The Mom-to-be's Counterattack

Chapter 1

[1]

Before the wedding, Darin, inebriated and heart heavy, confided to his friends, "I was in a tight spot, and who knew that message would end up with the wrong person?"

"But maybe it's for the best. Now that Melany knows about the wedding, she's been on her best behavior, not daring to stir up any trouble."

"She needed a wake-up call like this a long time ago!"

"Darin, are you seriously going to marry Jillian? I always thought you hated how she tried to control everything."

Darin raised an eyebrow and smirked, "We haven't even signed the marriage license yet, right?"

"Once the wedding's done, I'll still be the one calling the shots."

I clenched my fists, my heart pounding as I hid the pregnancy test results.

Darin, this time, you won't have the last word.

[2]

Just three days before our wedding, I overheard a conversation between Darin and his brother. I was at the club where they were gathering, intending to drop off some stomach medicine for him. Unexpectedly, he drenched me with a bucket of ice water, leaving me shivering during the dog days of summer.

Seething with anger, I tossed the medicine into the trash and headed home. From my bag, I retrieved the hospital test results. I was eight weeks pregnant. This was supposed to be the perfect wedding gift for Darin. But now, it seemed I couldn't give it to him after all.

Thinking about the nonsense he spouted tonight, my heart ached, and I clenched my fists. Three months ago, on my birthday, my relatives were visiting, and it was a rare occasion for the whole family to gather for a meal. Darin stood me up. It wasn't the first time he had done this, but it was the first time he humiliated my entire family.

Later, I found out that Melany's father was ill, and Darin went to visit him. But her father only had a cold. I felt wronged and confronted him, but he didn't care. He said her parents had watched him grow up, and it was only right for him to visit them. He told me not to be so petty. We gave each other the silent treatment for days after that.

After my anger subsided, I started thinking about how to make up. This had always been the pattern over the years. He wasn't the type to be considerate or coaxing. Every time we had a conflict, he just gave me the cold shoulder until I couldn't take it anymore and sought reconciliation. I thought this time would be the same.

As I was browsing my phone, picking out a tie for him, I received his text message. "Don't be mad, let's get married." I was stunned, then overwhelmed with joy. I rushed into the next room to hug him. "Okay! Let's get married!" He was surprised for a few seconds before slowly hugging me back. I didn't mind his hesitation; I was too immersed in the joy of his proposal.

We were going to have a home together. I threw myself into wedding preparations, personally overseeing every detail. I was exhausted but happy, so happy that I overlooked his absence from the entire wedding planning process. He had always been indifferent and busy with work, never paying attention to trivial matters. I was used to it. But I never expected that he wasn't busy with work; he was busy with another woman.

I also never expected that the wedding I had been looking forward to for so long was a mistake he made in a moment of carelessness, a tool for him to flirt with another woman. I squeezed the test results, leaving deep impressions on the paper, and angrily threw them on the coffee table.

With a click, the door opened. Darin, drunk, was being helped in by a woman. She had her arm around his waist, and his face was nestled against her neck in an intimate manner. Melany, Darin's business partner. She smiled at me, "Darin is really irresponsible. You two are about to get married, and he's still out drinking like this."

"Don't be mad. I've already scolded him for you. He promised me he'd behave better from now on." She smiled, "At least, he won't be so reckless before the wedding."

My heart ached, and I said, "So you do know he's getting married. Entangling with someone else's fiancé-is that the upbringing of your well-educated family?"

She helped Darin onto the sofa and looked down at me, calm and composed. "Don't be so agitated, Jillian. You have no idea who you're marrying. Do you know how much the Jenkins family is worth? Do you know how many women are throwing themselves at him? Do you know how many temptations men in this circle face?"

She looked at my pale face with pity. "Jillian, don't try to confine a high-status man with your love. They may have many good qualities, but loyalty is not one of them."

Melany left confidently. I looked at Darin's sleeping face and the faint lipstick mark on his collar, and I smiled bitterly. Childhood friends for twenty-two years, Melany indeed knew him better than I did. These five years had been nothing but a dream for me.

I didn't bother with him and went to bed, sleeping restlessly through the night. The next morning, just after I finished breakfast at the office, Darin called me to the president's office. Melany sat casually in the boss's chair, relaxed as if she were in her own territory. Darin stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, looking back at me expressionlessly.

"Melany will take over the management of the design department. Hand over all your projects to her."

Chapter 2

I gave him a puzzled look. "You're letting her manage the design department? Since when did Miss Mason study jewelry design?"

Melany giggled and gave Darin a playful look. "I told you, Jillian is still mad at me for taking you home last night. It's my fault; I didn't respect boundaries. I'll keep my distance from now on."

Darin snorted and gave me a sidelong glance. "Going out for business is common. I don't know why you're fussing! Melany is a manager, not a designer. She doesn't need to understand design."

I found it ridiculous. "You want an outsider to be in charge?"

Darin grew impatient. "What's the problem? I don't understand your stuff either, but I still run a jewelry company, don't I? The design work is still your responsibility. You just need to cooperate with her management."

So, he was giving me an outsider as my direct superior? I felt indifferent. "I can't cooperate."

"Jillian!" Darin was angry. "You're just an ordinary employee. It's your job to follow your superior's arrangements!"

I let out a frustrated laugh. Jenkins Jewelry Company was originally just a distributor. I had painstakingly built the original design department from scratch. Now, Jenkins Jewelry's designs had become industry benchmarks, yet I was still just an ordinary employee who received no respect?

I felt a chill in my heart. I pulled off my work badge and threw it at him. "I don't have to be your employee either."

Darin glared at me. "Jillian!"

I stared back at him defiantly.

In the tense silence, Melany cleared her throat softly. "You two should discuss this calmly. I'll step out for now." She then gently advised, "Darin, hold your temper. She is your fiancée, after all."

Ha, was she really trying to calm him down, or was she just stirring things up?

After the door closed, Darin pursed his lips and looked at me for a few more seconds before suddenly sighing. "How long are you going to target Melany? She's also a partner in the company. You're putting me in a difficult position."

Here we go again. Every time Melany and I had a conflict, he always blamed me first. If the food was too spicy, it was my fault for targeting her. If I couldn't join the conversation at a dinner party, it was my fault for targeting her. Even on our anniversary, when I asked Darin to stay with me instead of going to see her, it was still my fault for targeting her.

He chose Melany over me time and time again. I had already lost miserably.

I suddenly felt a wave of hopelessness. "It won't happen anymore."

Soon, I wouldn't have to see them anymore.

Darin squeezed my hand, looking satisfied. "That's more like it. The wedding is in two days. Be good and stop causing trouble." He took out a black and gold bag and placed it in my hand. "The bag I ordered for you last time has finally arrived. Take it and cheer up."

I walked out in a daze.

Darin called after me. "Jillian."

I turned back.

His expression softened slightly. "I got tickets for tonight's jadeite exhibition. I'll pick you up, and we'll go together."

I didn't respond and returned to my desk.

A sharp-eyed colleague spotted my bag and exclaimed, "That's a classic from The Kissing Board! It's so expensive! Jillian, you really are a little rich lady!"

I forced a smile and dropped the bag onto the table. A small receipt slipped out.

The colleague kept chattering. "Miss Mason also has a bag from The Kissing Board today. Hers is amazing, the new summer Mini Gold Bar. You have to order it a month in advance, and you can only buy it if you also get a classic model!"

I glanced at the matching information on the receipt and let out a cold smirk.

Of course, mine was the old model to match hers.

Melany was always the star in Darin's eyes, and I was just the nobody that came with the package.

Just like that pregnancy test report, left on the coffee table all night. Darin slept and woke up on the sofa next to it but never saw it.

When it was time to leave work, I took a cab to the jadeite exhibition.

Darin had stood me up too many times. I never expected him to accompany me, so I got my own ticket early on.

After the exhibition, it suddenly started pouring rain, and I was trapped under the eaves.

Bored, I scrolled through my phone and saw Melany's Facebook post.

A delicate, pale hand with an IV needle was held by another hand with distinct knuckles. On the ring finger was a matching ring identical to mine, gleaming brightly.

Once again, he had stood me up for Melany and didn't even think to inform me.

Bitterness surged in my heart. I blinked away the tears and put my phone away.

I heard a voice behind me.

"Miss Harvey, do you need help?"

Chapter 3

I turned around and saw a tall man standing before me.

I rarely met men who were over 6'3" tall, so it took me a moment to recognize him.

"Mr. Knight."

His eyes sparkled, and a smile spread across his handsome face.

"You remember me."

I smiled back at him. "It's hard to forget someone who uses jade for wedding rings these days."

Six months ago, he had ordered a pair of jade rings from Jenkins Jewelry Company, saying they were for his fiancée.

Jenkins Jewelry Company was not known for jade, but he insisted that I make the rings.

He had noticed me three years ago at a jade carving competition where I won first place. It took him quite a bit of effort to find out that I had joined Jenkins Jewelry Company.

I was pleasantly surprised.

Jenkins Jewelry Company mostly dealt with gold, silver, and diamonds, so this was my first jade order.

I personally went to the jade market in Kloihull and found a piece of top-grade translucent jadeite. I crafted a pair of matching rings for him and wished him and his fiancée a lifetime of happiness.

The rain had almost stopped.

Brodie looked down at me. "Would you do me the honor of having dinner with me?"

I glanced around. "Mrs. Knight..."

"There isn't one."

"What?"

"There is no Mrs. Knight. I am not married."

I felt a bit awkward as we sat down in the restaurant.

He had been so particular about those wedding rings; he must have loved his fiancée very much.

But he never gave them to her. It must have been an unhappy story.

Brodie calmly handed me the menu to order.

I absentmindedly picked a few dishes, and he added a few more.

After the waiter left, he smiled gently.

"There's no need to be so reserved. My fiancée ran away. She's now with someone she loves and is very happy."

I paused and asked, "Aren't you angry?"

He replied calmly and warmly, "I was angry at first. We've known each other since we were kids, and I've always been good to her. But she made me look so foolish."

"But if my kindness was one-sided, she would be pushed along by me, unable to see if she truly liked me or just liked someone who was good to her."

"And I wouldn't be able to tell if I really liked her or just couldn't let go."

"One must love oneself first to avoid becoming an obsessive gambler."

I fell silent.

Chasing Darin for the past five years, I had already gambled everything.

I couldn't let go of the little bit of kindness he showed me, nor could I let go of the porridge I cooked for him, the nights I stayed up, the drinks I blocked for him, and the career I changed halfway through.

I had become accustomed to bowing my head and compromising, deceiving myself, and even putting my dignity on the line.

It was truly pathetic.

When the dishes were served, Brodie urged me to start eating, and I realized that I had subconsciously ordered all of Darin's favorite dishes.

And the ones Brodie added were all my favorites.

His fair fingers moved the Blackened Fish and Buffalo Wings in front of me.

"Last time we ate together, I remember you loved spicy food. This restaurant is famous for it. Give it a try."

I took a bite of the wings.

Because of Darin's weak stomach, I had rarely eaten spicy food in recent years.

The pain on my tongue quickly spread through my entire mouth.

After eating bland food for so long, the strong stimulation was quite uncomfortable.

But I liked it.

We had a very enjoyable meal.

Brodie suddenly suggested that he wanted to recruit me to his company.

He worked in the art industry and was planning to expand into jade carving.

I felt a surge of excitement.

My family has a long history in the jade business. It was only because Darin struggled to find someone for Jenkins Jewelry Company's outdated designs that I went to help him.

But I hadn't been involved in the jade industry for five years.

Brodie said, "But you never gave up. The earrings, necklaces, and bracelets you wear are all carved by you. Your Facebook regularly features your jade carvings. From traditional carved jade to modern ornaments, you've always been improving yourself."

"Miss Harvey, I chose you after careful consideration, not on a whim."

A wave of emotion surged in my chest.

He understood me.

In my five years at Jenkins Jewelry Company, I had diligently won many design awards and led several design trends in the industry.

At first, Darin would excitedly hug me and praise me as the greatest designer of the century. But as time went on, he took my efforts and achievements for granted, and if I didn't do my best, I would be held accountable.

I was even handed over to the clueless Melany to boost her performance.

Yet Brodie, whom I had only met a few times, could recognize my talent and genuinely appreciate and respect it.

I was tempted.

But.

I put down my fork and said seriously, "Mr. Knight, thank you very much for your appreciation. But I am currently pregnant, and I don't think it's suitable for me to change jobs."

Brodie paused for a few seconds, then smiled again.

"Congratulations, Miss Harvey, but I don't see that as a problem. Your talent won't disappear because of pregnancy, and I believe a comfortable work environment is beneficial for the baby."

This was the first time someone had considered a job from my perspective.

So, I raised my glass of juice.

"Then, here's to a pleasant collaboration, Mr. Knight."

We had a great conversation.

So much so that I didn't even notice the dozens of missed calls vibrating in my bag.