Chapter 7

Chloe bit her lower lip, clearly nervous, and clung lightly to Hank's arm. She spoke softly, "Irene, don't take it the wrong way. Everyone's just used to it. It slipped out." Seeing Irene's pitiful look, Hank's face turned colder in an instant. His eyes, sharp and frosty, slid over to Chloe with contempt and clear disgust. "There's only one woman in this house who matters—my Irene. Chloe, I've warned you before, don't overstep your bounds. You're only here to give birth to my child. Stop dreaming about anything else." "Dreaming?" That was laughable. She was his legally-wedded wife, yet in his eyes, everything she did was just wishful thinking? Chloe's eyes stung, but she held back her tears. She forced herself to breathe steadily, though her voice still shook a little. "Hank, can't you at least treat me fairly? I'm your wife. I'm carrying our child! If you don't care about me, then why bring me here today?" Hearing that, Irene subtly tugged on Hank's sleeve and gave a small shake of her head, seemingly asking him not to say more. But the more she acted like the victim, the guiltier Hank seemed to feel. He hadn't even given her the marriage she deserved—how could he bear to see her get hurt on top of that? "I only care about the kid you're carrying. This family, from the start to the end, has never had a place for you, and never will." Maybe he didn't think that was cruel enough because Hank added without hesitation, "You're nothing but a surrogate now. So if you know what's good for you, stay calm and take care of the baby. Don't push your luck, or I won't hesitate to use this child to teach you where your limits are." Chloe instinctively stepped back and held her stomach protectively. He—he actually threatened her with their child's life? That wasn't just anyone's baby—it was his too! Something inside her cracked. The air felt thinner, each breath harder to take. Her blurred gaze caught Irene's smug smile, as if saying: Chloe, you'll never win against me. Seeing Chloe in a daze, Hank frowned and took a step forward, like he meant to catch her. But just as quickly, he pulled back. "My sister's health isn't great. Help her back to her room. From now on, bring her meals there too. We don't want her getting too worked up." "Yes, ma'am." Chloe jerked away from the hand that reached out to support her and bit down on her lip, forcing herself not to cry. She lifted her chin and walked toward the guest room, spine straight like a proud swan. But today, that swan had its wings clipped. No matter how gracefully she tried to carry herself, it looked painfully hollow to everyone watching. Only when she got to the room did Chloe finally let her guard down. Her shoulders slumped. Tears she'd fought to hold back spilled over, silent but nonstop. The ache in her chest felt like it might kill her, but even then, she stayed quiet, biting her lip hard just to keep from making a sound. She had given everything to Hank—her pride, her dignity. She didn't argue about never setting foot properly in the family home. She said nothing about their nights always confined to a hotel room. Even when he had Irene move into the house for'care' over the past year, Chloe never once complained. But she wasn't made of stone. She had feelings too. She wanted to scream at him, ask how he could be so heartless, so selfish. How could he take everything—piece by piece—and crush her heart right in front of her like it was nothing?