On the day of my mother's funeral, my fiancé's mistress gave birth to his child.

He didn't even show up. All I got was a phone call.

"I'm at the birth care center with her, so I won't be attending," he said.

I didn't say anything, and he let out a sigh.

"Don't worry, she was just a mistake. She never meant to ruin our engagement. She only wants to keep the child as a keepsake."

My hands curled into fists, and I smiled so hard my eyes filled with tears.

"Dylan, we're done. I'm calling off the engagement."

He laughed coldly.

"Don't make a big deal out of it. Your mom just died."

Without another word, I ended the call and turned toward the man Dylan Gabbard hated most.

"Marry me. Bring down the Gabbard family. Are you in or not?"

At the funeral, Aiden Winslow's expression briefly changed to surprise.

His normally serious face flushed pink, and he stammered, "There is a rule in my family. We take only one wife in a lifetime. If you marry me, you'll be mine forever."

Thinking he was rejecting me, I turned away, disheartened.

But he grabbed my hand firmly, and the usual wild look in his eyes faded into something serious.

He said, "Kaylee, don't take this lightly. Divorce won't be an option."

I gave him a soft smile and nodded with certainty.

"Okay, I won't divorce."

Aiden was the man my mother had picked for me to marry. His personality, family status, and reputation had always been solid.

If I hadn't fallen for Dylan, I probably would've ended up with Aiden instead.

The funeral arrangements were overwhelming, but Aiden helped me organize everything, which took over two weeks.

During all that time, Dylan didn't contact me once.

Every time I checked my Facebook, I saw sweet photos of him with Rachel Powell.

They were smiling, holding their child, and forming a heart with their hands.

The caption read, "My most precious and cherished family."

I let out a dry laugh, feeling my heart sink a little.

Right then, his name showed up on my phone screen.

He spoke in a lazy tone, "So, is the funeral finished? Want to visit the child at the birth care center?"

I glanced at my reflection in the rearview mirror, noticing how tired I looked, then answered quietly, "Dylan, we've already broken up."

There was a brief silence on the other end of the line before he gave a nonchalant hum.

"That's probably for the best. Rachel's been feeling down since the birth. Seeing you might upset her."

And just like that, the tears I had been holding back for weeks finally came pouring out.

My eyes turned a bit red, and I let out a quiet, bitter laugh at myself.

"Dylan, I told you it's over. Are you deaf?"

He paused, then gave a mocking smile.

"Kaylee, you've been my girlfriend for five years. I've used you up. Who would even want you now?

"I said the child was an accident. Why can't you just let it go?"

I stayed quiet.

Then I heard a crashing sound over the phone.

Dylan laughed coldly. "Fine, let's break up. I'll be here when you come back, begging me to take you back."

The call ended with a harsh click.

When I returned home, I found the password had been changed.

I tried calling Dylan again, but he wouldn't answer. With nowhere to go, I had no choice but to check into a random hotel for the night.

The next morning, Instagram recommended a livestream from a birth care center.

Rachel chatted happily with the viewers while Dylan sat beside her, gazing at her with affection.

I used to believe that kind of warmth in his eyes was only meant for me.

The livestream had been going on for almost five hours, and fans kept posting in the chat.

"I couldn't help but feel jealous. That streamer was living in a luxury birth care center that cost 80,000 a month, with her husband right next to her."

"She's living the dream."

"Get yourself a husband like that!"

Before taking over the Gabbard Group, Dylan served as a soldier protecting the country.

He always said he disliked being on camera.

He never even smiled in photos with me.

But now, he's making exceptions for Rachel, appearing live on screen for the whole country to see.

Rachel answered a fan's question with a cheerful smile. "He's just really thoughtful."

Thoughtful?

I felt a sharp ache in my chest and wiped away my tears, forcing a smile.

With me, Dylan was never the kind of patient and thoughtful boyfriend he pretended to be.

I still remember once when I asked him to watch a movie together.

After begging him for a while, he finally said yes.

But during the film, just two hours long, he ended up sleeping through most of it.

When he woke up, he rubbed his forehead and said in an annoyed voice, "Spending time with you is such a waste."

Now he's full of care, spending hours by Rachel's side without complaint.

It's clear that he just never cared about me.

Dylan might have seen my username on Instagram and decided to call me.

"You've got thirty minutes. Come to the birth care center and take your mom's belongings," he said.

By the time I got there, the livestream had already ended.

Rachel greeted me with a cheerful smile. "Hey, Kaylee! You came to visit me!"

I didn't respond to her. Instead, I walked straight to Dylan, held out my hands, and said quietly, "Hand it over."

His smile faded, and his expression turned cold.

"Rachel just spoke to you. Can't you answer?" he snapped.

I gave a small, fake smile and looked at Rachel.

"Congratulations, Ms. Powell. You managed to steal my fiancé and even had his child. I guess now you're planning to climb higher using your child?"

Crash!

Dylan slammed his teacup to the floor.

"If you're going to talk like that, then don't talk at all!"

Rachel suddenly held her stomach and cried out in pain, tears dripping down her face.

Dylan instantly panicked.

"Rachel! What's wrong? Where does it hurt?"

She bit her lip, her eyes red and watery as she stared at me.

She said softly, "Kaylee, I never meant to come between you and Mr. Gabbard. But the doctor said this might be my one and only chance to have a child. I promise, once my recovery period is over, I'll leave quietly and won't bother him again."

After she spoke, her eyes fell on the baby lying in the crib.

"I'm sorry, Sweetheart. You lost your dad the moment you were born. I didn't do it on purpose. Please forgive me..."

Her voice trembled as she cried, her face pale and full of sorrow.

Dylan turned to me, his eyes cold and sharp like knives, filled with hatred.

"Is this what you wanted? To see her break down in tears?"

I let out a cold laugh.

"You're the only one who thinks her lousy acting is convincing."

My sarcasm clearly set him off.

He yanked the pocket watch from my neck—the one my mother left behind—and tossed it high into the air.

I panicked as I saw what he was doing.

"Wait! Don't!" I shouted.

But he didn't listen.

The watch flew across the room and smashed against the floor, its face cracking into several pieces.

I stumbled over the sharp corner of the table, slamming hard into the bone.

A jolt of searing pain shot through me, forcing a hiss from between my teeth.

Dylan sneered.

"That's what you get for running your mouth.

"Now get lost, and stop interfering where you don't belong."

Rachel looked at me with fake sympathy.

"Kaylee, hurry and get up. Mr. Gabbard saw you faking that fall..."

I clenched my teeth and shot her a cold stare.

Seeing that I dared to glare at her, Dylan yanked me up roughly from the floor.

"Rachel is having breast engorgement, and she went through a bunch of dirty clothes. Before you leave, wash the dirty ones by hand," he ordered.

I shoved his arm away. "Why should I?"

"Because you just treated Rachel horribly!" he snapped, his face dark and angry.

"You owe her an apology!"

Despite the burning pain in my leg, I forced myself to stand tall. "Keep dreaming!"

His expression froze over. Without warning, he shoved me toward the bathroom.

Bang!

He slammed the door shut and locked it from the outside.

"You're not coming out until everything is clean!"

I shouted, "Dylan, this is imprisonment!"

I grabbed the door handle and yelled, "Let me go!"

I hit the door hard, causing a loud thump, but everything outside stayed completely quiet.

My hands burned with pain, and my feet hurt badly.

The air inside smelled awful, like spoiled milk and puke.

I was so tired I dropped to my knees.

From the other side, Rachel spoke in a fake-sweet voice, "Mr. Gabbard, if you treat Kaylee this way, won't she be upset when she finally gets out?"

Dylan let out a cold laugh.

"Even if she's mad, who cares? Just calm her down later.

"This whole thing started because of her. If she keeps acting like this, who's going to pamper her when she marries my family?

"My family has served in the military for generations. If we didn't need someone to carry on the name, my mother would never let me marry a spoiled girl who only knows how to spend money."

Rachel gave a fake sigh of concern. "If you keep talking about her like that, aren't you afraid she'll break up with you?"

Everything went quiet outside.

After a while, Dylan's voice came again—colder than before and filled with pride.

"She won't.

"She has no money or power of her own. Marrying into my family is the best she can do.

"And she's crazy about me. If I told her to give up her life for me, she probably would."

Holding my chest tightly, I stared at the floor in shock. I never thought I'd hear Dylan say something so cruel.

My family has run businesses for many generations, so we often get targeted by shady people.

Six years back, my mother and I were overseas when some thugs kidnapped her.

They pointed their guns right at her head.

I screamed so loud I nearly lost my voice, thinking she was going to die.

Right then, there was a sudden whooshing sound.

One of the attackers was shot dead instantly.

Dylan appeared, wearing a military uniform, gun in hand, with a strong build and a trim waist. He saved both of us fast and without hesitation.

Later, in a military SUV, I saw his face clearly—sharp features, a straight nose, and calm eyes.

I fell for him right then.

After that, I chased him for an entire year before he finally agreed to be with me.

We've been together for five years now, and over time I've become more and more willing to follow his lead.

But today, he looked at everything I'd done and treated me like I meant nothing.

It's almost funny how heartless he is.

The bathroom door suddenly opened.

Dylan stepped in, saw me crouched down looking pale, and yanked me to my feet with an annoyed look.

"I just told you to do some laundry. Why are you sitting there acting all pitiful?"

My stomach twisted, and a sour taste crawled up my throat.

I held it back, fighting the nausea as I looked for the things my mother left behind.

The pocket watch was already smashed.

Shattered into tiny bits.

I gathered the fragments one by one.

Dylan spoke from behind me, "We'll have our wedding after Rachel finishes her recovery. She'll be staying with us once we're married."

Rachel glanced at me with eyes full of gratitude.

"Kaylee, I appreciate you letting me and my child stay. I'll never forget it..."

I didn't bother to hear the rest of her words. I spun around and stared straight at Dylan.

"No need, we won't be living together. I'll take my mom's belongings. Just give me the door password so I can send movers."

He recited some numbers and sneered at me.

"After everything, you'll come back, begging for me to take you back."

Rachel gently tugged on his sleeve and whispered, "Mr. Gabbard, inside the house..."

Dylan's expression changed, and then he led Rachel into my car.

"I'll come too, just to make sure you don't take anything you shouldn't."

When I entered the house, I finally saw the real reason Dylan tagged along.

The living room sofa had adult toys meant for men.

The dining table held sensual candles used for adult play.

The bedroom felt like something from a romantic movie; handcuffs were hooked on both ends of the bed, and the whole room had a strange, seductive vibe.

I had spent the past few days arranging my mother's funeral.

I hadn't been home in quite a while.

Dylan and Rachel didn't bother hiding their feelings anymore.

I stepped into the walk-in closet and saw my jewelry scattered all over the ground.

A few Hermès bags that were supposed to be on the shelf were missing, too.

Rachel walked in right after me, her face full of smugness.

"Kaylee, notice anything gone?" she asked, clearly hoping to see me explode.

But instead, I kept calm and smiled.

"A mistress is still just a mistress; sneaky and shameless, that's all you're good for."

"You!"

Her smile vanished as rage filled her eyes.

She suddenly yelled, held her belly, and collapsed to the floor.

"Kaylee, I'm still recovering. How could you hit me..." she whined.

Dylan came running in and picked her up in a panic.

Then, without warning, he slapped me across the face.

"Kaylee Lesnar! Being spoiled for too long has made you too arrogant!" he yelled.

His slap wasn't light; I felt my cheek burning and swelling.

My anger boiled over, and for a moment, I couldn't think straight as pain throbbed at my temples.

"I didn't hit her!" I shouted.

But he didn't care. He grabbed me, dragged me out of the closet, and shoved me hard onto the floor.

"Leave! Go back to your family! Come back when you've figured out how wrong you are!"

My fury shifted into a deep sense of injustice. I lost control, stormed up to Rachel, and slapped her across the face.

Smack!

Dylan exploded with rage and lifted his hand, ready to strike me.

I stared right at him, clenching my teeth.

"That's what it means to be hit by me," I said coldly.

Then I turned around and walked away. My eyes were hot again, and I hated myself for being so weak.

By the time I stepped outside, heavy rain had started falling. I was drenched instantly.

I sat on the ground, pulling my knees close, sobbing.

After what felt like forever, I realized I wasn't getting wet anymore.

I looked up in confusion. Aiden was standing there, quietly holding an umbrella over me.

He reached his hand toward me, his voice carrying clear pain and sadness.

"Kaylee, come with me. I'll take you home."

When I arrived at the Winslows' residence, the familiar garden and the same old housekeeper brought back a flood of memories.

Aiden's mother, Juliet Winslow, and my mother were actually best friends.

The engagement between us had been arranged since we were children.

Back then, I used to fight with my mother a lot, and I didn't really like Juliet or little Aiden either.

After middle school, I moved to Milan to study art.

Aiden went off to England because his family wanted him to learn business management.

More than ten years passed, and the next time I saw him was at my mother's funeral.

At some point, Juliet came over holding a glass of hot chocolate.

She gave me a tight hug, clearly upset.

"Aiden is so careless! Letting my daughter-in-law get soaked in the rain like this. Just wait, I'll scold him later!"

"Daughter-in-law?" I asked.

I looked at her, puzzled.

Aiden looked away, clearly embarrassed, and gave a small cough.

"I'll go get you a change of clothes," he mumbled and walked off.

Juliet handed me the hot chocolate with a gentle smile.

She said happily, "Aiden told us you two are planning to marry soon, so from now on, you're my daughter-in-law.

"I've been looking forward to this day. Your mom had already picked a wedding date, and we won't be changing it."

The date my mother had chosen is next month.

That was the same time I was meant to marry Dylan.

As I sipped the chocolate, its heat slowly brought warmth back to me.

At that moment, I felt a sting in my eyes, as if I might cry.

The following day, Aiden showed up with all the wedding supplies and asked me to look through everything carefully.

At first, I figured there wouldn't be enough time to get ready, and that I'd probably have to fall back on the original plan I made.

But to my surprise, Aiden had already handled every detail, leaving me with nothing to stress over.

It was clear how much effort he put in, and how much he cared.

As for Dylan...

We had dated for five years, but if I hadn't pushed him to get married, he would've never brought up marriage on his own.

I was the one who arranged everything for our wedding.

When someone truly loves you, and when they don't, it's easy to see the difference.

So, I made a decision and contacted the previous wedding planner. I called off the wedding.

Almost instantly, I got a phone call from Dylan's mother, Camilla Gabbard.

She snapped, "Kaylee, are you out of your mind? How can you just cancel everything like it's no big deal?

"What did Dylan do wrong this time? Can't you be a little more understanding? You've got such a nasty attitude every single day, only someone like Dylan would even put up with you!"

The Gabbard family never really accepted me.

I used to believe that his mother just liked to act tough but was kind underneath. I thought maybe she actually liked me.

It wasn't until I heard what Dylan said at the birth care center that everything became clear.

With that thought in mind, I spoke calmly, "Camilla, Dylan, and I have broken up. Naturally, the wedding should be canceled."

Camilla yelled, "Broke up? Did you upset Dylan again? Then say sorry! You're a woman—if you don't know how to calm your husband, how will you ever..."

I didn't want to hear her mock me any longer, so I ended the call.

The next day, Aiden and I visited a bridal shop to try on wedding gowns.

He got called into an online meeting halfway through and told me to go ahead and change first.

I slipped into the gown he had flown in all the way from Italy and smiled as I looked at myself in the mirror.

I heard footsteps behind me and turned with a bright smile, saying quickly, "How do I look?"

Dylan's eyes widened for a second in surprise.

My smile faded as I noticed Rachel stepping out of a nearby fitting room.

Dylan's expression instantly grew cold. He reached forward and yanked off my veil.

"Well done, Kaylee! First, you're the one who called off the wedding, then you sneak in here, secretly trying on the wedding gown? What, is this your way of playing hard to get?"

He pulled so forcefully that the veil came off in a flash.

The pin securing the stiff veil sliced straight across my face. Blood spilled down, staining the million-dollar gown.

I winced and let out a cry from the pain.

"Dylan, I didn't come here because of you!"

Rachel's eyes welled with tears immediately, and she jumped in to stir things up.

"Kaylee, I'm not trying to steal Mr. Gabbard. I just wanted a wedding shoot for memories, that's all."

Dylan gave a cold laugh.

"What's the point of saying anything to someone like her? Kaylee, I used to think you were just a little dramatic, and even then, I let things slide because I loved you. But now, you're still acting selfish, as to even getting on with our wedding."

He glared at me. "Fine, I don't want this wedding anymore!"

With that, he ripped at my gown and tried to force me out of the bridal shop.

I fought back with all my strength.

Right as he grabbed me around the waist, ready to rip off my wedding gown in front of everyone, Aiden suddenly appeared.

He kicked Dylan hard, sending him to the ground, then caught me in his arms.

"My wife is trying on her wedding gown. And you, her so-called ex, sure have some nerve making yourself the center of the drama."