Chapter 1 Illegitimate Child

"Come to Heritus Hotel for dinner right now," Anthony Hoffman said into the phone, his voice deep and devoid of warmth.

Delighted to receive his call, Genevieve Lawrence began, "I'm at the hospital—"

However, before she could tell him she was doing her prenatal test, he hung up the phone.

Anthony was her husband, and in the two months since he had gone away on a business trip, this was the first time he had taken the initiative to call her.

Genevieve was ecstatic enough to hear from him despite him sounding as indifferent as usual.

'He remembers that it's our third wedding anniversary today,' she thought gleefully. 'He must have invited me to dinner because he has a surprise for me!'

Her originally haggard face turned a little red, and her eyes were bright as she left the hospital with her medical report in hand.

It was just as well that Anthony had invited her to dinner, for she had her good news to tell him, too.

'I guess we'll have two things to celebrate today!' Genevieve mused in excitement.

Later, she had only just gotten out of the car when a crowd suddenly surrounded her.

Countless reporters swarmed in and blocked her path.

Genevieve could not hide her joy, assuming Anthony had put the word out that it was their wedding anniversary today, so these reporters were especially here to congratulate them now.

She waved happily at the reporters.

"Mrs. Hoffman, you and Anthony have been married for three years. Did you know that his illegitimate child is already two years old?"

"Mrs. Hoffman, what are your thoughts about Anthony's illegitimate child? Are you open to letting him become part of your family and raising him?"

"Are you and Anthony only married on paper? Do you both have your own separate lives?"

"Is that child yours? Or is he a product of Anthony's infidelity?"

Recently, there had been rumors of Anthony having an illegitimate child, but Genevieve did not believe them.

"My husband is very busy. We have no children of our own yet, and he certainly does not have an illegitimate child. Those are just rumors," she answered. "We love each other very much, and I trust him."

Three years of being married to Anthony had trained her to handle these unwelcomed questions and situations well.

Meanwhile, Anthony was standing not too far away from the scene, his muscular, upright silhouette and defined features making him stand out from the crowd. He carried himself in his usual aloof manner, his gaze rather impassive.

He was exchanging pleasantries with someone standing across from him when he looked up and noticed Genevieve approaching him.

In an instant, his smile vanished, and his handsome face returned to looking dispassionate.

Genevieve's expression froze the next second, and her smile grew a little strained. She felt somewhat untethered, even though her footsteps seemed to be getting heavier.

That was because she spotted an adorable little boy in Anthony's arms.

The boy appeared to be around two years old, and he was an exact replica of Anthony, albeit a smaller version.

In the meantime, Anthony was looking down at the little boy with an affectionate gaze, exuding elegance and gentleness.

There was also a woman standing next to Anthony, who reached out at this moment to take the child out of Anthony's arms. If one did not know better, one would have assumed from their rapport that they had been married for years.

The woman was none other than Rosalie Stewart.

'I can't believe she's back!' Genevieve pondered in shock.

The little boy from earlier had both Anthony's and Rosalie's facial features. Genevieve would be remiss to think that the little boy had no relation to Anthony at all!

If her nails were not digging into her palms right now, she was sure she would have lost control of her emotions.

Three years ago, Rosalie broke up with Anthony after his mother, Quincey Hoffman, paid her to, and she went abroad after that.

Having been betrayed by his girlfriend at the time, Anthony was so devastated that he began fooling around among different women, presumably to spite his mother.

Back then, Genevieve had already been in love with him for a while, as he had rescued her from a kidnapping as a passerby while they were abroad.

From that moment on, he made her believe in love at first sight.

After returning to the country, Genevieve had deliberately found work at Hoffman Group just so she could get closer to Anthony.

Unfortunately, he had long since forgotten who she was.

Thus, she could only work harder to make herself stand out so that he would notice her someday.

Within half a year, she managed to become the chief secretary of his office.

Not long after that, Anthony's younger sister fell seriously ill and was in urgent need of a bone marrow transplant.

It was during a health check-up that he discovered Genevieve was a compatible bone marrow donor for his sister.

That was the first time Anthony approached Genevieve about a personal matter.

He had patiently asked her if she had any conditions for donating her bone marrow.

Genevieve was willing to donate her bone marrow, but not in exchange for money. Suppressing her anxiousness, she had said tentatively to him, "I'll do it if you marry me."

Her answer made Anthony pause in thought before he replied nonchalantly, "Okay."

He sounded like he couldn't care less about who he married.

Genevieve, on the other hand, had been elated that her dream of becoming Mrs. Hoffman was coming true.

For the three years she was married to Anthony, she was mocked, insulted, and sidelined by those around her, becoming the topic of unkind conversations. It was as though it was only natural that Anthony dumped her one day.

Despite this, Genevieve never once regretted marrying him.

She believed she could become the perfect wife and that time would prove to Anthony that he had made the right choice. She had been so sure that he would come to notice all that was good about her and fall in love with her.

However, all her confidence and determination were destroyed at this moment.

Standing on the stage impassively, Anthony silenced the entire room with a single glance. "Thank you all for attending the second birthday party of my son, Samson Hoffman. I know rumors have been flying around since his pictures were taken by the media, so in order to protect him from any hurtful comments, I'd like to take this opportunity today to officially clarify that he is, indeed, mine and my wife's son."

There was an intense buzzing in Genevieve's ears as she listened to Anthony's speech. All the color had drained from her face, and she looked up at him stiffly.

The reporters by the door had yet to disperse, so they naturally heard Anthony's words clearly.

To think, she had firmly denied Anthony having an illegitimate child in front of those reporters earlier, only for him to contradict her now.

His contradiction only went to show that the child was indeed his, but Genevieve was not the mother.

In a trice, Genevieve felt as if she had been slapped in public, and the stinging pain spread from head to toe. She could feel her face getting hot.

To make things worse, Anthony chose to make this groundbreaking announcement on the day of their wedding anniversary!

It was then it dawned on her that he had probably forgotten it was their wedding anniversary, and this welcome party was purely thrown in honor of his illegitimate son. He had only called her earlier to ask her to show up here and nothing more.

Genevieve's tears clouded her vision. The scene in front of her had turned the marriage she tried so hard to keep into some twisted joke and crushed her dignity and determination.

She gave Anthony a long look. He appeared to be waiting for her to play along with his ruse.

'He put me in this situation without even considering my feelings!' she thought in agony.

All at once, embarrassment and cold disappointment washed over her.

Her heart twisted painfully under the silent urging of his sharp and icy gaze.

Genevieve could not believe he was adding more insult to injury even after all the damage he had dealt against her.

She felt like a complete joke.

'As it turns out, some people's hearts can't be moved no matter how hard I try. I was too naive. I concede defeat.

'It's time to put an end to everything,' she ruminated.

Making up her mind, Genevieve took the microphone and smiled slowly, then said in a low and raspy voice, "I believe you're mistaken, Mr. Hoffman. This child has nothing to do with me. In fact, I'd like to know who the mother is as well."

Upon hearing this, the audience tacitly exchanged bewildered looks and began to whisper among themselves.

As Genevieve met Anthony's gaze, she could see the rage and restrained emotions flash in his eyes.

His face grew grim as he bit out in a suppressed voice, "What are you doing, Genevieve? Now is not the time to play around! Don't forget what you promised me!"

She had promised him that she would be a good wife and uphold the Hoffman family's honor as long as he married her.

Genevieve chuckled humorlessly. Burying her disappointment, she narrowed her eyes in a somewhat mischievous manner and drawled sarcastically, "Am I the one who is being unreasonable here, or are you the one who has crossed the line?"

Disappointment and desolation filled her eyes. This would be the last time she was being considerate of Anthony. In a quiet voice, she said decisively, "Let's get a divorce, Anthony Hoffman."

With that, she dropped the microphone on the floor and walked away.

At once, a deafening silence filled the room.

Genevieve and Anthony had been married for three years, but his son was two years old.

She realized that, in other words, for the last three years, he had not been away on business at all. Rather, he had been tending to another family.

He had told her he did not like children, so he did not want her to have any.

'In truth, he just didn't want to have children with me.

'I can't believe I've been living like a fool, cluelessly working to keep up appearances for this sham of a marriage,' she reflected bitterly.

When Genevieve walked out of the banquet hall, she halted and took a glance at the scene inside, only to see Rosalie going up to Anthony to comfort him with the little boy in her arms.

Rosalie's tender voice rang out. "Anthony, where did Genevieve go? Does she not like Sammy?"

Genevieve heard Anthony reply stoically, "Leave her be."

Chapter 2 Scandalous Past

A cold chuckle escaped Genevieve when she heard what Anthony said.

"Leave her be," were the words he had uttered, in a voice so cold that it made her feel like she had fallen into an icy abyss and left to suffer in painful silence.

'To him, I'm nothing more than a woman who took advantage of him. By initiating divorce, I'm doing him a favor by releasing him from this marriage,' she pondered.

A mocking smile played on Genevieve's lips as a devastated but decisive look flashed in her bloodshot eyes.

She looked away from the scene and, without another trace of doubt, strode out of the hotel.

Genevieve did like Anthony, but even she knew she had to draw the line somewhere. She would not let her pride be trampled on without putting up a fight.

There was nothing shameful about getting a divorce. In fact, it would be even more shameful for her to defend a man whom she knew had cheated on her and had fathered an illegitimate child behind her back. That would truly make her the butt of the joke!

At present, the only thought in her mind was to reclaim her lost dignity from this total humiliation.

*****

When Genevieve got back to her and Anthony's marital home, she looked around at the elaborate furnishings she had picked out in hopes that he'd feel warm and cozy the moment he came home.

Now, the mansion felt too big and empty.

She recalled how Anthony had only stayed here for a day when he came home last month before leaving in a hurry.

However, the mere appearance of him had left her so over the moon that she didn't even know what to do.

'He has likely been accompanying Rosalie and their child during these three years all along,' she mused in disappointment and disgust.

Genevieve was upstairs packing when she heard the servant knock on the door, saying, "Mrs. Hoffman, Mr. Foster is here."

Genevieve froze momentarily before walking out of the room. When she saw Matthew Foster, Anthony's assistant, she noticed he had a suitcase next to him and appeared to have just descended from the plane.

Holding a jewelry box and a bouquet of fresh flowers, he smiled and held them out to her. "Mrs. Hoffman, these are gifts from Mr. Hoffman for your third wedding anniversary."

Genevieve stiffened a little and looked up at Matthew. It suddenly occurred to her that every anniversary gift she had received from Anthony was always delivered by Matthew.

'Anthony's still celebrating his illegitimate child's birthday right now. How could he have possibly prepared these gifts?' Genevieve scoffed inwardly and did not reach for the gifts.

As her disappointment snowballed, she realized she could do nothing but admit her failure.

"Mr. Foster, Anthony doesn't even remember what day it is today. You're the one who prepared these gifts, right?" asked Genevieve.

Matthew's smile briefly tightened at this. He looked like he was close to grimacing as he replied, "Mrs. Hoffman..."

His reaction showed Genevieve the truth, and she felt like a boulder had been lifted off her chest, allowing her to breathe again. Getting an answer was also a kind of relief.

Genevieve felt like a complete fool for having been so delighted when she received these gifts in the past years.

'How could I have been so dim-witted not to notice anything amiss?' she pondered.

Without another word, Genevieve turned on her heels and went upstairs once more.

She took out her phone, wanting to call her family, but hesitated at the last moment.

Back then, she had defied her family's wishes when she insisted on marrying Anthony, so she thought she deserved everything that was happening to her now.

With a tap of her finger, the news page on the internet browser was brought up, and the trending headlines immediately came into her view: [Shocking news! Genevieve Lawrence was a sugar baby before getting married and is now barren because of a previous abortion!]

[How can the Hoffman family be without heirs?]

[Poor Anthony! Did he know his wife was barren?]

[Here's why Anthony Hoffman and Rosalie Stewart are the perfect match!]

[Inside scoop on Genevieve's scandalous past and her true colors after marrying rich!]

These topics virtually flooded the internet.

Genevieve could not understand how she could be subjected to such slander when she was clearly the victim.

She clutched her phone with trembling hands, and the welled-up tears in her eyes finally fell, splattering onto her phone screen.

'Ha! You're truly ruthless, Anthony! I can't believe you'd ruin me like this just because I refused to play along with your act. Great! Thanks for crushing the last of my doubts!' she sneered to herself.

Genevieve swallowed her tears bitterly, and her gaze grew colder and firmer.

At this point, she had already finished packing, taking only what she had brought with her when they first moved in.

She planned to wholly disappear from Anthony's world once the divorce was finalized tomorrow.

At midnight, Genevieve was in her slumber when she vaguely heard the sound of a car pulling up outside but paid no mind to it.

After all, she didn't think Anthony would ever come home.

Soon, heavy footsteps sounded from outside the bedroom.

The empty space next to her on the bed sank in, and a mildly chilly hand brushed against her soft skin.

Genevieve shuddered and woke up in an instant.

Reacting in a rather exaggerated manner, she shoved off his hand and quickly covered her abdomen.

The atmosphere instantaneously grew tense in the dark.

When she smelled the familiar yet unfamiliar cool fragrance and faint whiffs of alcohol, she knew at once that the man who had come into the bedroom was Anthony.

What surprised her was the fact that he had shown up here.

'Could he be here to get back at me for what happened in the day?' Genevieve wondered.

She suppressed the bitterness that surged in her and put some distance between them impassively.

The next second, warm light illuminated the entire room.

Anthony stood tall and straight before her, his face stony as he fixed his icy gaze on her. "Are you done being unreasonable?"

Genevieve gaped at him, in disbelief that he had reduced her reaction today into nothing more than petty and unreasonable behavior.

She looked away from him to hide the sadness in her eyes and flashed him a feeble smile. "I'm serious about getting a divorce."

Anthony's eyes darkened as he stared at her, looking as if he was restraining his rage. "You must be out of your mind. Are you worried that this child is going to affect your status in the family, so you're putting up an act to get my attention?"

He watched as she blanched immediately and widened her eyes in astoundment. That gave him confidence that he had seen through her pretenses, and a snicker escaped him. "I'm telling you—"

However, before he could finish speaking, Genevieve got out of bed, swiftly went into the walk-in closet to put on her coat, and brought out her neatly packed suitcase.

Anthony froze and narrowed his eyes to assess her with a sharp gaze. She looked like she was ready to leave at any time.

Meanwhile, Genevieve stood before him in her coat, her eyes dim as she regarded him with nothing but indifference.

As things were, he would only think the worst of her.

"Anthony Hoffman, if you don't meet me at City Hall tomorrow to finalize the divorce, I will tell the media all about the scandals in your family," she threatened.

Genevieve knew what he hated the most, which was why she resorted to using this to coerce him into agreeing to the divorce.

Things turned out just the way she expected them to.

In a flash, his expression turned biting cold, looking as piercing and dangerous as always, but she was not worried anymore, as she was no longer afraid of losing him.

She had accepted the fact that this marriage had failed, and she was willing to leave Anthony.

Although her heart still hurt immensely, she believed she would eventually get over this.

Right now, she could not stand being here for another moment longer.

Hence, dragging the suitcase along with her, she turned to leave the room.

Anthony looked down at her condescendingly and grabbed her by the wrist. Gloominess brewed in his eyes as he warned frostily, "You'd better not regret this, Genevieve!"

Of course, Genevieve would not regret her decision at all, so she left with an even firmer resolve.

It was just past the beginning of autumn, and there was still a chill in the night air.

The moment Genevieve stepped out of the house, hot tears filled her eyes and cascaded down her cheeks silently, blurring her vision.

It was as if the bottled-up emotions in her were finally released.

Chuckling wryly at herself, she took out her phone and called Selene Quinn, a good friend of hers. "Come pick me up, Nelly."

Selene paused before she quickly replied in a calm voice, "Wait for me. I'll be right there."

Selene was Genevieve's friend growing up and the first person to object to Genevieve's decision to marry Anthony three years ago.

Unfortunately, Genevieve was too stubborn and had to learn the hard way about who genuinely cared about her.

In the last three years, Genevieve had deliberately minimized any contact with her friends for fear that there might be trouble if they knew about everything she had suffered in silence.

But now, she seriously felt beyond stupid for doing so.

Selene pulled up at the mansion in less than ten minutes.

As soon as the two saw each other, tears pricked their eyes.

Selene glanced at the suitcase next to Genevieve and immediately realized something had happened.

She gritted her teeth in rage as her heart ached for Genevieve. "Come on," she said. "Let's go back to my place first."

The Quinn family was one of the few most prominent families in the city of Acocester, so Selene, the eldest daughter of the family, naturally had every right to do as she pleased.

In a high-end condominium in the city center, Selene couldn't help letting out a torrent of curses the moment she walked through the door. "I've been wanting to cuss that man out since I saw the news trending during the day. Is Anthony even human? I can't believe he had the audacity to force you to pretend to be his illegitimate child's mother! How could someone be so despicable?"

Genevieve initially thought her heart would break even more at this, but she was wrong. Instead, she felt lighter, as if she had overcome great difficulties and attained a fresh perspective on life.

With a shake of her head, she answered with a wry smile, "We will be getting a divorce tomorrow."

Chapter 3 The Same Gift

After a pause, Selene responded, "That's more like it! I would have looked down on you if you chose to put up with it."

While talking, she went over to Genevieve's side to help the latter unpack, her movements swift and decisive.

There was a moment of silence before Selene turned around and wrapped her arms around Genevieve in consolation. "I'm glad you're here. I strictly forbid you from loving that scoundrel ever again."

Genevieve grew tearful at her friend's words of comfort.

She had been blinded by love and wasted so much time and energy on Anthony.

Taking a deep breath, she swallowed the rest of her emotions and said solemnly, making a promise to Selene and herself, "I won't."

The weather the next day was considerably gloomy, though the air was humid.

Genevieve had abandoned her prim-and-proper fashion sense as "Mrs. Hoffman" and donned a long, sleeveless green dress that she hadn't worn in three years, looking extremely stunning.

Selene wasted no time in bringing Genevieve to City Hall. When they arrived, they decided to wait in the car.

Yet, Anthony never showed up even after much time had passed.

Genevieve called him thrice, only for him to ignore her.

Seeing that her last call was rejected, she quickly found the number of a reporter who was close to Hoffman Group and smiled placidly as she cut to the chase. "I have pictures of Anthony Hoffman getting caught cheating. Wanna have them for free?"

The other party was stunned, saying a couple of things hastily before hanging up the phone.

Selene gave Genevieve a thumbs-up while the latter combed her fingers through her hair.

"Let's wait for him a little longer," Genevieve suggested leisurely. "I'm sure he'll be here soon. By the way, what's new these days? Are there any interesting stories?"

Selene pondered for a moment, then answered with a grin, "Last month, Lawrence Group launched groundbreaking bionic technology that has pretty much conquered the world market. Everyone's saying that your family is extremely wealthy despite being so low-profile."

Selene had only just finished speaking when Anthony's call came in.

Genevieve chuckled, thinking, 'As expected, only such a method works on him.'

She picked up the phone unhurriedly and was immediately greeted by Anthony's frigid, furious voice. "Don't think too highly of yourself, Genevieve. Even if you do have photos of me, do you seriously think any media would dare circulate them?" he warned.

Given how powerful Hoffman Group was, Genevieve was aware the media would hesitate to get on their bad side.

Nonetheless, she saw no way to get out of this marriage other than through petty blackmail.

Chuckling lightly, she pointed out flatly, "Mr. Hoffman, I've been waiting for you outside City Hall for a while now. You're the one who left me no choice but to resort to desperate measures."

Anthony was rendered wordless for a moment, after which he said gravely, "I don't have time to play games with you. You'd better show up at work on time, or I'll fire all the losers who report to you!"

With that, he hung up the phone.

Genevieve's expression stiffened. She could not believe that he was going to jeopardize innocent employee's livelihoods just because he was unhappy with her.

After telling Selene to go home, she booked a taxi to take her to Hoffman Group.

Those at Hoffman Group were surprised to see Genevieve, not expecting her to come back so soon, never mind looking even more radiant than she had before.

With the divorce agreement and letter of resignation that she'd long prepared in hand, she made her way to Anthony's office.

Her present goal was to get out of this place as soon as possible.

When she reached his office, she opened the door and entered without knocking.

As expected, the frail and piteous-looking Rosalie was sitting next to Anthony.

Both of them had their heads lowered as they discussed the paperwork before them, sitting so closely and behaving so intimately.

Genevieve's face fell slightly at the sight of this. She did not think she would see Rosalie here today.

'Then again, they already have a child together, so what's so shocking about her showing up here?' she reflected.

Needless to say, her arrival ruined the good mood between the couple.

Disdain flashed in Genevieve's eyes as she broke the silence in the room. "I was going to resign after the divorce is finalized, but it looks like I'll have to switch up the order of things now."

Anthony looked up at her apathetically, his gaze icy. His impeccably ironed shirt only made him seem more imposing.

"Aren't you worried that I'll fire your team if you keep throwing a fit like this?" he questioned.

He knew Genevieve cared about the people in the secretarial department, for she had trained them and led them single-handedly.

Genevieve sneered in response, "I'll just bring them with me."

The air in the office suddenly grew colder.

Hearing that, Rosalie drew back her gaze with a faint smile and opened the drawer to take out a gift box, which she handed to Genevieve. "Ms. Lawrence, are you still angry about what happened yesterday? I'm really sorry. I heard that it was your third wedding anniversary yesterday, but Anthony has been so busy with matters about my son and me that he forgot about it. Here, I picked out this gift with him to make it up to you. I hope you like it."

She walked over to Genevieve and added in a soft voice, "Oh, and I have the exact same necklace, too!"

Her gaze was filled with contempt and provocation as she observed Genevieve's countenance.

Genevieve found the whole thing absurd, thinking, 'Anthony went to get me a gift with his mistress, and it's the same necklace that his mistress has as well? Ha!'

No words could describe the way Genevieve was currently feeling. She was disgusted, to say the least, as though she had accidentally stepped on a pile of dog poo.

Genevieve eyed Rosalie icily. The next second, she reached out to swat the gift box out of the latter's hand. "Cut the act, will you?"

Rosalie paled as she looked at Genevieve piteously. "I know you're angry with me, but the child is innocent. Will you please accept him as part of your family?"

As she spoke, tears fell from her cheeks, and she started sobbing.

Anthony stood up, looking thunderous as he demanded, "What are you doing, Genevieve Lawrence?"

His expression grew grim when he saw Rosalie crying her heart out and the fallen gift box lying on the floor.

He would not stand for Genevieve bullying Rosalie in his presence.

Tearfully, Rosalie reached out to grab his arm and placated, "Ms. Lawrence is rightfully angry, and it's all right if she doesn't like the gift I picked out for her. I only want her to be kind to Samson. I have no intention of wrecking your marriage."

Anthony frowned at Genevieve, his eyes like a stormy sea.

Genevieve, on the other hand, had to admit that Rosalie was skilled as an actress. This performance was utterly professional.

A faint smile played on Genevieve's lips as she pointed out coldly, "You're already a homewrecker and had a child with my husband, to boot. Why are you still pretending to be innocent? Don't you find it ridiculous?"

All the color drained from Rosalie's face. She leaned weakly on Anthony and began to cry on his shoulder.

Anthony's expression was frosty, and there was no warmth in his green eyes as he snapped, "Watch what you say, Genevieve. She's not a homewrecker. You'd better show some respect."

Genevieve watched him come to Rosalie's defense as if Rosalie was his beloved that he couldn't bear seeing hurt. Instantly, she felt as if she was the villain here trying to tear a loving couple apart.

'If Rosalie isn't the homewrecker, then who is? Me?' she sneered on the inside.

An icy gleam flashed in Genevieve's eyes as she stared at Antony emotionlessly. "Is she so noble as to deserve my respect?" she asked sarcastically.

Suppressing the chill that surged through her, Genevieve glowered at Anthony frigidly.

Anthony stared at her deadpan face and felt something strange stir within him. Still, he swiftly suppressed it.

Rosalie's pitiful weeping was starting to make him uneasy. He gazed at Genevieve stonily and barked, "Apologize to Rosalie now!"

"Apologize?" Genevieve froze momentarily, bridling and eyeing him as if he had just cracked a joke.

At this moment, Rosalie bit down on her lip and picked up the cup of coffee from the desk, then meekly and carefully made her way over to Genevieve once more. "I'm sorry, Ms. Lawrence. I'm the one who should apologize to you."

She held out the cup of coffee to Genevieve. Just as the coffee was almost poured on her, Genevieve flew into an uncontrollable rage.

Acting more on instinct than on rationale, Genevieve took a step back and slapped Rosalie hard across the face.

A resounding smack rang out in the office, accompanied by the sound of a shattering cup.

Genevieve shook off the tingling numbness in her hand, feeling a wave of adrenaline and satisfaction course through her.

For a brief moment, dead silence fell over the room.

Astounded, Rosalie covered her throbbing and rapidly reddening cheek weakly as tears of horror filled her eyes.

Anthony looked at Genevieve in disbelief. Completely abandoning his composure, he pulled Rosalie behind him and shot Genevieve a ferocious look. "Are you out of your freaking mind, Genevieve?"

Chapter 4 How Shameless Can You Two Be

Since the previous day, Genevieve seemed to have become a different person.

With a cold smile, Genevieve met Anthony's furious gaze and took out the long-prepared resignation letter and divorce agreement, throwing them hard in his face.

"Anthony Hoffman, how shameless can you two be! Do you really think I've forgotten about you controlling public opinion and buying so many trending topics to slander me? Don't make me look down on you! Just the thought of staying with someone like you for a day more sickens me to the core." She smirked icily, stepped forward, and approached him, looking into his piercing eyes without fear.

Genevieve grabbed Anthony's collar and yanked him hard in her direction, causing his handsome face to close in. Her voice was extremely icy and threatening as she continued, "I'm sure you're clear about my work abilities. If you don't want things to look too bad, sign the papers and let us part on good terms. Otherwise, I will file for a contested divorce, and Hoffman Group's scandals will be made known to all."

After saying that, she shot them a frosty glance, released her hand in revulsion, and turned to leave.

She never knew she could feel so pleased and content after letting go.

Anthony stared at Genevieve's back with an intense gaze, frowning deeply with a cold and conflicted expression.

The moment Genevieve had yanked him, she seemed to have also squeezed his heart tightly, making him feel a hint of nervousness with the tremor in his chest.

Anthony had no feelings for this wife of his, but he was still fairly satisfied with her.

After marrying her, he did have peace of mind, for she had always been complaisant and never caused him trouble, even helping him far beyond his initial expectations.

Anthony had never seen Genevieve so enraged, sharp, rational, and stony. It was as if the little beast disguised as a kitten had finally revealed its true colors.

An indescribable emotion stirred in his heart that he couldn't control at all. Her collected and aloof gaze earlier appeared in his mind, leaving him utterly frustrated.

'Buying trending topics to slander her? When did I ever do something like that?' he wondered. However, he also came to realize he didn't want to divorce Genevieve anymore.

Rosalie reached for his arm as she sobbed cautiously. "Anthony, how about I find a chance to explain things to Ms. Lawrence?"

Anthony avoided her action, pursing his thin lips as he studied her slightly swollen cheek. "No need for that. Just don't blame her."

Rosalie's face turned white as a sheet as she put on a weak, empathetic smile. "Of course, I won't."

A hint of danger emerged in Rosalie's mind as she thought, 'Does Anthony care about that woman?'

Meanwhile, once Genevieve went out, her colleagues gathered around her, feeling indignant for her.

"Genevieve, you're clearly the legally wedded spouse of Mr. Hoffman and have put in so much effort, yet you're actually gonna make way for a homewrecker now?" one of them queried.

"I heard from Mr. Foster that there are plans to let that wretched woman join our secretarial department. Doesn't that mean they're driving you away?" somebody echoed.

"Mr. Hoffman is truly blind. How can that woman even hold a candle to you in ability and appearance?" another chimed in.

Since she had already let go of everything, Genevieve smiled gratefully. "Don't worry about me. I would be insane if I didn't run away from such a marriage."

She flashed a nonchalant smile, adding, "I'm more concerned about you guys now. Mr. Hoffman may vent his anger on you because of me. If any of you want to leave, feel free to come to me any time."

Having worked here for three years, Genevieve had formed a strong bond with these colleagues of hers.

If Anthony really ended up firing them because of her, Genevieve wouldn't mind recommending them to Lawrence Group. Even if Anthony wanted to ban any of them in the industry, she could also afford the consequences.

After saying goodbye to her colleagues, Genevieve left the office with her belongings.

In the meantime, Anthony didn't forget what Genevieve had said and immediately sent someone to investigate the matter about the slander.

Before long, Matthew received results and sent Howard Jenkins, the manager of the public relations department, to report to Anthony.

"You instructed us not to let the rumors and gossip cause any harm to Samson, especially about his background. So... we could only expose Mrs. Hoffman's past to divert the public's attention," Howard said.

Anthony's face darkened. "What past?"

"Well... About her indecent life before marriage, having several abortions, her infertility, and so on," replied Howard.

Upon hearing those words, Anthony smashed the cup in front of him to the floor, his face instantly grim as he shot Howard a stern look. "Who said that?"

Anthony was utterly incensed. He naturally knew those were all untrue, for she had given him her virginity.

The office fell into a dead silence.

Wiping his cold sweat, Howard answered, "Someone sent us Mrs. Hoffman's information anonymously. Besides, Ms. Stewart also told us to protect Samson at all costs..." He noticed Anthony's current foul mood and dared not hide anything anymore.

Anthony's eyes darkened in an instant, and he ordered with a gloomy face, "Go pack up your things. You don't have to come to work anymore."

Howard begged for mercy but to no avail. In the end, he was dragged away by the security guards.

Anthony realized he had been careless this time. The indescribable emotion he had toward Genevieve grew more intense and lingered in his heart.

For days on end, Genevieve refused to answer any calls from anyone in Hoffman Group.

A week later, the hospital called her to remind her of her prenatal checkup. Only then did she remember that there was still a baby in her womb.

Genevieve should have been happy to have an inseparable connection with Anthony, but she truly couldn't find any joy right then.

'Anthony already has an illegitimate child. There's no way he'll care about mine,' she ruminated.

She felt as if the heavens were making fun of her by giving her an unwanted surprise and knew she had to make up her mind as to whether to keep the baby or not.

In the end, Genevieve visited the hospital without anyone's knowledge.

After her examination, the doctor seemed to notice her hesitation and gently told her, "The fetus is developing healthily, and all indicators are normal. If you don't wish to keep it, you should make a decision soon."

Genevieve hesitated, smiling with a wan face. "Thank you. Let me think about it."

She stood up and walked to the door with her mind in a mess. From the back, her figure appeared to be frail, and she looked somewhat tender and lonely with her head drooping slightly.

While she was in a daze, a child who jumped out of nowhere bumped into her leg and fell to the floor, crying aggrievedly while covering his forehead.

Genevieve was about to bend down to help him but became slightly startled upon seeing the child's face.

At the same time, Rosalie's anxious and worried voice came not far away. "Samson!"

Rosalie rushed over, glanced at Genevieve, and pulled Samson into her arms before crying in distress as if Genevieve had bullied her son.

The crying of the mother-son pair quickly attracted many onlookers.

Soon after, Anthony also ran over from the side. His sleeves were rolled up to his forearms, and he emitted a chilly aura.

When he saw the commotion, his face instantly fell as he stared at Genevieve sharply.

Rosalie sobbed, "Ms. Lawrence, even if I've done you wrong, you shouldn't lay hands on my child. He's only two years old. Please spare him!"

Genevieve was rendered speechless at this scene, finding everything hilarious. 'Is this Rosalie woman addicted to acting or something?' she wondered. She was even getting rather bored and tired of having to deal with Rosalie's tricks.

Anthony quietly carried Samson and coaxed him gently, his eyes full of tenderness and affection for the child. The mix of coldness and gentleness in his aura blended particularly well in him.

Then, he turned to Genevieve with a sharper gaze and frowned slightly. "Why are you here? Are you following us?" he questioned with anger and indifference.

Genevieve's heart skipped a beat, and her already poor mood became worse. She snorted lightly. "Do you think everyone who comes here wants something to do with you? Who the hell do you think you are?"

Samson gradually stopped crying in Anthony's embrace. He was indeed more dependent on his father.

Genevieve found this scene an eyesore, and the thought of the purpose of her visit here made her even more bitter.

She could barely breathe, as if something had weighed down on her chest. The suffocating feeling even caused a slight sinking pain in her lower abdomen.

Rosalie spoke up weakly. "Samson's running a fever, so Anthony and I brought him here to see a doctor. But he suddenly went missing when we turned around. It's too coincidental that he's found to be with you. What are you trying to do, Ms. Lawrence?"

She was implying that Genevieve had abducted Samson!

Chapter 5 Car Accident

At the end of her tether, Genevieve sneered, "He's the one who bumped into me. I didn't even touch a single hair on him. You know, surveillance camera is a wonderful invention. Please have some common sense and check the footage before slandering me."

Rosalie's face stiffened at once, and even her sobbing ceased. It seemed that she had forgotten about surveillance cameras, which could contradict her previous accusation at any time.

Right as she was about to say something to salvage the situation, she saw Genevieve turn to leave with her bag in hand.

Anthony frowned and hurriedly handed Samson to Rosalie. "Wait for me here." With that, he hastily went after Genevieve.

He couldn't explain his emotions, but Genevieve's recent abnormal behavior and the subconscious changes in his heart made him somewhat uneasy.

When Anthony caught up to her, Genevieve was waiting for the car she booked outside.

Anthony stood there with a conflicted look on his face, asking in a flat tone, "What were you doing in the hospital? Are you sick?"

Genevieve glanced at him in confusion, thinking, 'Wasn't he just accusing me of stalking him? Why is he concerned about my health now? What is he up to?'

Of course, she would not let him know about her pregnancy, so she answered unthinkingly, "I just came to visit a friend." Anyway, Anthony didn't know any of her friends.

Anthony's face tensed. "Where have you been staying these days? Why haven't you come home?"

Genevieve swept an indifferent gaze over him and replied in an extremely cold voice, "What does it have to do with you? Now that I've moved out, your new lover and illegitimate child are free to move in!"

A vein throbbed in Anthony's temple. Evidently, he had become infuriated.

Genevieve chuckled nonchalantly. "I almost forgot that you own many properties, Mr. Hoffman. How could you possibly make them live in a second-hand home? It's not like they're shameful or anything."

Anthony suppressed his rage, rebuking with a strained, stony voice, "I've always thought you had a good nature. To think you can't even accept a child!"

Genevieve's heart clenched, and she curled her hands into fists. 'Ha! He's making it sound as though it's so easy to accept a child he has with another woman and that I'm petty for not being able to do so!' she sneered to herself.

Genevieve smiled slowly with a hint of coldness. "I'm done talking to you, Anthony. You already saw the divorce agreement. Please don't bother me with anything else apart from going through the divorce procedures."

Just then, the car arrived and stopped beside her. After taking a glimpse at the license plate number, she got in the car and closed the door without sparing another glance at Anthony.

'What a joke. Does he seriously think I should take care of his mistress and illegitimate child without a word? Have I really become that cheap?' she pondered.

Anthony looked composed as he observed Genevieve's cold and distant attitude, but his heart was trembling slightly.

He had yet to tell her that the trending topics from before were done on the public relations department's own initiative. But he knew she likely wouldn't believe it anyway.

Something seemed to be slipping away from his heart, yet he was too helpless to grasp it.

At this moment, Rosalie came from behind him with Samson crying in her arms. She spoke gingerly. "Samson's crying again. Could he still be feverish?"

Anthony snapped out of his thoughts, though his expression remained stony. When he turned around, he withdrew that chilliness and looked at the delicate child tenderly. "Don't worry. The doctor knows what to do."

Rosalie smiled with a pale face and peered at him cautiously. "I saw your divorce agreement. Are you going to divorce her, Anthony?"

Anthony's smile stiffened, and his eyes instantly darkened and froze over as he glanced at her standoffishly. "No. She will forever be Mrs. Hoffman."

Rosalie's blood ran cold, but she forced out a hypocritical smile. "That's good. If not, I'll feel bad."

Without saying anything, Anthony walked inside with Samson in his arms.

Unbeknownst to Anthony, iciness and indignance flashed across Rosalie's weak eyes as she lowered them. 'If Anthony doesn't want to divorce, I'll have to deal with Genevieve instead,' she brooded.

After that encounter, Genevieve received text messages from unknown numbers several times, consisting of none other than intimate photos of Rosalie and Anthony, as well as insults about her infertility.

She could easily guess who was behind this, but since they could serve as free evidence for her divorce, she saved all the messages.

Genevieve had relaxed a lot by eating, drinking, and having fun with Selene during this time, and her overall condition was better than before.

In the evening, Selene took Genevieve to the clubhouse to hang out with some friends. The latter didn't refuse and chatted and laughed with everyone as if she was back to the carefree days before her marriage.

In the middle of her fun, she went to the restroom, only to run into Rosalie unexpectedly.

Genevieve looked away as though she didn't know Rosalie and took her lipstick out of her bag to touch up her makeup.

Looking at the gorgeous and alluring Genevieve, Rosalie couldn't help but feel jealous. "Ms. Lawrence, I didn't expect you to be into nightlife. Anthony and I are here for business socialization. Do you want to go say hello?"

It went without saying that Genevieve knew Rosalie was trying to flaunt about being able to go everywhere with Anthony. Genevieve smiled placidly, looked at Rosalie's pretentious face through the mirror, and said frostily, "If you're that capable, then make Anthony divorce me. Otherwise, don't mess with me, or I might really slap you."

Genevieve warned Rosalie unceremoniously and gave the latter a piercing side-eye. Watching Rosalie's face stiffen, she turned around to leave.

Inadvertently, a piece of paper fell out of her bag, but she didn't notice it and left right away.

Rosalie bent over and picked up the paper, which was a medical report. Her expression changed drastically when she read the result. It stated that Genevieve was pregnant!

Rosalie clutched the medical report tightly. The trepidation and anxiety that churned within her had reached its peak, and her breathing hastened. 'If Anthony finds out that Genevieve's pregnant, all my efforts will go down the drain, and it'll be all the more impossible for Samson and me to enter the Hoffman family!' she mulled.

Something sinister and ruthless fleeted across Rosalie's eyes as she thought, 'I can't let anyone stand in my way!'

*****

When Genevieve returned to the private room, the others were almost done drinking.

While Selene started dispersing everyone, Genevieve waited outside for Selene and their designated driver.

Genevieve stood at the intersection, where the surrounding street lights were rather dim.

Concurrently, Rosalie sat in the car and stared at Genevieve intently.

Genevieve was smiling gently as she put a hand on her belly, seemingly talking to the fetus in her womb with her head lowered.

Rosalie's rage and viciousness surged in an instant. She gripped the steering wheel tightly with gloomy and ferocious eyes.

There was only one heinous thought left in her mind, and that was to run over and kill Genevieve's child!

'I can't let Genevieve and her child become my obstacle. Once I kill them, no one will compete with me for Anthony anymore!

'Everything should have been mine anyway! Genevieve Lawrence, go to hell with your baby!' she cursed inwardly.

Rosalie tensed up and gritted her teeth, then floored the gas pedal as she exclaimed to herself, 'Go to hell!'

When Genevieve raised her head, she was met with a light shining right at her, so blinding that she couldn't even open her eyes.

Following that, a shrill screech sounded as a car sped toward her at full throttle.

Momentarily, her mind went blank, and her hands and feet turned cold.

The instant the car hit her, Genevieve spotted the driver inside. It was Rosalie.

An ear-splitting sound pierced through the silence of the night.

Bang!

Genevieve was sent flying before landing heavily on the ground. Excruciating pain followed, as if her whole body had shattered. Afterward, all the pain gathered in her lower abdomen.

Warm liquid began gushing out between her legs, and something seemed to be flowing out of her body bit by bit. Her heart clenched as fear and excruciating pain washed over her.

She couldn't even move, and she felt as if the whole world had abandoned her.

'Save my child...' she pleaded inwardly.

Genevieve had already decided to raise the child on her own. Unfortunately, the life inside her body was forced to leave in a struggle right then, and she knew she was about to lose her baby.

As she lay there helplessly, both her tears and her blood flowed down in sync.

Genevieve was in too much pain to say anything. The bright light shrouded her surroundings callously while the strong stench of blood wafted up her nose, and her vision blurred progressively.

'This three years of marriage really left me with nothing!' she thought. Her heart seemed to have been crushed by someone's hand, and the pain it brought about coursed through her every nerve.

Silence ensued around her.

But somehow, she seemed to hear Selene's panicked and hysterical shrieks.

The buzzing in her ears was getting softer and softer.

Soon, Genevieve completely passed out.

Chapter 6 Miscarriage

The area was flooded with people who rushed out from the clubhouse.

The ambulance soon arrived.

After handing Genevieve to the doctors, Selene stood up and bolted toward the car. She picked up a brick nearby and smashed it onto Rosalie's car window.

Rosalie shuddered in shock, seemingly traumatized and terrified.

Selene reached through the shattered window and unlocked the car door from within. She yanked Rosalie out of the car by her hair, then kicked and slapped her.

Smack!

The slap rang out horrifyingly loud and clear.

Tugging on Rosalie's hair, Selene gritted her teeth with seething hatred. "Do you even know who she is? How dare you lay a hand on her..."

Rosalie came back to her senses, her face pale. She immediately shoved Selene away and threw herself into the arms of Anthony, who was approaching.

Trembling in Anthony's arms, she cried in horror. "I didn't mean to, Anthony. It was too dark, and I didn't see anyone there..."

Anthony frowned as he looked at the chaotic scene with a gloomy face.

Upon arriving at the scene, he happened to see the paramedics carry the stretcher into the ambulance. When he saw the dark red puddle on the ground, his heart sank and he somehow had an ominous feeling.

Selene glared at the shameless couple coldly and spoke with intense hatred bubbling within her. "Anthony and Rosalie, the both of you should go to hell!"

After her outburst, Selene hopped on the ambulance and left.

Anthony felt extremely uneasy for some reason. He wanted to go check on the victim, but Rosalie held on to him tightly and wouldn't let go.

"Please help me, Anthony. I didn't do it on purpose..." Rosalie said.

Anthony's gaze turned cold as he pushed her away. "What on earth happened here?"

Rosalie whimpered piteously and grabbed the corner of his clothes. "I've just returned from abroad and haven't gotten used to the driving style here. Besides, it was too dark for me to see anyone standing over there. Anthony, Samson can't live without a mother..."

Anthony's expression softened at the mention of Samson, and he seemed to have reined in his emotions, too. After a few seconds of silence, he patted Rosalie on the shoulder and comforted her, "All right, I will get a lawyer to help you. Don't worry."

Rosalie smiled and sobbed in relief, hugging him again. "Thank you, Anthony. I knew you wouldn't abandon Samson and me."

With a heavy heart, Anthony suppressed the edginess in his heart and called Matthew.

The police soon arrived, and so did Matthew and the lawyer.

After gathering the necessary evidence, the police questioned Rosalie, "Do you recognize the victim?"

Rosalie leaned weakly against Anthony's chest and shook her head in fear and confusion. "It was too dark. I couldn't see clearly."

After the police were done, Anthony instructed Matthew, "As long as the issue can be solved, any amount the victim asks for is not a problem."

Matthew nodded. He and the lawyer then left for the police station alongside Rosalie.

In the hospital, the doctor came out of the emergency room with a grave expression. "The patient suffered a miscarriage. Please contact her family."

Selene stood outside the emergency room in shock. She was beside herself with panic as she took out her phone to call Genevieve's father, Darrell Lawrence. Sobbing, she said, "Mr. Lawrence, something happened to Genevieve..."

*****

Later in the evening, Matthew and the lawyer bailed Rosalie out of the police station and sent her over to Anthony.

Then, the police and Matthew went to the hospital to discuss the compensation, but they were met with only Selene and a lawyer when they arrived.

Selene looked somewhat familiar to Matthew, but he couldn't recall where he had seen her.

The police went over to ask, "What's your relationship with the victim?"

"I'm her friend," Selene answered.

"What's the name of the victim?" the police asked.

"Genevieve Lawrence," Selene replied.

Matthew's expression changed as soon as he heard Selene's words. He looked at her in shock.

Selene looked at Matthew and sneered, tossing the surgical report in front of him. "Want to negotiate? Well, why don't you ask Anthony how the matter can be resolved since that wretched woman, Rosalie, killed Genevieve and her child?"

Flustered, Matthew hastily reached out to grab the report, and his expression changed drastically as he read it. He didn't say anything. Instead, he turned and went out to call Anthony, reporting the incident.

None of them knew about Genevieve's pregnancy. The person Rosalie had hit with the car turned out to be Genevieve and worst of all, she had lost her baby. The issue became all the more tricky.

When his call to Anthony was not answered, Matthew thought, 'It's over!'

Anthony had muted his phone while tucking Samson in bed.

Rosalie then came back, crying intermittently for half a night. Anthony had his hands full trying to console her and only left the house at dawn.

It was already noon the next day when Matthew finally got in touch with Anthony.

Anthony's voice sounded exhausted and hoarse, tinged with a hint of impatience. "Is the matter settled?"

Matthew was silent for a while. "I couldn't discuss the compensation with the other party because they refused to negotiate."

"How about the victim? Is their condition severe? Offer them more money then." Anthony's voice was deep and cold.

Matthew paused and said, "Mr. Hoffman, it was Mrs. Hoffman whom Ms. Stewart had hit, and..." He gritted his teeth and blurted out, "Mrs. Hoffman has been pregnant for a month, and now she lost the baby!"

Dead silence ensued on the phone.

After a moment of silence, Anthony spoke up, his tone filled with intense disbelief. "What did you say? How could it be her?"

He finally knew the root of his inexplicable anxiousness. 'The baby's gone? My child...' he thought.

The sense of uneasiness that had been brewing in his chest finally surged uncontrollably at that moment, disrupting all his sanity in an instant. 'The baby was gone after she was pregnant for a month,' he mused.

He finally understood what it was like to have a sharp dagger slicing through his heart. The overflowing sense of anguish began to suffocate him unwittingly.

Tossing his phone aside, he immediately drove to the hospital, but Genevieve was nowhere to be seen. The chilly aura he was exuding was pronounced, making it impossible to ignore.

"Where is she?" Anthony asked.

Matthew hesitated to speak. He glanced at Selene and the lawyer sitting next to him.

Selene said coldly, "She is just out of surgery and doesn't want to see you. Unfortunately, Mr. Hoffman, your child is gone."

Anthony's face darkened instantly. His gaze was gloomy, and his pupils shrank slightly. It was as if someone had stabbed him hard in the heart, and the pain spread throughout his body intensely. His face turned pale in agony. A surge of remorse washed over him.

Selene continued adding salt to his wound. "It doesn't matter anyway. Your illegitimate child is all grown up. I bet you don't even care about your child with Genevieve. In fact, I should congratulate you for finally freeing yourself from this marriage."

Inexplicable emotions swirled in Anthony's deep eyes. For a moment, he was in a daze. He then asked again in a dry, hoarse voice, "Where is Genevieve?"

For some reason, he felt a deep sense of helplessness other than agitation. Although Anthony hadn't held any expectations for Genevieve to bear his child, he still felt heartbroken upon hearing the news of her miscarriage.

His child was gone. Ironically, he was even comforting the culprit and caring for someone else's child the previous night. The dull pain that assailed him belatedly threw him beyond frustration and panic.

Anthony clenched his fists tightly, and his whole body tensed. He felt as though his wife and child were detaching themselves from his world, getting farther and farther away from him.

Genevieve's cold, apathetic gaze emerged in his mind again. His heart suddenly clenched, and it hurt badly. It was as if a bunch of insects were gnawing at his heart, and all his limbs and organs were in agony.

Selene took a document from the lawyer and threw it at Anthony, sneering sarcastically, "This is the divorce agreement. If you don't sign it, we will sue Rosalie for first-degree murder and let her spend her life in prison!"