The Dead Man’s Betrayal

My fianc, Marcus Grayson, died trying to save me.

After his death, his parents knelt before me, begging mesomeone blessed with exceptional fertilityto bear a child for the notorious mafia boss Xavier Cross to settle their debts.

Overwhelmed with guilt, I tearfully agreed.

Everyone assumed that becoming the gang leader's woman would bring me endless luxury and privilege.

But these past three years, I've been nothing more than his breeding tool, subjected to endless humiliation.

Three months into my pregnancy, Marcus came to visit me.

As I gazed at that face I'd longed for day and night, I felt like I'd fallen into an icy abyss.

I never imagined the man I'd loved for years had been deceiving me for three whole years.

With trembling hands, I scheduled an abortion and sent Xavier a delayed message.

"The child we worked so hard to conceive has been killed by Marcus."

Now I'd just sit back and watch them tear each other apart.

During the three years Marcus faked his death, I lived every day consumed by heartache and guilt.

I was even willing to stay by Xavier's side, never fighting back no matter how he beat or cursed me, just hoping to get pregnant soon and clear the debt.

"Wendy, my son and I have wronged you so deeply. If Marcus hadn't died so young, we would never have let you suffer like this..."

Every time my depression flared up and I wanted to end it all, my father-in-law would blame himself.

Seeing his graying hair and his anguished expression, I could only endure.

Only in the dead of night, alone with Marcus's photo, could I pour out my grief and longing.

Who could have imagined that this very man had sent me to Xavier just so he could run away with another woman?

My phone suddenly rang. I frantically pressed the power button to turn it off.

But Marcus's voice continued.

"Dad, Vivian rejected an arranged marriage for my sake. I have to make her happy."

"Besides, Wendy's pregnant with Xavier's child now. She already has a good life. Even if she knew I was alive, she'd only be able to wish us well. Now is the perfect time to plan the wedding."

My chest felt like it had been filled with concrete. I couldn't breathe, and everything went dark.

I stumbled back to the living room. Before I could even sit down, a slap struck my face.

"How dare you hang up on me? Were you sneaking around with some guy just now!"

Xavier's eyes were bloodshot as his hands clamped around my throat.

Stomach acid surged up, and I vomited all over him.

Xavier froze for a moment. When he came to his senses, he yanked off his belt and began beating me viciously.

"You disgusting bitch! I'll beat you to death!"

I curled into a ball, letting my tears fall silently.

Marcus, is this the happy life you promised me?

Glass suddenly shattered. Marcus jumped through the window.

"What gives you the right to hit Wendy!"

Before Xavier could explode in rage, my father-in-law rushed over and held the pregnancy test result up to his face.

"Mr. Cross, please calm down. She's carrying your child now."

When he turned to look at me, a flash of impatience crossed his face.

"Wendy, why can't you behave now that you're pregnant? What if something happens to the baby? How would you face Marcus?"

Marcus frowned and pulled me behind him, using his body to shield me from my father-in-law's accusing gaze.

Xavier stared at the pregnancy test with wild joy, examining it over and over, completely ignoring me.

"So the useless woman finally did something right. My money wasn't wasted! But you'd better know your place. Don't think being pregnant makes you special."

My father-in-law's eyes lit up as he leaned close to Marcus's ear and whispered.

"Judging by that lunatic's reaction, we'll definitely get the final payment in the next few days! Once the money comes through, we'll hold your wedding with Vivian right away!"

I clenched my fists hard against my abdomen, my heart aching so badly I could barely breathe.

Since I owe him nothing, then this ends here.

Xavier didn't leave until he'd laughed maniacally for what felt like forever. Only then did Marcus breathe a sigh of relief.

He turned to help me sit down, then quickly brought me a glass of milk.

"Wendy, you need to learn to protect yourself. Even for the baby's sake, you can't let that maniac abuse you like this."

"If Marcus knew about this, how heartbroken would he be?"

He knelt on one knee, holding my ice-cold hands, his eyes full of concern that seemed completely genuine.

His gentleness made me feel disoriented again, as if everything had returned to three years ago.

A bitter, self-mocking smile tugged at my lips. I asked him softly.

"Marcus, would you really be heartbroken?"

Marcus froze for a moment, then affectionately ruffled my hair.

"Wendy, you're Xavier's woman now. Don't bring up the past anymore. If Xavier found out..."

I closed my eyes, unwilling to see his false concern any longer.

"I want to rest. Please leave."

Seeing that I didn't press further, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"I heard you have a prenatal checkup tomorrow? Let me take you."

I laughed softly and tilted my head back, refusing to let my tears fall.

I'd only agreed to this pregnancy out of guilt. Now that I knew it was all a lie, what reason was there to keep going to checkups?

"We'll see tomorrow."

After he left, I furiously wiped away my tears.

Ten years ago, we had a brief encounter. He protected me throughout my senior year of high school.

He still has a scar on his ribs from when he fought off street thugs for me.

At the freshman welcome party, he stood on the stage and confessed his love for me through a passionate guitar solo.

Once our jobs stabilized, he proposed to me without hesitation.

"Wendy, give me two years. I'll make you the happiest bride."

I was completely intoxicated by the vision of our future together.

I even told him my secretthat I had exceptional fertilityright before our wedding.

Who knew it would become the beginning of this nightmare?

My father-in-law walked in from outside, contentedly playing with his bank card.

When he saw me, his eyes shifted, and he sat down beside me with a smile.

"Wendy, Marcus came all this way to see you. Now that he's getting married, it wouldn't be right if you didn't send some money as a gift, would it? We're all family, so you don't need to give muchthirty thousand should do."

I just wanted to escape as quickly as possible, so I went along with what he said.

"Fine. I'll definitely attend the wedding. I'll prepare a big gift."

My father-in-law's face creased with his smile. I stood up and went straight to my room.

He had no idea that day would never come.

The next day, I wanted to return to the place Marcus and I used to live together to retrieve my belongings.

The moment I pushed open the door, the blood in my veins began to freeze.

Torn clothes were scattered across the floor. The trash can was filled with used condoms.

My eyes instinctively scanned the room. The guitar he'd used to confess his love to me was now covered in childish stickers.

Three words were crudely carved into the body: "Vivian Fletcher."

A faint burning smell drifted from the balcony.

I walked closer and looked down. Only scattered ashes remained, with a few fragments of paper showing the words "Love Wendy Forever."

The last thread in my mind finally snapped.

These were the love letters Marcus had written to me.

They'd been my spiritual anchor, read countless times over these three years.

A scream suddenly came from outside the door. "Who are you? How dare you break into my house?"

I turned around to find a girl in a tank top and short skirt standing in my line of sight.

Before I could speak, she began crying and shouting loudly.

"Marcus, where are you? Someone broke into my room!"

Marcus ran over and embraced her, his voice carrying a tenderness I'd never heard before.

"Vivian, don't cry. I'm here!"

His sharp gaze stabbed toward me, but softened when it touched me.

"Why is it you? Vivian's been sick. Don't upset her like thisher body can't take it."

"Wait, I should be questioning you. Why are you crying like that?"

I stood there in a daze, wiping my face only to realize tears were already streaming down my cheeks.

"My letters were all burned. Even this room has been defiled!"

Marcus frowned impatiently, his expression darkening.

"Is that all? You're dredging up ancient history? Wendy Turner, I'd advise you not to make a scene with me."

I glanced at Vivian making faces at me, unable to say another word.

Forget it. It was all fake anyway. What's there to miss?

I turned and left the estate, heading to the hospital for the procedure.

I walked alone for a long time through the drizzling rain.

At some point, a trail of blood began streaking across the wet ground behind me.

The cramping in my lower abdomen grew more and more obvious. My whole body felt increasingly heavy.

Marcus's villa was in a remote location. There was no way to catch a cab nearby.

In my daze, the screech of brakes pierced the air. Muddy water from the roadside splashed all over me.

A Cayenne stopped not far away. The window rolled down, revealing Marcus's panicked voice.

"Wendy, what are you doing?"

I turned to look at him and called out for help.

"Help... help me..."

After I spoke, everything went black and I collapsed toward the ground, struggling to breathe.

Marcus's face went deathly pale with alarm. He pushed the car door open, about to come help me.

Vivian's sweet voice complained from inside.

"Wendy, even if you're mad at me, you can't take it out on your baby. If something happens to your child, that maniac Xavier will never let the Grayson family off."

Marcus's movement to exit the car stopped.

When he looked at me again, only disgust remained in his eyes.

"Wendy, I never realized you were such an actress. What's that on the ground? Ketchup, right? You almost fooled me!"

With that, he slammed the door shut forcefully.

I weakly shook my head desperately, using every ounce of strength to try to explain.

But in the end, I didn't even have the energy to speak.

Vivian laughed mockingly.

"Wendy, you don't actually think you look like some fragile beauty right now, do you? You just look dirty and pathetic, like an idiot."

"Marcus, I'd advise you to control her better, so she doesn't keep acting stupid. If she really does something extreme someday, it'll be too late..."

I couldn't hear the rest.

A ringing filled my ears. I couldn't hold on any longer and collapsed completely.

Marcus observed me with furrowed brows, a hint of internal struggle occasionally flashing in his eyes, but ultimately replaced by coldness.

"Stop pretending even now!"

Blood flowed more and more freely, gradually staining the ground beneath me into a red puddle.

I kept praying in my heart, hoping he would change his mind and take me to the hospital.

But all I got in return was choking exhaust fumes.

"Vivian's in a hurry to get to her concert, so I'll let you off today!"

"Since you love acting so much, go ahead and put on a show for yourself!"

The Cayenne's departing taillights became the last image I saw before losing consciousness.

The pungent smell of disinfectant filled my nostrils as I frowned and slowly opened my eyes.

My hand instinctively moved to my lower abdomen. The cramping pain had completely disappeared.

"You're still young. You can have children again in the future."

The doctor shook her head sympathetically.

"Thank goodness a kind person got you to the hospital in time. A few minutes later, and not even a miracle could have saved you."

I weakly thanked her.

Even though I'd already decided to terminate this pregnancy, my heart still ached uncontrollably.

"Baby, I'm sorry. But I absolutely cannot let that maniac Xavier be your father. You'll understand Mommy, won't you?"

The moment I closed my eyes, tears seemed to break free from all restraint, pouring out recklessly.

My phone suddenly rang.

Seeing "Marcus" displayed on the screen, I didn't hesitate to hang up.

Now that the deception was exposed, I would settle accounts with him one by one.