Zora’s fury was unmistakable. Her forehead bulged with veins as she jabbed a trembling finger at me.

"What do you mean? Explain yourself!" she barked, her voice seething with venom.

I ignored her, turning my gaze to Anthony instead.

"I was never pregnant."

My voice was soft, but it echoed like a thunderclap in the silence.

"You're lying to me, aren’t you?" Anthony’s voice cracked with disbelief. His hands seized my shoulders, shaking me with desperation.

Zora darted forward, yanking him away with a vicious tug.

"Don’t touch her stomach!"

Then, her tone turning venomous, she said, "You fool. No wonder you were so easily fooled."

“She was simply weaving a lie, hoping for the bride price and a grand wedding.”

Anthony seemed to hear none of it, his expression hollow like his soul had been sucked into an abyss.

The shattering sound of porcelain broke the heavy silence.

Amelia leaped from her seat, fury blazing in her eyes. At last, the emotions she’d been bottling up exploded.

"Enough, Aurelia! What do you want from us? Will you only be satisfied when our entire family is in ruins? You’re a harbinger of disaster!"

My mind went still, the air buzzing with noise.

My eyes drifted to the broken pieces of porcelain scattered on the floor and suddenly, memories rushed back to me, the first time I had met the Hector Family.

They had been nothing but kind, careful with me as if I were some priceless treasures. They had filled my bowl with the finest food, making sure I never lacked anything.

But people were experts at hiding their true selves, weren’t they?

A chill swept over me and all I wanted now was to escape this place.

I slammed the medical report down onto the table, each word escaping my lips with cold precision.

"From now on, I want nothing to do with your family."

The shock on their faces was palpable, their eyes glued to the report, especially to the glaring words: "Not pregnant."

I couldn’t help but chuckle, the mockery slipping easily from my lips.

"Surprised?"

"If that’s not enough of a shock, let me add one more little secret for you."