As soon as the chicken went down, red rashes spread across Christina’s face.
Everyone at the table froze.
Hervey’s hand stopped mid-motion as he was slicing more ribeye for Keala. “You’re allergic to chicken. Why didn’t you say anything? So you did this on purpose? Hoping we’d feel guilty and blame Keala instead?”
Christina lifted her gaze toward him, her eyes stinging.
She had told them—many times over the years. No one ever cared enough to listen.
She was tired. “Think whatever you want.”
She got up and returned to her room.
If no one loved her, then she would love herself.
She stayed at her parents’ house for several days. Apart from seeing Hervey briefly at night, he spent his entire days taking Keala out to different places.
He claimed Keala had just come back and was in a bad mood, and he wanted to cheer her up.
To accompany her, he even stopped going to the company. The board of directors ended up calling his wife, asking her to control him.
Christina only replied calmly, “I can’t control him.”
If she could, she wouldn’t be getting divorced.
There were fifteen days left of the divorce cooling-off period. That night, Hervey came home early for the first time in forever.
He grabbed her wrist and stared at her stomach. “You’ve done ninety-nine IVF cycles. Still nothing?”
That was the first thing he’d said to her in more than ten days, and it was only because he was calculating.
Christina pulled her arm back and answered coldly, “No.”
She would never give birth to a child just so it could call Keala “Mom.”
A shadow flickered across Hervey’s face before he said, “Then try again.”
Christina looked up at him, her eyes cold.
To make Keala happy, he was willing to damage Christina’s body again and again?
Afraid he might force himself on her, she said, “Fine. After my body recovers. The doctor said I need to rest for a bit, or it’ll make pregnancy harder.”
As he heard her act so agreeable, a flicker of guilt rose in Hervey.
But the moment he thought of Keala, that guilt disappeared. His tone hardened.
“I’m the only son of the Dinklages. I can’t end the family line. Eat well these days and get your body back in shape.
“Christina, I know IVF is tough, but for us to have a child, I can only ask you to endure it.
“Keala’s been scared at night lately. I’ll sleep in the room next door to keep her company. Don’t worry—”
Before he could finish, Christina cut him off. “Okay. Go.”
A dirty man wasn’t someone she wanted anyway.
Her indifference left Hervey strangely irritated.
He let out a cold snort and slammed the door on his way out.
Watching his retreating figure, Christina whispered, “Hervey, since you like her so much, you two can stay chained together.”
Later that night, she got thirsty and went downstairs for water. As she passed Keala’s room, she accidentally overheard them talking.
Keala was curled up in the man’s arms. “Hervey, since Christina can’t have a baby, why don’t I have one for you?”
Hervey rejected her immediately. “No. IVF is painful, and giving birth carries huge risks. I can’t let you face that.”
“Keala,” he called, “I can lose anyone else, but I can’t lose you.”
Keala smiled, and the next second, the man rolled over and pressed her beneath him. The room quickly filled with their intimate sounds.
Christina ran back to her bathroom, covering her mouth. She shut the door and locked it.
In the mirror, her tears streamed down uncontrollably as soft sobs escaped her.
So Hervey always knew IVF was painful. He knew childbirth was dangerous, yet he still made her go through ninety-nine cycles.
Even when the doctor warned it would seriously harm her health.
He knew everything. He just didn’t care whether she lived or died.
She collapsed onto the floor, her knees giving out.
His promises echoed in her ears.
“Christina, let’s grow up quickly. When we’re older, I’ll marry you and make you the happiest bride.”
“Christina, don’t be scared. I’m here to save you. From now on, I won’t let anyone hurt you.”
“Christina, after we get married, I’ll treat you well. I won’t let you suffer.”
All of it was nothing but lies. And she was the only one who ever believed them.
Just as she was drowning in heartbreak, her phone rang. It was her lawyer.
“Ma’am, the share transfers are almost done. With this many shares, how do you plan to handle them?”
Christina tightened her grip on the phone, the last trace of love disappearing from her eyes, replaced only by hatred.
“I have my own plans. Prepare a transfer agreement for me.”
After hanging up, she called Hervey’s greatest rival—Hamish Eigenberg.
The man answered in his usual careless tone. “Well, well. Miss Christina. I never thought I’d get a call from you.”
Christina’s voice came out cold. “Hamish, I want to discuss a major business deal with you.”
