Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Silas glanced at me and nodded firmly, beginning his twisted explanation.

"Cynthia stayed single until thirty because of me. Now that she's dying, I have to fulfill her final wish."

His cheeks flushed slightly, as if the next part was difficult to say.

"Cynthia... she's stayed pure for me all these years. She's never been with a man. So, I've decided to give her a child."

"I've already discussed it with her. After the baby is born, it can even take your last name. Does that work for you?"

He added this quickly, seeing the frozen look on my face.

I looked at him in disbelief and stood up abruptly. "Silas, what the hell are you saying? You want to have a baby with Cynthia and then have me raise it?"

"I don't agree, and I won't accept it. I turned a blind eye to you taking care of her, but now you're telling me to my face that you're going to cuckold me."

"What is wrong with your head, Silas?"

My rage reached its breaking point. I had lost all sense of logic.

Because I loved him, I had tolerated him keeping Cynthia in his heart. I had even accepted him spending all his time with her lately.

But his words felt like a heavy slap across my face―painful and humiliating.

Silas looked stunned. He didn't expect the woman who was always submissive to react this way. He recovered quickly, his expression turning cold.

"What's your problem, Sylvia? I'm not asking for your permission. I'm informing you."

He frowned at me, his eyes full of annoyance.

"Besides, even if I married you, my body belongs to me. I don't need your permission to decide who I have a child with."

"And honestly, if you hadn't forced me to marry you back then, I would have run away with Cynthia long ago. You're just a scavenger who took advantage of a bad situation."

The resentment in his eyes was like a knife.

I suddenly lost the energy to argue or even ask questions.

I never thought he would blame me for his separation from Cynthia.

Years ago, Silas was publicly humiliated when some compromising photos of him were leaked. When Cynthia found out, she packed her bags and left the city immediately.

His parents, both retired professors, couldn't handle the scandal and fell seriously ill.

I had been in love with him for years, and I stepped in to help. Yes, I admit I took my chance.

But what else could I do? I had fallen for him the first time I saw him on campus. Back then, everyone knew he was with Cynthia, and I wasn't the type to break up a happy couple.

But when she abandoned him and he was drowning in debt and scandal, I couldn't just watch him suffer.

I stayed by his side for two years while he battled depression. I thought my devotion had finally touched him, or that he had finally moved on from Cynthia.

When he asked me to marry him after those two years, I thought my love had finally been rewarded.

Even after the wedding, I took care of him with everything I had, terrified his depression would return.

But now, six years later, he was telling me that his regrets with Cynthia were all my fault.

What a joke.

One sentence wiped out years of my devotion and love.

"Silas, what am I to you? Just a walking ATM that you can ignore whenever you want?"

I was practically screaming.

Anger turned my eyes bloodshot. My lips trembled so much I couldn't even form a coherent sentence.

I couldn't understand how he could do this to me. We had been married for six years. Did he even have a heart?

"Sylvia, do you really need to overreact like this?" He looked at me with pure disgust.

"Whatever. I don't care how you feel. I'm giving Cynthia this child no matter what."

Before I could respond, his phone rang. The ringtone was unique―I knew instantly it was Cynthia.

Her voice sounded weak over the line.

"Silas... my stomach is hurting again. I really want to see you. Can you come over...?"

She sounded so fragile. I watched Silas's expression shift instantly into one of deep worry and heartache.

That was a look he had never given me.

I instinctively grabbed his arm. "Silas, please don't. You're my husband..."

He shook me off, his face twisted with irritation.

"Sylvia, stop acting out! Cynthia is sick and she needs me right now."

"Even if you're jealous, look at the situation. Is this the right time to be throwing a tantrum?"

"Stop being so unreasonable. Cynthia doesn't have much time left."

He spoke with a heavy brow, as if I were truly just a spoiled brat making life difficult for him.

I felt my heart shatter into a million pieces.