Chapter 8

Max's eyes flickered with a hint of nervousness, but he quickly concealed it and casually remarked, "That one? Hmm, not sure. Maybe it got thrown away with the old clothes when we were tidying up?"

"Thrown away? I was planning on wearing it," I retorted.

Max gave a slight smile, probably thinking I wanted to put on something sexy and get intimate with him. He gently took my hand and said, "It's okay if we can't find it. I'll take you to buy a new one tomorrow. Honey, that one was too sexy, and if you wore it, I might not be able to resist... The doctor said your body hasn't fully recovered yet, and I can't have sex with you for at least six months. You can't be so naughty, wearing sexy lingerie just to torture me!"

"Is that so?" I suppressed the urge to smack him and kept my expression neutral.

Max continued, "Isn't it? You got pregnant the first time we were intimate, and the doctor warned us about the risks of having sex during your first pregnancy because it was unstable. The doctor advised us not to have sex. And yet now... Ah, honey, but for the sake of your health, I'll control my sexual desires."

I stared at him expressionlessly, pushing myself to appear a bit touched. "You're truly kind."

"Well, of course. I can't let mere desires outweigh my concern for my wife's health," Max said sincerely.

I smiled and gazed into his eyes, asking, "Wendy mentioned that men are often driven by their desires. When they become consumed by lust, their moral compass tends to fade away. Considering our unsatisfactory sex life, have you ever thought about having an affair?"

Max pursed his lips, taking a moment to reflect. "What Wendy says is just her opinion. You shouldn't pay too much attention to it. Besides, can I, your loving husband, really be compared to those men out there? It's been a busy season lately, with tight deadlines for the two new projects we've taken on. I'm so swamped with work that I barely have time to eat, let alone think about anything else."

Suppressing my disgust, I replied, "I know. You're the perfect husband. Those guys out there are nothing compared to you."

Turning away, I slipped under the covers. With each passing second, I feared losing control and wanting to strangle him.

Gripping the blanket tightly, I thought to myself, "Max, just keep lying. Keep lying until we uncover the truth about my baby's issue, and then we'll get a divorce."

Thinking that I was upset because my advances were rejected, Max moved closer, attempting to cuddle and kiss me. I evaded him, not wanting his unclean mouth, which had kissed another woman, anywhere near me.

Max hesitated for a moment, then cautiously asked, "Are you angry, honey?"

I shook my head, speaking calmly. "I'm not angry. You're right. My body hasn't fully recovered, so we shouldn't be intimate. Keep your distance."

Before Max could reply, I changed the topic. "Oh, by the way, let's go to the hospital tomorrow."

Nervously, he took hold of my hand. “Honey, why the hospital? Are you feeling unwell?"

His endearment made me feel sick.

"Why are you so nervous?"

Max effortlessly lied. "You're my wife. If I'm not concerned about you, who else would I be concerned about?"

"I'm not sick," I pulled my hand away. "We're both healthy, with no genetic or hidden illnesses. How could the baby have congenital deformities? We've been diligent with every prenatal checkup. Why didn't the ultrasound detect anything? We paid a lot of money for those checkups. They owe us an explanation."

Max sighed, sounding defeated. "Darling, let it go. It's not a big deal. We don't need the compensation money."

"Let it go?" I locked eyes with him. "Max, we're talking about your child. Not a big deal? Are you telling me to let it go? Is this just about money?"

A surge of anger welled up within me. I'd put off confronting him about his infidelity for the time being, but this was our child, and he was telling me to let it go?

"That's not what I meant, darling. I was just worried that if we caused a scene, it would only make you more upset. I can't bear to see you like that," Max said, his eyes filled with concern. "You've been starting to feel a bit better, and I don't want to see you suffer."

"If you won't go, then I'll go by myself! I need to seek justice for our child!" I exclaimed.

In that moment, I felt like Max was only focused on the other woman outside, completely indifferent to what happened to our child. And according to my mother-in-law, if the child was a girl, she wouldn't be able to carry on the family line, and they didn't care at all.

Seeing that I was determined to go to the hospital and cause trouble, the gentleness on Max's face couldn't hold back any longer, and was replaced by growing anxiety. "Jen Middleton, do you really have to go?"

From the time we started dating until now, Max rarely ever used my full name. It was usually just "Jen" or "darling, honey." Typically, if he did use my full name, it meant he was angry.

I looked at him silently, thinking, "Max, isn't it about time your hypocritical and cunning nature is revealed?"

Perhaps our argument had grown too loud, because it caught the attention of my mother-in-law.

My mother-in-law stormed into the room, her face filled with anger. "Jen, why are you yelling at my son at this time of night?"

Max, clearly annoyed, intervened. "Mom, she insists on going to the hospital to investigate the cause of the child's death. I couldn't persuade her otherwise."

Upon hearing this, my mother-in-law rushed towards me, yanked my hair, and delivered a powerful slap. "How dare you cause trouble by going to the hospital! I'll break your leg! It's bad enough that you gave birth to a freak, and now you want to create a spectacle for everyone to see? You bring bad luck, you brought misfortune upon your own parents, and now you've killed your child. Who do you think is responsible?"

Her slap twisted my face, and her spittle sprayed all over me. Her breath, reeking due to lack of dental hygiene, made me feel nauseous.

I stared at her coldly. "Say that again."

"What if I do? Wasn't it because of you that your parents had an accident? Well, let me tell you the truth. Before you married Max, I consulted a fortune teller. You're a jinx, your fate clashes with your family, you bring misfortune!"

"Stop talking!"

"You dare to tell me to stop talking? You little promiscuous woman, giving birth to a freak, and I..."

Before my mother-in-law could finish her sentence, I got up, grabbed her hair, and started fighting with her. She could insult me all she wanted, but she had crossed the line by insulting my deceased parents! Calling my child a freak!

That child was mine, the result of nine months of pregnancy! Even though she wasn't the grandson they had hoped for, she was still their granddaughter. How could my mother-in-law label her as a freak?

I lost control, pinning her down on the bed, repeatedly striking her. Max intervened to stop the altercation, enduring multiple punches and kicks in the process. Consumed by anger, I forcefully shoved my mother-in-law, causing her to fall to the edge of the bed, audibly in pain.

"Max! This little tramp wants to kill me!"

Before I could gather myself, Max seized my shoulders and delivered a forceful slap. "Jen, have you lost your mind? How could you dare lay a hand on my mom!"

The stinging slap rendered half of my face numb, a taste of blood spreading in my mouth.