Chapter 2 2 You're a Bastard

An hour later, Emily returned to the Reed family's villa.

As soon as she entered, Emily saw Carol peeling an apple for Sophia.

Nathan, on the other hand, sat by, his gaze fixed on Sophia's slightly swollen belly. His face bore a tenderness she had never seen before.

They appeared to be a harmonious family.

Emily pushed the door open and Carol's smile faded. "I thought you had left... Sophia, don't mind her, have an apple."

Sophia looked uneasy as she tried to stand, clutching her waist.

Nathan squeezed her hand. "Sit down, don't worry about anything else."

Nathan stood up, his imposing figure dominating the room. "Emily, let's talk."

Upstairs was her and Nathan's bedroom.

Unfortunately, in the four years since, Nathan's visits home could be counted on one hand, mostly confined to the study.

Entering the room, he approached the bed, lit a cigar, his voice icy. "Speak, what are your conditions?"

Emily was puzzled. "What?"

"How much money will it take for you to agree to a divorce?" Nathan sneered. "You married me for money, didn't you?"

Emily felt like she had plunged into an ice cellar.

"I married you because..."

Because I liked you. But Emily couldn't bring herself to say it. She choked up.

Tears streamed down Emily's face. "I married you because of your grandfather's dying wish... He was kind to me, and I want to repay him."

"Enough!" Nathan abruptly stubbed out the cigar. "You did everything to please my grandfather, forcing me to marry you! You have no feelings for me. Stop with the useless talk. How much money do you want? Tell me quickly. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other."

Emily laughed bitterly. "Have you always seen me like this over the years? Am I just a gold digger who did anything to marry you?"

"Then what?" His voice was unusually cold. "Did you marry me because you love me?"

All the words she was prepared to say became a joke.

He regarded all her efforts and sacrifices over the years as a joke.

Emily shook her head, smiling bitterly. "Nathan, you're a bastard."

"As you wish," Nathan tore a check, signed it, and tossed it in front of her. "Fill in whatever amount you want. Tomorrow morning, come with me to the law firm to sign the divorce agreement."

The light check fell at her feet. Emily didn't want to pick it up.

"Do you really like Sophia so much? Do you love her enough to divorce me?" Nathan strode towards the bedroom door, not wanting to stay with her for another minute. "At least she won't schematically manipulate me. She's willing to have a child for me. But you, not only do you not love me, you won't have a child for me either."

With a forceful slam, the door closed.

Emily felt like her spine had been pulled out, collapsing onto the floor.

Beside her lay the check, enough to end her marriage. Nathan's signature was clear.

His handwriting, like him, appeared sharp and heartless.

She picked it up, tore it to shreds, and threw the pieces out of the window.

She leaned against the corner, enveloped by darkness, feeling a little safer this way.

Her father had heart disease, her mother died in childbirth, and if it weren't for her father and Sophia's father's help, she might have died by now.

In other words, Sophia's father and Nathan's grandfather were both her benefactors.

The bedroom door swung open once again.

Emily's crying came to an abrupt halt. She lifted her head, hoping it was Nathan who had arrived. Perhaps Nathan wasn't so heartless after all; perhaps they could still try surrogacy. As long as Nathan tried to understand her, she was willing to continue this marriage.

"Emily, it's me."

Sophia's voice shattered her last glimmer of hope. Emily's heart sank.

She took a breath and looked at Sophia, who was slowly walking into the room, holding her waist, her voice indifferent. "I have nothing to say to you. Please leave."

But Sophia said, "Nathan asked me to come up. He said this bedroom is mine from now on. Once you two divorce, we'll get married immediately..."

Emily suddenly looked up, shocked at the woman before her.

It was still the familiar face, but Sophia's expression seemed to have changed entirely, as if she had transformed into a different person from the pitiful Sophia just moments ago.

"Emily, you don't need to be so surprised. You know, a poor girl like you was never worthy of marrying Nathan. You two are incompatible from every aspect. It's actually better to divorce sooner."

Emily stared at her. "Even if we divorce, it's none of your business to lecture me!"

Sophia smirked. "Emily, my Emily, do you know how amusing you look right now?"

"A person who ruins someone else's marriage has no right to say such things to me."

Sophia shrugged, walked closer, and lowered her voice, her tone ambiguous. "You don't even know how amazing Nathan is in bed. The first time, we did it six times. He's very obsessed with my body. He told me he didn't want to touch you at all..."

Emily's face went pale instantly. Since their marriage, Nathan had only touched her once, and that was two years ago when he was drunk.

After that, they never slept together again.

Not even Carol knew about this.

"Emily, you're not worthy of Nathan. Even if it's not me, someone else will replace you as Mrs. Reed. Since that's the case, isn't this the best outcome now? My child will call you Aunt in the future..." She seemed to find something amusing, covering her mouth and chuckling. "Look, we're still a family..."

"Sophia, shut up!"

Emily raised her hand in anger.

Just then, Sophia's smile vanished, replaced by a weeping expression. She grabbed Emily's hand and fell to the ground. "Emily! It's all my fault, hit me if you want, but don't hurt my baby..."

Bang!

The bedroom door was kicked open forcefully.

Nathan stood at the doorway, his eyes burning holes through her.

Emily's hand remained suspended in mid-air, laughing out of frustration.

So, this was what it was all about.

She really had been foolish to the extreme, falling for such childish tricks.

Sophia clutched her stomach, crying, "My belly hurts... Help me, Nathan... save our baby..."

Carol's footsteps approached, the maid's cries of alarm, Sophia's cries-all the sounds mingled together.

And she stood there, like an outsider.

Carol raised her hand and slapped Emily twice, grabbing something nearby and hurling it at her. "Wretch! Dare to harm the heir of our Reed family!"

A sharp pain shot through Emily's forehead, and a trickle of blood snaked down from her temple, staining her vision red.

She stood in place, watching Nathan, who was holding Sophia in his arms, painfully saying, "If I said I didn't push her, would you believe me?"

Nathan's answer was, "Are you worthy of my trust?"