A notification chimed, and she smiled as if nothing had ever happened.
I called her name again and again before she finally looked up. My pale face seemed to startle her for a moment, but she quickly plastered on a smile, setting her phone aside to press my shoulders lightly.
“You’re not well. Don’t come with me for the prenatal checkup today. Just rest at home.”
Her voice was calm, as if yesterday’s storm had been erased. She always did this—let me drown alone at night, then acted like nothing happened in the morning.
The pain made me clutch her hand, desperate, but her other hand kept typing.
From outside, Tristan’s arrogant voice rang:
“Cassie! Your father’s here—what are you waiting for?”
She immediately pulled free, tossed her phone down, and ran to the door.
I collapsed, knocking the phone over with my elbow.
The screen lit up. A pinned group chat stared back at me: Tristan and His Harem.
I tapped it—and froze.
“Gareth Locke is so pathetic. I told you two weren’t a good match.”
“He drags every party down. Cassie, you should’ve just married Tristan!”
Tristan: ‘It’s my birthday. Don’t bring up that loser. Cassie promised me a cruise ship. I’ll be the man who becomes One Piece!’
“The Knight family’s cruise ship? Cassie, you’re incredible!”
Cassandra: ‘Kneel to your father. This life belongs to you.’
The phone slipped from my hand. My world caved in.
Tristan immediately sent a kneeling emoji.
“Your life belongs to me now. My order: don’t bring your family today!” “Cassie, Tristan feels sorry for your pregnancy. He even prepared essential oils for a back massage~ [smirk][smirk]”
It was like a bucket of ice water dumped over me, chilling me to the bone.
As expected—people can fake kindness, but not reality. When I first tried to fit in, everyone was as sweet as angels. But I was the fool who mistook politeness for sincerity. They were an unbreakable fortress. I was, and would always be, the unwanted outsider.
The cramps tore through me. Shaking, I grabbed my phone, taking screenshots one by one, saving every page.
By the time Cassandra came in to snatch it back, I was curled on the sofa, drenched in sweat. She didn’t even look at me, eager to leave.
“Honey, my best friends are taking me for the prenatal checkup today. You can’t get along with them anyway, so don’t come and ruin the mood.”
I clutched her shirt with trembling hands.