Urban

Vivian continued. "I'm pregnant with quadruplets, and Selleck blood runs in their veins. It wouldn't be appropriate to follow the usual standards.

"Having quadruplets is a huge risk. The doctor says that I'm very likely to need a C-section. Not only will I have a scar for the rest of my life, but my figure will also be completely ruined after I give birth. Therefore, I want five million."

She looked up and spoke in a gentle but firm tone. "Let's make it a round number. I want a villa that's under my name, as well as a Porsche. I'm pregnant, so I need security. Oh, I also want everything in Rowan's stocks account to be transferred to me. This will make the babies and me feel secure."

My heart sank. She was basically asking for everything my family owned.

"This is blackmail!"

Mom stood up in anger.

"Don't say such unpleasant things, Mrs. Selleck." Vivian gently caressed her stomach. "Your family owes this to me. If we can't come to an agreement today, I'll go to the hospital tomorrow. The lives of four babies are on the line. You can decide among yourselves."

Mom's face turned as white as a sheet, and she almost lost her balance.

Vivian continued speaking in a measured tone. "By the way, I've saved the surveillance footage from that night at the hotel, as well as proof of the injuries I sustained. How many years do you think Rowan will be sentenced to if this goes to court?"

The living room was very silent. 

She crossed her legs elegantly, and her high-heeled shoe tapped gently in the air.

"Fine." I heard myself speak up, my voice sounding very dry. "We agree."

"You're amazing, Vivian. You found a ready-made father for the four babies." Michelle covered her mouth and giggled quietly. "I heard that you even got a villa!"

Vivian sank lazily into the sofa as she twirled a strand of hair around her finger. 

"That's nothing. That night at the hotel, I just prepared some pig's blood in advance and shed a few tears, and he believed me. He felt so sorry for me."

She snorted. "You didn't see what he was like the next morning. He was so guilty and solemn. He's such a fool that it's laughable. Once I have the babies, that'll be the time I really start raking in the cash."

Michelle's eyes lit up, and she leaned even closer. "Four babies, which means you'll get four times the child support?"

"Of course."

Vivian's lip curled into a sly sneer. "None of the biological fathers of these babies are ordinary people. My life will change even if I only manage to reunite one of these babies with their father. As for Rowan, he's just helping me to raise the babies. He's a fool who's contributing both money and effort."

"Wow, that is amazing!" Michelle laughed and clapped her hands. "You set up the perfect trap, and you got both him and his money!"

"I've barely even started."

Vivian lowered her voice. There was a gleam in her eye. "I've already contacted a private hospital. Once I've given birth, I'll make sure that I get restoration treatment immediately so that my figure will be restored within three months. When the time comes, I'll go looking for those men with paternity tests. They'll have to give me at least this much in hush money and child support in order to maintain their reputation."

She held out both hands to indicate an astounding amount. 

"When the time comes, I'll find a reason to get rid of Rowan. I'll just say that he gave me the silent treatment while I was pregnant and was very emotionally unstable, which almost caused me to have a miscarriage. I'm sure that public opinion will naturally lean toward a piteous mother."

Michelle suddenly thought of something. "How about the assets that the Sellecks have already transferred to you?"

"Those are legally notarized as gifts given before marriage. I got a professional to draft it, and it's completely legal. Even if we get divorced, that's my personal property. If he tries to make trouble, I'll accuse him of threatening me while we were married and say that he tormented me mentally. With the 'proof' I have from before, I can get him in a lot of trouble."

Their voices seemed to drip with venom, and it stung me as I listened.

"The babies aren't mine? All four of them have different fathers?"

My vision went dark, and I had to hold on to the wall in order to stand firm.

For the past five years, Vivian had acted as a chaste, pure woman whenever she was with me. 

She had told me that she wanted to keep herself pure until her wedding night.

She had told me that she hated going to bars and nightclubs because she felt that they were too rowdy.

She had said that short skirts were inappropriate and that she always had to be home before 9:00 pm.

It turned out that everything had been an act.

It had all been part of her scheme.

 I dated Vivian White for five years, but I'd never even held her hand.

She would always dodge me gently and lower her head as she said, "I want to save myself completely until the day I get married."

I cherished how chaste she was, and it made me respect her more.
 
Finally, on the day of our fifth anniversary, she asked me to meet her at a hotel.

There were candles and red wine, and the atmosphere was more romantic than it had ever been between us.

She snuggled into my embrace. "I want to become yours tonight."

When I woke up the next day, I saw the bloodstain on the sheets and felt troubled.

Vivian was curled up at the side of the bed, crying. "You need to take responsibility, Rowan."

I hugged her tightly and promised solemnly. "I'll marry you."

A month later, she went home with me to meet my parents.

As soon as she sat down, she took out a list from her bag and pushed it in front of my mother, smiling.

"I don't come from a wealthy family, so your family can take charge of the wedding. I want three million as a wedding gift, and I want my name to be added to the house and the car. I want the gifts to be notarized. I'm not after money. I just want to make sure you have the right attitude."

She turned to look at me and smiled as she asked, "You agree, don't you, Rowan?"

Mom's expression changed. "Are you already coveting our family's assets before you're even married?"

I held Mom back and tried my best to sound calm as I said, "A wedding gift of three million isn't that much compared to the standards around here. The house and car are fully paid for, so according to the law, it will only be common property if there are any loan payments made after we marry. Once the babies are born, property can be transferred to them."

When Vivian heard me mention the law, she scoffed.

She pulled out a piece of paper at a measured pace and placed it gently on the coffee table.

"Look carefully. These four babies are yours."

Her gaze swept over every single one of us, and she suddenly raised her voice. "I've decided to change the requests I made earlier!"

Vivian continued. "I'm pregnant with quadruplets, and Selleck blood runs in their veins. It wouldn't be appropriate to follow the usual standards.

"Having quadruplets is a huge risk. The doctor says that I'm very likely to need a C-section. Not only will I have a scar for the rest of my life, but my figure will also be completely ruined after I give birth. Therefore, I want five million."

She looked up and spoke in a gentle but firm tone. "Let's make it a round number. I want a villa that's under my name, as well as a Porsche. I'm pregnant, so I need security. Oh, I also want everything in Rowan's stocks account to be transferred to me. This will make the babies and me feel secure."

My heart sank. She was basically asking for everything my family owned.

"This is blackmail!"

Mom stood up in anger.

"Don't say such unpleasant things, Mrs. Selleck." Vivian gently caressed her stomach. "Your family owes this to me. If we can't come to an agreement today, I'll go to the hospital tomorr

Chapter 2