Caden’s eyes were terrifyingly dark, and his handsome face was colder than ice.
Seeing her defiant expression, he snapped.
He seized her by the wrist.
“Chloe Austin, you don’t have the leverage to threaten me.”
“I didn’t,” she replied coldly.
A sharp jolt of pain shot through her wrist as she struggled against his grip.
“Let go of me.”
Staring into her dead, emotionless eyes, a cold glint flashed in Caden’s gaze.
“Eva(Vivian Sullivan’s nickname) is back.
Don’t try playing any tricks these next few days, or I’ll absolutely divorce you.”
Chloe froze for a few seconds.
Then, an imposing aura radiated from her, exuding an intense sense of pressure.
“I said, let go of me.”
Filled with disgust, Caden released his grip.
He pulled out a handkerchief, wiped his hand as though she were a disease, and tossed it onto Chloe before turning on his heel and storming out.
Unable to hold it in any longer, Chloe clutched her throbbing lower abdomen and struggled to sit up.
As she watched Caden’s retreating back, a solitary tear slipped unconsciously from the corner of her eye.
She had genuinely believed her heart was strong enough now—that she would never shed another tear for this man in her lifetime.
The pain in her abdomen intensified.
With trembling hands, Chloe managed to grab her phone and dial a number.
“Please, come pick me up…”