Chapter 2

Teresa hid the prenatal report and stepped into the living room. She changed to her usual demeanor and didn't even greet anyone. In the past, she had naively thought that by serving her in-laws well and being a sensible, considerate wife, she would one day be noticed by her husband. But reality had slapped her hard. Even if she cut out her own heart and offered it to the Langdons, they probably wouldn't even give it a second glance. It was time to take back her five years of one-sided effort. Cameron, knowing he was here today for a purpose, glanced at Brenda and instructed, "Brenda, see my mother out." From beginning to end, Teresa stood to the side without a word. However, an inexplicable layer of indifference appeared in her eyes. Cameron managed the Langdon family business and ran the company excellently. He also had good character—he was respectful and gentle to his elders, loyal and righteous to his friends, fair in rewards and punishments to his subordinates, caring and considerate to his employees. Everyone who had contact with him spoke highly of him. Many mutual friends said Teresa must have saved the galaxy in her past life to marry Cameron. But Cameron's kindness had never been extended to Teresa. Julia suddenly stopped when passing by Teresa. Her tone was reproachful as she said, "If you can't carry another child, how will you face the rest of the Langdons?" If it were before, Teresa would have silently endured this without retorting. But now, she no longer felt the need to put up with this attitude. Teresa no longer looked at Julia with flattery or deference. She retorted sharply, "Julia, we're both women. Is carrying a child solely my responsibility?" In Julia's memory, Teresa had always been meek. Julia thought it was easy to control her daughter-in-law, and she never expected Teresa to be so different today. Still, Julia didn't relent for a single bit. She raised her hand and slapped Teresa. "How dare you speak to an elder like that? Kneel and apologize to me." Julia knew perfectly well how much Teresa loved Cameron. For him, Teresa could abandon her dignity and pride. She was even willing to be a lapdog for the Langdons. But now, Teresa no longer wanted to compromise and be accommodating. Her gaze darkened as she looked at Julia. Without a word, she stepped forward to retaliate. Before she could land a slap on Julia, she was intercepted mid-air by a large hand. At the same time, a low, reproachful growl sounded in her ear. "Teresa, haven't you caused enough of a fuss?" Teresa looked up and saw Cameron's handsome, chiseled features. His gaze was cold and sharp, piercing at her like thorns. Once, this face had driven Teresa wild. But now, upon closer look, she felt a trace of disgust. How could a person be so malicious? She could overlook his lack of love for her, his infidelity, and how he had treated her coldly. But how could he be so malicious as to treat her like a breeding tool? He didn't even consider her risk of amniotic fluid embolism from her first birth when pushing for a second child. Wasn't that asking for her life? Teresa couldn't help but feel nauseous at the thought of these things. Just as she was about to say something, Cameron suddenly swung her hand aside. He said in a low voice, "I'm not in the mood today. We'll talk about the second child next month." With that, he took Julia's arm and walked out. Julia looked back with a triumphant expression. It was as if she was saying, "My son naturally takes my side. You're just an outsider. Don't you know your place?" If it were before, Teresa would have been sad and cried over Cameron not defending her. Now, she seemed to have gotten used to it and didn't feel disappointed at all. When Teresa saw that Cameron was about to leave the hall, she hurriedly called out, "Cameron." Teresa was someone who meant what she said. Once she decided to get a divorce, she would definitely follow through on that thought. Loving Cameron for eight years had long worn her out. He couldn't see her virtue and never thought about building a marriage with her. He had only married her because she had gotten pregnant before marriage, and he felt obligated. Their marriage felt like a tomb, and Teresa was the only one trapped in it. She should have woken up to the truth long ago. Cameron stopped at the door. Teresa thought he was listening to her, so after letting out a soft sigh, she said, "I don't want to be with you anymore. Let's get divorced." As soon as the words left Teresa's mouth, she felt an unprecedented sense of relief. But then, Cameron suddenly put his phone to his ear. She couldn't tell what the person on the other end said. She could only hear him reply anxiously, "Alright, I'll be right there." After ending the call, Cameron, still supporting Julia, disappeared in the direction of the hallway. Meanwhile, the words she had just spoken and which she thought would bring liberation weren't taken seriously by anyone. After seeing them out, Brenda returned to find Teresa still standing dazed in the living room. She called out in surprise, "Mrs. Langdon?" Teresa snapped back to her senses. She turned around and walked to the couch before sitting down. She then instructed, "Brenda, please make me dinner." Before, she did everything herself, hoping it would win Cameron's affection. Now, she was exhausted. She remembered she had once been someone with a family who doted on her. She was once someone who never had to do any housework. After dinner, Teresa went upstairs to the study and drafted a divorce agreement. The Sutton family wasn't small or insignificant, and Teresa herself was a pediatric surgeon. She wasn't lacking in money and could provide Rosalie with a good future. Regardless, these five years of not fighting back or making a fuss had only earned her husband's coldness and cruelty. Therefore, she made it very clear in the agreement that half of Cameron's post-marriage income would go to her, plus an additional two million dollars per month in child support for Rosalie. But regarding Rosalie, Teresa wasn't sure who she would want to stay with. Halfway through drafting the divorce agreement, Teresa thought she should ask what Rosalie wanted. So, she took the unfinished agreement and left Willowbrook Garden. After Rosalie was born, Cameron bought her a villa. Teresa had ended up taking full-time care of the child for four years before returning to work at a hospital. As her work faced changes, the time she spent with Rosalie gradually decreased. For the past six months, she had been continuing her advanced training at a neighboring state's hospital. These last two meetings with Cameron were because her love-addled brain had acted up. It made her think she could use a second child to tie down a husband who never came home. She definitely didn't have time, but she still forced herself to swap shifts with colleagues. She stayed up for three nights straight on duty just to get a day or two free. But Teresa had never considered that having a second child wasn't something she could achieve alone. If she wasn't free, Cameron could have come to see her. It was just that Cameron's time was mostly given to Cecilia. She took a cab to Joy Garden and arrived at around 9:00 pm. As soon as Teresa got out of the car, she received a recommended content on TikTok—her frequently watched account "Lil Cece" just posted a new video.