1
In the middle of the night, Riley Carter pulled me out of bed.
“What are you doing? It’s the middle of the night—you’re ruining my sleep!”
Riley Carter stood before me in dark lounge clothes, his wispy bangs falling over his forehead. His expression was tender and helpless. “You’ve caused trouble. Come downstairs with me.”
His voice was gentle and pleasing, like jade beads falling onto a tray.
Riley Carter was my husband. Honestly, I was pretty fond of that face of his.
[Coming to pick a fight with me at this hour? It’s got to be because that white lotus of my older brother’s has stirred things up again, crying to him about me.]
I grumbled to myself, my face full of annoyance. Just thinking about having to see that little white lotus was enough to irritate me.
Riley Carter suddenly said, “If you come downstairs with me now, I’ll consider the divorce.”
When I transmigrated into the original character’s body, she was being slandered by a rich heiress who secretly loved Riley Carter.
The original character’s marriage to Riley Carter existed in name only; the two of them didn’t love each other.
Riley Carter said he wanted to divorce me.
The divorce agreement said that after the divorce, Riley Carter would pay me 500 million.
[Being slandered really makes me angry, but the compensation is so generous I can take the blame for this one.]
[With 500 million, I could keep so many male models. Hehe, I want to try a few types—puppy-dog boys, wolfish boys—and preferably with six-packs…]
I was very pleased with the amount.
So I agreed to the divorce.
Who knew Riley Carter would suddenly change his mind and say he didn’t want a divorce anymore? He even helped me uncover the truth, made sure the rich heiress faced the law, and then apologized to me.
After that, no matter how hard I tried to coax him into divorcing me, he refused to let go.
Had he finally thought it through?
My eyes lit up. “Let’s go downstairs!”
“Wait.”
Riley Carter called me back. When our eyes met, he quickly turned his head away, the tips of his ears turning slightly red.
“You… should button your shirt back up.”
Me: “?”
I looked down, my face heating up. Somehow, the buttons at my chest had come undone, exposing skin as white as snow.
Had I really been standing in front of Riley Carter like this all this time?
“I’ve buttoned it. Let’s go.” I fastened the buttons again, pretending to be calm.
“Mm.”
I followed behind Riley Carter.
Seeing his ears turn so red they looked ready to bleed, I thought:
[So even a domineering CEO can get embarrassed?]
[He’s so innocent. If he knew that nothing happened between us on the night we got drunk, he’d be over the moon, wouldn’t he?]
Thud—
As we were going downstairs, Riley Carter suddenly tumbled down.
“Are you okay?”
I looked worried on the outside, but couldn’t help laughing to myself: [That’s what he gets for refusing to divorce me. Now he’s having a run of bad luck.]
“I’m fine.” Riley Carter’s face had gone pale, and he seemed to grit his teeth as he said, “My older brother is waiting for us.”
When we reached the living room, my older brother Avery Carter’s white-lotus girlfriend began to sob.
“Riley Cooper, I don’t know what I did wrong for you to want to ruin things between me and Avery.”
“Avery and I truly love each other. Even if you can’t accept me, don’t tell me the baby I’m carrying isn’t his!”
2
Avery Carter was an artist, sensitive and deeply sentimental. He hadn’t been in love with anyone for years.
Quinn Johnson had used a few tricks and sweet words to somehow make Avery Carter see her as his muse, turning him into a lovesick fool.
Their relationship had been an endless cycle of breaking up and getting back together. Then, recently, Avery Carter suddenly announced over dinner that he wanted to marry Quinn Johnson.
The Carters were somewhat bothered by the rumors that Quinn Johnson had been involved with several people before, and they weren’t exactly willing to accept her.
Avery Carter dropped a bombshell: “Quinn Johnson is carrying my child.”
Unfortunately, I had a grudge against Quinn Johnson.
I couldn’t stand watching Avery Carter, a lovesick fool, get wrapped around her little finger, so I acted suspicious.
“You’re pretty naive, big brother. You believe everything she tells you?”
“You should pay attention to what Quinn Johnson gets up to when you’re not around.”
My parents chimed in, too. “Tri Tri is right. We don’t even know if the baby is yours. If you really want to marry her, get a paternity test first.”
Avery Carter suddenly walked away, his face cold.
Looking at my big brother now, all he could see was Quinn Johnson. She’d probably used him, then brainwashed him with her counterattack.
If he couldn’t get a paternity test, he might even end up blaming himself for doubting Quinn Johnson.
Quinn Johnson leaned into Avery Carter’s arms, putting on a pitiful, victimized act. “Riley Cooper, you’re slandering me!”
Avery Carter’s face darkened as he glared at me. “Riley Cooper, apologize to Quinn Johnson.”
“Huh? What did I slander her about? Big brother, I never said the baby she’s carrying wasn’t yours. I just expressed some doubts.” I blinked innocently.
Wasn’t she just playing the sweet, innocent act?
Anyone could do that.
“Miss Johnson was caught up in rumors back when you two broke up, too. I’m only worried about our family, big brother.”
“The Carter family has such a vast business empire. If she really is carrying a Carter heir, that’s one thing. But if she isn’t…”
I let the sentence trail off, rolling my eyes inwardly.
[Big brother, he’s let me down so much. I only warned him, thinking he’d ask what really happened. Who knew she’d lead him around by the nose like this?]
Dad Carter stepped forward with a stern expression. “Your sister-in-law is right. If you want to marry her, you need to get a DNA test first.”
Quinn Johnson burst into tears. “Avery, you know you’re the only one I’ve ever had. How can they doubt that this is our baby…?”
“I know there were rumors about me, but that was because of my work. I’ve never been unfaithful to you!”
Avery Carter gently comforted Quinn Johnson, wiping away her tears with a look of deep sympathy.
He refused to back down. “Dad, you’re insulting Quinn Johnson by saying that.”
Dad Carter stared at Quinn Johnson so sharply that she shrank behind Avery Carter, frightened.
“If you want to get married, a DNA test is nonnegotiable.”
I backed Dad Carter up. “Miss Johnson insists she hasn’t done anything wrong to my older brother, so getting a DNA test shouldn’t be a problem, right?”
“If you keep avoiding it, doesn’t that mean you have something to feel guilty about?”
A flicker of panic crossed Quinn Johnson’s face, but she knew exactly how to play to her strengths.
Her eyes reddened, and she said to Avery Carter, sounding hurt, “Avery, just because they said they doubt me, does that mean I have to get a test?”
“Your family really does know how to bully people.”
Her tears streamed down her face as if she’d suffered some terrible injustice, and Avery Carter was so heartbroken he could barely stand it.
As he comforted her, he glared angrily at us. “Mom, Dad, I’m truly disappointed in both of you!”
His reaction didn’t surprise me in the least.
[Ugh! My older brother really is a hopeless romantic. How has he still not figured out why she keeps dodging the test? She feels guilty because, when the two of them broke up, she went on dates with so many people that even she doesn’t know who the baby’s father is.]
[If you don’t believe me, just coax her into taking the test. I guarantee she’ll immediately demand an abortion.]
[Standing here watching is exhausting. If only I could sit down with some sunflower seeds and enjoy the show.]
“Come sit with me. Let your older brother and the others work things out themselves.” Mẹ Lục sat off to one side, beckoning me over.
There were still sunflower seeds and peanuts on the table. My eyes lit up, and I hurried over to sit down.
As I passed Riley Carter, he was absorbed in his phone.
[This guy is no fun. How can he be dealing with work at a time like this?]
When he saw me, he looked a little helpless.
Mẹ Lục spoke up, too. “Avery Carter, no one in our family has ever had a child out of wedlock. Now that you’ve broken that rule, if you want to marry her, we have to acknowledge the child she’s carrying first.”
Don’t let Mẹ Lục’s usual air of refinement and gentleness fool you. She might not look very imposing, but whatever she said, the whole Lục family had to follow.
Avery Carter suddenly looked troubled.
After hesitating a moment, he gently coaxed Quinn Johnson in a low voice. “Quinn, if the baby really is mine, why don’t we get a DNA test and put Mom and Dad’s doubts to rest once and for all…”
Before he could finish, Quinn Johnson slapped him across the face. “You bastard! Even you don’t trust me!”
“Then there’s nothing left to say. I’ll get rid of the baby. That’s better than bringing it into the world only to have it suffer all these doubts!”
I laughed so hard my stomach hurt. [Hahaha! I knew it. She’d definitely pull this trick to turn things around.]
[Surely my older brother doesn’t actually think the baby she’s carrying is his? Don’t be so lovesick. You’re still young—don’t let her make you raise another man’s kid.]
[Wasn’t she the one who wanted an abortion? Just go along with what she said and see if she starts demanding a breakup and cutting ties.]
The room fell silent for a moment.
Everyone thought Avery Carter would give in. Even I thought so.
Avery Carter looked up. “Fine. Then let’s get rid of the baby.”
3
Quinn Johnson looked utterly stunned.
“If Miss Johnson doesn’t want a DNA test and has no proof the baby is Avery Carter’s, then perhaps she should get rid of it. That’s one way to handle things.”
Mẹ Lục smiled and continued, “Otherwise, getting pregnant before you’re married and having the rumors spread would hardly look good.”
I secretly gave her a thumbs-up.
[That’s Mẹ Lục for you!]
[Quinn Johnson will definitely threaten to break up. She’d never dare get rid of the baby. Of all the people she’s been involved with, Avery Carter has the highest status and position. This baby is her only leverage to force him to marry her.]
“Avery, I was so wrong about you!”
Quinn Johnson roughly wiped away her tears, putting on a brave face as if she’d been wronged:
“You don’t deserve for me to give you my whole life. I’ll raise this baby on my own. We’re breaking up!”
[There! There! I told you she’d threaten to break up. Once they split, she definitely won’t get rid of the baby. My older brother is so lovesick—he’ll surely start worrying. It won’t be long before she seduces him into taking her back, and he’ll fall right into her trap again.]
[By then, enough time will have passed that she won’t be able to get rid of the baby.]
For some reason, Avery Carter looked conflicted and confused.
I thought he’d instinctively try to stop her.
As the two of them struggled, Riley Carter, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up.
“You keep insisting the baby is my older brother’s, Ms. Johnson. So tell me, how do you explain this video from July 5?”
[July 5? Wasn’t that the day my older brother and she broke up?]
[Now I remember. She also had plans with three sugar daddies that day. Riley Carter even got his hands on a video? He’s impressive. I want to see it too.]
I craned my neck, suddenly finding the sunflower seeds in my hand rather bland.
Quinn Johnson’s face went deathly pale, and she looked away. “What video? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You’re all slandering me!”
“You’re all bullying me, bullying me… Boo-hoo!”
Quinn Johnson suddenly burst into hysterical sobs, snatched Riley Carter’s phone, and hurled it to the ground.
I curled my lip. [What a terrible performance. She must be afraid Avery Carter will see the video, so she’s deliberately trying to destroy it.]
Avery Carter stepped forward and stopped her. “Quinn Johnson! Calm down!”
“Fine. If you don’t believe me either, then we’re breaking up!”
With that, Quinn Johnson covered her face, burst into tears, and ran off.
[She ran off so fast. She must be afraid she’ll be exposed and won’t be able to stay here anymore.]
Watching my older brother with his heartbroken expression, looking as if he wanted to chase after her, I couldn’t help sighing to myself:
[My older brother is such a lovesick fool. He’s been duped.]
[There was really nothing between him and her. That day, when he got drunk and woke up in a hotel, the whole thing had been planned by Quinn Johnson. Even more absurdly, while he was sleeping like the dead, she was in the next room with one of her sugar daddies.]
[Did he really think he’d gotten so drunk that he lost control and left her “unable to get back up”?]