Please Don’t Say You Love Me

Remi Sloan had been married to the top scion of the elite circle for five years. To outsiders, their marriage looked like a fairy tale. Everyone said he adored her—that he would even give his life for her if she asked. However, because she could not get pregnant, a few hints from her in-laws became outright demands. The man who had held her hands and promised to protect her for the rest of her life on their wedding day cried in front of her. “Be good… I can’t hold on anymore.” So this was how short a man’s promise could be, because less than two months later, she saw him supporting a pregnant woman in the hospital's obstetrics department, his movements gentle. Chapter 1 “My baby is surely going to look just like his dad when he grows up. With his dad’s sharp brows and bright eyes, he’ll be ridiculously handsome. And maybe he’ll even have the same little red mole at the corner of his eye.” The woman’s voice rang out down the otherwise quiet hospital hallway, loud and almost shrill. A few people turned to look, and so did Remi Sloan. The woman was wearing a mask, but her eyes were filled with undisguised pride. As Remi listened to the description of the baby’s future looks, someone else came to mind—her husband of five years, James Hudson. In their social circle, he was known as the son of one of the most powerful families in the city, and he, too, had a small red mole at the corner of his eye. Just as Remi was about to step forward and ask the woman something, her name was called over the hospital intercom. Across the desk, the doctor held her medical report with a grave expression. Remi’s hands clenched tightly together. Her chest felt tight, as if a giant hand was squeezing her heart. After what felt like forever, the doctor finally spoke. “Ms. Sloan, all your physical indicators are normal. As for why you haven’t been able to conceive after all these years, we’re not entirely sure. You may need to undergo further testing…” The doctor continued speaking, but Remi could not hear a word. All she could think about was that her body was normal, and yet, for five years, she still had not gotten pregnant. She walked out of the consultation room in a daze and sat down on a bench in the hallway, staring blankly at the report in her hands. Tears fell one after another, soaking the paper. She and James had grown up together as childhood sweethearts. Everyone in their circle knew she was his one true love. When she was seventeen, he had called her out beneath the old sycamore tree in their neighborhood. Under the moonlight, his face flushed red as he pulled out over a hundred handwritten love letters he had secretly written over the years. Stammering, he confessed. On the day she turned twenty—the legal marriage age—he proposed without hesitation. “Remi,” he had said, “I’m scared that if I waited a little longer, someone else would steal you away.” She disliked attention, and he wanted to protect her. Hence, their wedding was made up of just close friends and family. Hardly anyone outside their circle even knew they were married. However, that did not affect how much James loved her, especially after she found out she could not conceive. He had always comforted her. He even took the blame upon himself. When his parents pressured her about having children, he stood firmly in front of her and said, “I’m the one who doesn’t want kids. If you continue to pressure her, I’ll give up my position as heir.” She had been deeply moved and deeply guilty. Determined to get pregnant as soon as possible, she tried countless folk remedies. She became a regular at the hospital’s obstetrics and gynaecology department. Yet, five years passed, and her belly remained empty. She walked out of the hospital and pulled out her phone, wanting to call James. Right now, she just wanted to see him and have him hold her. But then she remembered he was still at work. So she put her phone away and decided to take a cab to his company instead. The moment she stepped inside the building, she saw a familiar figure ahead. A man who looked exactly like James was carefully supporting a pregnant woman up the stairs. “James?” she called out softly, testing the name. He turned instinctively. When he saw her, his body stiffened for a split second. He quickly whispered something to the woman beside him. After she left, he came down the stairs and positioned himself in front of Remi, blocking her view. A flicker of doubt rose in her chest. Why did he look so nervous? “Who was that?” she asked. His expression remained calm. “Just a passerby. She’s pregnant, so I helped her up the stairs.” James had always been someone with strict boundaries. Since childhood, he had never touched any woman except her. Even the secretaries at his company were all men. In their circle, people teased him for being “whipped”, and he did not mind it at all. “Yes,” he would say openly, “I’m whipped. I’m allergic to every woman except Remi.” If so, why would a man so distant toward other women go out of his way to support a pregnant stranger? However, before she could dwell on it, he changed the subject. “By the way, what did the doctor say about your results?” The disappointment in her eyes flickered again. The grievance she had barely managed to suppress surged back up, and her eyes watered. He immediately understood. Pulling her into his arms, he gently patted her back. “Hey, it’s okay. Like I’ve said, don’t put so much pressure on yourself about the pregnancy. I’m completely fine without children. In my heart, you’re the only one who matters. Don’t cry. It hurts me to see you cry.” He brushed away the tear at the corner of her eye with his thumb, then lowered his head and kissed her. After a long while, his warmth finally soothed her emotions. She held his hand tightly in return. Back at the mansion, James went straight into the bathroom to shower, while Remi sat alone on the edge of the bed. She was about to tuck the medical report into the drawer when her phone suddenly chimed with a text notification. Her hand froze, and her body began to tremble uncontrollably. After a long moment, she took a deep breath, picked up her phone, and opened the message. As expected. It was another text from James’s mother, Katie Hudson, urging her to get pregnant. Ever since she failed to conceive, James’s mother had been messaging her every few days, asking if she had gone for another checkup and when she would finally get pregnant. It was to the point that every time her phone chimed, Remi felt a wave of anxiety and fear. The screen eventually went dark. She closed her eyes, struggling internally for a long time. Finally, she opened them again, walked to the closet, and pulled out the dress buried at the very bottom. Chapter 2 As soon as the bathroom door opened, soft, delicate hands wrapped around James from behind. James’s body stiffened. Before he could turn around, Remi buried her face in the crook of his neck, brushing her lips gently against his skin. “James… I…” Looking heartbroken, he said, “Remi, you don’t have to do this. We’re not in a rush about having a child.” Her slender fingers slid down along his abdomen. His breathing hitched instantly. “But I want to. Right now.” His gaze darkened. In the next second, he lifted her effortlessly and carried her to the bed, tossing her down before leaning over her. His kisses came hot and urgent. Their breathing grew heavier with each passing second. “Remi…” Just then, a sharp ringtone suddenly cut through the room. James ignored it, his kisses trailing down from her shoulder to her neck. She let out a soft gasp and pushed against him lightly. “James, your phone…” Still, he did not answer it. Instead, he pulled her back into his arms. “Ignore it. Focus on me.” The ringing kept going, shrill and insistent, until it shattered the intimate atmosphere. James finally pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. “I’ll take this call and come right back.” With that, he grabbed his phone and stepped outside. Remi slowly got up and walked toward the balcony. No matter how big or small the matter was, James had never hidden phone calls from her. So what kind of call would make him step outside? Just as she reached for the balcony door, it was pushed open from the other side. James stood there, brows tightly furrowed, his voice lowered as he coaxed the person on the other end. When he saw her approaching, he covered the receiver and looked at her apologetically. “Remi, there’s an urgent matter at the company. I have to go.” Before she could respond, he grabbed the car keys from the table and disappeared into the night. The light in her eyes dimmed instantly, and a bitter taste rose in her throat. Ever since James officially took over the company, he had rarely come home, and the time they shared a bed had grown fewer. Now, the rare moment they had almost shared was gone. She stood there in a daze for a long time before bending down to pick up the clothes scattered across the floor. As she carried them toward the laundry room, a piece of paper slipped out of James’s pocket and fell to the ground. She bent down to pick it up. However, the moment she saw its contents, her eyes widened in shock, and her heart began pounding. The title ‘Pregnancy Examination Report’ hit her like a truck, and it stated that James had signed it. A loud buzzing filled her ears, and her hands trembled as she picked up the report. At first, she told herself she must be mistaken. There were plenty of people in the world with the same name. Yet, as she stared at the signature, she realized she could not lie to herself. Ever since they were young, he had signed all of her report cards, so she knew his signature better than anyone. Suddenly, she remembered something James’s mother, Katie, had once said after pressuring her about having a baby. “If you can’t conceive, then I’ll have my son look for someone else to do it. I want a grandson this year, no matter what.” Did he really go looking for another woman? No. She immediately rejected the thought. How could that be? He loved her so much. The last time his mother suggested that, he had been so furious he nearly smashed up the entire mansion. “Only Remi can bear my child,” he had declared. His father had pointed at him and called him ridiculous, but now, his signature was right there on the pregnancy report. Caught between doubt and denial, she picked up her phone, intending to call him. However, she hesitated. She remembered how flustered he had looked when he left. What if it really was an emergency? In the end, Remi lowered her phone, then folded the pregnancy report and put it away. That night, she tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Chapter 3 After barely sleeping all night, with the balcony door left slightly open, Remi woke up feeling dazed. Her whole body was burning. Her eyelids felt so heavy that she could barely open them. She fumbled for her phone on the nightstand and dialed James’s number. She left him more than a dozen calls, yet he did not pick up. Just when she was about to give up, the line finally connected. “James–” “Who are you?” A sweet, unfamiliar female voice came from the other end. Her mind went blank. With a loud thud, her phone slipped from her hand and hit the floor. The line turned chaotic for a moment. After a while, she finally heard his voice. “Sweetheart?” He called her several times before she slowly bent down to pick up the phone. She asked in disbelief, “Who was that just now?” James quickly explained, “No one. I was discussing a project. A partner grabbed the wrong phone by mistake. Don’t misunderstand.” Before she could press further, he changed the subject. “What’s wrong? Why are you calling me?” She opened her mouth, wanting to tell him she had a fever and ask if he could come home and take her to the hospital, when a sharp scream came from his side. “It’s so hot!” His tone turned slightly anxious. “I’m still occupied here. I’ll hang up for now.” The call ended abruptly. Maybe it was the fever, but her chest felt heavy with indignation. He had never hung up on her before. Even during urgent meetings, he would comfort her first before ending the call. Yet now… She lay in bed for a long while, feeling miserable, before finally forcing herself up. Stumbling toward the medicine cabinet, she took some cold medicine to ease the symptoms. Soon after, she drifted back into a hazy sleep. When Remi opened her eyes again, she found herself lying in a hospital bed, with James sitting beside her. The moment he saw her awake, relief flashed across his eyes. He pulled her into his arms. “Sweetheart, you scared me.” It turned out that he had tried calling her back later, but she never answered. Feeling uneasy, he rushed home and found her flushed and unconscious on the bed. Panicked, he immediately drove her to the hospital. For the rest of the day, he stayed by her side without leaving once, afraid something might happen again. Watching him busy himself around her, taking care of everything, her heart warmed. For a moment, she felt like the old him was back. However, just then, his phone rang again. His hand paused slightly as he looked at the screen. He glanced at her before turning away and stepping into the hallway to take the call. The hospital corridor was not well soundproofed. From the other end, a coquettish female voice drifted faintly into the room. “I don’t care. I want you to be with me right now! Otherwise, I’ll take your son and leave! Do you believe me?” There was no trace of impatience on James’s face. Instead, he said affectionately, “I have something to deal with here. Once I’m done, I’ll come over and be with you…” Perhaps he was too focused on the person on the other end of the call to notice the shock on Remi’s face. Remi could not believe her ears. Her heart sank, and her body began trembling uncontrollably. What had she just heard? Was she hallucinating? What did the person mean by “take your son and leave”? Her mind flashed back to the pregnancy report she had once glimpsed, the pregnant woman he had helped up the stairs, and the conversation she had overheard at the obstetrics and gynecology department that day… Her grip on the blanket tightened. At that moment, the hospital room door pushed open again. She quickly closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep. Seeing her like that, James relaxed. He leaned down and kissed her forehead before quietly leaving the room. The second he was gone, she opened her eyes, yanked out the IV needle, and hurried after him. She followed him down the corridor, turning left and right, until he stopped in front of the obstetrics and gynecology department. Just as she was about to step closer, James was holding a young woman who had just come out of the exam room, cradling her gently. “Was the baby good today?” he murmured. “Did he give his mommy any trouble?” Remi’s eyes widened in disbelief. The girl in his arms lifted her head as well, still clinging to him. As if sensing something, she looked in Remi’s direction, and in that moment, Remi finally got a good look at her face, which looked almost exactly like hers when she was younger. Chapter 4 In that instant, the entire world went silent. It felt as if an invisible hand had reached into her chest and seized her heart, yanking it so hard she could barely breathe. She stood frozen in place, as if nailed to the ground, watching blankly as James held the girl in his arms, coaxing her gently, kissing her softly, and smiling as he spoke to her. Then, just like that, the two of them disappeared from her sight. The only thought left in her mind was: James had someone else by his side. Rain poured down, soaking her from head to toe, but she felt nothing. She stumbled forward through the storm, eyes hollow and unfocused, her mind replaying that devastating scene over and over again. It had been twelve whole years. Other than her parents, James had been the person who treated her best in the world. He had been so good to her—so good that sometimes she felt merely meeting him must have used up all her luck. How could he be the boy who had climbed up to her bedroom window in the middle of the night, eyes shining with confidence as he promised to treat her well forever, the boy who had thrown himself over her to shield her when street thugs surrounded her, or the man who had stood firmly in front of her when his mother pressured and humiliated her about having children? The eyes that had once only held her reflection now reflected someone else. The lips that had once kissed hers alone now intertwined with another woman. The hands that had touched only her body now roamed across someone else’s. The thought of those tore a sharp pain through her chest, as if her heart were being ripped apart. The mansion was dark. The heavy, suffocating silence surrounded the figure curled up on the floor. Numbly, Remi scrolled through the information the housekeeper had sent her on her phone. As it turned out, after it was confirmed that she could not conceive, Katie had repeatedly demanded that he seek another woman to carry his child. At first, James refused her again and again, for he loved Remi too much. However, Katie began threatening him with suicide by slitting her wrists multiple times. The last time, she had even lain in a bathtub filled with blood. Thus, in pain and desperation, he compromised. He chose Sydney Parker, a girl who looked like Remi but came from a poor background. He chose her for two reasons. For one, she resembled Remi, so the child would likely look like Remi, too. Secondly, it was because Sydney had neither power nor money. When the time came, she would be easy to dismiss. At the beginning, out of love and guilt toward Remi, James had no intention of being intimate with Sydney; he had planned to undergo IVF. That was until one night, after being forced to drink too much by business partners, he, in his drunken state, mistook Sydney for Remi. That night, lines were crossed, and that night, it was Remi's birthday. Yet, her husband had been in another woman’s bed! Remi laughed and cried at the same time. She did not know whether she was crying at her own misery or laughing at his so-called devotion. It was he who had said that not having children did not matter. He had said, “Sweetheart, you’re all I need.” Yet, it was he who climbed into another woman’s bed for the sake of a child. ‘James, is this what you meant when you said you loved me so much you could give up your life?’ Remi questioned. If he truly wanted a child, he could have told her openly. Although it would have hurt her, she would have chosen to divorce him herself and leave him. What he never should have done was claim to love her while secretly creating another family of three with someone else. With her hands trembling, Remi slowly lowered her phone and looked up at the home she had once shared with James. The house was their love nest. Every corner held evidence of their affection. She had once looked around it, happiness in her eyes, and told him that when they grew old, they would pass the house down to their child. Now, all she felt was pain. Her gaze turned cold. She walked to the storage room and took out a hammer. Then, she swung it hard at the wedding photo on the wall, at the furniture they had chosen together, and at every gift James had given her over the years. She smashed them all until every last piece was shattered. Chapter 5 The house was a complete mess. That was James’s first thought when he pushed the door open. The entire living room had been smashed beyond recognition. Broken glass, overturned furniture, shattered decorations—everything lay in ruins. In the middle of it all, Remi sat on the floor, knees pulled to her chest, her head lowered. Without stopping to ask what happened, he rushed over and pulled her into his arms. “Sweetheart, are you hurt?” She slowly lifted her head to look at him. The panic and concern in his eyes were real. It was impossible to connect that devoted man with the same person who had betrayed her behind her back. She shoved him away, her voice ice-cold as she asked, “Who is Sydney Parker?” Shock flashed across James’s eyes. His lips turned pale almost instantly. “Sydney Parker? I don’t know who that is.” Remi let out a bitter laugh. She grabbed the pregnancy report and threw it at him. “You don’t know her? Fine. In that case, why is your name signed on her pregnancy report?” His entire body trembled. For a second, he could not breathe. “Sweetheart, I–” She wiped her tears away harshly with the back of her hand and said firmly, “James, I know everything. Stop lying to me. Let’s get a divorce.” In a panic, he pulled her tightly into his arms, his voice shaking. “No. No, I don’t want a divorce!” She looked up at him, finding it all ironic. “But you’re already soiled. You disgust me.” His face turned white. “That was an accident, Remi. I only slept with her once. I’m not soiled.” “But in my eyes, you are.” Her voice trembled with anger. “You betrayed me. You betrayed our marriage!” She closed her eyes in despair, finally saying, “Let’s get a divorce, James. We’ll part peacefully.” He held her even tighter. “Remi, don’t divorce me. As long as you don’t divorce me, I’ll agree to anything.” She slowly shook her head. “Your promises mean nothing to me anymore. Since I’m letting you go, and you should do the same for me, too.” With that, she turned and walked away. Watching her leave, his hand trembled as he pressed it against his chest, as if trying to crush the pain inside. However, the ache only grew sharper. “Remi… do you really have to leave me?” “Yes.” She shut her eyes, forcing herself to stay composed. Finally, the man lost control. He took a deep breath and turned to the nearby household staff. “Take the missus back to her room. Without my permission, no one is to let her out.” Remi froze and turned back in disbelief. “James, are you imprisoning me?” He shook his head immediately. “It’s not imprisonment. I just want you to calm down. Remi, listen to me. She looks like you, and the baby will look like you, too. After she gives birth, I’ll send her away. We’ll pretend nothing ever happened. We’ll go back to how we were before. Okay?” Remi thought she had just heard the most absurd joke in the world. He was having a child with another woman, and he expected her to pretend nothing had happened? She looked at him with disappointment. “It’s impossible. The moment you had a child with her, we could never go back.” His body stiffened. His face turned deathly pale, but he remained stubborn. “It’s fine, Remi. We have plenty of time.” Then, he waved his hand, signaling the servants to escort her back upstairs. “Keep an eye on the missus,” he ordered. “No one is allowed to see her except me.” Chapter 6 Ever since Remi was locked up, she had given up on James. Looking at the heavily guarded old family estate, she had thought of countless ways to escape. The closest she ever got was when she disguised herself as a maid and slipped into one of the service cars heading out. However, just as the car got to the main gate, another vehicle cut across and stopped them. James stepped out, long strides carrying him straight to the car window. “Remi,” he said calmly, “you can’t escape.” In the end, with nowhere left to go, she chose to set the place on fire. When news came that the old estate was burning, James was at the apartment, coaxing a sulking Sydney. It was not until he bought her an eight-million-dollar necklace that she finally brightened up, wrapping her arms around him and kissing him several times. She pulled him down onto the couch and excitedly flipped through some baby clothes with him. However, when his phone rang, he immediately pushed her aside and walked out onto the balcony to take the call. Sydney tried to follow out of curiosity, but one cold glance from him froze her in place. Annoyed, she punched a stuffed toy on the couch instead. Then, she saw his face turn pale, and he grabbed his coat, hurrying toward the door. “Where are you going?” Sydney clung to him, putting on a pitiful expression. “The baby doesn’t want you to leave today–” He did not have the patience to entertain her, but for the sake of the child's smooth birth, he held back. “I have something urgent to deal with. You said you liked those earrings at the auction, didn’t you? I’ll have my assistant bring them to you.” At the thought of the expensive jewelry she was about to receive, she finally let go. With the old estate destroyed, Remi was transferred to a villa on the outskirts of the city. When James saw her again, several days later, there were injuries scattered across her body. The anger he had been holding in dissolved into a sigh. Carefully, he carried her back to the bed and personally tended to her wounds. His movements were gentle, yet she still frowned and hissed in pain. He immediately leaned closer and blew softly on the injured skin. “Does it still hurt?” There was a trace of concern in his eyes. She looked at him quietly and said evenly, “It hurts, but I don’t regret it at all, because I was the one who set the fire.” He froze, pain in his eyes. “Do you want to leave me that badly?” he asked. “Yes.” Her voice did not waver. “I do, even if it means I die.” “Remi!” Hearing that, he finally lost control. He could no longer hide the pain in his voice. “Don’t say that, okay? It pains me to see you hurt. I have no feelings for her. Just wait a little longer. I’m begging you. Everything will go back to the way it was.” After saying that, he stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Before leaving, he specifically instructed the butler to tighten security around the villa. For the next three months, James never came back. He did not even send a single message. It was as if he intended to teach her a lesson. Meanwhile, he traveled the world with Sydney, allowing her to post their intimate photos online. In the pictures, they stood close together, feeding each other cookies mouth-to-mouth like a couple flaunting their love. At the beach, she lay across his lap in a sheer swimsuit, running her fingers over his abs as if showing off. Under dim, ambiguous lighting, their legs were tangled together, their eyes locked on each other. For a while, the internet was in an uproar, and countless netizens flooded her comment section, obsessing over the couple. Of course, Remi saw the photos too. In the past, she would have cried for an entire day; now she no longer held any expectations for James. All she wanted was to leave the marriage as soon as possible, and so, she did not care. James, on the other hand, waited and waited for Remi to come to him, to soften, and to demand an explanation. However, she never did. In the past, whenever even a harmless “close” photo of him and another woman surfaced—sometimes just from normal business events—Remi would be jealous for days. She would show up immediately, red-eyed, asking him to explain himself. That was why he was certain it would not take long this time. He thought she would come to him, eyes brimming with tears, but months passed, and no one came. There was not even a text message. He could not sit still anymore. He secretly returned several times and checked the surveillance footage. On the screen, he saw her looking completely indifferent, playing with the dog on her own, as if she truly did not care about the scandals between him and Sydney. Her reaction took him completely by surprise, leaving him in anguish with nowhere to vent his frustration. In the end, he could only leave in a huff. Chapter 7 Sydney did not think too much about James’s sudden change in attitude as she immersed herself wholly in the bliss of the moment. After all, the only reason he had treated her well before this was because of the child in her belly. He had never allowed her to show off their relationship so openly. However, things were different now. Seeing how favored she was, the same people who used to look down on her suddenly rushed to flatter her. “Sydney, Mr. Hudson dotes on you so much, and you’re carrying his child. It looks like you becoming his wife is only a matter of time.” “Exactly! Sydney, when you become Mrs. Hudson, don’t forget about us, your best friends!” Under their constant praise, Sydney gradually grew more arrogant. She clung to James even more than before, almost obsessively, and it was because she followed him so closely that she finally noticed something strange. Every night, after she fell asleep, he would quietly leave and drive to a suburban villa. Then, he would return early in the morning, his face dark and unreadable. In the past, James had also gone home at night, but he would return to the old family estate and not the villa in the suburbs. Curiosity gnawed at her until she finally could not hold it in anymore. “James,” she asked one day, “why do you go to the suburban villa every night?” His expression instantly turned cold. “Don’t ask about things you shouldn’t ask.” In James’s eyes, she was nothing more than a tool to carry a child in place of Remi, so she needed not know more than that. However, a woman’s intuition was sharp. The less he said, the more suspicious Sydney became. If it were not for a woman, what else could possibly draw him there every night? The thought that he might be keeping another woman in that villa made fury surge through her veins. She had successfully seduced James, and her methods were anything but simple. Now that she was about to become the envied Mrs. Hudson, no one could steal her position. She was just about to storm over there when she suddenly paused. James might dote on her, but he had one clear boundary: she was not allowed to go anywhere he had not permitted. Her friends, however, dismissed her hesitation. “Sydney, you’re the future Mrs. Hudson. Where could possibly be off-limits to you?” That was all it took. Encouraged by her friends, Sydney gathered a group of them and headed straight to the suburban villa. At the villa, Remi was asleep, but she could already hear the noise outside. “James comes here every single day. Today, I shall see what exactly he’s hiding in this villa!” A bodyguard stood in front of the door, looking troubled. “Miss Parker, Mr. Hudson gave strict orders. No one except him is allowed inside.” “What do you mean that no one is allowed?” “Do you know who Sydney is? If Mr. Hudson finds out you stopped her, you’ll be fired!” “Exactly! You blind idiot!” Sydney let out a cold snort. At the last dinner party, someone had accidentally scratched her face, and James immediately destroyed that person financially. So, unless the bodyguard had a death wish, he would know better than to stand in her way. After hesitating again and again, the bodyguard finally stepped aside. The moment the door opened, Sydney saw a face that looked almost identical to her own. She froze in her tracks. “Oh my God, Sydney, she looks just like you!” “What do you mean, identical? If you ask me, she probably had plastic surgery to look like you.” “I think so too!” Sydney’s eyes turned sharp with rage. Before Remi could even say a word, Sydney stepped forward and slapped her hard across the face. Chapter 8 The slap came out of nowhere. Remi’s head snapped to the side, and for a moment, she could not even process what had just happened. Across from her, Sydney had rolled up her sleeves, her expression twisted with fury. “Where did you crawl out from, you shameless woman? How dare you get plastic surgery to look like me? Are you trying to scheme your way into replacing me because James’s been favoring me lately?” She sneered. “Let me tell you something. That will never happen. I will be the only Mrs. Hudson. Today, I’ll show you what happens when you try to seduce James.” Only then did Remi connect the dots. This must be the substitute James had chosen, and clearly, he had never told Sydney about her existence. That was why Sydney thought she was just another woman trying to steal the position of Mrs. Hudson. Remi took a deep breath and was just about to explain. However, before she could speak, Sydney suddenly kicked the back of her knee. A sharp pain shot through her leg, and she collapsed to her knees instantly. When she tried to push herself up, Sydney’s friends rushed forward and pinned her down tightly, making it impossible for her to move. “There I was, wondering why James would head out every night,” Sydney spat. “As it turns out, it’s because of you, you filthy woman! You know he’s crazy about me, don’t you? And that’s why you used a face like mine to get his attention!” The accusations were so ridiculous that Remi laughed. However, seeing that Sydney was also being deceived, she forced down her anger and said as calmly as she could, “You should leave now. If James comes back and sees this, he won’t let you off.” What was meant to be a warning made Sydney burst into laughter. “He won’t let me off? That’s hilarious. Who do you think you are to threaten me with James? Do you know how much he loves me? Do you know I’m carrying his child?” She placed a hand over her belly, her eyes gleaming with arrogance. “Even if I killed you today, he would only dote on me and help clean up the mess. Instead of worrying about me, you should worry about yourself.” A chill ran down Remi’s spine. “What are you trying to do?” she asked. Sydney grabbed her hair and forced her head up, studying her face carefully. Then, she smiled—sweet on the surface but filled with malice. “You did a pretty good job on this face. For a second, even I could not tell us apart. But soon, it won’t be yours anymore.” As she spoke, her sharp nails dug viciously into Remi’s cheek. “Ah!” Remi felt like her flesh was being torn apart, piece by piece. The agonizing pain was crushing her until she could barely breathe. She struggled desperately, but with several people holding her down, she could only endure as Sydney’s nails dragged across her skin. Blood began to stream down along those crimson lines. Sydney’s friends swarmed in next, kicking and punching her without restraint. The pain was so intense that her entire body started to go numb. Watching her curl up in agony, Sydney smiled in satisfaction. Finally, Remi shouted hoarsely, “You’ve got it wrong! I’m not some woman seducing James. I’m his wife, the legally married Mrs. Hudson!” Her words, however, were met with more laughter. Sydney withdrew her hand and held her stomach as she threw her head back, laughing even harder. “You’re his wife? Then what am I?” “Yeah, right!” “We’ve never heard of Mr. Hudson being married.” Her friends chimed in mockingly. Sydney wiped away tears of laughter and looked at her with blatant contempt. “If you wish to climb into James’s bed, just say so. Aren’t you afraid he’ll skin you alive for making up lies like this? You say you’re his wife? Quit dreaming.” Remi looked at them with a heavy heart. Back when she and James got married, she had insisted on keeping things low-key. Outside of their inner circle, almost no one knew she was his wife. Now, that secrecy had become the very proof people used to deny her identity. On top of that, after their recent fight, James had deliberately taken so many intimate photos with Sydney. To outsiders, it was obvious who he intended to marry in the future. However, how could Sydney not realize? She came from an ordinary family and was mismatched in status with the Hudson family. Out of countless women, why would James choose her, let alone allow her to bear his child? Remi’s hands slowly tightened into fists as she struggled to rise. “I really am his wife. If you don’t believe me, call James right now!” Before she could stand, Sydney stepped down hard on the back of her hand. The pointed heel of Sydney’s heels ground mercilessly against her fingers. “Are you still trying to lie to us? It seems the lesson I gave you wasn’t enough. Someone, go to the kitchen and bring me a sharp knife. I’d like to see just how long this woman can keep up her act.” Chapter 9 The knife was brought quickly, and seeing it in Sydney’s hand made Remi shiver. “What… What are you doing?” Remi tried to scream, but her voice was hoarse and barely audible. As she tried to pull away, strong hands pinned her shoulders, holding her firmly against the floor. Helpless, she watched as Sydney stepped closer, a cruel smile on her face. “You want to know what I’m going to do? I’m going to destroy your face, of course. Let’s see whether you’ll have the nerve to look like me again!” Sydney summoned every ounce of strength, bringing the blade down with all her might across Remi’s face! “Ah!” The moment the blade sliced through flesh to the bone, Remi could no longer hold back the scream. Yet the very next moment, Sydney's blade came down upon her again fifty-two times. Remi's wails of agony rang out, but no one showed a moment's mercy. Remi could distinctly hear the blade slicing through her flesh. She could feel the trail of blood trickling down her cheeks. She could see the hideous, terrifying grins upon their faces… The air thickened with the stench of blood. Her entire face had long since become a bloody, mangled mess, her body convulsing uncontrollably. Still unsatisfied, Sydney sent her best friend to the kitchen to fill a bucket of ice-cold water, then pressed Remi's blood-soaked, mangled face into it. Remi instantly erupted in a shrill, piercing scream. The sound felt like an invisible hand, clutching at her heart with deadly force. It was excruciatingly painful. Despite that, Sydney cackled wildly. Her face twisted with madness as she pulled out her phone, snapping photo after photo. “Hahahaha! Look at you now! You're nothing but disgusting. With your face ruined, I'll be damned if you dare try to seduce James again.” Remi opened her mouth, yet no words came out. She lay in a pool of blood, barely able to move, her breath faint and dying. Sydney’s friends hovered nearby, close enough to hear Remi say, “You… You will regret this.” Everyone felt a chill run down their spines. “Sydney, have we taken this a little too far? Mr. Hudson won't hold it against us, will he?” Sydney snickered, arms crossed as she took it all in, utterly unconcerned. “Hold it against me? James adores me so much. How could he possibly blame me over such a trifling matter? Besides, I'm carrying his child. That's practically a get-out-of-jail-free card. Have you forgotten how much he used to care about me?” Her friends nodded in agreement, their worries instantly dispelled. Sydney kicked Remi, who lay sprawled on the floor like a dead dog. “Mark my words. Not just anyone can capture James’s heart. Give up that delusion of climbing the social ladder. Since you're so desperate for male attention, I'll grant you a few men.” With that, Sydney summoned several homeless men by phone. Surveying the ragged figures with yellowed teeth and foul breath, Sydney smiled smugly before pointing at the blood-soaked woman sprawled on the ground. “She's yours. Though her face is beyond recognition, her figure remains passable. Do as you please, but just don't kill her.” Having wandered the streets for years without a woman's touch, the homeless men showed no disdain for Remi. Drool dripping, they lunged at her, instantly tearing her skirt to shreds. Gazing upon her smooth body, their eyes glowed like ravenous wolves. Several scrambled to grope her, their tongues licking her skin incessantly. Remi struggled feebly, lying limp on the ground like a dead fish. Their hands grew bolder, gradually creeping lower. Through the haze, she thought she was back at that summer long ago, when she had scraped her knees raw from climbing a wall to pick flowers. Just a trickle of blood had made the eyes of the one who loved her turn crimson. The young man had tended to her wounds, blowing gently on them as he worked. “Sweetheart, from now on, don't let yourself get hurt. Your pain hurts me more than it hurts you.” Tears trickled down her cheeks, mingling with the blood from her gruesome wounds before vanishing into the floorboards. ‘James, is this what you wanted?’ Remi thought. Her clothes were torn to shreds, every inch of her body kissed by those homeless men. Just as they lowered their trousers to take her… Her lungs spasmed violently, choking off her breath. In utter despair, she bit down on her tongue, ready to end it. At that very instant, the gate burst open with a violent kick. “What do you guys think you’re doing?”