Chapter 3

[Tomorrow is Jane’s birthday. Don’t forget about the sapphire necklace in the study.]

It was a notification from his mobile calendar.

I had always assumed that the sapphire necklace was for me. He had brought me along for the auction, after all, and it was the last item of the event.

Many people had come for the necklace since it was the necklace of Eresia’s royal family from the seventeenth century. When Julian got it, I asked if he had bought it for me. However, he hid the necklace behind his back. He told me that it was for his business partner.

The necklace lay in the study for a long time. It turned out that it had been waiting for Jane.

The pain of betrayal made me forget about my physical pain. His screensaver was a photo of us, but his notepad held the story with another woman.

[Jane, my brother’s passing broke my heart too. It was our first hug after we got separated.]

[Jane, we went to your pregnancy check-up today, and they said that I was the father of the child. What do you think?]

[Tomorrow my nephew will start going to school. What kind of gift should I buy for him and Jane?]

[Jane, I told my nephew that he can call me dad when we’re at our house.]

I was too timid to read more. It turned out that Julian was always with Jane whenever he was out to meet customers or on business trips. They even had a house exclusively for their trysts. They looked like a family, while I…

I wiped away the tears that had fallen on the phone. Then, I fished for my phone and used it to book a plane ticket home. It was meaningless for me to stay here.

When I returned to Gunter Residence, I saw Jane playing with her child in the living room.

Camila Gunter, my mother-in-law, saw Julian first. When she turned and saw me as well, she was full of disdain.

“You’re not helping even though you’re home? Do you see yourself as a rich young lady?” There were many servants, but Camila insisted on me helping around. It did not concern her that I did come from a rich family.

“You keep going to the hospital because your body is weak. But ignorant people might get the wrong idea and assume that we bully you. You’ve been married to Julian for many years, yet you haven’t gotten pregnant once!” Camila said.

Julian hugged me while leading me toward the sofa to take a seat.

“I’m sorry, Eira. We’ll go after eating. Just ignore what Mom is saying.”

I looked down at my belly and placed my palm on it. It was Julian who had harmed my five babies.

At first, Camila disliked Jane for marrying Charles. But later, once Charles passed away and Jane showed up to be pregnant, she became valued.

Besides, Julian plotted against me and made me miscarry. Hence, Jane became even more beloved.

Jack led Julian away, which left me with Jane. She kept rubbing her sapphire necklace while talking to me.

“Eira, I heard that you nearly died in the hospital recently. Is that true?” She said it on purpose to disgust me.

“I wonder why Julian is so nice to me. You were dying, but he was trying to fix the pipe at my home.”

How could she make such an excuse?

“Where was that pipe? On your body?” I softly asked.

“How could you…” Jane was struck speechless. She angrily got up and walked to the dining room.

“How pampered! She wants me to invite her to eat?” Camila screamed. But I had ceased to care about that. I got up and slowly walked over.

Julian was back when I took my seat. He had taken Jack away to wash his hands. I felt like an intruder in their perfect little family.

When Julian sat down, he poured me a bowl of chicken soup. I had yet to drink it when Camila raised her wine glass and wished Jane a happy birthday. She even fished out a present.