Chapter 1 Chapter 1 Brutal Misunderstanding

When I learned that my brother's five-year-old son, Danny Hopkins, had been diagnosed with leukemia, I didn't hesitate for a moment. I flew back home, six months pregnant, to undergo the compatibility test for a stem cell transplant. This morning, my brother, Anthony Reey, drove me to the hospital to collect the results. If the test matched, I would be admitted to the hospital immediately, where I would stay until the baby was born to donate the umbilical cord blood that could save Danny's life. "Rosa, ever since Danny got sick, neither your sister-in-law nor I have had a proper night's sleep. "Danny is her whole world. If anything happens to him, I don't think she could go on. "We're truly out of options now. The baby you're carrying is Danny's only hope." Seeing the weariness on his face, I felt a pang of sorrow and immediately hugged him comfortingly. "Don't worry. I'm Danny's aunt. The match will definitely be successful." Anthony gave me a grateful look, and after settling me down, he went to get the test results alone. I waited in the lobby to rest. Then, my husband called to check on me, and we chatted casually. "Yes, I'm fine, and the baby is fine, too. "Sweetheart, I miss you. "Promise me you'll be here when the baby is born—" Before I could finish my sentence, a woman stormed toward me with several others trailing behind her. She yanked my hair so hard that pain shot through my scalp. Desperately, I followed her pull while trying to protect my belly with trembling hands. She shoved me into a bathroom stall, and my back slammed against the cold, damp wall. The chill seeped into my skin, sending shivers through me as fear gripped my heart. Her face was twisted with rage, and her eyes burning with hatred. "You mistress! My child is lying in a hospital bed, and you dare make my husband stay with you for your pregnancy? "You think you can steal my man with your cheap tricks? I'll make sure you pay for this!" 'Steal her husband? What is she talking about?' I had no idea who she was. Since returning, I had only left my hotel room once for the compatibility test. I hadn't met or contacted any men! "You must have the wrong person. I don't know you," I tried to explain. "Wrong person? I saw it with my own eyes! My husband brought you to the hospital, and you dared to hug him in front of me! You came to this hospital on purpose, didn't you? You just want to rub it in my face, don't you?" she sneered. "I'm Lara Patkins, Anthony Reey's wife! No one ruins my family!" I was shocked. Anthony was my brother, so the woman before me, Lara Patkins, was my sister-in-law! Earlier, when Anthony brought me to the hospital, we did act a bit close. This was something Lara must have accidentally seen. Later, when she overheard my phone call, she mistook me for Anthony's mistress and assumed that I was on the phone with him, which led to the misunderstanding. The women behind her egged her on. "Don't let her off, Lara! Mistresses deserve to die!" "I'm not a mistress. My name is Rosa Re—" I tried to explain, but before I could finish, I was kicked hard in the back of my knees. My knees hit the cold, hard floor. One of the women grabbed my hair and shoved my head into the toilet. The foul water splashed into my eyes and nose, leaving me choking as panic set in. My head was buzzing, and I felt a sense of suffocation, but I didn't dare to struggle because I was afraid of hurting my baby. The umbilical cord blood of the child in my belly was the only hope for my nephew Danny. Finally, they grabbed my hair and lifted me out of the water. The ice-cold water, mixed with the stench, left me shivering as I gasped for air. My entire body felt as if the blood had frozen in my veins. I tried to steady my breathing, but before I could regain my senses, a slap landed hard across my face. The ringing in my ears was deafening, and the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth as I felt my lip split open. I had been so careful throughout my pregnancy and was afraid of anything that might harm this precious life inside me. I wrapped my arms protectively around my stomach, trembling, but Lara grabbed my hand and put it onto the toilet lid. Then, she hit it brutally with a stick. "Aah!" The pain was searing, and I couldn't hold back the scream that tore from my throat. Her eyes remained cold and unyielding. "Does it hurt? Good. You should know the price of being a mistress!" Suddenly, she pulled out a utility knife from somewhere and gripped my chin. "This is nothing. The real pain is coming!" she hissed. My eyes locked onto the sharp blade, and I shook my head in despair. I had mentioned my name earlier, but she showed no reaction. Obviously, she clearly didn't recognize the name Rosa Reey. What on earth should I do? She held the knife close. "Mistresses and their children deserve to die." At that moment, there was a knock on the door, and I heard Anthony's voice. "Rosa, are you in there?" "Anthony!" I tried to shout.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Violence in Cubicle

A hand clamped tightly over my mouth, stifling the words "Anthony" into a muffled cry. "Rosa?" Anthony called out again. I struggled, trying desperately to make a sound to catch his attention, but I was trapped in the last cubicle of the bathroom. Several people held me down with such force that my voice was entirely lost behind the door. After a few moments, I heard his footsteps retreating, fading away into the distance. "Lara, you can't really blame her for wanting to cling to Mr. Reey. He's only thirty, and he has already made his company the fifth largest in the nation. Handsome, successful—of course, women would be lining up for a man like him.""But don't worry, Lara. You've been married for five years, and his heart belongs to you," one of the women tried to reassure Lara. Lara snorted coldly. "Of course." She grabbed my chin. "Sure, I might have set Anthony up by getting pregnant, which is why he married me, but that doesn't mean you can pull the same stunt! "My son is everything to me! I won't let anyone threaten his place! "No one can steal my husband. Today, I'm going to show you exactly what happens to a mistress' child!" Her eyes were burning with such pure fury, and despair settled over me like a heavy shroud. Anthony had never told me about the circumstances of his marriage to Lara. He had only said that he was married, had a child, and that life was blissful. I never knew they had tied the knot because of a child. The sight of my swollen belly pushed her over the edge, causing her jealousy and fear to consume her. Danny, her child, was lying on a hospital bed, and Lara was terrified of losing my brother. To her, I was a threat she needed to eliminate to secure her son's position! But I couldn't let anything happen to my baby. Tears filled my eyes as I looked at her pleadingly, hoping she would give me a chance to explain. But she snorted coldly again. "Who do you think you're fooling with that pitiful look? It might work on men, but not on me." One of the women kicked me twice. "You dare to carry Mr. Reey's child? Let's see if you even live long enough to deliver it." Just then, my phone rang, the screen lighting up with a contact: "My Rock." It was Anthony calling. He must have realized something was wrong when he couldn't find me. Lara snatched my phone and answered the call. Anthony's voice came through. "Rosa, where are you?" In an instant, her expression darkened, and she hung up without saying a word. "My child is lying on a hospital bed, fighting for his life, and he's out there, desperately looking for you?" she seethed, her rage boiling over. The small glimmer of hope in my eyes faded. Her fury intensified as she stared at me. "Why is my husband your rock?" Her voice was like ice as she looked at me and said through gritted teeth. "Tear off her clothes, take pictures and upload them to the Internet. I want the whole world to know how she seduced my husband!" I shook my head frantically, but the utility knife in her hand stabbed me without hesitation. The sound of fabric tearing echoed through the cubicle, and soon, my clothes, which were torn into pieces, hung loosely on me, barely covering me. A wave of shame washed over me, but the terror for my unborn child overwhelmed me as my pregnant belly was exposed before their eyes. Tears of despair streamed down my face, and suddenly, the hand over my mouth released. I seized the moment to speak. "I'm Anthony's sister!" But my words were met with mocking laughter. "I came back to save your child!" I pleaded, my voice cracking with desperation.

Chapter 3 Chapter 3 You Killed My Child

A filthy, foul-smelling rag was shoved into my mouth. I looked at Lara in confusion, struggling to understand what was happening. Before I could react, another slap came, so hard I felt as though my facial features might shift from the impact. Behind her, one of her friends sneered at me. "You? You think you're Mr. Reey's sister? As if! Mr. Reey's real sister is married to the CEO of a publicly listed company. Just look at yourself!" She wasn't wrong. I wasn't wearing any jewelry, nor did my clothes bear any designer logos. But that was only because I was pregnant. Must a person really need to flaunt brand names just to prove their identity? Lara's eyes narrowed as she mocked me. "My husband's sister has lived abroad all her life, and I've never heard a word about her returning. Who do you think you are?""Or are you trying to lie to me so that I would let you go?" She spat the words with such venom. "What a shameless, filthy woman you are!" Her eyes, full of rage, felt as though they could tear me apart. But soon enough, the pain in my face and the tattered state of my clothes became the least of my concerns. Because I noticed her gaze was fixated on my swollen belly. In my mind, I screamed. This was the child my husband and I had longed for, and it was also Danny's only hope of survival. I desperately hoped Lara wouldn't do anything reckless. I prayed that there was still some shred of humanity left in her and that she wouldn't harm my baby. But the next second, a bucket of ice-cold water was poured over my head. The freezing shock sent shivers through my body, and I looked up to find Lara's eyes filled with unrestrained hatred. "Why? Why should I let you ruin the marriage I worked so hard to keep together? "Why is it that my child is lying in a hospital bed fighting for his life, while yours is about to be born healthy?" "That's right. Get rid of that little bastard!" "Don't let her get away with it!" Her friends jeered and encouraged her from behind. Lara grabbed the wooden handle of a mop and hit me hard on the head. I felt a warm trickle of blood running down my forehead, mixing with my tears. The rag in my mouth muffled my screams, and all I could manage were choked, stifled sobs. In my heart, I was screaming. 'Stop! Please, stop hurting me! Don't harm my baby!' Summoning every ounce of strength, I pushed myself up, shoving away the two women restraining me. I had to run. I had to protect my child! I dashed toward the bathroom door, but just as my fingers brushed against the handle, one of the women shoved me from behind. My belly slammed against the cold edge of the sink, and a searing pain tore through my abdomen. The agony was unbearable. I clutched my stomach in desperation, and my tears just kept streaming down my face. We were obviously in a hospital, and just outside that door, there would be a doctor nearby, but I didn't have the strength to walk out. My legs trembled because of the pain. I tried to stand up several times, only to collapse heavily to the floor. I was like a dying fish, helpless and struggling. Pulling the rag from my mouth, I looked up at Lara and pleaded in a hoarse voice. "Please, save my child." I felt warm liquid pooling beneath me, and I was too terrified to look down. I was overwhelmed by panic, chill, and fear. One of the women behind Lara gasped, "Lara, there's so much blood!" They all stepped back, and for a moment, I thought maybe they would help. But Lara's eyes remained cold, as if she were staring at something already dead. "What's the panic for? She's the one who ran into the sink. It has nothing to do with us," she said with a cruel sneer. "If that bastard dies, then good. Anthony's child will be mine to bear!" she declared with venom. "Exactly! The child of a mistress doesn't deserve to live!" another echoed. "This woman brought it all on herself!" someone else chimed in. The blood continued to pour out of me, staining the floor beneath. They just stood there, staring at me with indifference, as if watching a fish breathe its last. It was over. My baby was dead. Danny would not survive either. Everything was over. 'I'm sorry, Anthony. I can't help you. I'm sorry, my love. I can't protect our child.' As I looked at Lara, a bitter sense of irony washed over me. She cared so much about children, yet she had just killed mine and destroyed the only chance her own child had for life. "You'll regret this," I forced out the words through gritted teeth.