Stepping into Hardship in Lavish Attire

The old man nodded painfully. "I was wrong to keep you tied to this family. Go. Go find a life beyond all this. You deserve a wider world."

Saying that, he hunched over and left with the already dead child in his arms.

The moment the door shut, the tears I had been holding back finally fell.

Years of bitterness and regret came crashing down at once.

My marriage to Jonathan had been arranged by his grandfather. He needed someone to keep his unruly grandson in check. I needed someone to pay for my mom's medical expenses.

It had been a fair trade.

I quit my job and married him.

Over time, I learned about the tragic childhood he rarely spoke of—how he lost his parents at an early age, how he woke up in the middle of the night crying out for “mom” in his midnight dreams.

In those moments, our two broken souls seemed to resonate with one another.

I want to heal his heart.

I want to start a happy family with him.

So, I dedicated myself to being the perfect wife.

I trained tirelessly in the kitchen, hoping to recreate the taste of his mother’s cooking—the only warmth he had ever known.

I traveled from place to place, trying to recreate the little wooden cabin from his childhood memories. I even learned every bed trick to satisfy his needs, hoping it would make him stay.

I thought we would have a happy future together.

But on our wedding anniversary, he proudly walked into a hotel with my best friend in a dignified manner.

Like a madwoman, I ran after him, demanding an explanation.

He scoffed and threw the contract between his grandfather and me in my face.

"Zara, what do you think you are? Just because I entertained you for a few days, you think you are actually Mrs. Richards?"

"You are nothing but a dog my grandfather bought. What right do you have to question me about my affair? If you dare to upset me, I will stop paying for your mom's treatment right this second!"

I felt like I'd been struck by lightning. I couldn't say a single word.

From then on, Jonathan became even more reckless.

When he was done playing with internet celebrities, he moved on to my friends.

He kept testing my limits, again and again.

On one side, my mom needed medical treatment.

On the other, my marriage was rotten to the core. I almost collapsed.

The two forces pulled me in opposite directions, tearing me apart.

One day, lost in thought, I slipped and fell down the stairs.

That was when I found out I was pregnant.

His grandfather pleaded with me, almost desperate.

"Zara, please keep the child. Maybe this could save your marriage. If, after the baby is born, Richards still doesn't change, I promise I won't force you to stay."

With too many emotions weighing on my heart, I agreed.

I tried. I really did. I hadn't thought about trying so hard for so long.

But in the end, I lost everything—my mom, my baby, my marriage, my love.