The wedding venue. Caleb and I were at the entrance, greeting guests. But he turned and walked straight to his rumored girlfriend. Finally, I packed my bags and left. He snapped, impatient, “Jade, can’t you just grow up?” Later, I ‘grew up’ and went back to my childhood sweetheart, but he went insane. He wept until his eyes were blind with tears at my tombstone. Caleb and I used to keep to ourselves. Our paths barely crossed. But Caleb was hopelessly romantic. He saw me at an entrepreneur’s gathering. From then on, he pursued me relentlessly. Though I had money and no shortage of excellent men around me, I was still a normal person. Who wouldn’t be captivated by the fierce devotion of a rich, handsome guy? That’s how I ended up with him. Caleb was sickeningly devoted to me, bending over backward for my every whim. At that time, I had just integrated into the city’s elite circles. Because of my personality, I’d offended quite a few spoiled kids from influential families. Caleb, with his immense wealth and power, went to each of them, showering them with money, until they all came to me, apologizing. But behind my back, everyone scorned me. They whispered that I’d used my ‘talents’ to wrap Caleb around my finger, making him utterly devoted to me. “Jade, don’t mind them. I truly love you.” I nodded obediently. Accepting this love that filled me with dread. From the very beginning, I knew. Caleb’s love for me was stolen. Unlike the Blackwoods, who had a smaller family line, My father, on the other hand, had children everywhere; I knew of at least three illegitimate ones myself. And my birth mother, a woman from a less-than-respectable background, had shamelessly used any means necessary to get into my father’s bed. Even after giving birth to me, my mother remained restless and was eventually caught cheating and promptly thrown out of the house by my father. I was taken in by Mrs. Stone, becoming the nominal Miss Stone. But my life in the Stone family was worse than that of a servant. Everyone in our circles knew this. So when news of Caleb and I dating spread, it caused a huge uproar. But I never expected the first opposition to come from my own father. “Jade, know your place! Don’t try to climb above your station with just anyone!” Looking at my father’s disgusted expression, I swallowed every word I was about to say. Why should I have to suffer so much?
My momentary defiance made things go from bad to worse. And I found myself falling deeper and deeper. Countless times, I wanted to tell Caleb. The person you love isn’t me. The first time Caleb saw me, he asked me a question. His eyes were gentle, completely devoid of the rumored hostility. “Jade, you were even using a crutch when you saved me. Weren’t you scared?” A crutch? I stared at him blankly. I’d suffered countless injuries growing up, but I’d never broken a leg. It was Chloe who broke her leg. Caleb had always loved Chloe. All his intense love for Chloe had been transferred to me. Not long after we started dating, Caleb took me home to meet his family. Mr. Blackwood held his newspaper the entire time, seemingly unable to put it down. But Caleb’s stance was too firm. Enraged, Mr. Blackwood slapped Caleb across the face. “You scoundrel! How dare you bring such an unsuitable woman into this house? Are you trying to ruin the Blackwood name?” That day, Caleb and his father had a monumental fight in the Blackwood mansion. Meanwhile, Mrs. Blackwood and Caleb’s aunt sat nearby, chatting, as if I wasn’t even there. They knew exactly how to make someone feel worthless. But they didn’t hurt me. Because I always knew I wasn’t good enough for Caleb. Their reaction was only natural. The farce only ended when Mr. Blackwood smashed a teacup near my feet. Caleb carefully picked me up, made a furious declaration, and completely cut ties with his family. Before leaving, I saw Mrs. Blackwood’s gaze fixed on me. It was cold and venomous. The teacup shards had torn my pants. But they had also torn Mrs. Blackwood’s long dress. Yet, Caleb only had eyes for me, completely ignoring his mother’s disheveled state. I sighed. I had tried my best to be perfectly obedient on this visit, hoping to leave them with a good impression. It seemed I had failed completely.
Caleb left home, fending for himself. My father, unwilling to offend the Blackwood family, also kicked me out. My bank cards were frozen, and they used their connections to block all my job opportunities. From then on, we lived hand-to-mouth. Forced to rent a gloomy, suffocating basement apartment. Even so, we were thrown out countless times. The once dashing Caleb became disheveled, leaving early and returning late every day to find work. I knew he wanted to give me a better life. But I also knew that as long as we stayed in this city, we wouldn’t have peace. I started drawing comics day and night. Finally, a publisher agreed to buy them for a ridiculously low price. The first thing I did after getting paid was to treat Caleb to a proper meal. Seeing the long-unseen restaurant environment, Caleb froze for a long time, his eyes welling up. I thought, he must be at his breaking point, right? “Caleb, don’t cry. If you want to go back…” I wouldn’t blame you either. I had been greedy for your warmth for too long. But I never finished my sentence. Because I’m selfish, too. I love him, and I truly didn’t want to leave him. That night, after we returned, Caleb, to ‘punish’ my “lack of trust,” took his frustration out on me. Until I was utterly exhausted, barely conscious, he finally stopped. Caleb held me, warning me softly against my ear. “Jade, if you ever try to push me away again, this is what you’ll get.” I looked at him with tear-filled eyes. My tone was a mix of teasing and resignation. “Then I’ll try to push you away every day.” Something in Caleb’s eyes completely erupted. That night became an endless one. The next day, when I woke up, Caleb was gone. He came back especially late that day, covered in bruises. I cried as I tended to his wounds. And he, with trembling hands, fumbled inside his chest for a long time. He then pressed a wad of cash into my hand. Caleb had been in underground fights.
It was the only way he could think of to earn money without the Blackwoods’ control. But the city wasn’t that big. News of Caleb joining underground fights quickly spread. The next day, while Caleb was out, The Blackwood family showed up. Mrs. Blackwood walked in and slapped me so hard I saw stars, collapsing to the floor, unable to stand. She looked down at me. “Don’t worry, I’m not here to tell you to leave Caleb. Today, I’m simply here to teach you a lesson. My son, when has he ever suffered like that because of you?” Was any of Caleb’s suffering caused by me? Did all my sacrifices for our love mean nothing? But in the end, I just looked at Mrs. Blackwood, saying nothing. Mrs. Blackwood sneered, “What, is this pitiful act what made my foolish son lose his bearings?” Mrs. Blackwood took a handkerchief someone handed her, wiped her hands, and then forcefully threw it in my face. She seemed to enjoy seeing me in distress, actually laughing. “Just you wait, his mind will clear up soon enough. And you? You’ll be stuck in this misery forever, with no hope of escape.” But Mrs. Blackwood never got to see that scenario. Because I was pregnant. The Blackwood family arrived en masse that very night. This time, they were smarter. They didn’t mention the Blackwood family’s vast fortune. Instead, they aimed their accusations at me. “Caleb, look closely. Do you want your child to grow up in this environment?” “What’s wrong with this place? Don’t be so arrogant. I can take care of my family perfectly fine without you.” Caleb’s tone was sharp. It was the impatience of someone whose sore spot had been hit. But he had indeed earned some money recently. However, that came with daily returns, covered in injuries. We were squeezed into that tiny room, constantly bumping into each other. I always saw him wince, then force a smile for me. “Take care of your family? Ha.” Mr. Blackwood stood outside, glancing inside with disgust. I knew he was looking at me.
“Are you sure this is the life she wants?” Caleb roared at Mr. Blackwood, “Do you think everyone cares about your stinking money?” “Oh really? But some people have pulled countless strings for just a sliver of that ‘stinking money’! Caleb! How do you think I knew about her pregnancy the moment it happened?” The worst pain often comes from words left unsaid. Mr. Blackwood left, leaving us in stunned silence. Caleb just sat there, not asking me anything, which hurt me even more. I knew Mr. Blackwood’s words had finally pierced his heart. Over the next few days, Caleb continued to leave early and return late. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but he spoke less and less. For some reason, I suddenly had a strong sense of unease. This feeling made my temper increasingly volatile, and I would lash out at Caleb at the slightest provocation. Finally, one day, Caleb couldn’t take it anymore and slammed the door, leaving. While I was crying hysterically, Chloe showed up. The Stone family’s little princess, as delicate as a doll. But the first thing she did when she saw me was pinch her nose in disgust. She asked me, incredulous, “Jade! You actually let Caleb live in a place like this with you?” I was already furious and uncontrollably pushed Chloe. I wanted to kick her out. But I didn’t expect Chloe to fall straight to the ground. Then, I saw Caleb rush over in a panic, carefully helping Chloe up. My long-held unease was finally explained. Chloe was back. The person Caleb truly loved was back. I took two steps back, my vision blurred, and I fainted. When I woke up again, I saw Caleb packing things. Seeing me open my eyes, Caleb paused. “I’m sorry, Jade. We’re going back to the Blackwood family first.” I reached out and clutched the hem of his shirt. Caleb subtly pulled away. His back was to me; I couldn’t see his expression. “Jade, they’re right. The Blackwoods can give you the best protection and ensure our child grows up healthy.”
I let out a bitter laugh. Caleb, you might as well have just told me it was because Chloe was back. So you didn’t want me anymore. But for the sake of the child in my belly, you had to keep me. I was settled in a separate building within the Blackwood estate. The servants took excellent care of me. They said it was at the instruction of the old matriarch of the family. The servants constantly praised the old lady’s kindness in front of me. But I hadn’t even met her myself. Caleb also stayed with me there every day. As my belly grew larger, Caleb’s visits became less frequent. News about him, however, grew more abundant. I heard he had begun to take over the family business. The internet was flooded with praise for him. They said his methods and vision were even more decisive and ruthless than his father’s. In a short period, he had significantly expanded the Blackwood empire. This had always been Caleb’s dream; he said he wanted to replace his father. He wanted absolute authority within the Blackwood family. Only then could we be together without obstacles. If it weren’t for the accompanying news of him and Chloe being seen together everywhere, I would have truly wanted to congratulate Caleb on getting everything he wished for. But indeed, he had achieved his desires. Only I, and the child in my womb, were the blemishes on his perfect life. Chloe visited me a few times. She didn’t lash out with harsh words. She just calmly recounted stories of her and Caleb. Her words, in and out, were hints for me to be sensible, to leave quickly after giving birth. Of course, I wasn’t someone who could be easily persuaded. I had once promised Caleb that no matter what happened between us, Unless he personally told me to leave, the word ‘breakup’ would never be uttered between us. Chloe left, seething with anger, every time. And finally, my due date arrived. But I never, ever imagined. That a cheesy plot twist from a TV show would happen to me. When the doctor looked at me with an apologetic expression, my vision blurred. “The baby is fine, but…” Only after convincing the doctor to keep quiet did I allow myself to pass out. As long as the baby was safe, what did it matter if I had an incurable disease? But if I wasn’t going to live much longer…
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